Category: Other Series Racing

New Castle, Ind.—Oct. 3, 2012— Each year Tracy Hines circles a few select midget races on his calendar. A couple have historic significance and prestige, while others are high-paying events. The Gold Crown Midget Nationals at Tri-City Speedway in Pontoon Beach, Ill., has elements of both. While in just its fourth edition, the event is quickly becoming a must-see late season event for midget fans from coast-to-coast, and the three-day contest also pays ones of the largest purses of the season for a midget race.

Hines opens the 4th DuPont Gold Crown Midget Nationals in his Parker Machinery Toyota-powered midget on Thursday, Oct. 4, with a full night of racing, including a preliminary feature. Another complete racing program is set for Friday, Oct. 5. The three-day event culminates on Saturday, Oct. 6, with a 50-lap, $10,000-to-win A-Feature. The Gold Crown Midget Nationals will again be sanctioned this year by the USAC Mopar National Midget Series.

“The Gold Crown Midget Nationals are definitely one of the biggest midget events of the year,” said Hines. “It’s great to have a high-paying race like this toward the end of the season. There is always a very strong field of cars at the event, so you have to be on your game and race as hard as you can each time you hit the track.”

Last season Hines was fifth in the preliminary feature on the first night of the Gold Crown Midget Nationals, with a stout 54-car field in attendance. He opened the night by finishing fifth in the fifth eight-lap heat race, coming up just one spot short of transferring to the main event. He would win the B-main to earn a spot in the 25-lap preliminary feature.

On the second night at Tri-City Speedway last year Hines raced his way from the C-main all the way into the A-Feature, eventually finishing 11th in that 25-lapper. The native of New Castle, Ind., came home third in the first B-main during the finale of the Gold Crown Nationals to earn a spot in the 50-lap main event on Saturday night, where he would place 13th.

“Heat races are pretty important in an event like this,” he noted. “With a bigger field, you have to finish in the front few spots to transfer, so there isn’t much time to be patient, especially if you are starting toward the back of a heat. The heats and consolation races provides some of the best racing all night, as everyone battles for a spot in the main event.”

In 2010, the native of New Castle, Ind., finished 11th in the opener of the Gold Crown Midget Nationals and was seventh on the second night. Both of those preliminary features were 25 laps in distance. Hines wrapped up the second edition of the marquee event in 2010 with a ninth-place showing in the 50-lap main event.

The 2009 Gold Crown Midget Nationals were rained out and not rescheduled. Hines recorded a 13th-place finish in the weekend finale of the inaugural Gold Crown Midget Nationals in 2008. He also raced on the former half-mile at Tri-City Speedway in a midget, scoring a win at the historic track in 2003.

“We have a handful of midget races left this year and we definitely want to pick up another win or two,” said Hines. “I won on the half-mile at Granite City a long time ago, and it would be great to add another to that this weekend. It’s always been a fast track, even since they reconfigured it, and we have a good set-up for the bigger, wide open tracks.”

Last weekend the veteran driver competed in a pair of sprint car events in his home state of Indiana. On Friday, Sept. 28, Hines finished eighth at Gas City I-69 Speedway, piloting the No. 24 Parker Machinery/Turbine Inc./Support Esophagus Cancer Stanton Mopar DRC. He competed with the USAC Amsoil National Sprint Car Series on Saturday, Sept. 29, at Lawrenceburg Speedway, where he also finished eighth in the MP Environmental DRC.

Hines enters the 2012 Gold Crown Midget Nationals second in the USAC Mopar National Midget Series championship standings. He has scored three wins this season, including at Dodge City Raceway Park in Kansas, which is a three-eighths-mile dirt oval, similar to Tri-City Speedway. Hines also took the checkered flag first on the pavement at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indiana twice, including in the famed Night Before the 500.

Tracy Hines Racing would like to thank: Parker Machinery, AFCO Racing Shocks, Bell Race Gear, FatHeadz, Kenny’s Components, Race Bumpers, Rod End Supply, Schoenfeld Headers and Stanton Racing for their continued support.

