Tag: usac

INDYCAR: So Now They Want Short Track Fans Again?

Stephen Cox Blog Presented by McGunegill Engine Performance

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway has announced a new event designed to draw short track fans back to the mecca of motorsports. A quarter-mile dirt track will be constructed inside Turn 3 for a USAC midget race, which will be held in the first week of September in an effort to pump up sagging attendance at the Brickyard 400 stock car race.

Speedway president J. Douglas Boles told the Indianapolis Star, “The short track community in a lot of ways is the heart and soul of racing, so… we thought, ‘Is there a way we could connect with that short-track guy or gal who spends their weekend at the local track on Saturday?’ And we thought this was a good way to experiment with connecting with that fan base.”

I have an idea that might help. It’s not original, but it’s effective. Let’s start with the track’s biggest event – the Indianapolis 500 – and see if the results don’t trickle down to the Brickyard 400 and every other event held at the Speedway.

If the Indianapolis Motor Speedway wants short track fans to return to the grandstands, why not allow short track drivers to participate in their premier event, the Indy 500? That concept worked quite well for over half a century. But in recent years the Speedway has promoted a new “ladder” concept and a top tier spec racing formula that has all but barred short track drivers from participating in the Greatest Spectacle in Racing.

In late 2016 I asked Boles if he wanted short track drivers returning to the Speedway. He responded, “First and foremost in my mind is just really safety. I’d love to see 50 or 60 or 70 cars entering and guys just being able to decide that they have a driver who’s running at Putnamville and we’re going to give him a shot to run at the Speedway. I just don’t think it’s practical anymore.”

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is now paying the price for that attitude. Yes, the short track community is the heart and soul of racing, and no, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway has not the slightest connection to that fan base. At least they openly admit it now.

The cure is simple. Open up the Indy 500 formula and end the spec car era. Encourage short track drivers to make the Indy 500 their career aspiration.

Then you won’t have to beg short track fans to return to the grandstands in May or September. You won’t have to construct special dirt tracks and hold

special midget races to con short track fans into buying weekend tickets to major events that otherwise hold little interest for them.

If short track drivers race at Indianapolis, their fans will follow. No gimmicks required.

Is there anyone in the halls of power at IMS with the will to make that happen? I’m not holding my breath, but there’s always hope. For the first time, the Speedway’s president is openly admitting that they’ve managed to utterly destroy their once inseparable bond with the short track community. At least they see the disaster that’s resulted from twenty-five years of bad decisions that alienated short track drivers and, inevitably, their fans.

That’s worth something. Perhaps it will eventually spawn the best news we’ve heard from Indianapolis in a long time.

Stephen Cox

FIA EPCS sportscar championship & Super Cup Stock Car Series

Sopwith Motorsports Television Productions

Co-host, Mecum Auctions on NBCSN

June 28, 2018
HOOSIER HUNDRED: Dirt Racing’s Biggest Prize is Up for Grabs This Week

Stephen Cox Blog Presented by McGunegill Engine Performance

The 63rd Hoosier Hundred is slated for Thursday, May 25, on the legendary Track of Champions at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. Once considered the most prestigious dirt race in America, the resurgent Hoosier Hundred is quickly regaining its status and draws the top Silver Crown drivers in the nation.

The rich history of the event compares favorably with any race on earth. No fewer than seven Indy 500 champions have won the Hoosier Hundred, including A. J. Foyt, Mario Andretti, Al Unser Sr. and Parnelli Jones. Auto racing at the Track of Champions dates to the early 20th century when the legendary Barney Oldfield broke the 60 mph barrier on the 1-mile track in June 1903.

The track hasn’t changed by an inch. This week’s Hoosier Hundred will take place on precisely the same stretch of dirt on which Oldfield set his 1903 record and Rex Mays claimed victory in 1946. The USAC Silver Crown division, which once struggled for good car counts, is expected to produce nearly 40 entries on Thursday night.

“Last year we had probably the best crowd in 10 years at the Hoosier Hundred,” said Adam Mackey, Operations Manager at the event’s promotional firm, Track Enterprises. “Probably a lot of that was because of the 100th Indy 500. It was kind of a surprise to us, but a pleasant surprise with the number of people who came that week.”

But the increasing interest in dirt racing is also a direct result of Indycar’s 30-year-old divorce from grassroots motorsports. Until the 1980s, Indycar drivers were drawn primarily from the ranks of open wheel dirt track drivers who worked their way up the ladder by skill and hard work. Today’s Indycar drivers are almost exclusively from wealthy backgrounds, leaving NASCAR as the only viable alternative for short trackers.

