NEW CASTLE, Ind.—August 20, 2014— In just a couple of short years, the Sprint Car Smackdown at Kokomo Speedway has become one of the “Must See” events on the Amsoil USAC National Sprint Car Series schedule. Three straight nights of action on one of the raciest quarter-mile bullrings in the country, raises the level of competition to epic proportions. Tracy Hines thrives on racing against the best of the best and looks to return to Victory Lane at a track he has had a great deal of success at over the years.
The Sprint Car Smackdown III at Kokomo Speedway in Indiana is set for Thursday, August 21, Friday, August 22 and concludes with a $10,000-to-win main event on Saturday, August 23. Full racing programs will be run each of the first two nights.
In last year’s Sprint Car Smackdown, Hines finished ninth in the finale, after a sixth-place effort on the second night and a 21st-place showing in the opener. The inaugural Sprint Car Smackdown in 2012 saw the veteran driver cross the line second in the finale, run second on the second night and come home fifth in the opener.
“It has been a few weeks since we’ve raced the sprint car, so I am anxious to get to Kokomo and back out there,” said Hines, who drives The Carolina Nut Company DRC. “Having a three-night show is great, especially when you get things rolling the first two nights, like we did at the first Smackdown a couple of years ago. I’ve always had pretty good luck at Kokomo and that track seems to suit our program.”
Hines has raced at Kokomo Speedway once with the Amsoil USAC National Sprint Car Series thus far in 2014. He finished 16th during the Indiana Sprint Week event at the quarter-mile. With the Honda USAC National Midget Series at Kokomo this season, Hines has three top-five finishes, including a runner-up performance during Indiana Midget Week.
“The Smackdown continues to grow each year and it’s great to have a destination-type event on the schedule that fans look forward to and plan time-off and vacations around,” Hines said. “Kokomo lends itself to multi-groove racing and you are three- and even four-wide racing most of the time there. The fans definitely get their money’s worth and from the driver’s seat it a blast to race there as well.”
Last weekend, Hines was scheduled to race with the Traxxas USAC Silver Crown Series at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield. He set fast time for Tony Bettenhausen 100 of the 25 entrants. As the field was assembling to take the green flag, rain came, forcing the postponement of the race until Sunday, September 7. Hines wrapped up the weekend at Angell Park Speedway in Wisconsin, with the Honda USAC National Midget Series, finishing fourth. He opened the night by setting a new track record in time trials to earn the fast qualifier award. He then ran third in the first heat.
Hines heads to the Sprint Car Smackdown sixth in points with the Amsoil USAC National Sprint Car Series, on the strength of 13 top-10 finishes, including a win at Gas City I-69 Speedway in Indiana in the spring.
Tracy Hines Racing would like to thank Primary Sponsors: The Carolina Nut Company, Hansen’s Welding Inc, Elliott’s Custom Trailers and Carts, and MPHG Promotions Inc. Associate Sponsors for 2014 include: ProSource Professional Resources, Turbines Inc., Daum Crop Insurance, Parker Machinery, Stanton Racing Engines and Schipper Family Farms. Product Sponsors that are part of Tracy Hines Racing in 2014 include: Afco Racing Products, Schoenfeld Headers, Autonet Mobile, Indy Race Parts, Bell Racing, Kenny’s Components, Race Bumpers, Hoosier Racing Tires, CSI Competition Suspension, Shadow Graphix, Driven Racing Oil, Sander Engineering, Hughs Brothers and Midwest Sheet Metal.
For more information on Tracy Hines Racing, visit http://www.tracyhinesracing.
