61ST RUNNING THANKSGIVING NIGHT GRAND PRIX

TRADITIONAL THANKSGIVING NIGHT GRAND PRIX: "TURKEY NIGHT"
AT IRWINDALE NOVEMBER 22 … 61ST RUNNING HISTORIC RACE

EARLY ENTRY LIST(S) ATTACHED

Irwindale, Calif. - - Few other annual races in the United States, or the world for that matter, have longer histories or more storied pasts.  November 22, 2001 will mark the sixty-first time that the best Midget drivers in the country have gathered together in southern California to put on a race on Thanksgiving evening.  This race has become the single, most important USAC race of them all, winning this single race can define a career and add one's name to a virtual pantheon of the great racing names that have won it before you ... And November 22 at Irwindale Speedway will be the 61st running of the Turkey Night Grand Prix for USAC Midgets presented by K&N Filters.

The names of past winners of this night of nights for USAC Midgets don't just "read like a who's who" of American open wheel motorsports, they ARE American motorsports .

Beginning with Swanson (1934), Russing (1940 & 41), Oakes (1945), Vukovich (1948), Bettenhausen (Tony 1959, Gary 1970), Foyt (1960&61), Keynon (1963 & 75), Parnelli Jones (1964 & 66), Simon (1972), Goudy (1978), Shuman (1979 through 82, 84, & 87), Brent Kaeding (1985) Gurney (1988 & 89), Fox (1990 & 91)  Boat (1995, 96,97), Leffler (1999), and ending with Stewart (2000).  The Irwindale 2001 winner's name will become yet one more coveted entry on that extraordinary list. 

"Turkey Night" is never anything less than 100-laps, 50 miles, of no-holds-barred, pure racing excitement with 900-pound, 400+ horsepower, open-wheel race cars dancing inches apart on a half-mile paved oval that has produced some of the best short track racing and closest finishes that anyone has ever witnessed.  Righteous racing with all the stops pulled and with nothing left in reserve from lap one all the way to the checkered flag.

TICKETS FOR THIS EVENT ARE NOW ON SALE AT IRWINDALE SPEEDWAY (626) 359-1100


ENTRY LIST
WORLDCOM USAC NATIONAL/WESTERN MIDGET CAR SERIES
61ST "TURKEY NIGHT GRAND PRIX" Presented by K & N Filters
IRWINDALE SPEEDWAY - IRWINDALE, CALIFORNIA
NOVEMBER 22, 2001

