INAUGURAL "MOPAR-PRI SPRINT & MIDGET CLASSIC" SET FOR ORLANDO
SPEEDWORLD THURSDAY & FRIDAY; ONE USAC DRIVER COULD WALK AWAY WITH
$70,000-PLUS!
NOVEMBER 28, 2005
Dave Steele of Tampa, Fla. is expected to be among favorites
for victory in his home state this Friday when USAC conducts the inaugural
"Mopar-PRI Sprint and Midget Classic" at Orlando SpeedWorld Speedway.
Preliminaries are set for Thursday night and feature events in four
different racing classes are scheduled Friday.
Steele comes fresh from his victory in Thursday night's USAC
Western Sprint race at Irwindale (Calif.) Speedway. The Florida veteran has
a remarkable record in recent USAC racing becoming the first driver to
record victories in all three USAC National Series five consecutive years!
His 2005 resume includes four Silver Crown wins, two Sprint wins and a
Midget triumph and he is the reigning USAC Weld Racing Silver Crown Champion.
Friday night's racing program includes 144 laps of green-flag
racing. Feature events will be 40 laps for Sprint Cars and Midgets, 20 laps
for Ford Focuses and 20 laps for the 600 Racing Legends Invitational. A
12-lap Midget qualifying race and 12-lap Sprint qualifying race are also on
tap. In addition to qualifying, Thursday night's events include three
eight-lap Ford Focus heat races and a 10-lap Ford Focus semi.
The event marks USAC's first appearance in the Sunshine State
since 2002 and a stellar field of cars and drivers is expected, showcasing
the nation's top racing talent on the 1/2-mile paved oval.
Prize money incentives include a $50,000 cash bonus from
Impact Racing for any driver who can win both the 40-lap Sprint and Midget
features. To qualify for the bonus, the driver must come from last starting
position in the second feature! The total prize money for Friday's events,
including additional cash bonuses for cars passed and laps led, has topped
the $115,000 mark!
One USAC driver could walk away with over $70,000 in cash
based on the above posted prizes!
The field at Orlando is expected to include 2005 USAC driving
champions Steele (Silver Crown), Levi Jones (National Sprint), Josh Wise
(National Midget), Kody Swanson (Western Sprint), Damion Gardner (CRA
Sprint), Robbie Ray (National Focus), Chase Scott (Carolina/Virginia
Focus), Michael Sboro (Northeast Focus) and Chase Barber (California Focus
Dirt), plus USAC Triple Crown Champions Dave Darland and J.J. Yeley.
Bryan Clauson, the youngest USAC National Midget feature
winner in the club's 50-year history at age 16, is also among early
entrants, as are Tracy Hines and Aaron Fike, both USAC stars now competing
regularly in NASCAR events.
The Orlando event is being held in conjunction with the annual
Performance Racing Industry Trade Show, which unfolds December 1-3 at the
Orange County Convention Center.