USAC: Hines eyes Pennzoil 'Indiana Sprint Week' after IRP win
18 July 2000
Posted By Terry CallahanMotorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
Tracy Hines of New Castle, Ind. has his eyes focused on this weeks Pennzoil "Indiana Sprint Week" openers after winning Saturday nights 30-lap Turbines, Inc. "Indiana Sprint Classic" at Indianapolis Raceway Park.
Twin Cities Raceway Park in North Vernon, Ind. hosts the first of seven events constituting this years Pennzoil "Indiana Sprint Week" slate, a 30-lap feature capping Thursday nights events at the 3/8-mile dirt oval. Friday nights "Larry Rice Classic" venue is the Bloomington Speedway, while Saturday nights races are at Lawrenceburg Speedway and Sunday nights host for the "Vince Osman Classic" is the Kokomo Speedway. All Pennzoil "Indiana Sprint Week" racing programs conclude with 30-lap features.
Practice at North Vernon begins at 6 pm, with qualifying at 7 and racing at 8. Bloomingtons timetable is practice at 6:30, qualifying at 7 and racing at 8, while Lawrenceburgs schedule is practice at 6, qualifying at 6:30 and racing at 7:30. Sundays Kokomo events start with practice at 5 pm and qualifying gets under way at 6. The first race at Kokomo starts at 7.
Hines vaulted into second in the Stoops Freightliner Sprint Car Series standings after leading the final 19 laps of the IRP main event in his Northside Propane Special. He passed Ryan Newman on lap 12 and never looked back as Newman raced to second ahead of series point leader Tony Elliott, Jimmy McCune and Eric Gordon. Dave Darland posted the Turbines, Inc. fastest qualifying time on the .686-mile paved oval.
Hines trails Elliott by 56 points, but a total of 432 points will be available in the seven Pennzoil "Indiana Sprint Week" events. The final three races are slated at Terre Haute, Ind. July 28, Putnamville, Ind. July 29 and Haubstadt, Ind. July 30.
Kevin Thomas of Danville, Ind. is the only four-time champion of Pennzoil "Indiana Sprint Week," while other champions have been Randy Kinser (1988), Chuck Amati (1989), Amati and Gary Trammell (1990), Bob Kinser (1991), Kelly Kinser (1994), J.J. Yeley (1997), Dave Darland (1998) and defending champion Tony Elliott.
USAC STOOPS FREIGHTLINER SPRINT CAR SERIES STANDINGS
1. Tony Elliott 625
2. Tracy Hines 569
3. J.J. Yeley 532
4. Brian Tyler 495
5. Dave Darland 491
6. Derek Davidson 484
7. Jay Drake 479
8. Eric Gordon 463
9. Kasey Kahne 382
10. Jonathan Vennard 353
Text provided by Dick Jordan
Editors Note: To view hundreds of hot photos
and racing art, please visit The Racing Image
Galleries and The
Visions of Speed Art Gallery .