Category Archives: Tracy Hines

Tracy Hines Racing–Tracy Hines Finishes Second & Sixth with USAC Sprints at Bubba Raceway Park

Tracy Hines Finishes Second & Sixth with USAC Sprints at Bubba Raceway Park
By Tracy Hines Racing PR
 
NEW CASTLE, Ind.—Feb. 23, 2014— Another year, another successful trip to Florida for Tracy Hines. That is becoming the norm for the veteran driver with the Amsoil USAC National Sprint Car Series. Following a pair of wins at Bubba Raceway Park in 2013, the native of New Castle, Ind., recently returned to the Sunshine State to open his 2014 campaign and recorded a pair of solid finishes. He led a number of laps in the opener at the three-eighths-mile en route to a runner-up finish and was sixth in the finale aboard The Carolina Nut Company DRC with a Chevy-powered Stanton Racing Engine under the hood, and heads back north just a handful of markers out of the point lead as he chases his second series title.
 
The Bubba Army Winternationals at Bubba Raceway Park in Ocala, Fla., kicked-off on Thursday, Feb. 20, and concluded on Saturday, Feb. 22. With his second-place performance on the first night, Hines has now finished among the top-five in three of his last five starts at the track and has been among the top-10 in five of his last six appearances at the venue dating back to 2012.
 
In the opener, Hines took the lead at the start of the main event and crossed the line out front at the completion of the first circuit, before polesitter Dave Darland took the top spot on the second go-around. Hines powered his way back around Darland on lap-3 and would pace the field for the next 15 laps, before eventual winner Brady Bacon took the lead. The main event was slowed by four cautions and one red flag period.
 
“It was a good run for the first night of the season,” said Hines. “I was having trouble getting off (turn) four. I tried just about everything I could and nothing seemed to work. We were a lot better in the slick that we have been, but still need to find a little more. We have some new things this year with the team, and it was great to be fast every time we hit the track and to lead quite a few laps in the main event as well.”
 
Hines timed in fifth-fastest of the 34 drivers that took a lap in time trials in the opener. He lined up fifth in the first heat race and charged to the front to win that eight-lap contest to earn a spot in the 30-lap main event. He took the green flag for the A-Feature on the outside of the front row, next to Darland.
 
The final night of the Bubba Army Winternationals on Saturday, Feb. 22, saw Hines take to the grid for the 30-lap main event in the ninth spot. He gained a position in the early going and worked his way up to sixth just before the halfway point of the race. A rash of cautions slowed the event, leading to a total of six restarts. When the final checkered flag flew, Hines was sixth, and wrapped up the event as one of just three drivers that finished among the top-six on both nights at Bubba Raceway Park.
 
Hines timed in sixth-fastest of the 32 entrants to open the night. He finished fifth in the second heat race, coming up just one spot short of transferring to the main event, and thus requiring him to run the B-main. Hines won the “B,” which slotted him on the inside of the fifth row for the main event.
 
“We had a tough heat race and that was all the difference,” shared Hines. “If we would have transferred through that we would have started on the front row of the main event. We were able to make up a few spots in the feature and passing was at a premium. We have a good baseline to build on now and will work hard in the shop for a few weeks and be ready for the next race.”
 

Tracy Hines Racing–Tracy Hines Opens 2014 Sprint Car Season in Florida

Tracy Hines Opens 2014 Sprint Car Season in Florida
By Tracy Hines Racing PR
 
NEW CASTLE, Ind.—Feb. 19, 2014— Tracy Hines had a pretty successful trip to Florida last season, winning two of the three Amsoil USAC National Sprint Car Series races at Bubba Raceway Park in Ocala. Making the feat even more impressive was the fact that those races were the first three events he ran in a self-owned machine, after quickly putting a team together in the short couple of months following the 2012 campaign.
 
With a full year of team ownership now under his belt, Hines returns to the Sunshine State to open the 2014 Amsoil USAC National Sprint Car Series season this week at Bubba Raceway Park, with a new primary sponsor, The Carolina Nut Company, adorning his familiar No. 4 DRC with a Chevy-powered Stanton Racing Engine under the hood.
 
The Amsoil USAC National Sprint Car Series portion of the Third Annual Bubba Army Winternationals at Bubba Raceway Park is set for Thursday, Feb. 20, Friday, Feb. 21 and Saturday, Feb. 22. An open practice night will open the event tonight.
 
“We are definitely ready to get back to the track,” said Hines. “We have The Carolina Nut Company on-board this year and that has us even more excited to get the season underway. That along with the support of our returning and other new sponsors has enabled us to make some upgrades to our program. We’ve brought on Taylor Courtney as a full-time employee. We built another new car to start the year, and have some engines that we believe will put us in the hunt, night in and night out.”
 
Hines scored victories on the second and third nights of the 2013 Bubba Army Winternationals. He finished 11th in the opener, after getting caught up in a four-car accident on the fourth circuit. On the second night, he took the lead on the final lap, from Robert Ballou, who suffered a flat tire. In the finale of the 2013 Bubba Army Winternationals, Hines led all 30 laps to earn the win.
 
“Last year we obviously opened the season on a strong note in Florida,” shared the veteran driver. “We had a good combination for the track, and caught things just right those two nights. Florida is pretty unique compared to the rest of the races and tracks we go to during the season. The surface at Ocala has a sandy-base and they have added some clay, the last couple years, but you still have to do things a bit different than you would at tracks in the Midwest or on the West Coast. We’ll take a look at the surface when we get there and see what changes they’ve made and go from there.”
 
In his career at Bubba Raceway Park, Hines has made eight starts, dating back to 2011. He has three top-10 finishes in those races and has finished 13th or better in seven of those eight races. Along with his two wins last season, he was ninth in the finale at the three-eighths-mile in 2012.
 
Last season, Hines competed in 33 races with the Amsoil USAC National Sprint Car Series earning two wins and recording 20 top-10 finishes. He scored a pair of runner-up finishes at Canyon Speedway Park in Arizona, late in the season during the Hall of Fame Classic. Hines found himself on the podium during the Eastern Storm Tour at Susquehanna Speedway in Pennsylvania, as well as at the Terre Haute Action Track in his home state of Indiana and at I-96 Speedway in Michigan. The native of New Castle, Ind., stopped the clocks first on four occasions with the series in time trials in 2013. He wrapped up the season sixth in points in his first season driving his self-owned machine.
 
Hines opens the 2014 Amsoil USAC National Sprint Car Series season with 45 career wins, which is fourth all-time, just one behind Jack Hewitt, two back of Dave Darland and seven in arrears to Tom Bigelow, the winningest sprint car driver in USAC history. The 2014 season will take the 2002 series champion to 22 tracks in 10 tracks over the course of the nearly 40-race season.
 
“We’ve really worked hard on our short track program this year,” said Hines. “We only have a handful of races on half-miles, so we have to be at our best on the smaller tracks. Last year we had a good set-up for the larger tracks and we strive to have the same consistency on the smaller tracks. We’ve worked hard this off-season and expect to win races and be in contention every time we pull into the pit area.”
 
Along with contesting the entire Amsoil USAC National Sprint Car Series calendar, Hines will also race the full Traxxas USAC Silver Crown Series schedule and Honda USAC National Midget Series campaign.
 

