NEW CASTLE, Ind. — Nov. 27, 2013— Tracy Hines has raced so many times on Thanksgiving that he really wouldn’t know what to do on that day if he was not at the track. And, that’s the way he likes it. The native of New Castle, Ind., will compete again this year in the famed Turkey Night Midget Grand Prix for the Honda USAC National Midget Series at Perris Auto Speedway in California, on Thursday, Nov. 28.
The 73rd running of the Turkey Night Midget Grand Prix opens with a practice session on Wednesday, Nov. 27. On Thursday, Nov. 28, time trials will set the starting grid for the majority of the field, with a pair of qualifying races filling out the remainder of the field. The night will conclude with a 98-lap main event on the half-mile.
“Turkey Night is one of those races you look forward to all year,” said Hines, who pilots the Parker Machinery/Powered by Toyota Spike. “It has such a rich history and the names that have won it over the years is pretty amazing. I’ve been close to winning it in the past and it’s definitely a race I want to win before my driving days are up.”
Last season, Hines stated 12th and finished 13th in the Turkey Night Midget Grand Prix in what was the event’s return to its roots on the dirt. He finished a career-best third in the 2000 edition of Turkey Night and again was third in 2004, when the race was held on the pavement at Irwindale Speedway. Hines also finished among the top-five in 1997 on Turkey Night at the one-fifth-mile bullring at Ventura Speedway. The veteran driver has competed in the historic event at four different tracks on both dirt and pavement in the Golden State.
Hines has made two starts at Perris Auto Speedway this season, with both of those coming with the Amsoil USAC National Sprint Car Series last month during the Budweiser Oval Nationals. He finished ninth in the 30-lap preliminary feature of that event and was also ninth in the 40-lap finale at the high-banked half-mile.
“Perris (Auto Speedway) can be a tricky place,” he shared. “We’ve run the midget on a few higher banked, bigger tracks this year and done pretty well, especially at Eldora (Speedway) and Belleville (High Banks), so we’ll use some of what worked at those places this week. With the field of cars that is expected, time trials will be very, very important, as will taking care of your car and tires for all 98 laps.”
Hines made his first start in a midget at Perris Auto Speedway in 1995 in a Honda USAC Western Midget Series event, finishing second on a one-third-mile track that preceded the current half-mile, which opened in 1996. He has competed a number of times at the track during his career, mostly with the Amsoil USAC National Sprint Car Series in the Oval Nationals.
Hines enters the Turkey Night Midget Grand Prix fourth in the Honda USAC National Midget Series Dirt Championship standings, 19 markers out of the third position. He has picked up 13 top-10 finishes this season in a midget on the dirt. Hines finished fourth in his most recent start at Canyon Speedway Park in Peoria, Ariz., in the finale of the Western World Championships on Nov. 16.
“We have one race left to pick up a midget win on the dirt year and we’ll be giving it everything we got,” said Hines. “I’ve won on the dirt in the sprint car and Silver Crown car, so it would be a good end to the year to get a midget win on the dirt. We can also move up in points as well with a strong run, so there is a lot on the line this week. “
Tracy Hines Racing would like to thank: Hansen’s Welding Inc., Parker Machinery, Powered By Toyota, 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 Nov 27, 2013
- Article Date: 11/27/2013 by Tracy Hines Racing PR