If you thought Justin Grant had any inkling of missing a beat after three-straight USAC National Sprint Car wins last weekend, well, you’d be mistaken.

Absolutely nothing broke the Ione, Calif. native’s stride on Saturday afternoon during the 69th running of the Ted Horn 100 Presented By Hunt Brothers Pizza at the Du Quoin State Fairgrounds in southern Illinois as he scored his first USAC Silver Crown National Championship win of the season at an event he’s longed to win throughout the past decade of trying.

The 2020 USAC Silver Crown driving champion had made seven previous Ted Horn 100 starts, finishing a best of second back in 2019. On this day, he was nearly perfect, leading all but the first lap in the 100-miler as he controlled the final 99 trips around the legendary Magic Mile in his Hemelgarn Racing/NOS Energy Drink – Super Fitness – Nick Bohanon LLC/DRC/Foxco Chevy.

Grant also broke his 18-race string without a USAC Silver Crown win – which dated back to the 2022 season opener at the Terre Haute Action track – with his fifth career series win, tying him with Mario Andretti, Donnie Beechler, Pancho Carter, Shane Cockrum, Jay Drake, Tony Elliott, Bud Kaeding, Sheldon Kinser and Larry Rice for 26th on the all-time list.

After winning his first career Ted Horn 100 pole position, Grant proceeded to become the first driver to win the race from the first starting spot since Shane Cottle did the deed in 2007.

But more than anything, Grant is currently on one of the hottest streaks of his racing career after a down-and-out rough patch during the summer months. Last week, he reeled off three consecutive USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car victories in a three-night span at Kokomo (Ind.) Speedway, and in his first race since, he notched a Silver Crown win at the Du Quoin Mile.

Grant spent much of the first couple laps side-by-side with outside front row starter C.J. Leary, and it was Leary who got around Grant on the outside line to lead lap one by a car length at the line. Grant swiped the lead back away from Leary on lap two as he raced by on the inside to beat Leary to the bottom rail in in turn three, which was an imperative aspect for Grant to establish early in the going.

With three laps remaining, Leary was able to slightly cut into Grant's lead, knocking off a couple tenths from the margin down to 0.6 sec. Nevertheless, he was unable to get any closer than that as Grant remained steady and in complete control as he finished off his second win on a dirt mile in the state of Illinois, but his first on the Du Quoin Mile.

Grant’s margin of victory was 0.999 sec. over Leary with Swanson third, Cockrum fourth and Seavey fifth.

WATCH REPLAY

USAC Silver Crown Ted Horn 100 Highlights From Du Quoin

Winning Quote From Justin Grant

“I’m super fortunate here lately. Everything I get in is an absolute rocket ship and I’m just having a ton of fun. Things are awesome right now and I’m just super, super fortunate for everybody who’s behind me and the racecars that I get to sit in.”

USAC Silver Crown Ted Horn 100 Results From Du Quoin

1. Justin Grant (1)

2. C.J. Leary (2)

3. Kody Swanson (8)

4. Shane Cockrum (11)

5. Logan Seavey (5)

6. Jerry Coons Jr. (4)

7. Emerson Axsom (12)

8. Wayne Johnson (26)

9. Taylor Ferns (18)

10. Kyle Steffens (10)

11. Chris Urish (15)

12. Korey Weyant (16)

13. Chris Fetter (13)

14. Chase Stockon (6)

15. Dave Berkheimer (23)

16. Trey Burke (14)

17. Davey Ray (3)

18. Mario Clouser (9)

19. Casey Buckman (17)

20. Russ Gamester (22)

21. Ryan Thomas (27)

22. Danny Long (24)

23. Kaylee Bryson (19)

24. Patrick Lawson (21)

25. Shane Cottle (7)

26. A.J. Fike (20)

27. Tom Paterson (29)

28. John Tosti (25)

29. Tim Simmons (28)

USAC Silver Crown Series Points Standings

With a third-place finish at Du Quoin, Kody Swanson is now within one point of Logan Seavey at the top of the Silver Crown point standings. 

Full USAC Silver Crown Points Standings

Last Race: USAC Silver Crown Series at World Wide Technology Raceway - August 27

Up Next: USAC Silver Crown Series - 4 Crown Nationals at Eldora Speedway - September 22-23