CLERMONT, Ind. — Bobby Santos III dominated the second half of Saturday night’s Lucas Oil USAC National Sprint Car Series feature at O’Reilly Raceway Park.
Driving his family’s No. 98s, Santos led the first eight laps before handing the lead to Bobby East, who set the pace for three circuits of the tricky .686-mile asphalt oval.
Santos rallied back to the point on lap 13 and was never headed the remainder of the 30-lap event.
“Seems like a long race when you are in the car with no yellows,” Santos said. “It seems even longer when you are in the lead and battling during the entire race.”
East finished second, with Bryan Clauson, who won the earlier USAC National Midget Series feature, taking third. Fast-qualifier Eric Gordon and Darren Hagen rounded out the top five.
The summary:
Qualifications: 1. Eric Gordon, Bowman 51, 20.659; 2. Darren Hagen, Kunz 67, 20.661; 3. Bobby East, Klatt 5, 20.671; 4. Bryan Clauson, Kunz 67k, 20.690; 5. Damion Gardner, Leffler 71, 20.779; 6. Bobby Santos III, Santos 98s, 20.779; 7. Cameron Dodson, Kunz 67x, 20.796; 8. Brian Tyler, Contos 4, 20.817; 9. Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., Stewart 21, 20.839; 10. Donnie Adams, Adams 17a, 20.865; 11. Mat Neely, Neely 17n, 20.895; 12. Ron Gregory, BWB 62, 21.031; 13. Levi Jones, Stewart 20, 21.044; 14. Kevin Swindell, Kahne 9, 21.058; 15. Marc Jessup, Jessup 14j, 21.059; 16. Brady Short, 2B Racing 2b, 21.066; 17. Dustin Morgan, Walker/Guiducci 11d, 21.176; 18. Mike Murgoitio, Walker/Guiducci 11, 21.176; 19. Aaron Pierce, RAM 50, 21.278; 20. Dave Darland, Pace 44, 21.289; 21. Chris Windom, Windom 17, 21.299; 22. Brady Bacon, Kahne 99, 21.330; 23. Tom Hessert III, Hessert 5h, 21.348; 24. Nick Green, Short 36, 21.365; 25. Brian Gerster, Davis/Gerster 27, 21.572; 26. Jesse Hockett, VKCC 75, 21.648; 27. Dave Steele, Dynamics 69, 21.871; 28. Robert Ballou, MPHG 81, 21.943.
First Heat (8 laps): Jones, Stenhouse, Windom, Morgan, Gordon, Gardner, Gerster.
Second Heat (8 laps): Santos, Murgoitio, Hagen, Hockett, Swindell, Bacon, Adams.
Third Heat (8 laps): Pierce, Jessup, East, Hessert, Dodson, Steele, Neely.
Fourth Heat (8 laps): Darland, Clauson, Tyler, Gregory, Short, Green, Ballou.
Semi (10 laps): Gardner, Gordon, Dodson, Neely, Adams, Short, Swindell, Gerster, Bacon, Ballou, Steele, Green.
Feature (30 laps): Santos, East, Clauson, Gordon, Hagen, Gardner, Dodson, Neely, Tyler, Murgoitio, Adams, Gregory, Stenhouse, Morgan, Windom, Darland, Jessup, Swindell, Pierce, Hockett, Bacon, Jones, Short, Hessert.