Mackey said, “Asphalt is struggling right now a little bit because there’s a lot of ride-buying out there, more so on asphalt than on dirt. And that’s just to get the kids up into NASCAR. That’s the stepping stone that’s being used.”

“But that doesn’t give fans a chance to latch onto a driver and say, ‘Ah, they’re my favorite and I’m going to watch them,’ because they’re only there for a year or so until they either move on and move up, or they don’t make it so they quit racing. So I think that’s the struggle that asphalt deals with right now.”

“On dirt that’s not quite the case because there are many veterans who have been racing for years and years and that familiarity with fans is what they’ll keep coming back to the track for.”

The bad news is that other than an occasional driver moving on to NASCAR, dirt track racing is a dead end job. The same drivers stay there for decades at a time with nowhere else to go.

The good news is that today’s dirt track ranks are stocked with veteran drivers who have become stars in their own right. The fact that Indycar no longer wants or needs blue-collar talent is a blessing in disguise, at least for short track fans who get to watch their favorite drivers for years at a time at smaller, more personal venues.

Damion Gardner, Jeff Swindell, Dave Darland, Brady Bacon, Russ Gamester, Kody Swanson, Jerry Coons Jr., Bill Rose and others are long-time veterans who have built up their own fan base and put on their own shows at dirt tracks around the Midwest. Most of them drive more races in a month than Indycar drivers will in a season.

More and more fans are beginning to understand that in order to see the greatest drivers in the world, you may have to watch more than one race this week. The Hoosier Hundred should be at the top of the list.

Stephen Cox

Sopwith Motorsports Television Productions

Co-host, Mecum Auctions on NBCSN

Driver, Super Cup Stock Car Series & Electric GT Championship

May 23, 2017
ROOKIES HAMILTON, LEARY & ABREU AND MOST IMPROVED STOCKON SHARE USAC SPOTLIGHT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE NOVEMBER 26, 2012
DICK JORDAN

ROOKIES HAMILTON, LEARY & ABREU & MOST IMPROVED STOCKON SHARE USAC SPOTLIGHT DECEMBER 7 IN INDIANAPOLIS

Champions of USAC’s 2012 racing season will be honored on Friday night, December 7, at the Indiana Roof Ballroom in downtown Indianapolis, Ind. as the 57th “Night of Champions” coincides again this year with the 4th Annual International Motorsports Industry Show (IMIS), being held at the nearby Indiana Convention Center.

USAC “Rookies of the Year” for 2012 include Kyle Hamilton of Danville, Ind. (Traxxas Silver Crown), C.J. Leary of Greenfield, Ind. (AMSOIL National Sprint) and Rico Abreu of Rutherford, Calif. (Mopar National Midget), while the “Most Improved Driver” for 2012 is Chase Stockon of Sullivan, Ind. Hamilton recorded a sixth-place finish at Toledo was his best in four starts as he took 14th in the final standings. Leary, the son of former Hoosier Hundred Winner Chuck Leary, started 20 features this year and notched four “top10s.” Abreu, steadily improving during the season, posted four straight “top-10s” late in the year, including a third at Peoria, Ariz. In addition he added his first USAC feature win in the Western Midget series at Calistoga. Stockon finished seventh in the final AMSOIL National Sprint Car standings and scored impressive back-to-back feature wins at Lawrenceburg, Ind. and Terre Haute, Ind. late in the series.

In addition to the various series championship awards, numerous other performance awards are part of the ceremonies as well as special recognition awards.

USAC’s Traxxas Off-Road Truck Championships (TORC) will also be featured at the banquet, which gets under way with a cocktail hour at 6 pm and dinner to follow at 7.

USAC National Racing Champions to be honored include Bryan Clauson, the repeat three-time winner of USAC’s National Drivers Championship and AMSOIL National Sprint title. The National Drivers Championship again carries a 2013 scholarship from INDYCAR. Other National Champions are Bobby East (TRAXXAS Silver Crown) and Darren Hagen (Mopar National Midget). TORC Champions include Ricky Johnson (Pro 4×4), Bryce Menzies (Pro 2WD), Brad Lovell (Pro Light 2WD) and Mitchell DeJong (Pro Buggy).