For more information on Tracy Hines Racing, including a complete 2012 schedule, visit http://www.tracyhinesracing.com. Follow Tracy on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/TracyHinesRacin.

Kansas City, KS (October 3, 2012) — Brennan Poole, by one measure, has been the best speedway driver this season in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards. Today, the 21-year-old showed the way in testing at Kansas Speedway.

Poole, testing his No. 25 Venturini Motorsports Toyota on the 1.5-mile oval, finished with the best lap of the morning session, and then the afternoon session as well, to lead a group of 28 entries that made laps throughout the day.

At 29.954 seconds (180.276 mph), Poole’s best morning lap was the only one to break 30 seconds, but one of 16 to go faster than Ken Butler III’s existing track qualifying record of 30.799 seconds (175.33 mph), set in 2008. Poole led the afternoon session – and therefore, the full day – with a late lap of 29.733 seconds (181.616 mph), helping him top Frank Kimmel, Kevin Swindell, Grant Enfinger, and Alex Bowman. Kimmel and Bowman are both past Kansas winners.

As was the case at Pocono Raceway and Michigan International Speedway earlier this season, new pavement at Kansas made for times much faster than any seen before. When all was said and done for the day, the top 20 of 28 entries on the board today were faster than Butler’s 2008 ARCA qualifying record at Kansas.

Poole’s No. 25 car will enter the Kansas Lottery 98.9 on Friday, October 19 with a 95-point advantage in the Hoosier Tire Superspeedway Challenge over ThorSport Racing’s No. 44 car, driven by Kimmel. Of six speedway races this year, Poole has won one, at Pocono in June.

In the sixth spot for the day was NASCAR Camping World Truck Series veteran Matt Crafton. He was followed by Ryan Reed, ARCA points leader Chris Buescher, Mason Mitchell, and Matt Lofton.

The full listing of best times and speeds for each entry is available below.

The Kansas Lottery 98.9 will be the final race on the 2012 schedule, but not the next one. The DuQuoin State Fairgrounds dirt in Illinois will host ARCA on Sunday, October 14 in a makeup of a rained-out race from Labor Day weekend.

ARCARacing.com will feature live timing and scoring coverage throughout the day, and ARCA Racing Network hosts Charlie Krall and Tim Clagg will deliver a live audio call for the 3 p.m. ET (2 p.m. local) race on the site.

Five days later – on Friday – the season will close at Kansas, with race action starting at 8:30 p.m. ET (7:30 p.m. local) on SPEED. ARCARacing.com will also feature live timing and scoring coverage for the season finale.

About Venturini Motorsports 
Venturini Motorsports (VMS), fielding cars in the ARCA Racing Series, is one of the premier NASCAR driver development programs in the country. The 2012 season marks the team’s 30th Anniversary of competition in the ARCA Series. Multiple team championships and consistent on-track success, VMS has evolved into one of the most recognizable names in motorsports.

Since 2007, VMS has assisted in the career development of notable NASCAR drivers such as Joey Logano, Justin Allgaier, Steve Arpin, Brian Scott, Max Gresham, Miguel Paludo, Josh Richards, Ryan Blaney, and Scott Lagasse, Jr.

Official: www.VenturiniMotorsports.com  |  Twitter @VenturiniMotor  |  Facebook: Venturini Motorsports

(Phoenix, Ariz.) – Three-time boxing world champion Fernando Vargas can add another title to his long list of honors. Vargas has been named Honorary Pace Car Driver for the inaugural NASCAR Mexico Toyota Series race at Phoenix International Raceway on Friday, March 1.

“We are honored to have Fernando Vargas as our Honorary Pace Car Driver for the debut of the NASCAR Mexico Toyota Series,” said Phoenix International Raceway President Bryan R. Sperber. “We know he will bring a lot of energy to this event and the fans will be tremendously excited to see him in person.”

