It’s week five in the SRX Racing season.  This week on Thursday Night Thunder, the series travels to Indiana for some dirt track racing at Eldora.

Matt Kenseth, Chase Briscoe, and Austin Dillon joins the racers this week.  Also joining the drivers this week is NHRA Drag racer Ron Capps.

It’s the first of two dirt track racing for the SRX Racing Series in 2023.  Series creator and NASCAR Hall of Fame driver Tony Stewart owns Eldora and is looking to make a good showing.

The heat races are 25 laps long or 14 minutes with a 75 lap main event.  The field is inverted for heat number two.  The lineup for the main event is determined by the average of the two heats.

Ron Capps, Austin Dilon, Chase Briscoe,  and Matt Kenseth will join Tony Stewart, Ryan Newman, Hailie Deegan, Bobby Labonte, Brad Keselowski, Ken Schrader, Marco Andretti, and Tony Kanaan for this week’s races.

Funny Car – drag racer – Ron Capps has not driven on dirt or even made laps in a car for over 10 years and will lead the field to the green flag for heat number one.  Capps gets out in front for the lead with Bobby Labonte in second; Tony Stewart, Brad Keselowski, and Ryan Newman round out the top five.

Smoke passes Bobby Labonte for second.
Lap five, Tony Stewart comes up to challenge Ron Capps for the lead.

Ron Capps is giving Smoke all he can in a battle for the lead.  Stewart takes the lead with a “slide job”.

Lap 10, Tony Stewart leads the race with Ron Capps in second; Bobby Labonte, Brad Keselowski, and Ken Schrader round out the top five.

The caution flag comes out on lap 13 for a big crash that includes nearly half of the field.  Austin Dillon’s car was overheating just before the crash.  The red flag has been displayed to stop the race.

Austin Dillon, Tony Kanaan, Matt Kenseth, Hailie Deegan, Marco Andretti, and Chase Briscoe were all involved in the crash.  Some of the drivers wil not be able to continue in the race despite backup cars being available.  The 2023 SRX season has seen numerous crashes and cost a number of cars for the series.

The red flag has been withdrawn and the remaining drivers are moving again as repairs to the wrecked cars continue.

Tony Stewart brings the field down for the green flag restart with Bobby Labonte on the inside.  Smoke takes the lead with less than two minutes remaining in the heat.

With a lead of over a second, Tony Stewart wins heat number one.

The results of heat number one are:
Tony Stewart
Bobby Labonte
Ron Capps
Ken Schrader
Brad Keselowski
Ryan Newman
Matt Kenseth
Austin Dillon
Hailie Deegan
Chase Briscoe
Tony Kanaan
Marco Andretti

Full time SRX drivers Marco Andretti and Hailie Deegan are in the only available backup cars.  Crews continue to work on the wrecked cars in an attempt to get more drivers back for the main event.

Tony Kanaan is out of the race.

Matt Kenseth is on the pole and brings the field to the green flag with Ryan Newman alongside.  Kenseth gets out in front for the lead with Ryan Newman in second; Ken Schrader, Brad Keselowski, and Ron Capps round out the top five.

Tony Stewart started heat number two in seventh place after winning heat number one.

Ron Capps gets into the wall but the track stays green and Capps keeps going.

The caution flag comes out for debris on the track.

Matt Kenseth brings the field down for the green flag restart with Ryan Newman on the inside.  Smoke has moved up to fifth place.

Matt Kenseth holds on to the lead with Ken Schrader in second; Ryan Newman, Tony Stewart, and Brad Keselowski round out the top five.

Matt Kenseth and Ken Schrader battle for the lead.

Ken Scrader pulls down to the inside of the track and heads for the pits.

Matt Kenseth leads the race with Ryan Newman in second; Tony Stewart, Marco Andretti, and Brad Keselowski round out the top five.

After the car just “quit”, Ken Schrader gets the engine fired again and is back on the track.

In second place, Tony Stewart challenges Matt Kenseth for the lead.

Smoke puts a “slide job” on Matt Kenseth to take the lead and is pulling away.

There is one final backup car that may come available; Austin Dillon, Chase Briscoe, and Tony Kanaan are all pleading their cases to be the driver who gets to drive the car.

 Brad Keselowski bounces off the wall.

With a lead of a second and a half, Tony Stewart becomes the first driver to sweep the heat races.