CAR #	DRIVER/HOMETOWN	ENTRANT/SPONSOR/ENGINE/CHASSIS

1	WALLY PANKRATZ/Orange, CA	Wally Pankratz/Sta-Rite - Trench Shoring HASA/VanDyne/Beast
2	TONY AVE/Indianapolis, IN	Gregg Steele/Century 21/Pink Ford/Beast
2x	JOHN SARALE/Stockton, CA	Terry Caves/Terry Caves Sales & Leasing - Sarale Farms - Hansen Machine
		Sacramento Bumper/Gaerte/Lightning
4	BOBBY EAST/Brownsburg, IN	East Enterprises/Team ASE - Beast - Consani/Pink Chevy/Beast
4x	TONY HUNT/Fair Oaks, CA	Bob Rosen/Mr. Espresso/Brayton/Beast
7	STEVEN ROBERTSON/Tranquility, CA	Robert Hartman/Seed Services/Gaerte Ford/Drinan
7c	COLE CARTER/Brownsburg, IN	Carter Racing/Access RPM - Concrete Connection/Buick/Beast
9	DAVE DARLAND/Lincoln, IN	Steve Lewis/Ford - ASE - Beast - Performance Racing Industry/Pink Ford/Beast
9x	KASEY KAHNE/Enumclaw, WA	Steve Lewis/Ford - ASE - Beast - Performance Racing Industry/Pink Ford/Beast
10		Chris Walker/Bay Muffler/Esslinger/Stealth
11	MICHAEL LEWIS/Noblesville, IN	Phil Reed/A.J. Foyt Racing - Electronic Chrome & Grinding/Pink Ford/Beast
11x	RANDY BAUER/Kingston, WA	Robert Morris/Morris/Brayton Buick/Beast
12	CHRIS GABEHART/Louisville, KY	NG Motorsports/NG Motorsports/Brayton Ford/Drinan
14	DANNY EBBERTS/Canyon Lake, CA	Schlacter-Ebberts/Systech - Lucas Oil - Grove Lumber - TWR - Sunset ZLT
		Cal Truss - Straight Edge/Pink Ford/Autoresearch
17	TBA	Robert Hartman/Seed Services - Sparco - Eibach Springs - Lucas Oil/Gaerte/Drinan
18	FLOYD ALVIS/San Carlos, CA	Floyd Alvis/Interstate Battery of Palo Alto/VanDyne/Stealth
19	TONY STEWART/Rushville, IN	Steve Lewis/Ford - ASE - Beast - Performance Racing Industry/Pink Ford/Beast
21	JOHN NERVO/Akron, OH	Nervo-Coggin Racing/Nervo-Coggin Racing - Auto Meter - FK Bearing/Pink Ford/Beast
22	JAMES CHESSON/Far Hills, NJ	Chesson Racing/Fast Oil/Brown/Beast
23	BRYAN STANFILL/Bakersfield, CA	Joe Oddo/Oddo/VanDyne/Beast
25	TEDDY BEACH/Donnelsville, OH	Beach Boy Motorsports/Beach Mfg. Co. - Fram - Cincinnati Fasteners/Gaerte/Beast
26	GLENN CARSON/Newark, CA	Douglas Bock/Bock/Esslinger/Stewart
29	DAVE STEELE/Tampa, FL	Dino Tomassi/Finish Line Towing - Mopar - Penske Shocks - Northside
		Propane/Mopar/Beast
31	BOBBY BOONE/Palmdale, CA	Ed Croteau/Autoresearch - Esslinger Engineering - Redmond Bumper Service - Mullahey
		Chevrolet - Fix Auto/Esslinger/Autoresearch
32	AARON FIKE/Galesburg, IL	RFMS Racing/McGladrey & Pullen - Azer Clinic - Weld - Hoosier - Pink Racing Engines
		- Sparco, USA - Bell Helmets/Pink Ford/Beast
42	BILLY SIPE, JR./Kingman, AZ	Billy Sipe, Jr./Law Office of Billy Sipe, Jr./Esslinger/Beast
43	GARRETT KNILL/Tucson, AZ	Knill Motorsports/Annie's Hallmark - Holmes Tuttle Ford/Esslinger/Stewart
45	CHUCK GURNEY, JR./Livermore, CA	Peter Baraldi/Baraldi Racing - Red Line Oil/Brayton Ford/Stewart
48x	STEVE THINNES/West Chicago, IL	Stgeve Thinnes/Great American Racing/Brayton/Stealth
54	ALEX HARRIS/Simi Valley, CA	Orville Harris/West Valley Grinding - B & B Rental/Esslinger/Beast
56	SHANE SCULLY/Encino, CA	Shane Scully Motorsports/Scully Engineering Contractors - The Link Group/Pink/Beast
57	THOMAS MESERAULL/San Jose, CA	TST Motorsports/Independent Construction - Mid Coast Transportation/Esslinger/Beast
60	MIKE O'HARE/Irvine, CA	Mike O'Hare/O'Hare Racing/Brayton Buick/Challenger
63	DREW POLLOCK/Troy, OH	Pollock Motorsports/Pollock Motorsports/Esslinger/Drinan
64	AARON POLLOCK/Troy, OH	Pollock Motorsports/Pollock Motorsports/Esslinger/Drinan
66		JS Distributing/Michner Plating - J & S Distributing - Gaerte/Gaerte/Beast
69	A.J. FIKE/Galesburg, IL	RFMS Racing/McGladrey & Pullen - Azer Clinic - Weld - Hoosier - Pink Racing Engines
		- Sparco, USA - Bell Helmets/Pink Ford/Beast
70		Jack Walker/Bay Muffler/Esslinger/Stealth
74	JERRY COONS, JR./Tucson, AZ	Fred James Motorsports/Magnum Axle Company/Gaerte/Beast
77	DANE CARTER/Brownsburg, IN	Carter Racing/Pedigo Chevy City - Access RPM/Brayton Ford/Drinan
84	MICHAEL WHITCOMB/West Hills, CA	Michael Whitcomb/Werco Industries - California Machine & Fabrication - The Placement
		Professionals/VanDyne/Beast
91	J.J. YELEY/Phoenix, AZ	Steve Lewis/Ford - ASE - Beast - Performance Racing Industry/Pink Ford/Beast
94x	JOSH WISE/Riverside, CA	Eric Wise/Centex Homes - Titan Engineering/Esslinger/Beast