The Indiana Roof Ballroom is located at 140 W. Washington Street in downtown Indianapolis.

November 27, 2012
LARSON CAPS 2012 WITH “TURKEY” DRESSING

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE NOVEMBER 23, 2012
DICK JORDAN 12-218

LARSON CAPS 2012 WITH “TURKEY” DRESSING;
HAGEN, McQUEEN, PRICKETT CELEBRATE USAC CHAMPIONSHIPS

Kyle Larson won Thursday night’s 72nd “Turkey Night Grand Prix” at Perris (Calif.) Auto Speedway. The victory capped a stellar USAC campaign for the Elk Grove, Calif. youngster who piloted the Keith Kunz Motorsports/Curb-Agajanian Toyota TRD Bullet.

Larson’s victory completed a five-race streak which included four wins and a second and also included wins in the “4-Crown Nationals” and “Gold Crown Nationals.”

Sharing Larson’s spotlight at Perris were 2012 USAC Champions Darren Hagen, Shannon McQueen, David Prickett, Mason Cook and the Kunz/Curb-Agajanian team. Hagen, who won the Turkey Night pole with a track record and led 17 laps early in the race, is the 2012 USAC Mopar National Midget Champ. McQueen emerged as the USAC Mopar Western Midget champ, while Prickett is the 2012 Western Midget Dirt titlist. Cook snatched the Western car owner title as a result of driver Brad Kuhn’s sixth-place finish, while the Kunz/Curb-Agajanian team completed a USAC National car owner “sweep” for Curb-Agajanian.

Larson passed Hagen on the 23rd lap and was never headed the rest of the way despite late-race pressure from Tracy Hines, who unfortunately suffered a flat tire just one lap from the 98-lap checkered flag. Former race winner Jason Leffler also led four early laps but the night belonged to Larson.

Jerry Coons Jr. charged to second in the closing laps, while Don Basile “Rookie of the Race” winner Ryan Bernal took third ahead of Nic Faas and Shane Golobic.

FINAL 2012 MOPAR USAC NATIONAL MIDGET POINT STANDINGS

Darren Hagen-1,312, 2-Tracy Hines-1,111, 3-Bryan Clauson-1,051, 4-Caleb Armstrong-955, 5-Kyle Larson-927, 6-Brad Kuhn-867, 7-Rico Abreu-829, 8-Jerry Coons Jr.-794, 9-Bobby East-745, 10-Dalton Armstrong-695.

FINAL 2012 MOPAR USAC NATIONAL MIDGET DIRT POINT STANDINGS

Darren Hagen-879, 2-Jerry Coons Jr.-794, 4-Brad Kuhn-760, 4-Bryan Clauson-728, 5-Tracy Hines-727, 6-Kyle Larson-691, 7-Chris Windom-670, 8-Rico Abreu-592, 9-Caleb Armstrong-547, 10-Davey Ray-512.

FINAL 2012 MOPAR USAC WESTERN MIDGET POINT STANDINGS

Shannon McQueen-778, 2-David Prickett-629, 3-Nick Chivello-591, 4-Scott Pierovich-497, 5-Alex Schutte-449, 6-Frankie Guerrini-431, 7-Cole Carter-412, 8-Connor Kassik-380, 9-Jake Swanson-359, 10-Randi Pankratz-352.

FINAL 2012 MOPAR USAC WESTERN MIDGET DIRT POINT STANDINGS

David Prickett-598, 2-Shannon McQueen-567, 3-Alex Schutte-397, 4-Connor Kassik-380, 5-Randi Pankratz-352, 6-Nick Chivello-335, 7-Cody Swanson-329, 8-Cole Carter-283, 9-Jake Swanson-275, 10-Scott Pierovich-273.

November 27, 2012

CLAUSON, EAST, HAGEN TOP DECEMBER 7 “NIGHT OF CHAMPIONS”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE NOVEMBER 23, 2012
DICK JORDAN

CLAUSON, EAST, HAGEN TOP DECEMBER 7 “NIGHT OF CHAMPIONS”
JOHNSON, MENZIES, LOVELL & DeJONG TOP TORC HONOREES

The “Night of Champions” USAC National Awards Dinner is scheduled for Friday night, December 7, at the Indiana Roof Ballroom in downtown Indianapolis, Ind. Champions of USAC’s 2012 racing series will be honored during the gala evening.