Tracy Hines Racing–A Consistent Week

A Consistent Week for Tracy Hines at the Chili Bowl
By Tracy Hines Racing PR
 
NEW CASTLE, Ind.—Jan. 19, 2014— Racing against over 280 other competitors for just 24 starting spots leaves very little room for error. Tracy Hines thrives on such a situation and that’s what he faced this past week at the Lucas Oil Chili Bowl presented by General Tires in Tulsa, Okla. When the final checkered flag flew on Saturday, Jan. 18, the 2005 winner of the event, found himself just outside of the top-10 in the 12th position.
 
Hines began his week in Tulsa, aboard his familiar No. 24 Parker Machinery/Powered by Toyota Spike, by competing in the Vacuworx Invitational Race of Champions on Tuesday, Jan. 14, finishing fifth in that 20-lap star-studded event. The native of New Castle, Ind., lined up 11th and steadily worked his way forward on the tight indoor oval.
 
The veteran driver returned to the track on Thursday, Jan. 16 for John Christner Trucking Qualifying Night, which was the third of four qualifiers. Hines started on the pole of the ninth heat race and led wire-to-wire to win that eight-lap contest, which put him in the fourth Qualifier. He remained unbeaten on the night as he came from the second row to win that 10-lapper and lock himself into the 25-lap preliminary feature. Hines started sixth in the feature and wound up taking the checkered flag eighth, which put him in the second B-main on the final night.
 
Hines found himself in the ninth spot on the grid for the second B-main of the final night of the 2014 Chili Bowl on Saturday, Jan. 18, which measured 20 laps in distance, with the top-six finishers earning a spot in the 55-lap Chili Bowl finale. He worked his way forward and finished fifth to race his way into the A-Feature, after a couple of cars ahead of him tangled in the late going.
 
The 2000 Traxxas USAC Silver Crown Series champion and 2002 Amsoil USAC National Sprint Car Series titlist took the green flag for the Chili Bowl main event in the 22nd position. For Hines it marked the 13th time in his career he had earned a spot in the A-Feature of the Chili Bowl, a feat only three other active drivers have accomplished.
 
A number of cautions dotted the 55-lap feature, with the first of those being just seven laps into the race. Hines methodically worked his way forward and was near the top-15 by the halfway point of the race. He was able to avoid a number of late accidents to cross the line 12th, in the event that aired live on MAVTV.
 
Hines also turned the wrenches at the Chili Bowl for fellow Hoosier C.J. Leary, who piloted a Tracy Hines Racing machine. The 2013 Lawrenceburg Speedway sprint car track champion wrapped up his week with a 13th-place showing the second F-main on Saturday. During the Vacuworx Global Qualifying Night on Friday, Jan. 17, Leary finished ninth in the first B-main, coming up just three spots short of earning a spot in the preliminary feature. He finished seventh earlier in the evening in the third heat race.
 
Hines will return to action in the season-opening Bubba Army Winter Nationals at Bubba Raceway Park in Ocala, Fla., for the Amsoil USAC National Sprint Car Series, Feb. 20–22. The veteran driver won two of the three races at Bubba Raceway Park in 2013.
 

Tracy Hines Racing–Tracy Hines Opens the 2014 Season at the Chili Bowl

Tracy Hines Opens the 2014 Season at the Chili Bowl
By Tracy Hines Racing PR
 
New Castle, Ind.—Jan. 13, 2014— As he has done for just about the last 20 years, Tracy Hines will head to the Chili Bowl to begin yet another open wheel racing campaign this week. The native of New Castle, Ind., won the event in 2005, adding his name to the prestigious list of past Chili Bowl victors.
 
The 28th edition of the Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Presented by General Tire is set for Jan. 14–18 at the Tulsa Expo Raceway, a quarter-mile clay oval, located inside the River Spirit Expo Center at Tulsa’s Expo Square. A total of four qualifying nights will divide the 250-plus car field, with the top-three finishers on each of those nights earning a spot in the finale on Saturday, Jan. 18. Hines will take to the track in his familiar No. 24 Parker Machinery/Powered by Toyota Spike on John Christner Trucking Qualifying Night, which is Thursday, Jan. 16. Being a former Chili Bowl winner, Hines will also take part in the Vacuworx Invitational Race of Champions on Tuesday, Jan. 14.
 
“With all the cold and the snow we’ve had lately, we’re even more excited than normal to get to Tulsa and race,” said Hines. “The Chili Bowl has grown into such a huge event and drivers from just about every discipline of racing are there and fans from across the world make the trip as well. It’s definitely one we always circle on our calendars and it’s a great way to break up the off-season before heading to Florida.”
 
In last year’s Chili Bowl, Hines finished fifth in a preliminary feature on the third of four qualifying nights, after lining up 13th for that 25-lap contest. He opened the night by powering his way from sixth to second in the fifth heat race. Hines would follow that up with a fifth-place finish in the third A-Qualifier, which earned him a spot in the preliminary feature.
 
By virtue of his fifth-place finish in his preliminary feature, Hines started third in the first B-Main on the final night of the event. A DNF (did not finish) in that 15-lap race would end his week in Tulsa. Hines kicked-off the 2013 Chili Bowl by competing in the 20-lap VIROC V Race of Champions, finishing eighth in a star-studded field.
 
“We had a pretty good qualifying night and just missed getting locked in for Saturday night by a couple spots,” said Hines. “We had a great starting spot in the B-main and just didn’t have luck on our side. Luck is a part of things at an event like the Chili Bowl when you have the number and quality of cars out there. You have to be fast, be in the right place at the right time and have luck on your side.”
 
Hines has qualified for the main event at the Chili Bowl 12 times in his career, which has him tied for fourth among active drivers with the most starts. In 2005 he was victorious twice at the Chili Bowl. Along with winning the main event, he also won a preliminary feature. The 2000 Traxxas USAC Silver Crown and 2002 Amsoil USAC National Sprint Car Series champion has nine career top-10 finishes on the final night of Chili Bowl in 12 starts, with three of those being top-five performances. In addition to his win in 2005, Hines has one other podium finish, with that coming in 2009, as he finished second to Sammy Swindell, the winningest driver in the history of the Chili Bowl.
 
“I’ve been pretty fortunate over the years at the Chili Bowl,” shared Hines. “To have been able to win the event is certainly a great accomplishment. As a racer though, you always want to win it again and that’s what we’ve been trying to do for the last handful of years. We’ve come close a couple of times. As always it will take a near perfect week out there and you have to continue to pass cars every time you are on the track to improve your chances for the final night.”
 
Last season, Hines competed in all three USAC National Series. The veteran driver scored wins with the Traxxas USAC Silver Crown Series, Amsoil USAC National Sprint Car Series and the Honda USAC National Midget Series Pavement Championship. In points, Hines was the runner-up in the Honda USAC National Midget Series Pavement Championship, was third in the Traxxas USAC Silver Crown Series, ended up fourth in the Honda USAC National Midget Series Dirt Championship and was sixth in the final tally for the Amsoil USAC National Sprint Car Series.
 
Along with piloting his Parker Machinery/Powered by Toyota Spike at the Chili Bowl, Hines will field an entry and turn the wrenches for fellow Hoosier, C.J. Leary, the 2013 Lawrenceburg Speedway sprint car track champion. Leary competed in the Chili Bowl last year for Hines’ team. Leary’s machine will also be a Spike chassis with a Toyota powerplant under the hood. The native of Greenfield, Ind., will hit the track on Friday, Jan. 17, as part of the Vacuworx Global Qualifying Night.
 