Also on the card are the USAC Western States Sprint Cars with a race that could decide the 2001 championship for this division.  Going into to Saturday's (the race before Turkey Night) race at Tucson Tony Hunt held a slim lead over Jeff Gardner (799 to 785) with Ryan Flynn in third at 642.   

ENTRY LIST
WORLDCOM USAC NATIONAL/WESTERN MIDGET CAR SERIES
61ST "TURKEY NIGHT GRAND PRIX" Presented by K & N Filters
IRWINDALE SPEEDWAY - IRWINDALE, CALIFORNIA
NOVEMBER 22, 2001

CAR #	DRIVER/HOMETOWN	ENTRANT/SPONSOR/ENGINE/CHASSIS

97	MATT STREETER/Salt Lake City, UT	Streeter Racing/Garick Air Conditioning - Sarale Farms - Tracy Quick Freeze
		/Pink/Drinan
01	STEVE PADEN/Downey, CA	Richard Farrier/Anglemeyer Crane - Castex Rentals/Esslinger/Beast
07	TRAVIS MINIEA/Sharon, PA	Mico Racing/Mico Racing/Esslinger/Drinan
911	MICHAEL SIMPSON/Apple Valley, CA	Michael Simpson/Pick A Part - Hamrock, Inc./VanDyne/TCR

USAC NATIONAL MIDGET CAR TRACK RECORDS at Irwindale Speedway

1 Lap	11/23/00	JASON LEFFLER	17.023	105.739 mph
12 Laps	11/23/00	MICHAEL LEWIS	3:27.16	104.267 mph
15 Laps	NO RECORD YET ESTABLISHED
100 Laps	NO RECORD YET ESTABLISHED


ENTRY LIST
USAC WESTERN SPRINT CAR SERIES
61ST "TURKEY NIGHT GRAND PRIX" Presented by K & N Filters
IRWINDALE SPEEDWAY - IRWINDALE, CALIFORNIA
NOVEMBER 22, 2001

