7/29/2014
Sprint Source
Tracy Hines Heads to the Heartland for USAC Kansas Speedweek
Numerous states have Speedweek events throughout the season, and Kansas is throwing their hat in the ring, with a four-race mini-series of their own, thanks to a pair of USAC National Series. The Traxxas USAC Silver Crown Series and Honda USAC National Midget Series will head west this week to compete at a pair of tracks in the Jayhawk State. Tracy Hines will take part in all four races, as he looks to repeat with the Silver Crown Series at the famed Belleville High Banks, while seeking his first win in the Belleville Midget Nationals.
The four-race swing will open for Hines on Tuesday, July 29 at Solomon Valley Raceway in Beloit, Kansas, for the running of the Second Annual Chad McDaniel Memorial for the Honda USAC National Midget Series. Action then shifts to the famed Belleville High Banks on Thursday, July 31 for the opener of the Belleville Midget Nationals. The Traxxas USAC Silver Crown Series will then hit the track on Friday, August 1 for a 50-lap race. The four-race swing will conclude on Saturday, August 2, with the finale of the Belleville Midget Nationals for the Honda USAC National Midget Series.
“I’ve won some big events over the years, but Belleville is the one that is missing, and I really want to get that one,” said Hines. “I’ve been close there a few times and that is a place where you have to really have everything go your way and have the right track position. Belleville can be a very challenging place to pass at and you have to be careful when and how you pass as well.”
Hines made his debut at Soloman Valley Raceway last season aboard the Parker Machinery/Powered by Toyota Spike, with the Honda USAC National Midget Series, finishing fourth at the quarter-mile bullring. He opened the night as the fourth-fastest driver in time trials of the 24 entries. The veteran driver finished fifth in the first heat race to earn a spot in the 30-lap main event.
Hines was victorious with the Traxxas USAC Silver Crown Series at the Belleville High Banks last season. He earned the pole position at the legendary half-mile, after turning the fast lap in time trials, and proceeded to lead all 50 laps of the main event to score the victory.
“Our Silver Crown program has been pretty solid on the dirt this year,” he noted. “We came close to winning at Terre Haute and were fast at the Indy Mile as well. We are definitely looking to shake off the bad luck we had last week at Raceway Park [Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis]. That one hurt us in the points, so we have to try and gain some of those back and going to Belleville, where we had a winning package last year, certainly gives us a good base.”
In the 2013 Belleville Midget Nationals, Hines finished second in the opener and was fourth in the finale. The first night of the 36th edition of the Belleville Midget Nationals saw Hines time in second-fastest of the 25 drivers in attendance. He followed that up with a runner-up finish in the second heat race and also was second in the preliminary feature.
On the final night at Belleville last year, Hines finished second in the second heat race, which put him in the pole dash, where he came home fourth. he would line up for the 40-lap feature on the outside of the second row and finished fourth.
Hines competed once last week, racing in the J.D. Byrider 100 for the Traxxas USAC Silver Crown Series at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis. He qualified sixth-fastest of the 24 entries. He was running among the top-10 on lap-17, when he spun in oil that had been laid down by another competitor. The No. 16 Hughs Brothers/Midwest Sheet Metal Beast campigned by Lightfoot Racing sustained too much damage to continue and he was scored 19th in the final rundown.
Hines enters USAC Kansas Speedweek second in the Traxxas USAC Silver Crown Series championship standings and is third with the Honda USAC National Midget Series.
Tracy Hines Racing would like to thank Primary Sponsors: The Carolina Nut Company, Hansen’s Welding Inc, Elliott's Custom Trailers and Carts, and MPHG Promotions Inc. Associate Sponsors for 2014 include: ProSource Professional Resources, Turbines Inc., Daum Crop Insurance, Parker Machinery, Stanton Racing Engines and Schipper Family Farms. Product Sponsors that are part of Tracy Hines Racing in 2014 include: Afco Racing Products, Schoenfeld Headers, Autonet Mobile, Indy Race Parts, Bell Racing, Kenny’s Components, Race Bumpers, Hoosier Racing Tires, CSI Competition Suspension, Shadow Graphix, Driven Racing Oil, Sander Engineering, Hughs Brothers and Midwest Sheet Metal.
For more information on Tracy Hines Racing, visit http://www.tracyhinesracing.com. Follow Tracy on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/TracyHinesRacin and “Like him” on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/Tracyhinesracing.
Article Credit: Tracy Hines Racing PR