Bryan Clauson of Noblesville, Ind. has locked up his third consecutive USAC National Drivers Championship and among his championship awards are a scholarship from INDYCAR. Clauson also secured USAC’s 2012 AMSOIL National Sprint Car title.

Bobby East of Brownsburg, Ind. will be celebrated as USAC’s Traxxas Silver Crown and Darren Hagen of Riverside, Calif. emerged as the 2012 Mopar National Midget Car Champion.

Ricky Johnson of Trabuco Canyon, Calif., Bryce Menzies of Las Vegas, Nev., Brad Lovell of Colorado Springs, Colo. and Mitchell DeJong of Temecula, Calif. will be honored as 2012 USAC TRAXXAS TORC Off-Road Truck Champions presented by AMSOIL. Johnson claimed the Pro 4x4 title, while Menzies won the Pro 2WD crown, Lovell is the Pro Light 2WD titlist and DeJong won the inaugural Pro Buggy championship..

The affair will be held again this year in conjunction with the International Motorsports Industry Show (IMIS), which will be held December 6-8 at the Indiana Convention Center, located just one block south of the banquet facility.

In addition to the various series championship awards, numerous other performance awards are part of the ceremonies as well as special recognition awards.

USAC’s Mopar .25 Midget “Generation Next” Champions will also be featured at the banquet, which gets under way with a cocktail hour at 6 pm and dinner to follow at 7.

Reservations for this special evening are being accepted until November 30 by Nikki Wilke at the USAC headquarters at nikki@usacracing.com or by calling 317-247-5151 (Ext. 214). Tickets for the banquet are priced at $60 each.

Emcees for the affair are renowned broadcasters Jim Tretow and Pat Sullivan.

The Indiana Roof Ballroom is located at 140 W. Washington Street in downtown Indianapolis.

November 23, 2012

PERRIS USAC MOPAR NATIONAL/WESTERN MIDGET RACE RESULTS – TURKEY NIGHT

MOPAR USAC NATIONAL MIDGET RACE RESULTS: November 22, 2012 – Perris, CA – Perris Auto Speedway – 72nd “Turkey Night Grand Prix”

QUALIFICATIONS: 1. Darren Hagen, 3, RFMS-17.025; 2. Michael Pickens, 73x, Ford-17.104; 3. Kyle Larson, 71, Kunz/Curb-Agajanian-17.110; 4. Jason Leffler, 56, Hmiel-17.119; 5. Caleb Armstrong, 7c, C&A-17.150; 6. Chad Boat, 12, Allen-17.214; 7. Bryan Clauson, 67, Kunz/Curb-Agajanian-17.287; 8. Brad Sweet, 67x, Kahne-17.321; 9. Casey Shuman, 86, Martens-17.333; 10. Dave Darland, 3F, RFMS-17.337; 11. Dalton Armstrong, 7A, C&A-17.360; 12. Tracy Hines, 24, Parker-17.393; 13. Troy Rutherford, 11R, Martens-17.442; 14. Danny Stratton, 25, Rodela-17.444; 15. Brady Bacon, 11, Wilke-17.455; 16. Scott Pierovich, 35, Pierovich-17.472; 17. Evan Margeson, 50, Margeson-17.493; 18. Dillon Welch, 39, Tucker/BCI/Curb-Agajanian-17.571; 19. Nic Faas, 72, Ford-17.644; 20. Davey Ray, 33, RayPro-17.673; 21. Cory Kruseman, 21K, Kruseman-17.722; 22. Robby Josett, 02, Josett-17.729; 23. Jake Swanson, 05, Swanson-17.743; 24. Bobby East, 4, Klatt-17.743; 25. Shannon McQueen, 7, McQueen/Eskesen/Rescino-17.778; 26.
Shane Golobic, 26, Bock-17.788; 27. David Prickett, 15, Neverlift-17.798; 28. Ronnie Gardner, 68, Johnson-17.802; 29. Terry Goodwin, 2G, Goodwin-17.804; 30. Ryan Bernal, 73, Ford-17.806; 31. Jerry Coons, Jr., 63, Dooling-17.811; 32. Rico Abreu, 67K, Kunz-17.824; 33. Rick Hendrix, 12x, Hendrix-17.825; 34. Levi Roberts, 2, Roberts-17.930; 35. Richard Vander Weerd, 19, Sala-17.937; 36. Brad Kuhn, 10, Cook-17.941; 37. Damion Gardner, 47, Bondio-17.963; 38. Mike Spencer, 51s, Fly-18.015; 39. Connor Kassik, 115, Neverlift-18.065; 40. R.J. Johnson, 51, Martin-18.078; 41. Alex Bowman, 5, Van Dyne-18.093; 42. Nathan Smee, 12K, Kruseman-18.143; 43. Nick Chivello, 27, Chivello-18.236; 44. Dennis Howell, 81, Watt-18.276; 45. Kyle Edwards, 39K, Edwards-18.282; 46. Cody Swanson, 71x, Swanson-18.283; 47. Andrew Felker, 57, Ecker-18.296; 48. Johnathon Henry, 19w, Sala-18.311; 49. Randi Pankratz, 8, Pankratz-18.353; 50. Taylor Ferns, 55, Ferns-18.530; 51. Josh Pelkey, 12JR, Allen-18.541; 52. Jim
Waters, 151, Neverlift-18.645; 53. Trevor Cooper, 17K, Kruseman-18.826; 54. Brody Roa, 0, Lamott-18.834; 55. Jimmy Voitel, 21, Voitel-18.913; 56. Joey Fabozzi, 84, Fabozzi-20.902; 57. Zach Daum, 5D, Daum-NT (time of 17.533 disallowed); 58. Rick Shuman, 22AZ, Shuman-NT; 59. Britton Bock, 62, Bock-NT.

