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USAC: The Starting Line for Champions; Never so true as on Turkey Night '99

21 November 1999

Irwindale, Calif. - - If you dial up the United States Auto Club on the world 
wide web (www.usacracing.com), you'll see their familiar red, white and blue 
logo pop up underlined by the slogan:  "The Starting Line For Champions".  Pretty 
darn accurate advertising, especially if it is applied to their upcoming midget 
event at Irwindale Speedway.
The 59th running of the classic "Turkey Night Grand Prix" event will simply overflow 
with championship-caliber drivers, both new and established.  For example, all 
three of USAC's national champions are entered at Irwindale for the festivities: 
 Ryan Newman (Silver Crown), Dave Darland (Sprints), and Jason Leffler (Midgets).
Additionally, both the 1998 and 1999 NASCAR "Rookie of the Year" honorees are 
entered for the history-charged event.  Tony Stewart and Kenny Irwin, Jr., known 
rivals, will both be at Irwindale for Turkey Night '99.  To the old-timers both 
men still look a little strange driving stock cars.  Both were prodigious protagonists 
in the open-wheelers and both would like the vaunted "Turkey Night Winner" notch 
for their belts.
Add to that the 20+ other drivers in the field who will have 50+ local, state, 
regional, and national driving titles distributed among them.  It's surely not 
the money that will bring some 45 top teams from around the country to forego 
Thanksgiving at home for a track-supplied Turkey dinner on the pavement pits 
at Irwindale Speedway.  
The night's purse is modest at best (the winner collects $6,000), but the prestige 
earned in winning is this one is something that makes this race perhaps the most-revered 
of all of them.  Since 1934, well before any competitor in this race was born, 
it's been: win this one and your name goes on the list with A.J. Foyt, Parnelli 
Jones, Stan Fox, Ronnie Shuman, Mel Kenyon, Billy Boat, Bill Zaring, Jay Drake, 
Bubby Jones, Danny Oakes, and Gary Bettenhausen.  
The Starting Line For Champions?  Oh yes, this is the place (Irwindale, California) 
and Turkey Night (November 25) is the date.  Come early (gates open at 2pm), 
bundle-up (it will likely get cold, bring a stadium blanket), and get ready for 
some real racing excitement (100 laps to glory) with a heavy dose of history 
thrown in.  

THERE ARE STILL TICKETS AVAILABLE … PLEASE CALL:  (626) 358-1100