Dakoda Armstrong wins Hoosier Hundred after leading final 91 laps
NXTbets Pro | Published On: June 26, 2026
Armstrong wins Hoosier Hundred
Dakoda Armstrong won the 69th Hoosier Hundred and did it by taking control late and never giving it back. Armstrong started fourth in the USAC Silver Crown Series feature at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park in Brownsburg, Indiana, then led the final 91 laps to secure the victory in the 100-lap race. He also collected the clean air award for leading every lap after he got to the front.
C.J. Leary earned the pole in qualifying and finished second, but Armstrong kept the lead when it mattered most. Tyler Roahrig crossed the line third, Russ Gamester finished fourth after climbing from 18th and earned hard charger honors, and Justin Grant took fifth. The front of the field settled early once Armstrong made his move, and he controlled the closing stretch with a steady run at the head of the pack.
The win came in a 23-car field and gave Armstrong the marquee result in one of the series’ signature events. The Hoosier Hundred has long carried weight on the Silver Crown calendar, and this edition played out with a mix of established contenders, familiar names and new faces all chasing the same prize.
Hoosier Hundred lineup
The event opened with several storylines already in place. Roahrig came in as the defending Hoosier Hundred winner, and Leary arrived as the USAC Silver Crown series points leader after winning the most recent Silver Crown race at IRP in July 2025. Bobby Santos, who won the Hoosier Hundred in 2023, remains tied with Kody Swanson and Tracy Hines for the most USAC victories at IRP, with 15 each. That history gave the race extra depth before the green flag even fell.
Russ Gamester brought one of the day’s most eye-catching notes. He was set to make a record 31st Hoosier Hundred start, a mark that underscored how often his name has appeared in this event over the years. Ryan Newman also returned to the Hoosier Hundred for the first time since 2000, adding another veteran presence to the lineup. Alongside those established drivers, Colton Bettis, Briggs Danner, Chelby Hinton and Kevin Studley made their Hoosier Hundred debuts, giving the race a mix of experience and fresh opportunity.
The program around the feature added more track activity to the night. The card also included the All Star Pavement Midgets and the Night Before the 500, turning the event into a broader showcase of pavement racing at IRP. FloRacing streamed the full event live, giving fans a full look at the action from the preliminary races through the Silver Crown main event.
Silver Crown standings
Leary left IRP still on top of the USAC Silver Crown standings after his runner-up finish. Justin Grant stayed second in the points chase, and Mario Clouser held third. Armstrong’s victory did not change the top of the championship picture, but it gave him the biggest result of the night and put his name at the center of the series conversation after a strong closing run.
The Silver Crown schedule now shifts to Terre Haute Action Track for the next race. That gives the series another chance to reset the order after the Hoosier Hundred, where Armstrong controlled the finish, Leary stayed in the points lead and the rest of the front-runners kept the title battle tight.