Tracy Hines Earns a Pair of Top-Fives on the Final Night of the Western World

Tracy Hines Earns a Pair of Top-Fives on the Final Night of the Western World
By Tracy Hines Racing PR
 
NEW CASTLE, Ind. — Nov. 17, 2013— Racing in both the midget and sprint car portions of the 46th Annual Sands Chevrolet Western World Championships presented by the Racers Advantage Store at Canyon Speedway Park in Peoria, Ariz., afforded Tracy Hines twice as many laps on the racy one-third-mile, and the ability to try a few different combinations and lines to prepare for the final night. That plan of attack helped the veteran driver finish fourth in the main event for the Honda USAC National Midget Series and come home fifth in the USAC Southwest vs. USAC West Coast Sprint Car Series event.
 
Hines competed in a total of five feature races over the course of the three-day event, earning four finishes of sixth or better. He picked up three top-five finishes, highlighted by a runner-up performance in the sprint car portion of the event on the second night.
 
On the final night of the Western World Championships, Hines worked his way from the seventh starting spot to finish fourth in the Parker Machinery/Powered by Toyota Spike with the Honda USAC National Midget Series. He gained a spot on the opening lap and was up to fourth by the fourth circuit, following a trio of early cautions. Hines would continue to run fourth for the remainder of the 30-lap main, en route to his 11th top-five finish of the season with the series.
 
The finale of the sprint car portion of the Western World Championships on Saturday, Nov. 16, found Hines starting on the pole in Rick Pollock’s No. 21. R.J. Johnson took the lead at the start from the outside of the front row. After eventual winner Bryan Clauson got around both for the top spot, Hines ran third for a number of laps. The final caution flag of the race flew at the halfway point, with Hines running fourth. He would fall back one spot in the late going to finish fifth.
 
With a split field for the sprint cars at the Western World Championships, Hines was in action on Friday, Nov. 15, for the second qualifying night. He would finish second to Clauson, who started on the pole and paced all 30 circuits of the race. Hines started on the outside of the front row and took the lead on the initial start, only to have the caution flag fly before that lap was completed. He shot to the lead on the second start as well, before Clauson got by him on the back straightaway.
 
During a long green flag stretch of racing in the second half of the contest, Hines would move back into the runner-up spot, after falling to third in the early going. Hines would hold off Jon Stanbrough for second at the line to lock himself into Saturday’s finale.
 
Also on Friday night, Hines was in action for the second preliminary night for the Honda USAC National Midget Series. He finished 13th in the main event, which paired with sixth-place showing on Thursday night earned him enough event points to secure a spot in the eight-car dash on the final night, which determined the first four rows for the A-Feature. Hines timed in 12th quickest to open the night and finished fourth in the fourth heat race to transfer to the preliminary feature, where he took the green flag in 12th.
 
Hines opened the Western World Championships on Thursday, Nov. 14, with the Honda USAC National Midget Series, finishing sixth in the 30-lap main event. He lined up on the outside of the third row for the preliminary feature and ran in that position for the first few laps, which saw the red flag fly on the opening circuit, necessitating a complete restart, with the first caution of the night being displayed on the fourth lap.
 
The veteran driver moved into the top-five near the mid-point of the 30-lap contest and ran as high as fourth in the latter stages of the race. He would end up crossing the finish line in sixth. The native of New Castle, Ind., opened the night by setting a new track record in qualifying. Hines finished third in the first heat race to earn a spot in the preliminary feature.
 
Hines, who is currently fourth in points with the Honda USAC Nationals Midget Series, will wrap up the season on Thanksgiving night at Perris Auto Speedway in Southern California, with the running of the annual Turkey Night Midget Grand Prix.
 

Tracy Hines Racing–Tracy Hines Wraps up the USAC Sprint Car Season at Perris

Tracy Hines Wraps up the USAC Sprint Car Season at Perris
By Tracy Hines Racing PR
 
NEW CASTLE, Ind. — Oct. 31, 2013— It all began for Tracy Hines back in February in Florida, and after eight-plus months of racing and thousands of miles traveled, the Amsoil USAC National Sprint Car Series season will come to a close this weekend at Perris Auto Speedway in California, with the running of the 18th Annual Budweiser Oval Nationals.
 
The Oval Nationals open for Hines, who drives the Hansen’s Welding Inc./The Carolina Nut Company DRC, on Friday, Nov. 1 and conclude on Saturday, Nov. 2. The 40-lap finale on Saturday night will pay a season-high $15,000-to-win for the Amsoil USAC National Sprint Car Series.
 
“The Oval Nationals are definitely one of the biggest events we have all year,” said Hines. “We get to see a lot of fans out there that we only see once a year, so we always want to put on the best show we can. Having a good-paying race late in the season always helps as well heading into the winter months when you have no races.”
 
Last year in the Oval Nationals, Hines finished second in the finale, after leading the first 37 laps of the 40-lap main event to record his best-career finish in the season-ending extravaganza for the Amsoil USAC National Sprint Car Series. The 2002 series titlist came home fourth in the opener of the event to lock himself into the final night’s main event.
 
Hines started second in the 40-lap main Oval Nationals A-Feature on the final night of the event in 2012, following a six-car dash, which was comprised of the top-six finishers from the Friday night portion of the Oval Nationals. The native of New Castle, Ind., used a strong start to take the lead from polesitter Mike Spencer on the opening lap. He was out front on the 38th circuit when Spencer used a strong run beginning in turns one and two to take the lead in turns three and four. That pass ultimately was for the win.
 
Hines kicked-off last year’s edition of the Oval Nationals by turning the seventh-fastest lap in time trials of the 43 drivers that took to the track on the first night. He competed in the fourth, 10-lap heat race and finished in that same position to earn a spot in the 30-lap feature. Hines wrapped up that night with a fourth-place showing in the main event.
 
“We were close last year at Perris (Auto Speedway),” he shared. “It’s tough to lead that many laps and end up second. We had a couple of second-place finishes last weekend, so we are going to give it all we got to gain that one more spot. It’s been a while since we won in the sprint car and would be a good way to bookend the USAC season with a win or two this weekend.”
 
The veteran driver made his debut at Perris Auto Speedway in a Honda USAC Western Midget Series event 1995, finishing second on a one-third-mile track that preceded the current half-mile, which opened in 1996. The runner-up finish last year for Hines bested his previous top finish at the Oval Nationals, which had been a third-place showing in 2010.
 
“Perris (Auto Speedway) can be a tricky place,” said Hines. “With the caliber of cars that will be on-hand, starting position and track position in general will be important. We’ve put ourselves in a pretty good spot the last few races to be in contention and just have to put the whole night together, especially the last few laps of the feature. We have a good baseline for Perris and have been fast on all of the bigger tracks this year, so we have high hopes for the weekend.”
 
Hines enters the Oval Nationals sixth in points with the Amsoil USAC National Sprint Car Series. He has two wins on the season, coupled with 17 top-10 finishes.

Tracy Hines Racing–The Kokomo Klash Awaits Tracy Hines at Kokomo Speedway

The Kokomo Klash Awaits Tracy Hines at Kokomo Speedway
By Tracy Hines Racing PR
 
NEW CASTLE, Ind. — Oct. 17, 2013— Just one more outdoor open wheel event remains in the state of Indiana in 2013, and that is the Kokomo Klash this week at Kokomo Speedway. Tracy Hines has included the event on his calendar for the last several years and has had quite a bit of success at the quarter-mile in the late-season special, which he has won the midget portion of, in each of the last two years.
 
The sprint car and midget segment of the seventh edition of the Kokomo Klash at Kokomo Speedway is set for Friday, Oct. 18. Hines will take part in both the sprint car and midget programs again this year.
 
