Professor Clutch Werx Pro Cup Series

Thomas Heslink Leaves Darlington with Three-Point Pro Cup Lead

Heslink won at Darlington while Dustin Dunn finished ninth, moving Heslink to 305 points against Dunn's 302 with one race remaining.

Thomas Heslink will enter the Pro Cup finale as the championship leader after winning at Darlington and watching Dustin Dunn finish ninth.

Heslink now has 305 points, three ahead of Dunn at 302, with the Clements Cup Fall Final remaining on Oct. 12 at the Short Track. The Darlington result was another normal-range performance for Heslink, whose previous five supplied finishes included three wins, a third and a 14th, producing a recent median finish of first.

Dunn's ninth-place result was the more consequential performance. His previous five finishes were 2nd, 14th, 1st, 1st and 3rd, with a recent median of second. The supplied analysis classifies Darlington as an out-of-character bad night, seven positions below that median.

Heslink's win was his fourth of the 2026 season and his third career feature win in the supplied career record. More importantly, it transformed a close title chase into a three-point deficit for Dunn. Anthony Kidwell finished second at Darlington and remains third in points at 275.

The championship is not decided, but the standings now give Heslink the advantage heading into the final race. Dunn must overcome three points at the Short Track, while Heslink's recent results show a strong pattern of front-running finishes. Darlington supplied the latest shift; the finale will determine whether it becomes the title-winning result.