Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals

It was never a question if Tyler Courtney would get back to Victory Lane in a Sprint Car, but a question of when. As it turns out, he didn’t have to wait long.

In his first race back in the seat of the NOS Energy Drink, Clauson Marshall Racing No. 7BC since a hard crash that sidelined him last July, the Indianapolis native broke through to Victory Lane, taking the lead on Lap 22 and leading the final four circuits around Volusia Speedway Park to win the American Sprint Car Series season opener in the kickoff to the 55th Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals.

“I think you always have to think it’s possible to go do it, but I didn’t have the expectation to do it,” Courtney said. “I think, in the back of my mind, I really wanted to. It’s a good way to build your confidence back up. Sitting at home thinking about a lot of stuff, it really kicks you in the dirt. But I’ve got a great team behind me, and they’ve been behind me since day one in the hospital, all the way to tonight.

“Tonight, it proved to me, to my team, and everybody that’s in my support system, that I’m where I need to be and that’s behind the wheel of a racecar.”

The 31-year-old took the green flag from third on the starting grid and slipped back to fifth on the opening lap, where he stayed until he got by Whit Gastineau for fourth on Lap 7. After a red flag halted the action on Lap 10, Courtney immediately picked up his rhythm once again and began reeling in the top three drivers.

Up first was third-place Brady Bacon, who Courtney got by after trading slidejobs with on Lap 14. Next was Brian Brown, who was over 1.2 seconds ahead when Courtney took the third spot. Once he made the pass to Brown’s outside on Lap 18, Courtney began work on leader Austin McCarl, who held a gap of 1.6 seconds with under eight laps left.

“I think once I got to Brown and got clear of him, I was like, okay, if everything kinda goes my way here, we can win this race,” Courtney said. “But it’s still tough. Austin’s a great racecar driver. Any race nowadays is not easy to come by. Still had to work for it to get by him there.”

Despite the gap McCarl maintained, Courtney found the bottom lane in Turns 3–4 and erased the deficit in only four laps. He snuck by to McCarl’s inside out of Turn 4 to take the lead on Lap 22 and held on for his second career American Sprint Car Series Feature win.

“For me, through this whole thing, I’ve learned to appreciate everything,” Courtney said. “Not even just with racing, but everything in life. It can be taken from you in the blink of an eye. I thought my last race had ended in a helicopter ride out of Eldora, and so tonight, to show back up here after six months and park that thing in Victory Lane meant the world to me.”

Bacon charged to the runner-up spot in the final circuits to cross the stripe in second while McCarl shuffled back to third. Brown crossed in fourth and defending Series champion Sam Hafertepe Jr. rounded out the top five.

UP NEXT

The American Sprint Car Series is back in action at Volusia Speedway Park on Friday, Jan. 30, for the second of three nights of racing as part of Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals. Tickets are on sale online in advance; click here to purchase.

Where can you watch every American Sprint Car Series race? Live on DIRTVision.

FEATURE RESULTS

Feature (25 Laps): 1. 7BC-Tyler Courtney[3]; 2. 20-Brady Bacon[4]; 3. 88W-Austin McCarl[2]; 4. 21-Brian Brown[6]; 5. 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr[8]; 6. 3Z-Brock Zearfoss[16]; 7. 44-Chris Martin[7]; 8. 2-Whit Gastineau[1]; 9. 27-Emerson Axsom[11]; 10. 28F-Davie Franek[5]; 11. 2C-Cole Macedo[22]; 12. 01-Jadan Bowling[17]; 13. 6S-Tyler Clem[18]; 14. 45-Nick Sheridan[14]; 15. 23-Seth Bergman[15]; 16. 5C-DJ Christie[21]; 17. 95-Matt Covington[12]; 18. 5-Ryder McCutcheon[24]; 19. 17GP-Hank Davis[13]; 20. 4-Cameron Martin[9]; 21. 7-Jordan Thomas[19]; 22. 5K-Danny Sams III[10]; 23. (DNS) 32B-Dale Blaney; 24. (DNS) 88R-Ryder Laplante