“It’s always a long off-season for the fans in Indiana, so it’s great to have a late season event to get them a couple more races before the cooler weather begins to set in,” said Hines. “Kokomo (Speedway) has really made the Klash into a ‘Must See’ event over the last handful of years. It’s certainly is a good way to wrap up the Midwest part of our season by getting to run both the sprint car and midget.”
 
Last season in the Kokomo Klash, Hines started on the pole for the 25-lap main event for the midgets and ran second on the opening circuit, before taking the lead from Thomas Meseraull on the second lap. The home state driver quickly opened a lead and paced the final 24 circuits in the race, which was slowed by a couple of cautions. He was victorious over fellow veterans Shane Hollingsworth and Bobby East. Hines opened the night by winning the first heat race.

“We’ve been pretty good in the midget at Kokomo the last few years,” he shared. “We had some bad luck during Indiana Midget Week this year, so we are looking to make up for that. There is plenty of room to race a midget at Kokomo and you carry quite a bit of speed and momentum when you run around top there.”
 
The native of New Castle, Ind., started near the front in the sprint car portion of the Kokomo Klash last year. He was running among the lead pack when the first stoppage of the night occurred on the second lap for a flip. He restarted third, and fell back to fourth, before working his way into third following a caution just past the halfway point of the race. Hines would take the checkered flag in third to earn the final spot on the podium, which was one of seven top-five finishes he has at the track in a sprint car in 2012.
 
“It’s been a while since we won a sprint car race, and we’ll be giving it everything we got,” he noted. “The folks at Kokomo always give us a good surface to race on, so you know you’ll have multiple grooves and can move around the track to make things happen. It’s definitely a racy little place.”
 
This season at Kokomo Speedway, the veteran driver has made five starts, with four of those coming with the Amsoil USAC National Sprint Car Series and one with the Honda USAC National Midget Series during Indiana Midget Week. He finished a season-best sixth at the quarter-mile on the second night of the Sprint Car Smackdown in August and was ninth in the finale of that three-night event.
 
Hines has won a total of five races this year in three difference types of machines. He has two wins on the dirt with the Amsoil USAC National Sprint Car Series, as well as a pair of triumphs on the pavement with the Honda USAC National Midget Series. Hines was also victorious with the Traxxas USAC Silver Crown Series at the famed Belleville High Banks in Kansas.
 
“You always want to wrap up the year on a strong note and doing well this weekend can give us some momentum as we head west,” said Hines. “Kokomo will be the last short track of the year and we’ve gotten better as the year has gone on at the smaller tracks. Like everywhere else, it takes a combination of a fast car and a little luck to be up front.”
 

Tracy Hines Finishes Second at Columbus in USAC Midget Pavement Finale

Tracy Hines Finishes Second at Columbus in USAC Midget Pavement Finale
By Tracy Hines Racing PR
 
NEW CASTLE, Ind. — Oct. 13, 2013— The battle couldn’t have gotten any closer. Tracy Hines entered the season finale for the Honda USAC National Midget Series Pavement Championship at Columbus Motor Speedway in Ohio, on Saturday, Oct. 12, tied at the top of the standings with Darren Hagen. The pair qualified one spot apart. They each won their qualifying scramble, and thus started side-by-side on the front row for the 40-lap main event. When the final checkered flag flew, Hagen picked up the win over Hines, which secured the title for the Californian over the native of New Castle, Ind. The final margin was a scant three points — one position on the track.
 
The runner-up finish for Hines in the Parker Machinery/Powered by Toyota Spike was his eighth top-eight finish of the season in the same number of starts with the Honda USAC National Midget Series Pavement Championship. He opened the event at Columbus by turning in a lap of 13.732-seconds in qualifying at the semi-banked, one-third-mile oval, which was 11th-fastest of the drivers in attendance. That put Hines on the pole for the first 12-lap qualifying scramble, which he won, to earn the pole position for the 40-lap main event.
 
In the A-Feature, Hagen jumped into the lead at the start. Hines ran second in the early going, before Kyle Hamilton took that spot from him on the fifth circuit. The veteran driver then ran third, just behind Hamilton and Hagen, keeping pace with the lead pair. Hamilton would spin, after contact with a lapped car late in the race, moving Hines back into second for a pair of late restarts. On each of the restarts, Hagen quickly was able to jump to a comfortable lead and pulled away. Hines took the checkered flag in second.
 
Hines scored a pair of wins with the Honda USAC National Midget Series Pavement Championship this season. He was victorious in June at Pikes Peak International Raceway in Colorado, and followed that up with a triumph at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis in July. In eight Honda USAC National Midget Series Pavement Championship starts in 2013, he finished eighth or better in each one, with five of those being podium finishes.
 

Tracy Hines Racing–Tracy Battles for the USAC Midget Pavement Title at Columbus

Tracy Hines Battles for the USAC Midget Pavement Title at Columbus
By Tracy Hines Racing PR
 
NEW CASTLE, Ind. — Oct. 11, 2013— It all comes down to one race for Tracy Hines as he chases the Honda USAC National Midget Series Pavement Championship title. He enters the season finale tied for the points lead with Darren Hagen, as they head to Columbus Motor Speedway in Ohio this weekend.
 
The event at Columbus Motor Speedway on Saturday, Oct. 12 for the Honda USAC National Midget Series Pavement Championship will kick-off with hot laps, followed by time trials, heat races and an A-Feature event at the one-third-mile, semi-banked oval. A total of seven pavement races have been contested this season with the champion to be crowned at Columbus.
 
“It’s been a few years since we’ve raced at Columbus, and we had a great car last time we were there, so hopefully we can have a night like that again,” said Hines. “We have to treat it just like any other race and do the best we can and let the points fall where they may. We always race for wins and the easiest way to win the championship would be to win the race as well.”
 
Hines has won twice this year with the Honda USAC National Midget Series Pavement Championship in the Parker Machinery/Powered by Toyota Spike. He earned his first victory of the season at Pikes Peak International Raceway in Colorado in June and followed that up with another trip to Victory Lane at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis in July. He has made seven starts with the series and has finished eighth or better in each of those races. In his most recent two starts with the series Hines finished sixth at Illiana Motor Speedway in Indiana and was eighth the following night at Grundy County Speedway in Illinois.
 
“We were just a little off in the last couple of pavement races and look to make up for that this weekend,” he shared. “It’s been over two months since the last pavement race, so hot laps will definitely be important to get into a rhythm and get the feel for the car. We’ve been in contention in most of the pavement midget races this year and certainly want to wrap that portion of the schedule up on a strong note.”
 
The veteran driver was victorious in his last midget start at Columbus in 2010 with the Honda USAC National Midget Series. In that event, Hines qualified fifth-fastest among the 20-car field that was assembled. He finished third in the second eight-lap heat race, which put him on the outside of the second row in the fourth start position for the 40-lap main event. He took the lead from Caleb Armstrong on the 38th lap and paced the final three circuits to pick up the win.
 
Hines was victorious for the first time in USAC competition at Columbus Motor Speedway in 2006 in an Amsoil USAC National Sprint Car Series event. In his career, he has a total of 46 wins on paved tracks across the three USAC National series dating back to 1996.
 
Last weekend in the DuPont Gold Crown Midget Nationals at Tri-City Speedway in Pontoon Beach, Ill., for the Honda USAC National Midget Series Dirt Championship, Hines finished third on the second night of the three-day event. He finished 17th in the finale and was 19th in the opener after breaking an axle while running among the top-10.
 
Entering this weekend’s race, Hines is tied for the lead in points with the USAC National Midget Series Pavement Championship. He has two wins and has finished among the top-10 in all seven races contested in 2013.
 