QUALIFYING RACE 1: (12 laps) 1. Bacon, 2. Coons, 3. Faas, 4. Kruseman, 5. Margeson, 6. Vander Weerd, 7. Daum, 8. J. Swanson, 9. Bowman, 10. Chivello, 11. Pelkey, 12. Hendrix, 13. Edwards, 14. McQueen, 15. Prickett, 16. Kassik, 17. Cooper, 18. Pankratz, 19. Felker, 20. Goodwin, 21. D. Gardner, 22. Voitel. NT

QUALIFYING RACE 2: (12 laps) 1. Ray, 2. Golobic, 3. Henry, 4. Bernal, 5. Welch, 6. Kuhn, 7. Spencer, 8. R. Gardner, 9. Abreu, 10. Johnson, 11. C. Swanson, 12. Pierovich, 13. Roberts, 14. Smee, 15. Ferns, 16. Roa, 17. Howell, 18. Josett, 19. Waters, 20. Fabozzi, 21. East. NT

FEATURE: (98 laps) 1. Kyle Larson, 2. Jerry Coons, Jr., 3. Ryan Bernal, 4. Nic Faas, 5. Shane Golobic, 6. Brad Kuhn, 7. Brady Bacon, 8. Casey Shuman, 9. Zach Daum, 10. Dalton Armstrong, 11. Johnathon Henry, 12. Caleb Armstrong, 13. Tracy Hines, 14. Dillon Welch, 15. Darren Hagen, 16. Michael Pickens, 17. David Prickett, 18. Shannon McQueen, 19. Jake Swanson, 20. Davey Ray, 21. Troy Rutherford, 22. Brad Sweet, 23. Danny Stratton, 24. Dave Darland, 25. Rico Abreu, 26. Bryan Clauson, 27. Evan Margeson, 28. Richard Vander Weerd, 29. Bobby East, 30. Mike Spencer, 31. Ronnie Gardner, 32. Jason Leffler, 33. Chad Boat, 34. Cory Kruseman. NT

--------------------------------

FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-3 Hagen, Laps 4-7 Leffler, Laps 8-21 Hagen, Laps 22-98 Larson.

**D. Gardner flipped in Qualifying Race 1. Goodwin flipped in Qualifying Race 1. Clauson flipped on Lap 79 of the Feature.

FINAL MOPAR NATIONAL MIDGET POINTS: 1-Hagen-1,312; 2-Hines-1,111; 3-Clauson-1,051; 4-C.Armstrong-955; 5-Larson-927; 6-Kuhn-867; 7-Abreu-829; 8- Coons-794; 9-East-745; 10-D.Armstrong-695.

FINAL MOPAR NATIONAL DIRT MIDGET POINTS: 1-Hagen-879, 2-Coons-794, 3-Kuhn-760, 4-Clauson-728, 5-Hines-727, 6-Larson-691, 7-Chris Windom-670, 8-Abreu-592, 9-C.Armstrong-547, 10-Ray-512.