As honorary pace car driver for NASCAR Mexico Toyota Series’ debut on U.S. soil, Vargas will rev up the crowd by leading the field to the green flag on their inaugural trip around PIR’s famed 1-mile oval. He will also work with PIR officials and the NASCAR Mexico Toyota Series team to help welcome fans, drivers, and competitors to Phoenix for the landmark event.

“I am honored to have the opportunity to lead the field to the Green Flag at the first NASCAR Mexico Toyota Series race at PIR and see my Arizona fans,” said Vargas. “Truly another crowning moment in my life where I’m careful to give all the praise to my maker Jesus Christ. I look forward to seeing everyone in March.”

Vargas, also known as ‘El Feroz’ or ‘Ferocious’, has enjoyed a successful career as a Mexican/American professional boxer. He holds a 31-5-22 professional record and also won a bronze medal as an amateur at the 1995 Pan American Games

About Phoenix International Raceway

Since 1964, Phoenix International Raceway has served race fans as the premier motorsports venue in the Southwest. Watch the Semi-Final Race in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup at PIR on Sunday, Nov. 11. Tickets for the entire Nov. 8-11 NASCAR event weekend at Phoenix International Raceway can be purchased online at PhoenixRaceway.com/Tickets or by calling 1-866-408-RACE (7223). For more information, visit PhoenixRaceway.com, Facebook.com/PhoenixRaceway and Twitter.com/PhoenixRaceway.

[media-credit id=4 align=”alignright” width=”266″][/media-credit]By Clayton Johns (@cjohnsmedia) – Fraserville, ON – Gary McLean (#8 McLean Industrial Design Chevrolet) won his seventh OSCAAR Modified race of the inaugural 2012 campaign in the tour’s only stop at Kawartha Speedway. The race, originally scheduled for June 1, was rescheduled four times previously due to inclement weather before finally being run on Friday night without the threat of inclement weather.

Davey Terry (#14 Wasteco/Castrol Canada/Brennan Haulage Toyota) earned his second consecutive runner-up finish to McLean, while Justin Demelo (#82 EMCO Waterworks/CAT Toromont/Demar Aggregates Chevrolet) rounded off the podium.

Brent McLean (#7 Bowmanville Home Building Centre/Pro FX Signs/McLean Farms Chevrolet) finished fourth and Justin Jones (#77j Union Cab Chevrolet) completed the top-five.

Gary wrestled the lead from polesitter Demelo in the early stages of the race to lead the most laps before making the trip to Knightworks Design victory lane for the seventh time of the season.

With the win, Gary grows his lead in the championship standings with just one race remaining over cousin Brent.

In the rookie-of-the-year standings, Terry extended his lead over Tim Burke (#99x Lynval Contracting Chevrolet) by finishing as the top rookie. Burke would end the night in the 12^th.

The OSCAAR Modifieds are back in action for their final event of the inaugural 2012 tour on Friday night for the first round of qualifying at the 20^th annual Autumn Colours Classic. The second set of heats will run Saturday afternoon before the finale 50-lap feature to close out the season and crown the firs champion. For information on gate and start times, please visit www.peterboroughspeedway.com .

OSCAAR Modifieds

Friday, September 28, 2012 – Kawartha Speedway

Results: Kawartha 25

1. #8 Gary McLean; 2. #14 Davey Terry; 3. #82 Justin Demelo; 4. #7 Brent McLean; 5. #1b Brad Pearsall; 6. #31 Josh Gruntz; 7. #99x Tim Burke; 8. #77s Brian Strawn; 9. #47 Brian McLean; 10. #46 Darren Kearnan; 11. #77j Justin Jones; 12. #79 John Harper; 13. #65 Bill Burrows; 14. #51 Adam Adams (DNS).

Klotz Synthetics Heat Race Winners: #8 Gary McLean; #82 Justin Demelo

Updated championship standings to follow at modifieds.oscaar.ca

[media-credit id=4 align=”alignright” width=”266″][/media-credit]By Clayton Johns (@cjohnsmedia) – Fraserville, ON – Brandon Watson (#9 Shear Metal Products/Royal Distributing/Barrie Frame and Alignment/Knightworks Design Chevrolet) took advantage of his pole starting position as he lead all 75 laps en route to victory at the 14^th annual Don Biederman Memorial. Watson survived late race challenges from Rob Clarke (#49 London Mechanical/Melcher’s Contruction/HRP/Cars by Clarke Chevrolet) to claim his third victory of the season and grow his lead in the championship standings.

