Highlights | 2026 USAC Sprint Car Smackdown Friday at Kokomo Speedway
The action continues at Kokomo Speedway with the second night of USAC Chili's Sprint Car Smackdown XV on Friday, August 28, 2026.
Video Transcript
This is what you saved your lunch money for.
To the green on night number two of Chili Smackdown.
Field gonna dash onto the back straightaway.
Advantage early on gonna be to Cale Kuhns, the 63, gonna go in and dive to the bottom of turns three and four.
Danner gonna go up to the top here.
Who's gonna have the run around on the front straightaway?
It will be Kuhns leading.
Danner down to his inside, throws a slide at turns one and two for the top spot.
Does he have it?
Yes, he does, but not for long.
Here comes Kuhns back to his inside, turns it down the racetrack, retakes it off into turns three and four.
Danner down to the inside, battle on for the race lead.
It's still Cale Kuhns with it.
Cale Kuhns holds onto the race lead.
Caution.
Oh, no, we got one upside down.
That's Briggs Danner.
Caution on Bacon in turn four.
Watching there, not seeing how it happened over in turns one and two.
Cale once again gonna bring them around of the Nos Energy Star cam this time, snaking it down to the bottom side at exit of turn number four.
Immediately goes back up to position of return one and two, challenged for the second spot.
Here comes the G5 trying to get by Meserole.
Temes able to hold onto that position.
Now the pass for the third spot through turns three and four.
Give it to the Team Arizona, car number 21.
Gavin Miller able to work to the inside of the G5 there as they work into turns three and four.
Look at the race lead.
Here comes Meserole.
Takes her down to the bottom, slides up the racetrack, comes up right into the tire tracks of the 63.
Cale Kuhns able to get enough momentum forward, exit turn number four, holds onto the top spot here.
Thomas Meserole running in second.
Now, here comes the 21 AZ, trying to get some redemption from last night.
Runs in third, trying to close.
Here in the meantime, Kevin Thomas Jr.
Working up around the top side of the racetrack, making it a three car fight for the fourth spot to the inside the 87 of Jacob Denny.
Denny able to clear, now works to the bottom side of the speedway.
They are right down against the tires here as they try to get by the G5 of Hunter Setzer.
Got Kevin Thomas his run, stalled there for a second.
That's gonna open the door for Jake Swanson to get around to the outside.
Here comes the USAC race leader, number five.
He's able to get the pass now.
He's got the three chasing him.
Here comes last night's feature winner trying to make his way up through the running order.
As we look back at the Ivanti Buenas Noches number 3P, down to the inside with a run to the front straightaway.
Got it.
He'll crack the top five.
Able to get by Jake Swanson, puts him back to the sixth spot.
Kevin Thomas Jr.
Still running in seven with Mitchell Moles in eight.
Justin Grant, Hayden Reinbold still your top 10.
Battle for the race lead.
Here comes Temes down to the inside, the two.
Slide or die into turns one and two.
Does he have it?
Yes.
Cale Kuhns gonna fall to second.
Thomas Meserole takes over, but Cale Kuhns is not done.
He's got his own version of slide or die.
Exit turn number four, up across the racetrack, and Temes says, "Not so fast, youngin'."
He's gonna come away with it for the time being.
Kuhns coming back after him.
Oh, they make contact, bumper to bumper in turn number two, and it's still game on in the front of the field.
Cale Kuhns in the 63 has it.
Temes trying to come back after it.
That has allowed the 21 of Gavin Miller to close up on that battle now.
Jacob Denny in the meantime working and working and working and working here as he works down to the bottom side, but Temes, boy, look at the rocket ship he's got down the back straightaway.
He's gonna close in as Cummins goes back down to the bottom.
Game on for the race lead one more time.
It is a three car fight at the front of this one as they work lap number 23.
Cale Kuhns, he's got company.
He'll try to use the slower car as a pick into turns three and four.
Can he do it?
Yes, he does.
Holds onto it.
It's Stocken right in front of him right now in the 92.
Stocken able to block the bottom line.
That gives Cale just a little bit of breathing room.
Second night of the Chili Sprint Car Smackdown might be one for the record books.
They'll make their way around this time.
One to go for Cale Kuhns in 63.
A career best finish of third one night ago.
His father, a USAC driving champion and race winner, and now his son will be on that list.
Cale Kuhns goes to victory lane for the first time in his career with the USAC AMSOIL Sprint Car National Championship.
He wins night number two of the Chili Sprint Car Smackdown.
Thomas Meserole in second, Kyle Cummins in third, Jacob Denny in fourth, Jake Swanson in fifth.
