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 FREEMONT,
OH (June 19) -- Defending USAC National Sprint Car Series Champion
Tracy Hines (right) captured his first win of the season after passing Bud
Kaeding on lap 13 in the 30-lap feature at The New Freemont Speedway
Thursday night in the second round of the Buckeye Nationals. The win
keeps the Hoosier brand undefeated in this year's Buckeye Nationals
competition. While in the USAC National Midget Car Series which uses a
Hoosier tire rule on all four corners, Dave Darland made it
two-for-two winning the 30-lap feature after winning the Buckeye
opener at Attica Raceway Park on Wednesday. Hoosier Open Wheel Dirt
Product Manager Neil Cowman is attending the Buckeye Nationals and was
instrumental in providing the details for this report.
USAC NATIONAL MIDGET CAR SERIES
Thirty-seven cars were on hand Thursday night at Ohio's Freemont
Speedway battling it out in the 2nd round of action in the 2nd Mopar
Buckeye Nationals. The night began with heat race action in which
Aaron Fike, J.J. Yeley, Jay Drake and Dave Darland were winners.
In the 30-lap feature, Nick Lundgreen led the first
six laps before Dave Darland moved into the race lead. Darland led the
remainder of the way to post his second win in as many nights heading
into the weekend and the completion of the four-night Buckeye
Nationals event. Bobby East finished in second followed by Tracy
Hines, Cory Kruseman and Shane Cottle.
After a disappointing 15th place finish, J.J. Yeley
falls to second place in the standings with 625 points. Bobby East
takes over the lead in the standings with 632 points.
The series will be back in action Friday night, June
20, at Limaland Motorsports Park in Lima, OH for the third leg Buckeye
Nationals program.
USAC NATIONAL SPRINT CAR SERIES
A huge 55-car field was on hand for qualifying with fully 41 of
them opting to trust USA-made Hoosier tires. After qualifying, four
heat races were contested with Hoosier tires on all four race winner's
cars. Cory Kruseman won the first heat using a Hoosier D10 as his
right rear tire selection. Matt Neely won the second heat using a D12,
while Boston Reid won the third heat using yet another compound in the
Hoosier arsenal. Reid ran his 10-lap heat using a Hoosier RD12 as his
right rear compound choice. Finally, previous night's race winner J.J.
Yeley won the last heat using Hoosier's softest compound option--a
D10.
In the night's feature race, 18 of the 23 starters
rode on Hoosier tires. Bud Kaeding, using a Hoosier D10/D12 (left
rear/right rear) combination, led the first 12 circuits before Tracy
Hines moved into the race lead. Hines, last season's series champion,
opted to run the 30-lap feature using a pair of Hoosier RD12's. After
taking the lead, Hines defended his leader status until the checkered
flag fell with J.J. Yeley and Bud Kaeding finishing in second and
third, respectively. Amazingly, the Hoosier brand was on the first
nine cars to cross the finish line. Matt Westfall, Jac Haudenschild, Boston
Reid, Cory Kruseman, Mike Miller and Kevin Briscoe finished fourth
through ninth, respectively.
J.J. Yeley continues to lead the USAC National Sprint
Car Series with 768 points followed by Tracy Hines with 676 points.
The series is back in action on Friday at Limaland
Motorsports Park and again on Saturday at Eldora Speedway for the
completion of the 2nd Mopar Buckeye Nationals.
Hoosier Racing Tire Corp. is proud to provide tires to
the USAC Series and its competitors for the 2003 season.
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