The jubilation following a hard-fought victory is one of the most satisfying experiences in all of sport.

However, the celebration displayed by Justin Grant in the immediate moments after his USAC AMSOIL Sprint Car National Championship score on Saturday night at Ohio’s Eldora Speedway was certainly one that won’t soon be forgotten.

It seems oddly fitting that it came directly after an unforgettable 30-lap feature in which Grant (Ione, Calif.) threw everything – the kitchen sink and a bag of chips – at leader Logan Seavey down the stretch of the #LetsRaceTwo finale before prevailing with a turn one slider just three laps from the finish line.

After crossing the finish line 1.397 seconds ahead of Seavey to pocket the $10,000 prize, Grant proceeded with a cool down lap on the half-mile dirt oval, then a subsequent victory lap which seemed positively routine…until it wasn’t. Appearing to be winding up his car for a series of donuts, Grant stood on the gas and slapped his right rear tire against the turn three outside wall, sending him for a ride consisting of 2.5 tumbles.

Ironically, it was in this very same event one year ago in which Grant flipped in the identically same spot while battling for the lead. That one cost him a chance at victory. This one only cost him the chance to pull into victory lane under his own power aboard the TOPP Motorsports/NOS Energy Drink – Bow Foundation – TOPP Industries/Maxim/Kistler Chevy.

“I was awfully, awfully excited at the end of that one, obviously,” Grant acknowledged after being towed to victory lane. “What an idiot. I feel like a moron. I just got too excited, jumped the wall and turned that thing over. I feel like an idiot. Hopefully (my crew) won’t be too mad at me. (Car owner) Kevin Birchmeier has put up with a lot of BS out of me over the years so, hopefully, we’ll weather that one. But I know he’s excited we won.”

Grant needn’t beat himself up too much. Grant’s victory was already his fourth of the USAC National Sprint Car season in just nine starts. He’s the first driver to accomplish that feat since Damion Gardner in 2010. Furthermore, the victory was a nice sigh of a relief after his past three series starts netted finishes of 20th, 22nd and 22nd.

Likewise, his 49th career USAC National Sprint Car victory placed him just one tally shy of becoming the fourth driver to reach the 50-win mark, and he achieved this one in round two of the Bubby Jones Master of Going Faster series presented by Spire Sports + Entertainment, the 10-race slate named in honor of his late father-in-law.

USAC Sprint Car Results Saturday At Eldora Speedway

1. Robert Ballou (11)

2. Kyle Cummins (7)

3. Max Adams (9)

4. Briggs Danner (1)

5. Matt Westfall (12)

 6. Jadon Rogers (19)

7. Mitchel Moles (14)

8. Carson Garrett (16)

9. Kevin Thomas Jr. (5)

10. Chase Stockon (22)

11. Logan Seavey (4)

12. Chance Crum (21)

13. Todd Hobson (15)

14. Kody Swanson (17)

15. Daison Pursley (2)

16. C.J. Leary (24)

17. Jake Swanson (8)

 18. Hunter Maddox (10)

19. Brady Bacon (13)

 20. Joey Amantea (23)

21. Braxton Cummings (18)

 22. Justin Grant (3)

 23. Zack Pretorius (20)

24. Saban Bibent (6). NT