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MILLER: USAC Racers Enjoy Their Own Memorial Day Classic
Written by: Robin Miller   
05/20/2009
Indianapolis, IN
 
In another era, Tracy Hines would be preparing for his 12th or 13th start at the Indianapolis 500.

But, because the USAC midget and sprint driver no longer has a place at Indy, the accomplished and outspoken open wheel star is gearing up for USAC's longest-standing series of races.
Tracy Hines (R) and his fellow USAC drivers used to belong in the Indy 500, but times have changed. (LAT) ยป More Photos
The three-time USAC champion will run a sprinter Thursday evening in the 39th annual Tony Hulman Classic at Terre Haute, a dirt car in Friday's 56th Hoosier Hundred at the Indiana State Fairgrounds and a midget in the 64th Nite Before The 500 at O'Reilly Raceway Park.

"This weekend starts a big month for us because then we go to Knoxville (Iowa) and then Pennsylvania for seven races in 11 days," said the 37-year-old veteran from New Castle, Ind. who is towing his own midget to Sun Prairie, Wis. on Sunday night. "It gets you in a rhythm and you can finally start making some money.

"I'm not on a retainer like those IndyCar guys. I run for a percentage and the more I run and the better I do, the more I make."

Hines, who drives all three USAC divisions for Tony Stewart, currently sits sixth in the sprint standings, third in Silver Crown and eighth in the midgets.

"It's still real early, we've only had one Silver Crown show and a few sprint and midget races and myself and Cole (Whitt, the 2008 midget champ) got off to a slow start but there's plenty of time to catch up," he said.

"It seems like no matter how things start, it's always the same five guys fighting for the championships."

That would include the usual gang of Dave Darland, Levi Jones, Jerry Coons Jr., Bud Kaeding and Bobby East plus Darren Hagen, Jesse Hocket, Brad Sweet and 17-year-old Whitt.

Darland, the 42-year-old with five USAC titles on his resume, is atop the sprint points by 29 over Jones and both are former Hulman Classic winners.

Kaeding, the 2006 and 2007 Silver Crown king, triumphed in the season opener at Manzanita Speedway and is tied with Hockett, who captured the second half of that Manzy twin bill in Phoenix.

Hagen, who has recovered from a violent flip in a sprinter last month, already owns a pair of midget wins in '09 and is 39 points ahead of East, last year's winner at ORP with Coons in third place. Bobby Santos, Chad Boat and Chuck Gurney Jr. all figure to be in contention on Saturday night as well.

MEMORABILIA SHOW

Several former Indy and USAC stars will be signing autographs during the annual National Auto Racing Memorabilia at the Our Land Pavilion at the Indiana State Fairgrounds on May 22-23.

Rollie Beale, Ralph Ligouri and Tom Bigelow are slated for Friday with John Martin, Bill Puterbaugh, Johnny Parsons Jr., Larry Dickson and Andy Granatelli are Saturday's guest signers.

Also on Saturday will be a charity auction for Riley Children's Hospital, featuring a 1948 helmet worn by Jimmy Bryan. Hours Friday are 1:30-7:30 p.m. and Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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