Watson was followed across the line by Clarke and John Owen (#2 DRV Quality Masonry/Owen Performance Engines Chevrolet) to complete the podium.

Charlie Gallant (#40P South Shore Services/East Point Marina Chevrolet) and Derrick Tiemersma (#7  Wayfreight/Spira Fire Protection Chevrolet) rounded out the top-five.

There was guaranteed to be a different winner in the 2012 edition of the event asfive-time defending race winner Jeff Hanley was not in attendance to challenge for a sixth Biederman title.

Watson becomes the eighth winner in the event’s 14 race history. The win is also Watson’s third on the 2012 tour.

The race had serious implications in the championship standings as contenders George Wilson (#77 Port City Racecars/Morollo Racing Engines/Let the Fur Fly Pet Salon Ford) and Glenn Watson (#22 Rival Office Solutions/Race2way.ca/Williamson Uxbridge/Shane Michaels RV Chevrolet) both suffered DNFs, allowing Brandon to grow his lead.

Jesse Kennedy (#10 Bev’s Auto Body/Cameron Crane/Quality Collision/GRE Chevrolet) entered event 10 of 11 on the tour with a 10 point lead in the Rookie-of-the-year standings. As the second highest finishing rookie, Kennedy extended his lead in the rookie standings over Paul Law (#72 Midas of Orangeville/Ron Little Trucking Chevrolet) to an unofficial 12 points. The most points a rookie driver can claim in a single event is five. As a result, Kennedy has secured the 2012 Rookie-of-the-year title with one race remaining.

The OSCAAR Super Late Models are back in action for their final race on the 2012 schedule at the 20^thedition of the Autumn Colours Classic at Peterborough Speedway. Qualifying heat races for the Super Late Models will take place on Saturday afternoon before the final 50-lap feature event of the season on Sunday afternoon. Please visit www.peterboroughspeedway.com  for gate and start times.

OSCAAR Outlaw Super Late Models

Friday, September 28, 2012 – Kawartha Speedway

Results: 75-Lap Don Biederman Memorial

1. #9 Brandon Watson; 2. #49 Rob Clarke; 3. #2 John Owen; 4. #40P Charlie Gallant; 5. #7 Derrick Tiemersma; 6. #27 Roy Passer; 7. #45 Mark Dilley; 8. #13 Gary Passer; 9. #10 Jesse Kennedy; 10. #54 Mike Beyore; 11. #04 Rudy Oppersma; 12. #5 Quinn Misener; 13. #05 Brad Corcoran; 14. #69 Mike Bricknell; 15. #29 Shawn Chenoweth; 16. #77 George Wilson (DNF); 17. #72 Paul Law (DNF); 18. #83 Ian Bourque (DNF), 19. #42 Tyler Hawn (DNF); 20. #03 Shane Maginnis (DNF); 21. #51 Dave Taylor (DNF); 22. #63 Jim Bowman (DNF); 23. #22 Glenn Watson (DNF).

Klotz Synthetics Heat Race Winners: #22 Glenn Watson, #49 Rob Clarke, #77 George Wilson

Updated championship standings to follow at oscaar.ca

September 27, 2012 – 2:31pm

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – NASCAR announced today the No. 15 driver that competes in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1 has been penalized as a result of a rule infraction committed Saturday, Sept. 22, at Kawartha Speedway in Fraserville, Ontario.

Steve Mathews, driver of the No. 15 car, was found to be in violation of Section 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock-car racing – aggressive driving) of the 2012 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1 Rule Book. Mathews has been fined $500 and suspended from NASCAR until the fine is paid.

