Twenty-four hours after lying upside down in a heap of disappointment with a destroyed racecar, Jake Swanson and Team AZ Racing were back on their feet, so to speak, on Thursday night at Putnamville, Indiana’s Lincoln Park Speedway.

Armed with another car from the team’s stable that was prepared on blazing hot Thursday afternoon through a combination of blood, sweat and tears – but mostly sweat – the Anaheim, Calif. native 180’d from the previous night’s Terre Haute disappointment to win his first career USAC NOS Energy Drink Indiana Sprint Week Presented By Honest Abe Roofing feature event.

The timeline of events that transpired between the events at Terre Haute and Lincoln Park are a microcosm of the tug-of-war of emotions the team has experienced. In the six Indiana Sprint Week events contested thus far, Swanson has three finishes of 16th or worse, plus a 2nd, an 8th and now a victory in his Team AZ Racing/Racing For Autism Awareness – Apache Transport/DRC/1-Way Chevy.

Wednesday’s Terre Haute round was undoubtedly the team’s most discouraging moment of the week thus far, crashing and writing off a racecar while running third after leading eight laps.

However, Thursday’s triumphant performance turned out to be the team’s most rewarding, which arrived after the clock had already struck midnight due to a two-plus hour rain delay that doused the 5/16-mile dirt oval with excessive moisture. Together, everyone achieved more, and finally, they were rewarded with their initial Indiana Sprint Week victory.

WATCH INDIANA SPRINT WEEK AT LINCOLN PARK REPLAY

Indiana Sprint Week Highlights From Lincoln Park Speedway

Winning Quote From Jake Swanson

“We crashed last night at Terre Haute, and it was all on me. I was just trying too hard, and these guys have worked their (tails) off trying to get a car back together and get this thing ready. Tonight, we struggled with brake problems, and (the crew) just continued to work through the heat. I think they sweated through about three t-shirts each.”

USAC Indiana Sprint Week Results From Lincoln Park Speedway

1. Jake Swanson (2), 2. Robert Ballou (8), 3. Brady Bacon (10), 4. Justin Grant (5), 5. Chase Stockon (4), 6. Kyle Cummins (6), 7. Carson Garrett (15), 8. Charles Davis Jr. (7), 9. Jadon Rogers (19), 10. Brent Beauchamp (22), 11. Briggs Danner (13), 12. Shane Cottle (20), 13. Emerson Axsom (23-P), 14. Matt Westfall (9), 15. C.J. Leary (14), 16. Stevie Sussex (17), 17. Daison Pursley (24-P), 18. Eddie Tafoya Jr. (16), 19. Hunter Maddox (12), 20. Logan Seavey (1), 21. Mitchel Moles (11), 22. Jordan Kinser (18), 23. Kevin Thomas Jr. (3), 24. Tye Mihocko (21)

USAC National Sprint Car Point Standings 

Brady Bacon jumped back up to the top spot in the championship standings, while Justin Grant also moved by Emerson Axsom into the second position. Bacon leads Grant by 11 points, with Axsom 23 points back in third. 

Full USAC Sprints Points Standings

Indiana Sprint Week Point Standings 

1-Justin Grant-406, 2-Brady Bacon-402, 3-Robert Ballou-365, 4-Kyle Cummins-337, 5-Kevin Thomas Jr.-326, 6-Emerson Axsom-323, 7-C.J. Leary-310, 8-Shane Cottle-308, 9-Carson Garrett-291, 10-Jake Swanson-287

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