Tracy Hines Racing–Tracy Hines & Fellow USAC Competitors Bookend Lawrenceburg’s Season

Tracy Hines & Fellow USAC Competitors Bookend Lawrenceburg’s Season
By Tracy Hines Racing PR
 
NEW CASTLE, Ind. — Sept. 26, 2013— Lawrenceburg Speedway in Indiana served as the Midwest opener for the Amsoil USAC National Sprint Car Series back in April and will close that portion of the 2013 campaign for the series this weekend. For Tracy Hines, the event at Lawrenceburg will serve as one of the last two major open wheel events in his home state of Indiana that he will compete this season, before heading west to wrap up the year.
                                              
The USAC Amsoil National Sprint Car Series City of Lawrenceburg Fall Nationals at Lawrenceburg Speedway is set for Saturday, Sept. 28 at the state-of-the-art, high-banked, three-eighths-mile. A full racing program beginning with hot laps and time trials will be followed by heat races and a 30-lap main event.
 
The veteran driver has made three starts at Lawrenceburg this season, with two of those coming with the Amsoil USAC National Sprint Car Series and the other with the Honda USAC National Midget Series. He finished a season-best 10th at the track during Indiana Midget Week. In the spring with the Amsoil USAC National Sprint Car Series, Hines was 12th at the three-eighths-mile, turning the fastest lap in qualifying of the 40 entries, to earn his first quick time award of the season. He also finished 12th in July during Indiana Sprint Week aboard the Hansen’s Welding Inc./The Carolina Nut Company DRC.
 
“We’ve been pretty fast in the sprint car at Lawrenceburg this year, but haven’t gotten the finishes we were looking for,” said Hines. “Lawrenceburg is a momentum-type racetrack and we’ve done well at similar places this year. It would definitely be nice to wrap up the Midwest part of the USAC schedule with a strong run.”
 
Last season, Hines made four overall starts at Lawrenceburg Speedway with three of those coming in a sprint car. He finished seventh at the track located on the Indiana/Ohio border during Indiana Sprint Week and was ninth in the fall during a co-sanctioned USAC/MSCS event. The veteran driver earned his best 2012 Lawrenceburg finish in a Honda USAC National Midget Series event during Indiana Midget Week, coming home fourth. Hines was victorious at the track twice in 2011 in weekly sprint car competition and scored a win with the USAC National Midget Series at Lawrenceburg in 2010.
 
Last weekend in the 4-Crown Nationals at the famed Eldora Speedway in Ohio, Hines finished third with the Honda USAC National Midget Series. He opened the night as the second fastest-qualifier of the 20 entries and followed that up with a third-place showing the second heat race. In the 30-lap main event for the Amsoil USAC National Midget Series, the 2002 series champion, was leading on the white flag lap when he got upside in turn four and ended up 20th. Hines was running second in the Traxxas USAC Silver Crown Series 50-lapper when he got upside with two laps remaining. He was scored ninth at the finish and wrapped the season up third in points.
 
“Obviously, Eldora didn’t end how we were hoping, but you have to put that out of your mind,” said Hines. “We were fast in all three cars and were in a position for a win in two of those races and that’s all you can ask for. Racing is definitely not an easy sport and it seems like you have more lows than highs, so when you have the good nights, you certainly have to enjoy them and build on them.”

Tracy Hines Racing–Tracy Hines Finishes Eighth in the Haubstadt Hustler at Tri-State Speedway

Tracy Hines Finishes Eighth in the Haubstadt Hustler at Tri-State Speedway
By Tracy Hines Racing PR
 
NEW CASTLE, Ind.— Sept. 15, 2013— Consistency has been the name of the game for Tracy Hines with the Amsoil USAC National Sprint Car Series over the second half of the season, as he has racked up eight top-10 finishes in ninth starts, since the beginning of August. He extended his current streak of top-10 runs to seven consecutive races on Saturday, Sept.14, by finishing eighth at Tri-State Speedway in Haubstadt, Ind., in the Haubstadt Hustle, which was co-sanctioned by the Amsoil USAC National Sprint Car Series and the Midwest Sprint Car Series (MSCS).
 
Hines started the 40-lap A-Feature on the outside of the front row aboard the Hansen’s Welding Inc./The Carolina Nut Company DRC. The native of New Castle, Ind., took the lead at the start, but Brady Short reclaimed the top spot by the time they crossed the start/finish line to complete the opening circuit. The first caution flag of the night flew on the second go-around. A long green flag stretch of racing followed, with Hines running among the top-eight for the duration of the contest.
 
The Haubstadt Hustler was run under the MSCS format, with drivers drawing for starting positions in the heat races and then passing points earned, and used to line up the main event. Hines started on the outside of the front row in the second 10-lap heat race and won that contest to lock himself into the 40-lap A-Feature. Being among the top-six in points after the heat races, Hines was part of the re-draw for the main event.
 
The 2002 champion of the Amsoil USAC National Sprint Car Series is currently sixth in the standings, with six nights of racing remaining for the series in 2013. Hinnes has a pair of wins this year, along with 15 top-10 finishes.

Tracy Hines Racing–Tracy Hines Finishes Fourth and Seventh in Arkansas Doubleheader

Tracy Hines Finishes Fourth and Seventh in Arkansas Doubleheader
By Tracy Hines Racing PR
 
NEW CASTLE, Ind.—Sept. 8, 2013— Rough and tumble racing is just par for the course at a couple of tight bullrings like I-30 Speedway and Riverside International Speedway, both in Arkansas. Tracy Hines was engaged in some torrid battles this past weekend as the Amsoil USAC National Sprint Car Series invaded the Razorback State for a two-race stand at the pair of aforementioned venues. When it was all said and done, the veteran driver came away with fourth- and sixth-place finishes.
 
At Riverside International Speedway on Saturday, Sept. 7, Hines opened the night as the second-fastest qualifier of the 22 entrants. The native of New Castle, Ind., lined up sixth in the second, 10-lap heat race and finished fifth. Hines started sixth in the 40-lap main event at the always racy quarter-mile. After working his way into the top-five, he continued to chase down the leaders. With five laps remaining, there was contact between Hines and Tyler Courtney as they battled for the third position off turn four. Both drivers were able to continue on and Hines wound up finishing fourth in his self-owned Hansen’s Welding Inc./The Carolina Nut Company DRC.
 
On Friday, Sept. 6, at I-30 Speedway, Hines was fifth-quickest of the 26 drivers that took to the quarter-mile for qualifying. He came home fourth in the second heat race, which was 10 laps in distance, after starting in the fifth spot. Hines rolled off third for the 40-lap A-feature and ran among the top-10 for the entire distance, which was slowed by a rash of caution and red flag periods. He would end up crossing the finish line in seventh.

Hines has finished ninth of better in each of his last six starts with the Amsoil USAC National Sprint Car Series. The 2002 series champion is currently sixth in points on the strength of two wins and 14 top-10 finishes. A total of seven nights of racing remain for the series in 2013.
 
Hines returns to action next weekend with the Amsoil USAC National Sprint Car Series at Tri-State Speedway in Haubstadt, Ind., for a co-sanctioned event with the Midwest Sprint Car Series.
 