FINAL MOPAR WESTERN MIDGET POINTS: 1-McQueen-778, 2-Prickett-629, 3-Chivello-591, 4-Pierovich-497, 5-Alex Schutte-449, 6-Frankie Guerinni-431, 7-Cole Carter-412, 8-Kassik-380, 9-J.Swanson-359, 10-R.Pankratz-352.

FINAL MOPAR WESTERN DIRT MIDGET POINTS: 1-Prickett-598, 2-McQueen-567, 3-Alex Schutte-397, 4-Kassik-380, 5-R.Pankratz-352, 6-Chivello-335, 7-C.Swanson-329, 8-Cole Carter-283, 9-J.Swanson-275, 10-Pierovich-273.

November 23, 2012

USAC RETURNS TO BELLEVILLE IN 2013

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE OCTOBER 31, 2012
DICK JORDAN

USAC RETURNS TO BELLEVILLE IN 2013;
SILVER CROWN SERIES JOINS MIDGETS AT LEGENDARY HALF-MILE

One of America’s most revered motorsports events returns to the USAC fold in 2013 with an exciting addition to its tradition-laden program, when the 36th “Belleville Nationals” unfolds at the historic Belleville (Kansas) High Banks.

Since 1978 the spectacular high-banked dirt oval at the North Central Kansas Free Fair has thrilled fans with its annual “Belleville Midget Nationals” racing extravaganza. Next year, USAC’s vaunted TRAXXAS Silver Crown Championship Cars will make its Belleville debut in conjunction with the Mopar National Midget cars to produce a Belleville spectacle unlike any in the track’s history.

The August 1-3 schedule calls for a full program of USAC Midget racing, along with Silver Crown practice on Thursday night, Silver Crown qualifying and feature on Friday and the Midget finale on Saturday. In addition, renewing a long-standing tradition at Belleville, participants will gather Wednesday at the fairgrounds park to select opening slots for the Midget competition.

Half-mile dirt Silver Crown racing dates back to 1980 at Williams Grove, Pa. and in the ensuing 32 years other half-mile dirt ovals have included annual treks to Rossburg, Ohio and Terre Haute, Ind., plus events at Knoxville, Ia., Denver, Colo., Oklahoma City, Okla., Tampa, Fla., Parkersburg, W.Va., Hagerstown, Md., Las Vegas, Nev. and Phoenix, Ariz.

“We are looking forward to USAC’s return to the Belleville High Banks, adds USAC Silver Crown Series Director James Spink. “We expect this exciting addition at Belleville to attract new fans to the diehard-legion of race fans from American as well as Down-Under who annually target this weekend as one of their signature calendar events. We will see many drivers pulling double-duty that weekend, including many who have had their Silver Crown cars on the sideline the past year.”

“We are very happy to have USAC back on board for the 36th annual Belleville High Banks Midget Nationals, and also for the very first time bringing the USAC Silver Crown Series to the famed Belleville High Banks, says race organizer Jimmy Melton. “There will be alot of new events from autograph parties to the cars being displayed the week of the midget nationals. We really look forward to working with USAC on this historic event in 2013!”

USAC Triple Crown Champion Jerry Coons Jr. expects to be among drivers doing “double duty” in the 2013 Belleville program. He notched his third Belleville Midget Nationals championship last year and has a pair of wins on Silver Crown dirt half-miles. “I’ve been an advocate for the Silver Crown at Belleville, so I’m very excited to see this materialize,” says Jerry. The Silver Crown cars and the return of USAC’s National Midgets to Belleville should be a big step toward boosting the event for race fans. The half-mile tracks have always created great Silver Crown action and with Belleville’s different size configuration it should make for good racing.” Coons’ previous Silver Crown half-mile victories came at Manzanita Speedway in Phoenix, Ariz. and at the “4-Crown Nationals” in Rossburg, Ohio.

USAC previously sanctioned the Belleville Midget Nationals from 1996, when Robby Flock was the winner, through 2009, when USAC National Drivers Champion Bryan Clauson took home the trophy.

October 31, 2012
SPENCER TRACING DOWN USAC HISTORY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
OCTOBER 23, 2012
DICK JORDAN 12-209

SPENCER TRACING DOWN USAC HISTORY AS CRA SPRINTS JOIN NATIONALS AT CANYON

Mike Spencer of Temecula, Calif. is on the verge of USAC immortality. Only 14 drivers, of the 301 prior to 2012 who have won USAC driving titles, own five or more. Mike is in the stretch run of a fifth straight championship in a single series this weekend as he pursues the 2012 AMSOIL USAC/CRA Sprint Car crown.

