Three years is a long time in the world of a racecar driver.

But after 1125 days, C.J. Leary finally busted through to become a USAC Silver Crown race winner once again during Wednesday night’s USAC RaceAid 100 at Brownsburg, Indiana’s Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.

Since that point in time, the Greenfield, Indiana native has experienced several flirtations with victory, including eight runner-up finishes and 248 laps led with nary a victory to show for his efforts.

At IRP, he had finished inside the top five in six of his last seven starts, including runner-up results in 2022 and again this past May. And just last Saturday, he started from the pole and led 36 laps before falling to second late in the going on the dirt at Hutchinson, Kansas’ Salt City Speedway.

Just four days after Salt City on the .686-mile paved oval at IRP, victory did not elude Leary any longer. Starting second, he passed racelong leader Bobby Santos just before the midway point, then led the remaining 51 circuits of the 100-lapper to score his first Silver Crown triumph since Oregon, Wisconsin’s Madison International Speedway in June of 2022, also on pavement.

“I felt like we lost one last weekend due to our tire choice at Hutchinson,” Leary lamented. “But it’s a good week to get fast. Indiana Sprint Week starts tomorrow and I’m really looking forward to it, but we needed this win badly. It’s been a long time since we’ve been in victory lane.”

In fact, Wednesday’s IRP score was Leary’s first in USAC national competition since February of 2024 with the USAC AMSOIL Sprint Car National Championship at Florida’s Ocala Speedway, more than 17 months ago! He also captured a USAC Sprint Car non-points special event in that time frame in September of 2024 at The Dirt Track at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

By doing so, Leary earned his fourth career USAC Silver Crown win, tying himself with Kyle Larson, Jeff Swindell and Rich Vogler for 36th place all-time.

Furthermore, Leary gave DRC Chassis its first pavement USAC Silver Crown victory since 19 years to the day on July 23, 2006, when Wayne Reutimann Jr. was declared the victor at the Milwaukee Mile in Wisconsin. That came in what was deemed the “new generation” car era for the series.

Leary’s triumph was also the first for Team AZ-Petty-Rossi Racing on pavement in their Avanti Windows & Doors – Apache Transportation/DRC/Stanton Chevy, and the first for Leary since joining the team prior to the start of the 2025 campaign after competing with Klatt Enterprises for three seasons between 2022-2024.

“That was a long race. Those last couple of laps felt like an eternity,” Leary exhaled. “This place has never been one of my best racetracks, but I was excited to come here today.”

Results USAC Silver Crown At Indianapolis Raceway Park

1. C.J. Leary (2)

2. Justin Grant (3)

3. Dakoda Armstrong (5)

4. Nathan Byrd (7)

5. Bobby Santos (1)

 6. Kyle Steffens (11)

 7. Kaylee Bryson (13)

8. Mario Clouser (10)

9. Matt Westfall (12)

10. Tyler Roahrig (8)

11. Jake Trainor (4)

12. Taylor Ferns (9)

13. Russ Gamester (6)

14. Dave Doran (15)

15. Kody Swanson (14)

16. Dave Berkheimer (16). 39:59.269