[media-credit name=”World of Outlaws” align=”alignright” width=”234″][/media-credit]Bloomington, Ind.—Sept. 30, 2012— Making the dash and finishing up front at the famed Williams Grove Speedway in Mechanicsburg, Pa., is no easy task, especially during the National Open when the track hosts its largest car count of the season. Kraig Kinser was able to accomplish the feat on Friday, Sept. 28, making it into the dash of the opener of the East Coast’s biggest sprint car race of the season, en route to a seventh-place finish in that 25-lap main event aboard the Hendrickcars.com Maxim.

Kinser opened the 50th Annual Morgan Hughes National Open with his second straight Top-10 finishes at the famed half-mile. He lined up on the inside of the fourth row for the 25-lap main event and would run among the top-eight for the duration of the contest. Just one yellow flag, on the 16th lap slowed the event. Kinser restarted eighth following that caution and got a spot to move back into seventh, where he would run the rest of the way. For Kinser, it marked his eighth career Top-10 finish at the track and his 42nd overall Top-10 performance of the season.

“With many of the best cars in the country at Williams Grove, it was definitely a solid night for us to finish seventh,” said Kinser. “We qualified in the right spot which always helps and had a good heat race as well to get into the dash. We always want to be in the Top-Five, but a seventh at Williams Grove is nothing to be ashamed of. We worked hard all night and that paid off.”

The third-generation driver opened night by turning the eighth-fastest lap in time trials with a stellar 55-car field in attendance. He would line up third in the third eight-lap heat race and finished second to earn a spot in the dash. He both started and finished seventh in the dash to start on the inside of the fourth row for the 25-lap main event.

In the 40-lap finale of the National Open, Kinser finished 20th, after utilizing a World of Outlaws provisional to start 27th. The main event was slowed by a number of yellow and red flags before a single lap was in the books. Following the sixth complete restart of the night, the field was able to click-off 24 consecutive laps before a red flag slowed the action. Kinser opened the night by timing in 33rd. He finished seventh in the third eight-lap heat race, which put him in the B-main.

“It was definitely not the way we wanted to end the weekend,” said Kinser. “Time trials set the tone for your night at Williams Grove and we didn’t have the best of two laps. We were able to start the feature and gain a few spots and learn a few things. For the most part we were decent at ‘The Grove’ this year, so we’ll continue to build on that for next year when we go back there.”

Kinser is currently sixth in the World of Outlaws championship standings on the strength of four wins and 42 Top-10 finishes, of which 18 are Top-Five performances. He returns to action on Saturday, Oct. 6 at Rolling Wheels Raceway Park in Elbridge, N.Y., for an event that is part of Super DIRT Week XLI.

“We had an okay night at Rolling Wheels back in the spring, and are looking to improve on that next Saturday night,” said Kinser. “We have just three events left this year, and we’d like nothing more than to pick up another win or two. We’ll work hard this week and be ready for Rolling Wheels.”

Williams Grove Morgan Hughes National Results

Kraig Kinser By the Numbers: Morgan Hughes National Open
0.5- Miles around Williams Grove Speedway
1- Top-Five performance at the half-mile this year
2- Top-10 finishes at Williams Grove this season
4- Best-career finishing position at Williams Grove on July 21
5- Main event starts at Williams Grove in 2012
6- Current position in the World of Outlaws championship standings
7- Career main event starts in the National Open
8- Career Top-10 finishes at the half-mile
12.8- Average feature finish in five starts at Williams Grove this season
24- Starts on half-mile tracks in 2012 with the World of Outlaws
28- Career main event starts at Williams Grove Speedway, including preliminary features
40- Laps in the finale of the National Open
42- Top-10 finishes earned this season
8748- Points earned through Sept. 29

Up Next
Oct. 6: Rolling Wheels Raceway Park, Elbridge, N.Y.

Keep up with all the action 
For the latest news on Kraig Kinser, visit the redesigned http://www.kraigkinser.com, and
follow Kraig on Twitter at http://twitter.com/kraigkinser11k and receive live updates from the track each and every race night.

Tune in
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