NEW CASTLE, Ind.—November 23, 2014 — Tracy Hines continued to add to his win total at Canyon Speedway Park in Arizona, taking the opener of the Honda USAC National Midget Series portion of the 47th Sands Chevrolet Western World Championships on Thursday, November 20. The win was his second in as many weeks at the track, and the fifth of his career, but his first in a midget, as the previous four had come in sprint car competition.
Hines started on the pole for the 30-lap A-Feature for the Honda USAC National Midget Series, but fell all the way back to fifth in the early going, before working his way back into contention. He moved into second by the 10th lap. Hines used a strong restart, following a lap-12 caution, to take the top spot from early leader Zach Daum.
The native of New Castle, Indiana, would lead the remainder of the race holding off a hard-charging Christopher Bell in the late going to earn his first Honda USAC National Midget Series win on dirt since 2012, aboard the Parker Machinery/Powered by Toyota Spike. Hines now has 35 career wins with the series, which is seventh on the all-time list.
“The track really changed a lot throughout the race,” said Hines. “We fell back to about fourth or so early working the bottom, then moved to the top and then back to the bottom by the end. It probably worked to our advantage to fall back early so we could search around some.”
Hines kicked off the Western World Championships by timing in seventh-quickest in time trials of the 20 entries. He followed that up with a fourth-place run in the first heat race.
On the second night of the Western World Championships, Hines finished fourth in the 30-lap main event. He lined up third and ran among the top-five for the duration of the race, which combined with points earned on the opening night set the field for Saturday night’s finale. Hines timed in fourth-fastest of the 19 entrants on Friday night. He finished fifth in the first heat race, after starting in that same position.
Hines wrapped up the three-night event with another fourth-place finish. By way of points earned on the first two nights, he earned a spot in the dash, where he finished seventh. Hines lined up for the 30-lap main event on the inside of the fourth row. The A-Feature was slowed by four cautions, with Hines methodically working his way into the top-five during the second half of the race.
Following the three nights of racing at Canyon Speedway Park, Hines is third in the Honda USAC National Midget Series standings, just 10 markers out of second and 36 out of the lead. He has finished in the top-10 in all 15 races on dirt this season.
Hines wraps up the 2014 season on Thanksgiving in the annual Turkey Night Grand Prix for the Honda USAC National Midget Series at Perris Auto Speedway in Southern California.
Tracy Hines Racing would like to thank: Parker Machinery, Powered by Toyota, Turbines, Inc., Afco Racing Shocks, Schoenfeld, Stanton Racing Engines, Daum Motorsport, Indiana Underground, Hoosier, Bell and Drivin Racing Oil.
For more information on Tracy Hines Racing, visit http://www.tracyhinesracing.
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RT @OnPitRoad_: DIRT: Tracy Hines Wins Opener of Western World Championships http://t.co/3bPEIrQYFs