NEW CASTLE, Ind.—May 19, 2015— Outside of Indiana Sprint Week and Indiana Midget Week, the week leading up to Memorial Day is the busiest and filled with the most historic short track open wheel races in the state of Indiana. Tracy Hines has been competing in the Tony Hulman Classic and Hoosier Hundred for most of his career. The veteran driver will race in both tradition-laden events again this week, as well as the Day Before the 500, which will feature the Traxxas USAC Silver Crown Series.
The 45th running of the Tony Hulman Classic for the Amsoil USAC National Sprint Car Series is set for Wednesday, May 20 at the Terre Haute Action Track. The Hoosier Hundred for the Traxxas USAC Silver Crown Series will take the green flag on Thursday, May 21 at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis. The trio of races will wrap up for Hines on Saturday, May 23 in the afternoon with the running of the Day Before the 500 at Lucas Oil Raceway for the Traxxas USAC Silver Crown Series.
“Memorial Day week is always a big one for us,” said Hines. “In the past we ran all three car and this year it will be two Silver Crown races and a Sprint Car race. Racing three times in four days all within a reasonable distance is always great. For race fans in Indiana and especially the Indianapolis area this is a great time for them to see a variety of racing.”
Hines finished eighth in the Tony Hulman Classic last season aboard The Carolina Nut Company DRC, after having to make a trip to the work area during the 30-lap feature. He made three starts with the Amsoil USAC National Sprint Car Series at Terre Haute in 2014, finishing eighth in each. Hines won the Tony Hulman Classic in 2001, which is one of his three career Amsoil USAC National Sprint Car Series wins at Terre Haute. The 2000 Traxxas USAC Silver Crown Series champion also made one appearance with the big cars at the half-mile last year, finishing second.
“We had okay runs in the sprint car at Terre Haute last year, but certainly want to be closer to the front and battling for a win,” he noted. “The sprint car program has been pretty solid this year and it feels like just a matter of time until we get that first win of the season. The competition is so close right now that you have to virtually have everything go your way every time you are on the track to be there at the end of the night.”
At the Hoosier Hundred last year, Hines was fastest in time trials, which put him on the pole for the 100-lap race for the Traxxas USAC Silver Crown Series. He ran near the front the entire race and crossed the line third. Hines has 13 top-10 finishes at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in his career with the Traxxas USAC Silver Crown Series, with seven of those being top-five performances as he chases his first win at the historic one-mile dirt oval.
“The Hoosier Hundred is one we have been trying to win for a bunch of years,” said Hines. “It would be pretty cool to see my name on that list of drivers that have won it over the years. The mile tracks are always a challenge and you definitely have to watch your tires and make sure the car makes it to the end.”
Hines was victorious last year in the Night Before the 500 for the Honda USAC National Midget Series at Lucas Oil Raceway. The native of New Castle, Indiana is the winningest driver in USAC competition at the 0.686-mile paved oval in Brownsburg, with 13 career triumphs. He was victorious in a Silver Crown car at the track in 2010.
“It’s definitely going to be different this year with a Silver Crown race in the afternoon, the day before the 500, instead of the midgets at night,” he noted. “We’ve always run strong at Lucas Oil Raceway and it would be great to add another win to the total there, especially on Memorial Day weekend.”
Last weekend, Hines finished eighth with the Amsoil USAC National Sprint Car Series at Gas City I-69 Speedway in his home state of Indiana on Friday, May 15. He opened the night as the sixth-fastest qualifier and finished sixth in a heat race, which put him in the B-main. He transferred from the B-main into the 30-lap main event, where he ran among the top-10 for the duration. On Saturday, May 16, Hines made his second winged sprint car start of the season, finishing 15th at Fremont Speedway in Ohio. He qualified 15th-fastest and finished fourth in a heat race to earn a spot in the main event.
Entering the Tony Hulman Classic, Hines is seventh in the Amsoil USAC National Sprint Car Series standings on the strength of 10 top-10 finishes, of which five are top-five showings. With the Traxxas USAC Silver Crown Series, he is ninth in points, after finishing ninth in the season-opener at Toledo Speedway in Ohio earlier this month.
Tracy Hines Racing would like to thank Primary Sponsor: The Carolina Nut Company. Associate Sponsors for 2015 include: Elliott’s Custom Trailers and Carts, Hansen’s Welding Inc, MPHG Promotions Inc., Turbines Inc., Parker Machinery and Hughs Brothers. Product Sponsors that are part of Tracy Hines Racing in 2015 include: Afco Racing Products, Hoosier Racing Tires, Indy Race Parts, Schoenfeld Headers, Shadow Graphix, Bell Racing, Earl’s Performance Products, Autonet Mobile, ProSource Professional Resources, Race Bumpers, Driven Racing Oil, Sander Engineering and Kenny’s Components.
For more information on Tracy Hines Racing, visit http://www.tracyhinesracing.