Tracy Hines Racing–A Trip to the Mid-South Takes Tracy Hines to Little Rock & West Memphis

A Trip to the Mid-South Takes Tracy Hines to Little Rock & West Memphis
By Tracy Hines Racing PR
 
NEW CASTLE, Ind.—Sept. 5, 2013— The Mid-South has a long and storied history when it comes to sprint car racing. Much of that history has been written at the legendary Riverside International Speedway in West Memphis, Ark., while a number of chapters have been added more recently at I-30 Speedway in Little Rock, Ark. Tracy Hines, who is well-versed in the laurels of Midwest sprint car racing tradition, got his first taste of racing in the Mid-South last year and will return this weekend to compete at both Riverside International Speedway and I-30 Speedway with the Amsoil USAC National Sprint Car Series.
 
The weekend opens for the driver of the Hansen’s Welding Equipment DRC on Friday, Sept. 6 at I-30 Speedway and concluders on Saturday, Sept. 7 at Riverside International Speedway. A full racing program is set for each night, with a 40-lap main event capping each program as the stretch run of the 2013 campaign begins.
 
Hines got his first look at the quarter-mile I-30 Speedway last season with the Amsoil USAC National Sprint Car Series, though Mother Nature interrupted the event. Hot laps and qualifying were completed as well as two heat races before rain forced the cancellation of the remainder of the racing program. Hines opened the night by turning the third-fastest lap in time trials of the 31 drivers in attendance.
 
“It will be nice to get a full show in at Little Rock (I-30 Speedway),” said Hines. “That’s a pretty racy track and the fans there don’t get to see our style of racing very often. We ran well on the second two nights at Kokomo (Speedway), so hopefully we can carry some of that momentum and use what worked there at another smaller track that is similar.”
 
At Riverside International Speedway in 2012, Hines was caught up in an accident on the third lap of the A-Feature that ended his night, after starting in the 10th spot. The 2002 Amsoil USAC National Sprint Car Series champion was 10th-fastest in time trials and followed that up with a third-place finish in the second 10-lap heat race, which earned him a spot in the 40-lap main event at the quarter-mile bullring.
 
“We were pretty good early in the night at West Memphis (Riverside International Speedway) last year and just didn’t have too good of luck in the feature,” he noted. “Things happen in a hurry there and it is a multi-groove place. You have to be on your toes and try to keep your nose clean, so that you can be around during the last 10-15 laps of the race.”
 
Hines enters this weekend’s pair of races sixth in the Amsoil USAC National Sprint Car Series standings. He has won twice in 2013 and has earned 12 top-10 finishes as he continues to climb in the standings. The veteran driver has recorded four straight top-10 finishes with the series.
 
“We’re getting down to that point where there aren’t too many races left,” Hines said. “We’ve moved up a couple of spots in points the last few weeks and want to move up a few more and pick up a couple more wins before the season is over. It’s been since the beginning of the year that we won a sprint car race and we’ve been knocking on the door several times here lately.”

Tracy Hines Racing–Tracy Hines Finishes on the Podium at Terre Haute

Tracy Hines Finishes on the Podium at Terre Haute with the Amsoil USAC National Sprint Car Series
By Tracy Hines Racing PR
 
NEW CASTLE, Ind. — Sept. 2, 2013 — It wouldn’t be a USAC event at the Terre Haute Action Track in 2013, if Mother Nature wasn’t involved. As has been the case every time this season when the open wheel drivers have rolled into the famed half-mile, rain was on horizon. Run in hurry-up mode, the full show was completed, including all 30 laps of the Tony Hulman/Jim Hurtubise Classic for the Amsoil USAC National Sprint Car Series, and when the final checkered flag flew, Tracy Hines found himself on the podium in third. He preceded that with a seventh-place finish to open the weekend at 34 Raceway in Iowa.
 
The native of New Castle, Ind., opened the night at Terre Haute on Saturday, Aug. 31, as the second-fastest driver in time trials of the 23 entrants. He charged from the sixth starting position to win the second heat race. Hines lined up fifth for the 30-lap main event and powered his way up to third on the opening lap and chased eventual winner Jerry Coons Jr. and Brady Bacon for the remainder of the contest, piloting the Carolina Nut Company/Hansen’s Welding Inc. DRC.
 
Hines came home seventh on Friday, Aug. 30, at 34 Raceway in West Burlington, Iowa, with the Amsoil USAC National Sprint Car Series. The veteran driver kicked off the night by recording the ninth-quickest lap in qualifying. He followed that up by running second in the third heat race. Hines took the grid eighth for the 30-lap A-Feature and ran among the top-10 for the duration of the race at the three-eighths-mile in Eastern Iowa.
 
Engine problems sidelined Hines in the Traxxas USAC Silver Crown Series event at the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds in Illinois on Sunday, Sept. 1. He was fastest in the first practice session aboard the Lightfoot Racing Beast at the one-mile dirt oval and encountered engine woes during the final practice, which prevented him from both taking a lap in time trials and from starting the Ted Horn 100. He was credited with a 14th-place finish in the main event and fell from the points lead to third, 16 markers out of the lead, with one race remaining.
 
Hines returns to action this coming weekend with the Amsoil USAC National Sprint Car Series at I-30 Speedway in Little Rock, Ark., and Riverside International Speedway in West Memphis, Ark. The 2002 series champion is currently sixth in the standings on the strength of two wins and 12 top-10 finishes.
 

Tracy Hines Racing–Four Races for Tracy Hines this Week in Three States Leading up to Labor Day

Four Races for Tracy Hines this Week in Three States Leading up to Labor Day
By Tracy Hines Racing PR
 
NEW CASTLE, Ind.— Aug. 27, 2013—  For a lot of people, Labor Day and the days leading up to it are all about that one last trip to the lake or having a family picnic as summer winds down. For racers like Tracy Hines, it’s one of the busiest weeks and weekends of the year and he wouldn’t want it any other way. Four races over a five-day stretch at four different states await the veteran driver as Labor Day approaches.
 
Hines will open the four-race stretch on Wednesday, Aug. 28 at Wayne County Speedway in Illinois, for the running of the inaugural Jason Leffler Memorial for the POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget Series. The native of New Castle, Ind., will then head to 34 Raceway in West Burlington, Iowa, on Friday, Aug. 30 with the Amsoil USAC National Sprint Car Series. He’ll then hit the track at the historic Terre Haute Action Track in Indiana on Saturday, Aug. 31 for the Tony Hulman Classic, which was postponed by rain earlier this year. On Sunday, Sept. 1, Hines will wrap up the weekend by competing with the Traxxas USAC Silver Crown Series at the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds in Illinois.
 
Wayne County Speedway is a dirt oval located in Wayne City, Ill, and Hines will be making his debut at the track aboard the Parker Machinery/Powered by Toyota Spike. Proceeds from the Jason Leffler Memorial will go to the Charlie Dean Leffler Discretionary Fund, which benefits Leffler’s son Charlie Dean. Hines has competed in a four races this season that were co-sanctioned by the POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget Series and Honda USAC National Midget, finishing seventh or better in all four events.
 
“It’s going to be an emotional night for everyone, that’s for sure,” said Hines. “Jason was a great competitor and we sure miss him. It’s great that an event like this has been put together to benefit Charlie Dean and hopefully the fans support the race like a lot of us drivers are.”
 
Hines has made two career starts at 34 Raceway. He competed with both the Amsoil USAC National Sprint Car Series and the Honda USAC National Midget Series at the three-eighths-mile in a doubleheader in 2010. Hines finished fourth in the midget portion of that event and was caught up in an opening lap accident in the sprint car feature. He has raced once in Iowa this season with the Amsoil USAC National Sprint Car Series, finishing seventh at Southern Iowa Speedway in Oskaloosa earlier this month in his self-owned Hansen’s Welding Inc. DRC.
 
