C.J. Leary has been buried in the middle of the pack this season.
Coming into Indiana Sprint Week, he hadn’t yet won a race this season and was a ways behind points leader Justin Grant.
After Sunday night, though, it’s becoming easy to say, “We see you, C.J.”
The defending series and ISW champion earned his second-straight win in round three of the seven-race mini tour, holding off Chris Windom at Lawrenceburg.
Leary stuck his No. 30 car to the high line on the track, showing impeccable conditioning to earn drive away from the pack and take the win.
“That took all I had,” Leary said. “Three and four was so tricky. There was a big, old cushion right in the middle and it kept wanting to toss the nose. Typically, it’s kind of a breeze in the park for me. I’ve got so many laps here, but tonight it was everything I had.”
That cushion proved to be huge. It got ahold of Grant’s car and knocked the right-rear wheel off of it.
Grant ended up going to the rear and driving all the way up to eighth before the end of the night, exemplifying why he has the points lead.
Leary started on the front row before winning for the second race in a row, which he commented about after the race on the FloRacing broadcast.
The veteran, though, took a shot at the format of the racing that has the fastest qualifier in each heat race starting sixth.
“We somehow sandbagged two nights in a row and got on the front row, which is what I felt like we needed to do to win these races anymore,” Leary said. “When you set the quick time it kind of feels like you get put in the penalty box.”
Nonetheless, Leary held off a dive bomb from Windom with five laps to go and completed the 30-lap clinic that he put on.
Brady Bacon was not far off from the top two drivers and earned a good enough finish to take the Indiana Sprint Week points lead going into the two day break.
The USAC Sprint Car season and speedweek will continue on Wednesday night when the series rolls over to Terre Haute.
USAC Lawrenceburg Results
Indiana Sprint Week Race 3
1. C.J. Leary
2. Chris Windom
3. Brady Bacon
4. Chase Stockon
5. Carson Short
6. Logan Seavey
7. Kyle Cummins
8. Justin Grant
9. Chase Johnston
10. Robert Ballou
11. Thomas Meseraull
12. Kevin Thomas Jr.
13. Dave Darland
14. Matt Westfall
15. Jarrett Andretti
16. J.J. Hughes
17. Jerry Coons Jr.
18. Brandon Mattox
19. Eddie Tafoya Jr.
20. Shane Cottle
21. Max Adams
22. Jadon Rogers
23. Tyler Courtney
| Indiana Sprint Week Points | ||||
| Position | Driver | Points | Behind | |
| 1 | Brady Bacon | 215 | -0 | |
| 2 | Justin Grant | 210 | -5 | |
| 3 | Chase Stockon | 208 | -7 | |
| 4 | C.J. Leary | 198 | -17 | |
| 5 | Kyle Cummins | 192 | -23 | |
| 6 | Logan Seavey | 188 | -27 | |
| 7 | Carson Short | 183 | -32 | |
| 8 | Chris Windom | 179 | -36 | |
| 9 | Thomas Meseraull | 149 | -66 | |
| 10 | Robert Ballou | 148 | -67 | |
| USAC Non-Wing Sprint Cars Standings | ||||
| 1 | Justin Grant | 954 | -0 | |
| 2 | Brady Bacon | 883 | -71 | |
| 3 | Chris Windom | 853 | -101 | |
| 4 | Chase Stockon | 853 | -101 | |
| 5 | C.J. Leary | 851 | -103 | |
| 6 | Carson Short | 778 | -176 | |
| 7 | Kevin Thomas Jr. | 771 | -183 | |
| 8 | Dave Darland | 629 | -325 | |
| 9 | Brandon Mattox | 570 | -384 | |
| 10 | Logan Seavey | 521 | -433 | |