The results of heat number two:
Tony Stewart
Matt Kenseth
Ryan Newman
Marco Andretti
Bobby Labonte
Ron Capps
Hailie Deegan
Ken Schrader
Brad Keselowski
Austin Dillon
Chase Briscoe
Tony Kanaan

Brad Keselowski is underneath the car helping out the crew to repair his car.

After winning both heats, Tony Stewart will sit on the pole and bring the field to the green falg.

Austin Dillon, Chase Briscoe, and Tony Kanaan are out of the race.

The starting lineup for the Main Event:
Tony Stewart
Bobby Labonte
Ron Capps
Ryan Newman
Mat Kenseth
Ken Schrader
Brad Keselowski
Hailie Deegan
Marco Andretti
Austin Dillon
Chase Briscoe
Tony Kanaan

Smoke jumps out in front for the lead form the inside lane with Bobby Labonte in second; Ryan Newman, Ken Schrader, and Ron Capps round out the top five.

Lap five, Tony Stewart has a lead of over a second on Bobby Labonte; Ryan Newman, Ken Schrader, and Ron Capps round out the top five.

Leading the race, Joey Logano talks to Smoke on the radio; Ryan Newman, Ken Schrader, Ron Capps, and Bobby Labonte round out the top five.

The caution flag comes out on lap 10 when Marco Andretti gets in the wall after contact with Ron Capps.

Tony Stewart brings the field down for the green flag restart from the outside lane with Ken Schrader alongside.  Smoke gets out in front for the lead with Ken Schrader in second; Ryan Newman, Bobby Labonte, and Hailie Deegan round out the top five.

Hailie Deegan passes Bobby Labonte for fourth.

Tony Stewart has a lead of over a second on Ken Schrader.

Joey Logano tries to speak with Tony Stewart and the caution flag comes out for Brad Keselowski who gets turned around.

Tony Stewart brings the field down for the green flag restart form the outside lane with Ken Schrader on the inside.  Smoke jumps out in front for the lead with a three wide battle for second.

The top five are Tony Stewart, Ken Schrader, Ryan Newman, Bobby Labonte, and Matt Kenseth.

The caution flag comes out after contact between Ken Schrader and Ryan Newman.  Schrader is stopped on the track.

Tony Stewart brings the field down once again for the green flag restart from the outside lane with Ryan Newman on the inside.  Smoke jumps out in front to hold on to the lead. 

The top five Tony Stewart, Ryan Newman, Hailie Deegan, Bobby Labonte, and Matt Kenseth.

Chase Briscoe has managed to get enough of his car repaired to get into the race.

After his car was towed off the track, Ken Schrader is back in the car and getting ready to get back out on the track.

Lap 38, Smoke has a lead of over two seconds on Ryan Newman and Hailie Deegan who are in a battle for second.

Lap 43, Ryan Newman has closed the gap on leader Tony Stewart to under a second; Hailie Deegan, Bobby Labonte, and Mat Kenseth round out the top five.

Lap 48, Tony Stewart has increased his lead to over a second with Ryan Newman and Hailie Deegan in a battle for second; Bobby Labonte and Matt Kenseth round out the top five.

The caution flag comes out on lap 54.

With 20 laps remaining in the race, Smoke brings the field down for the green flag restart from the outside lane.  Smoke gets out in front with Hailie Deegan in second on Smoke’s bumper.

Ron Capps spins into the wall, sending debris flying and brings out the caution flag.

Tony Stewart brings the field down for the green flag restart with 12 laps remaining in the race; Ryan Newman is on the inside.  Smoke edges out Newman and Hailie Deegan takes second.

The top five are Tony Stewart, Hailie Deegan, Ryan Newman, Bobby Labonte, and Matt Kenseth.

Just seven laps to go, Smoke holds on to the lead by over half a second.

Brad Keselowski spins out and brings out the caution flag.  In the last 10 laps of the race, only green flag laps count.

Just six laps to go as Tony Stewart brings the field to the green flag.  Ron Capps is back on the track.  Smoke jumps out in front with Hailie Deegan in second and Ryan Newman in third.

Ron Capps takes his car to the pits.

Three to go, Smoke has a lead of over a second on Hailie Deegan.

Tony Stewart takes the white flag.

Leading every lap, Tony Stewart Smokes the field with a dominating win.

The results of the race:
Tony Stewart
Hailie Deegan
Ryan Newman
Bobby Labonte
Matt Kenseth
Marco Andretti
Chase Briscoe
Ken Schrader
Brad Keselowski
Ron Capps
Austin Dillon
Tony Kanaan