Nobody previoius has ever strung together five straight in a single USAC series – EVER. He holds a 323-point lead over Nic Faas in the current standings. With less than 300 points remaining in the final four races, Spencer will become the first driver to achieve the amazing five-peat!

Mike will become the ninth driver to achieve at least five titles in a single series. A.J. Foyt won seven in Indy cars and Mel Kenyon won seven in National Midgets. Rich Vogler won five in National Midgets, Levi Jones five in National Sprints, Butch Hartman five in Stock Cars, Tony Hunt five in Western Sprints, Sleepy Tripp five in Western Midgets and Michael Lang five in Speedrome Midgets.

Spencer is among top AMSOIL USAC/CRA Sprint Car drivers who will compete in this weekend’s Arizona Motorsports “Hall of Fame” events at Canyon Speedway Park at Peoria, Ariz. The events, slated Friday and Saturday night, also award AMSOIL USAC National Sprint Car points.

The AMSOIL USAC National and USAC/CRA series conclude November 2-3 in the Budwesier “Oval Nationals” at the Perris (Calif.) Auto Speedway.

Spencer trails Damion Gardner by two wins n the all-time standings for USAC/CRA Sprints at Perris. He ranks third behind Gardner and Cory Kruseman on the all-time USAC/CRA list.

Faas’ hold on second in the USAC/CRA standings is tenuous at best. He is just 19 ahead of Brody Roa entering this weekend’s races at Peoria.

AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR POINTS

1-Mike Spencer-1,232, 2-Nic Faas-900, 3-Brody Roa-881, 4-Ryan Bernal-816, 5-Rip Williams-792, 6-Austin Williams-757, 7-Cory Kruseman-692, 8-Cody Williams-606, 9-David Cardey-465, 10-Matt Mitchell-461.

October 23, 2012
PANEL RESCINDS LEVI JONES PENALTIES

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE OCTOBER 18, 2012
DICK JORDAN

APPEALS PANEL RESCINDS LEVI JONES PENALTIES

The Chief Judge of the USAC Court of Appeals has rescinded the penalties assessed to driver Levi Jones and car entrant Tony Stewart Racing as a result of an incident arising from the August 25 “Sprint Car Smackdown” USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car race at Kokomo, Ind. which also involved driver Jon Stanbrough.

The appeal held October 17 and chaired by Chief Appellate Judge Jeff Stoops dealt with penalties originally assessed according to guidelines of USAC competition rule 10.28 regarding unsportsmanlike conduct.

As a result of the appeal, both the 25-point National Sprint Car entrant penalty assessed to Tony Stewart Racing and the 25-point National Sprint Car driver penalty assessed to Levi Jones have been rescinded.

The panel reviewed facts and information available to them. Based on the lack of material and or video evidence to review along with statements made by USAC Officials in charge of competition for the event, the panel agreed that a penalty judging intentional driver conduct during competition could not be enforced.

October 18, 2012
$125,000 Ignite 2013 Contingency Announced for USAC

The largest contingency program in recent USAC racing history has been announced for participants utilizing Ignite high-performance Ethanol racing fuels in 2013. A total of more than $125,000 in year-end prizes and series race postings will be up for grabs in various USAC racing series.

Starting with the TRAXXAS Silver Crown Championship, participants will be rewarded with the preferred fuel option afforded by Ignite, with a $5,000 “powered by Ignite” bonus posted for each car entrant winning a Silver Crown feature.

If the “powered by Ignite” option is not utilized in victory lane, a $2,500 bonus will be awarded to the highest finishing “powered by Ignite” competitor. With the new contingency postings for 2013, Ignite Racing Ethanol will be the preferred fuel of the TRAXXAS Silver Crown series, but not mandated. Competitors may use Ignite Ethanol or traditional methanol fuels in the series.

Other USAC racing series will also offer rewards for “powered by Ignite” usage. A $500 bonus is posted for a feature victory in the Ignite Midget series and Mopar .25 Midget Series competitors will also receive a $1,000 savings certificate for achieving a National Championship at season’s end.

“We are extremely pleased with the partnership Ignite has provided for these USAC incentives for 2013 and we look forward to the bonuses our participants will receive,” says USAC President/CEO Kevin Miller. “This is a significant step and one we embrace as we continue into USAC’s racing future.”

October 15, 2012