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 ROSSBURG,
OH (August 7) -- Occasionally, there were times when the Hoosier D20
was just a little too soft and the Hoosier F55 was just a little too
hard for track conditions. So, the Hoosier staff went to work to find
a compound that would be the answer under those specific conditions.
What they came up with was the D25 compound. Amazingly, the new
compound has been a huge success as evidenced this past weekend when
Kevin Huntley pocketed $50,000 after winning the 40-lap USAC
National Sprint Car Series "Mopar Thunder" at Eldora
Speedway on Saturday. Huntley, using the newly released D25 as his
right rear choice of compounds coupled with a 98" D12 on his left
rear, led all but the first lap en route to winning the richest
"traditional" sprint car race in the United States. The
purse, which attracted 68 non-wing sprint cars, totaled $166,000. Of
the 68 cars on hand, 58 of them took their shot at the at the $50,000
prize riding on Tires Designed For Champions made by Hoosier
Tire.
Defending USAC triple-crown champion J.J. Yeley
returned to his roots by setting the fastest time in qualifying with a
lap of 18.150 seconds. He was followed by six more Hoosier-shod
drivers atop the qualifying leader board. Bud Kaeding was second
followed by Greg Hodnett, Dickie Gaines, Levi Jones, Dave Darland and
Jay Drake as Team Hoosier claimed 12 of the 13 fastest times.
Six heat races were contested to accommodate the huge
field with all six heats won by drivers using Hoosier tires. Mat
Neely, Cory Kruseman, Sammy Swindell, Kevin Huntley, Bill Rose and
Dave Blaney were the heat race winners.
In the 40-lap feature, 23 of the 26 starters rode on
Hoosier tires. After two failed attempts to start the race, the field
was able to complete its first lap with Bill Rose out front. Rose,
however, was passed by Kevin "The Pup" Huntley on the second
circuit. Huntley, using the new D25 compound, motored out to a
straightaway lead before Sammy Swindell began to close the distance in
the race's later stages. Swindell, using a 100" D20/F55 rear tire
combination, closed to within a couple cars lengths but was never able
to pass Huntley who went on to claim the win and the $50,000 check.
Sammy Swindell settled for second place followed by
Bill Rose who used the same rear tire set-up as the runner-up. Davey
Ray finished fourth using a 98"RD12 left rear and the new D25
compound as his right rear choice. Mat Neely rounded out the top five
using a 100" D12/D25.
Dickie Gaines finished in sixth place followed by Bud
Kaeding, Jay Drake, J.J. Yeley and Rob Chaney in seventh through
tenth, respectively. All told, the first 18 drivers to cross the
finish line rode on Hoosier tires.
Hoosier Open Wheel Dirt Product Manager Neil Cowman,
who contributed the information used in this report, was at Eldora
speaking with the race teams about the new Hoosier D25 compound and
watching it perform under race conditions. Save your breath Neil, the
results appear to speak for themselves.
Feel free to contact your nearest Hoosier Distributor
for more information about the new D25 compound. For more information
about USAC, you may visit their website at www.usacracing.com.
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