“We didn’t have the best of luck at Burlington (34 Raceway) in the sprint car last time there, so we are looking to make up for that,” he shared. “We’ve been getting more consistent in the sprint car and as long as we put ourselves in a good position at the beginning of the night, we should be okay. The fans in that area don’t get to see non-wing sprint cars very often, so we always look forward to putting on a good show for them.”
 
Hines has made one start at the Terre Haute Action Track in 2013, with the Amsoil USAC National Sprint Car Series. That race at the half-mile was during Indiana Sprint Week and he started second, before mechanical problems forced him to the pit area and relegated him to a 22nd-place finish. He was scheduled to compete with the Traxxas USAC Silver Crown Series at the track, but that event fell to rain.
 
“It’s kind of amazing that we’ve only raced at Terre Haute once this year,” Hines noted. “Mother Nature definitely has gotten in the way a few times. We’ve run well on the bigger tracks this year in the sprint car and feel like we have a good package for places like Terre Haute. We started on the front row there during Sprint Week and had a DNF, so we know we have the speed to be up front, we just need a little luck on our side as well.”
 
At the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds, Hines has had quite a bit of success in his career with the Traxxas USAC Silver Crown Series. He was victorious on the one-mile dirt oval for the first time with the series in 2005 and followed that up with another win in 2006. He led 110 of the 200 total laps in those two races. In his last visit to DuQuoin in 2011, the 2000 Traxxas USAC Silver Crown Series champion finished third. Last year’s event at the track was rained out. In his most recent start on a one-mile dirt oval earlier this month, Hines finished fourth at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield, piloting the Lightfoot Racing Beast. He came home third at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in May, in the Traxxas USAC Silver Crown Series season opener.
 
“We only have two Silver Crown races left and they are both at tracks I’ve well at in the past, so that bodes well for us,” he said. “The miles have been good to us this year and it would get great to get another win at DuQuoin. It’s been a few years since I’ve won over there. We’ll just keep doing what we’ve been doing and as long as we start toward the front, we should have a good shot.”
 
Hines is currently seventh in the USAC Amsoil National Sprint Car Series championship standings. He has won two races this season with the series and recorded 10 top-10 finishes. With the USAC Traxxas Silver Crown Series Hines leads the points on the strength of a win and five top-five finishes in six starts as he chases his second series title.

Tracy Hines Racing–Tracy Hines Earns a Pair of Top-10 Finishes in the Sprint Car Smackdown at Kokomo

Tracy Hines Earns a Pair of Top-10 Finishes in the Sprint Car Smackdown at Kokomo
By Tracy Hines Racing PR
 
NEW CASTLE, Ind. — Aug. 25, 2013— After a rousing success in its inaugural edition in 2012, the three-night Sprint Car Smackdown for the Amsoil USAC National Sprint Car Series returned this past weekend at Kokomo Speedway in Indiana. A unique format of two preliminary nights set the stage for the finale and when it was all said and done, Tracy Hines came away with a pair of top-10 finishes in his self-owned Hansen’s Welding Inc. DRC.
 
Hines finished sixth on the second night of the Sprint Car Smackdown on Friday, Aug. 23. He started 10th in the 30-lap preliminary feature and ran among the top-10 for the duration of the race. Hines ran as high as fifth in the second half of the main event. The 2002 Amsoil USAC National Sprint Car Series champion was 13th in qualifying of the 36 drivers that recorded a time at the quarter-mile. He finished second in the first heat race for the second straight night to earn a spot in the feature.
 
The finale of the event on Saturday, Aug. 24, saw the veteran driver cross the line ninth in the 40-lap A-Feature. He started 12th and quickly worked his way into the top-10 during the first few laps of the main event. A couple of cautions slowed the race on the quarter-mile bullring. Hines opened the final night of the Sprint Car Smackdown by finishing second in the first qualifying race, which was 10 laps in distance, punching his ticket in the main event.
 
In the opener of the Sprint Car Smackdown on Thursday, Aug. 22, Hines had trouble in the main event and finished 21st. The native of New Castle, Ind., was 13th-quickest in time trials of the 38 drivers that signed in for the first night of the three-night extravaganza. Hines finished second in the first heat race to earn a spot in the 30-lap main event, where he lined up 10th.
 
Following the weekend, Hines moved up a spot to seventh in points with the Amsoil USAC National Sprint Car Series. He has won twice this season with the series and has recorded 10 top-10 finishes.
 
Hines returns to action on Wednesday, Aug. 28, for the running of the Jason Leffler Memorial at Wayne County Speedway in Illinois, with the POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget Series. The versatile driver will then compete in a pair of races with the Amsoil USAC National Sprint Car Series, first at 34 Raceway in Iowa on Friday, Aug. 30, and then at the Terre Haute Action Track in Indiana on Saturday, Aug. 31. He then heads to the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds in Illinois for the Ted Horn 100 with the Traxxas USAC Silver Crown Series on Sunday, Sept. 1.
 

Tracy Hines Racing–Looking for One More Spot: Tracy Hines Tackles Second Annual Sprint Car Smackdown at Kokomo

Looking for One More Spot: Tracy Hines Tackles Second Annual Sprint Car Smackdown at Kokomo
By Tracy Hines Racing PR
 
NEW CASTLE, Ind.— Aug. 21, 2013—  Tracy Hines is seeking to seal the deal this weekend in the Second Annual Sprint Car Smackdown, at Kokomo Speedway in Indiana, after coming very, very close to winning a pair of races during the event last year. He earned two runner-up finishes in the inaugural edition of the three-day extravaganza in 2012. Hines led a total of 35 laps, including the first 28 on the second night of the event, when he was passed with just two laps remaining.
 
The Second Annual Sprint Car Smackdown for the Amsoil USAC National Sprint Car Series at Kokomo Speedway kicks-off on Thursday, Aug. 22. Action continues on Friday, Aug. 23 and culminates on Saturday, Aug. 24 with a 40-lap, $10,000-to-win main event.
 
“The Sprint Car Smackdown has definitely turned into one of the biggest events of the season in just one year of existence, which is pretty remarkable,” said Hines. “Getting to race three straight nights at the same track helps you really get dialed in. It’s great for the fans as well and traditionally Kokomo (Speedway) has always put on a great show.”
 
This season at Kokomo Speedway, Hines has made two starts, with one of those coming in a sprint car and the other in a midget. He finished 11th with the Amsoil USAC Sprint Car Series on the second night of Indiana Sprint Week in July, piloting the Hansen’s Welding Inc. DRC. The veteran also raced at the quarter-mile bullring during Indiana Midget Week for the Honda USAC National Midget Series.
 
Last season in the inaugural Sprint Car Smackdown, the 2002 USAC Amsoil National Sprint Car Series champion, opened the three-day event with a fifth-place finish. On the second night, the native of New Castle, Ind., started on the outside of the front row in the 30-lap feature and jumped out to the lead at the drop of the green flag. He would pace the field for 28 circuits, before Chris Windom slipped by him on the 29th go-around for the lead and ultimately the win.
 
The finale of the 2012 Sprint Car Smackdown saw Hines start on the pole after winning the King of the Hill Dash. He ran second in the early going and took the top spot from Thomas Meseraull on the ninth circuit. Hines would lead the next seven laps before Bryan Clauson would get by him and pace the remainder of the 40-lap contest.
 
“Those were a couple of tough ones to swallow last year, especially on the night we led all but two laps,” he shared. “We’ve had a whole year to think about it and definitely am anxious to get back there. We’ve only raced once in a sprint car at Kokomo this year and didn’t have the best of luck that night, so we’re looking to make up for that.”
 
