NEW CASTLE, Ind.—November 26, 2014 — Three drivers will battle for the 2014 Honda USAC National Midget Series title this week in the Turkey Night Grand Prix at Perris Auto Speedway in California, and Tracy Hines will be one of them. The veteran driver is looking to add a midget title to his already impressive resume that includes an Amsoil USAC National Sprint Car Series title and Traxxas USAC Silver Crown Series championship, which would put him in very select company, as only five drivers have ever claimed the USAC “Triple Crown,” by winning each of the three series titles.
The 74th Turkey Night Grand Prix for the Honda USAC National Midget Series is set for Thursday, November 27 at Perris Auto Speedway in Southern California. The event will open with hot laps, followed by times trials and the 98-lap A-Feature.
“It’s always a challenge at Perris,” said Hines. “The track was different each of the nights we were there with the sprint car earlier in the month. The winds come in at night and really change the track. Two years ago we were battling for the win and blew a tire with a lap to go. With the long race, it definitely takes a toll on tires, so you have to try to conserve them as much as you can.”
Last year, Hines finished 11th in the Turkey Night Grand Prix, aboard the Parker Machinery/Powered By Toyota Spike, after starting ninth. In his career, he has competed in the event at four different tracks in the Golden State, on both dirt and pavement. Hines finished a career-best third in the event in 2000 and 2004, when Turkey Nights was held on the asphalt at Irwindale Speedway. He also recorded a top-five finish at Ventura Speedway in 1997, on the dirt.
This season, Hines finished 14th and 17th in a pair of starts at Perris Auto Speedway with the Amsoil USAC National Sprint Car Series earlier this month. Hines has finished among the top-10 in seven of his last 10 sprint car starts at the half-mile, dating back to 2011. He made his Perris Auto Speedway debut in 1995, in a USAC Western Midget Series event, on a temporary one-third-mile at Perris Auto Speedway that preceded the current half-mile, which opened in 1996.
Hines scored his first Honda USAC National Sprint Car Series win of the season on dirt last weekend during the opening night of the Western World Championships at Canyon Speedway Park in Arizona. He also was victorious earlier this season on the pavement in the Night Before the 500 at Lucas Oil Raceway in Indianapolis. Hines has finished in the top-10 in all 15 dirt midget races this season, with 11 of those being top-five performances.
The 2000 Traxxas USAC Silver Crown Series champion and 2002 Amsoil USAC National Sprint Car Series titlist enters the Turkey Night Grand Prix 36 points behind the series leader, Rico Abreu, and just 10 markers out of second, which is currently held by Christopher Bell.
“You don’t really think about points when you are out there,” said Hines. “If you win the race you get the most points possible and then the rest is out of your control. Qualifying will be important as always at Turkey Night and with a bigger field, starting up front is important to try and stay out of trouble. We have some momentum from last weekend and have nothing to lose this weekend. We go out and race hard like we do every night and see where the chips fall.”
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.
About the Author
RT @OnPitRoad_: DIRT: Tracy Hines Heads into Turkey Night Grand Prix in Title Contention http://t.co/jf4fv8Qglm