NEW CASTLE, Ind.— July 11, 2013— There is no other stretch like it during the course of the season. A total of seven races in nine nights await the USAC Amsoil National Sprint Car Series, all in the state of Indiana. For Indiana native Tracy Hines, it’s a week he looks forward to all year long. The veteran driver has three Indiana Sprint Week wins in his career as he chases his first title in the storied mini-series, which celebrates its 26th edition this year.
Indiana Sprint Week opens for Hines, who pilots his self-owned Hansen’s Welding Inc. DRC, on Friday, July 12 at Gas City I-69 Speedway, continues on Saturday, July 13 at Kokomo Speedway and then visits Lawrenceburg Speedway on Sunday, July 14, followed by two nights off. The second half of Indiana Sprint Week picks up at the Terre Haute Action Track on Wednesday, July 17, then travels to Lincoln Park Speedway in Putnamville on Thursday, July 18, Bloomington Speedway on Friday, July 19 and concludes at Tri-State Speedway in Haubstadt on Saturday, July 20.
“Everyone spends a lot of time getting ready for (Indiana) Sprint Week, so you definitely want to have a strong showing,” said Hines. “It kind of helps to have the break after the first three races, especially if you have any trouble at the beginning of the week. Racing night after night and working in the heat all day on the car to get ready, you have to make sure to stay hydrated and really take care of yourself. The driver is just as important as the car.”
Hines has made one start in 2013 with the USAC Amsoil National Sprint Car Series at Gas City I-69, finishing eighth at the quarter-mile bullring in April. He has won twice with the USAC Amsoil National Sprint Car Series at the track, with the most recent coming in 2010. Hines also competed at Gas City last month during Indiana Midget Week, coming home second, leading 28 of the 30 laps in the main event.
Hines has three straight top-five finishes in USAC Sprint Car events at Kokomo Speedway, after a pair of runner-up performances coupled with a fifth-place showing last August during the inaugural Sprint Car Smackdown. He has made one start at the quarter-mile this season with the Honda USAC National Midget Series during Indiana Midget Week.
At Lawrenceburg Speedway in April, Hines earned a 12th-place finish with the USAC Amsoil National Sprint Car Series. He has finished seventh at the state-of-the-art three-eighths-mile each of the last two years during Indiana Sprint Week. Last month in a midget at Lawrenceburg, he earned a 10th-place finish.
Hines won during Indiana Sprint Week at the Terre Haute Action Track in 2003, which is one of three career wins he has with the USAC Amsoil National Sprint Car Series at the track in his career. He was scheduled to compete in the Tony Hulman Classic at the historic half-mile earlier this season, but that event has twice been postponed by rain and will be completed at the end of August. Last year during Indiana Sprint Week, Hines finished third at Terre Haute.
On the Fourth of July at Lincoln Park Speedway, Hines finished eighth with the USAC Amsoil National Sprint Car Series in an event that was postponed by rain earlier in the season. He raced last month at the 5/16th-mile oval with the Honda USAC National Midget Series during Indiana Midget Week, finishing fourth. He has two career USAC wins at the track, both coming in a midget.
Hines was victorious at Bloomington Speedway during Indiana Sprint Week in 2005. In the USAC Amsoil National Sprint Car Series event at the quarter-mile earlier this season, he finished 12th. He also raced at the venue with the Honda USAC National Midget Series during Indiana Midget Week.
Racing at Tri-State Speedway in May, Hines finished 13th. He was victorious with the USAC Amsoil National Sprint Car Series at the high-banked, quarter-mile bullring in 2002. Hines has taken to the track at Tri-State Speedway once this season, coming home 13th with the USAC Amsoil Nationnal Sprint Car Series in a co-sanctioned event with the Midwest Sprint Car Series.
Entering Indiana Sprint Week, Hines is seventh in the USAC Amsoil National Sprint Car Series standings. He has a pair of wins along with seven top-10 finishes.
“We’ve been pretty consistent the last handful of races in the sprint car and really picked up some momentum when we were out East,” Hines stated. “Hopefully we can continue that during Indiana Sprint Week. Being from Indiana, Sprint Week holds a lot of prestige and that’s why drivers from across the country make the trek out for it. I’ve won a few races during Sprint Week and would certainly like to add a few more.”
Tracy Hines Racing would like to thank: Hansen’s Welding Inc., Parker Machinery, Motor City Auto Transport, Turbines, Inc., Afco Racing Products, Daum Crop Insurance, Schoenfeld Headers, Allstar Performance, Kenny’s Components, Race Bumpers and Bell Racing.
For more information on Tracy Hines Racing, visit http://www.tracyhinesracing.com. Follow Tracy on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/TracyHinesRacin.
- Admin Account on Jul 12, 2013
- Article Date: 7/12/2013 by Tracy Hines Racing PR