Entering the Second Annual Sprint Car Smackdown, Hines is eighth in points with the USAC Amsoil National Sprint Car Series. He has won twice and has recorded eight top-10 finishes. A total of 14 nights of racing remain this season for the series.
 
“We have a good amount of sprint races left this year, compared to the Silver Crown and Midget and want to contend for some wins and move up in points,” he noted. “We started the season off strong with the two wins in Florida, then kind of hit a bump and recently have gotten back on track with the sprint car, so hopefully we can keep that going.”

Tracy Hines Racing–Rolling Right Along: Tracy Hines Finishes Second at Angell Park & Fourth at Springfield

Rolling Right Along: Tracy Hines Finishes Second at Angell Park & Fourth at Springfield
By Tracy Hines Racing PR
 
NEW CASTLE, Ind.— Aug. 19, 2013— When a driver gets in a groove they usually try to keep things as simple as possible and repeat what has led to that success. Tracy Hines is in the midst of a streak of top-10 finishes in each of the three USAC national series that dates back to last month and he extended that string to 11 consecutive races this past weekend with a runner-up finish during Cornfest at Angell Park Speedway in Wisconsin, with the Honda USAC National Midget Series and a fourth-place effort at the Illinois State Fairgrounds with the Traxxas USAC Silver Crown Series.
 
In his second start of the season at Angell Park on Sunday, Aug. 18, Hines lined up fourth for the 30-lap main event. After falling back a spot in the early going, he charged back forward and used lapped traffic to his advantage to close in on leader Bryan Clauson in the late going. A caution flag with three laps remaining took the lead pair out of traffic on the final restart. Hines would wind up finishing second in the Parker Machinery/Powered by Toyota Spike.
 
“You never want to finish second, but we’ll take it,” said Hines. “I think I was better in traffic than he (Bryan Clauson) was, but I couldn’t get off the corner too well, with a right rear (tire) going down. I really never have seen Angell Park like that before, so I just had to move around and try some different lines to be fast. We’re close with our dirt midget program and have some more changes in the fall to see if we can get a few wins before the season is over.”
 
The veteran driver opened the night at Angell Park Speedway by turning the third-fastest lap in time trials of the 27 entrants that took to the one-third-mile for the event, which was tri-sanctioned by the Honda USAC National Midget Series, the POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget Series and the Stark Automotive Group/Mid-State Equipment Badger Midget Series. He charged from the sixth starting spot in the third heat race to pick up the win in that 10-lap contest and punch his ticket into the main event, where he lined up fourth.
 
Hines finished fourth in the Tony Bettenhausen 100 for the Traxxas USAC Silver Crown Series at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield on Saturday, Aug. 17, piloting the Lightfoot Racing Beast. The 2000 series champion started seventh on the one-mile dirt oval and moved into the top-five in the early going. Hines ran as high as third in the 100-lapper, which took a couple of starts to get going. The final caution flag of the day flew with 19 laps remaining, giving the native of New Castle, Ind., another shot to close in on the lead trio. Hines opened the event by recording the seventh-fastest lap in qualifying of the 18 drivers that posted times.
 
“It’s always a challenge to pass on the mile tracks, especially in day races,” said Hines. “We were able to make up some ground early and had a couple of cautions that bunched the field up a bit as well. I think we found a few things that should help us when we go to DuQuoin. We have a couple of races left and we’ll keep plugging away.”
 
With his fourth-place finish in the Traxxas USAC Silver Crown Series event, Hines continues to lead the series standings by 10 markers with two races remaining. The series will return to action on Labor Day weekend at the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds in Illinois, with the running of the Ted Horn 100.
 
In the Honda USAC National Midget Series Dirt Championship points, Hines is third, 43 markers out of second. He has 10 top-10 finishes with the series this season. The versatile driver will return to action later this week at Kokomo (Ind.) Speedway in the Second Annual Sprint Car Smackdown for the Amsoil USAC National Sprint Car Series.
 
“Over the last few weeks we’ve raced in each of the USAC divisions and on both the pavement and dirt and really have hit on a few things,” said Hines. “We’re headed to Kokomo this week and that’s one of my favorite tracks and we always seem to run good there, so it should be a fun week. When you are running good you definitely want to race as much as you can.”

Tracy Hines Racing–Good Company: Tracy Hines Looks to Add to Win Total at Springfield & Sun Prairie

Good Company: Tracy Hines Looks to Add to Win Total at Springfield & Sun Prairie
By Tracy Hines Racing PR
 
NEW CASTLE, Ind.— Aug. 15, 2013— Many drivers have won at the Illinois State Fairgrounds over the years in USAC competition, as well at Angell Park Speedway, but not too many have won at both of the historic dirt tracks. Tracy Hines is a member of a very select list of drivers that has conquered the one-mile oval in Springfield, Ill., as well as the one-third-mile bullring in Sun Prairie, Wisc. He’ll have a chance to add to his win total at each this weekend as a doubleheader awaits.
 
Hines hits the track in the Lightfoot Racing Beast on Saturday, Aug. 17 at the Illinois State Fairgrounds with the Traxxas USAC Silver Crown Series for the running of the Tony Bettenhausen 100. He then heads north to Wisconsin with the Honda USAC National Midget Series Dirt Championship on Sunday, Aug. 18 for an event at Angell Park Speedway.
 
Hines was victorious at the Illinois State Fairgrounds with the Traxxas USAC Silver Crown Series in 2006. The 2000 series champion started on the pole on the one-mile dirt oval that afternoon and led all 100 laps. Hines has finished in the top-10 in two of his last three starts at track and was 13th last season. The veteran driver made his debut at the Springfield Mile in 1995 with the Honda USAC National Midget Series. Hines, the current Traxxas USAC Silver Crown Series point leader, was victorious in the series most recent event at the Belleville High Banks in Kansas.
 
“After how well we ran at Belleville, we feel pretty good going into Springfield,” said Hines. “I’ve had some good runs there over the years. We were a little bit off last year, but learned a few things in that race that should help us this time around. We ran pretty good at the Indy Mile back in May, so we know we have a pretty good combination for the miles this year.”
 
Hines piloted the Parker Machinery Spike to a third-place finish at Angell Park Speedway in June with the Honda USAC National Midget Series, after leading 13 laps early in that A-Feature. The race was tri-sanctioned with the POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget Series and Stark Automotive Group/Mid-State Equipment Badger Midget Series. Hines won a total of seven times in 2001 and 2002 at Angell Park Speedway, including winning the Fireman’s Nationals back-to-back each of those years.
 
“We led quite a few laps at Sun Prairie (Angell Park Speedway) earlier this season and just came up a little short at the end,” he shared. “We’ve been near the front in our last handful of dirt midget races and really want to pick up a couple of wins before the end of the season. We’ve won on the pavement and are doing really well on that side, so all in all, we are pretty pleased with our midget program this year.”
 
Heading into the Tony Bettenhausen 100 for the Traxxas USAC Silver Crown Series at the Illinois State Fairgrounds, Hines leads the series standings on the strength of one win, along with four top-five finishes in five starts. With the Honda USAC National Midget Series Dirt Championship, he sits third in points, having recorded nine top-10 finishes.
 
“We are getting to that time of the year when we only have a couple races each week, so we definitely want to make the most of them,” Hines said. “Springfield (Illinois State Fairgrounds) and Sun Prairie (Angell Park Speedway) have been pretty good to me over the years and we head in them both with some momentum and confidence on our side.”