CAR #	DRIVER/HOMETOWN	ENTRANT/SPONSOR/ENGINE/CHASSIS

2	KEVIN KIERCE/Reseda, CA	Swann Motorsports/W. Miller Company - JFK - Justice Brothers - Burbank Speed/Chevy
		/Beast
3	CASEY MEARS/Bakersfield, CA	Ted Finkenbinder/NorCal Testing/Chevy/Beast
4	BUD KAEDING/Campbell, CA	Bob Consani/Consani Construction - Redwood Oil/Chevy/Beast
5	SHAUNA HOGG/Roseville, CA	Shauna Hogg/All Phase Security - Metal Works - Hayes Bros. Collision Repair – National Breast Cancer Foundation - Borello Racing Engines/Chevy/Beast
6	RICK WILLIAMS/Castro Valley, CA	Rick Williams/Williams/Chevy/Williams
8N	BRIAN CAMPBELL/Glendale, CA	Brian Campbell/Davis Motorsport - Danzig Magnetos - Mezierz Components/Chevy/Gambler
9A	BURNEY LAMAR/Sacramento, CA	Rick Humphers/Aerotek - NorCal testing - Tri-C Machine - Bryant 76/Chevy/Intimidator
10	ANTHONY SIMONE/Fresno, CA	Anthony Simone/Western Chassis - Schaad Family Almond/Rodeck/Beast
10z	MARC ZIESKE/Oroville, CA	Marc Zieske/KT Industries - Merritt Equipment - Surplus City/Chevy/Beast
11	TROY CLINE/Hawthorne, CA	Troy Cline/Haas Automation - Pick's Racing Engines - Wilson Auto Body/Pick's/Beast
12	DAN DRINAN/Indianapolis, IN	Danny Barnes/Kids Milk - Sierra Racing Products - Shadow Racing/Hansen/Drinan
14	BRYAN BULLARD/Orangevale, CA	Ken Pierson/Bos Sheet Metal - Rex Hutchinson Racing Engines - Torco Oil/Chevy/Beast
18	CHRIS PETERSEN/Portland, OR	Karl Peterson/Peterson Performance Motorsports - Competition Motorsports/Chevy/Tognotti
20	DAMION GARDNER/Concord, CA	Damion Gardner/BEKO Radiators - Mike Coy Construction - B & D Trailer - Jim Rudolph & Assoc. - Aldrich Air/Chevy/Beast
21	KEVIN URTON/Elk Grove, CA	Kevin Urton/Urton Racing/Chevy/Sturbotinos
23	CHUCK MADDOX/Grass Valley, CA	Chuck Maddox/CBL - Clawson Motorsports - C.L. Bryant/Chevy/J & B
24	JIM WATERS/Salt Lake City, UT	Tom Ault/Port O Call - Crossroads Transport - Sommers Auto Wrecking/Chevy/Tognotti
25	RANDY MELLO/Concord, CA	Randy Mello/Kelly S. Taylor, Chiropractor - Jerry's Ranch - Seaview Tire & Brakes - All County
		Moving & Storage/Chevy/Beast
26	BOBBY McMAHAN/Rio Linda, CA	Keith Espindola/American Tool & Mfg. - Yak Graphics - Uncle Jed's Fab - Simpson
		/Bailey Bros./Beast
32	DAVE FITZGERALD/Salt Lake City, UT	Dave Fitzgerald/Hamblins Custom Furniture Frames - Ramco Machine/Chevy/Dynamite
33	SCOTT HANSEN/Simi Valley, CA	Scott Hansen/L & S Tooling - HP Enterprises - Sanders - United Rentals/Chevy/Beast
51	JEFF GARDNER/Fresno, CA	Jeff Gardner/Pacific Boring - C & L Bryant 76/Chevy/Beast
63	IVAN WORDEN/Cotati, CA	Ivan Worden/C & W Auto Wrecking - RPM Engines - Apex Graphics/Chevy/H & M
74	MIKE BOAT/Phoenix, AZ	Mike Boat/TW Metals - Tri-Flo Exhaust - Matheson Trigas/Chevy/Beast
75	RAY STANSBERRY/Palmdale, CA	Ray Stansberry/Stansberry/Chevy/Stealth
77	TONY HUNT/Fair Oaks, CA	Lori Scott/Justice Brothers - Torco Oil - Simpson - Eibach/Shaver/Beast
81	JASON McCORD/Anderson, IN	Bar-D Racing/Asphalt Contracting - Stagecoach Inn/Chevy/Beast
82	RAY EVANS/Salt Lake City, UT	Ray Evans/A Quality Plumbing - Boyd's Motororsports - Carstar/Chevy/Dynamite
87	BRIAN EVANS/Salt Lake City, UT	Ray Evans/Boyd's Motorsports - Affordable Portable/Chevy/Dynamite
97	RICK HENDRIX/Canoga Park, CA	Rick Hendrix/Afterburner Precision Products - B & C - Wilwood Brakes - Rick's Gate Works - Weld Wheels/Shaver/Stealth
98	KENNY HAMILTON/Boise, ID	Jacque Tyler/Hamilton & Spear Painting/Chevy/Beast
F1	RYAN FLYNN/Chico, CA	Flynn Motorsports/Flynn Gallager - M-Power Communications - Purchase Pro.com/Shaffer/Beast
04	CHUCK GURNEY, JR./Livermore, CA	Bob Consani/Consani Construction - Redwood Oil/Chevy/Beast

USAC WESTERN SPRINT CAR TRACK RECORD at Irwindale Speedway

1 Lap	10/27/01	TONY HUNT	16.469 seconds