Tony Stewart Racing - WEEKLY REWIND
Week of June 29

USAC

RACE RESULTS: Levi Jones      
SERIES: USAC National Sprint Car Series (No. 20)
DATE: Friday, June 27
TRACK: Richmond (Va.) International Raceway
TRACK SIZE: ¾-mile paved oval
QUALIFIED: Seven of 15
HEAT RACES: Heat races not held.
FEATURE RACE: Fourth
TOTAL LAPS: 60/60

RACE RESULTS: Tracy Hines

SERIES: USAC National Sprint Car Series (No. 21)

DATE: Friday, June 27

TRACK: Richmond (Va.) International Raceway

TRACK SIZE: ¾-mile paved oval

QUALIFIED: Six of 15

HEAT RACE: Heat races not held.

FEATURE RACE: Second

TOTAL LAPS: 60/60

RACE RESULTS: Levi Jones
SERIES: USAC Silver Crown Series (No. 10)
DATE: Saturday, June 28
TRACK: Richmond (Va.) International Raceway
TRACK SIZE: ¾-mile paved oval
QUALIFIED: Seven of 18
HEAT RACES: Heat races not held.
FEATURE RACE: Seventh
TOTAL LAPS: 100/100

RACE RESULTS: Tracy Hines

SERIES: USAC Silver Crown Series (No. 22)

DATE: Saturday, June 28

TRACK: Richmond (Va.) International Raceway

TRACK SIZE: ¾-mile paved oval

QUALIFIED: First of 18

HEAT RACES: Heat races not held.

FEATURE RACE: Fourth

TOTAL LAPS: 100/100

RESULTS TO DATE:

Levi Jones, driver of the No. 20 Chevrolet/Bass Pro Shops entry for TSR:
* USAC National Midget Car Series – four top-10s.
* USAC National Sprint Series – two victories, five top-fives and two top-10s.
* USAC Silver Crown Series – two top-10s.

Tracy Hines, driver of the No. 21 Chevrolet/Bass Pro Shops entry for TSR:
* USAC National Midget Car Series – six top-fives and two top-10s.
* USAC National Sprint Series – two victories, three top-fives and one top-10.
* USAC Silver Crown Series – two top-fives.

CHAMPIONSHIP POINT STANDINGS TO DATE:

Levi Jones, driver of the No. 20 Chevrolet/Bass Pro Shops entry for TSR:
* USAC National Midget Car Series – 10th with 322 points.
* USAC National Sprint Series – first with 555 points.
* USAC Silver Crown Series – third with 84 points.

Tracy Hines, driver of the No. 21 Chevrolet/Bass Pro Shops entry for TSR:
* USAC National Midget Car Series – first with 468 points.
* USAC National Sprint Series – fourth with 495 points.
* USAC Silver Crown Series – first with 102 points.


NEXT ON THE DOCKET:

DATE: Wednesday, July 9
TRACK: Lawrenceburg (Ind.) Speedway
TRACK SIZE: ¼-mile dirt oval
COMPETING SERIES: USAC National Sprint Car Series – Indiana Sprint Week Presented by Chevy
TRACK NEWS & NOTES: Tickets can be purchased online via the track’s official Web site at
www.lawrenceburgspeedway.com or by calling 812-539-4700.
PREVIOUS RACE WINNERS:
(July 12, 2007) Dave Darland won the last USAC Sprint Series event at the track. Jones was third.
Hines finished 13th in his last USAC Sprint Series event at the track on April 21, 2007.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Other Tony Stewart Racing-related Web sites: www.tonystewartracing.com, www.chevy.com, www.bassproshops.com and www.armorall.com. 

-TSR-
 

Turning Up The Heat
World of Outlaws Point Leader Donny Schatz, Tony Stewart Racing Team

Continue to Sizzle in Armor All Chevy Sprinter

INDIANAPOLIS (June 10, 2008) – Reigning Advance Auto Parts World of Outlaws (WoO) Sprint Series champion Donny Schatz has made winning streaks a habit the past two seasons. And this season, he is continuing the pattern. For the second consecutive weekend, the driver of the Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) No. 15 Armor All/Chevy/ParkerStore J&J will be looking to extend a winning streak. This week’s slate includes three nights of action beginning with Wednesday’s event at State Fair Speedway in Sedalia, Mo., and will continue with single-night programs at Huset’s Speedway in Brandon, S.D., Friday, and at Eagle (Neb.) Raceway Saturday.

On five different occasions in 2006 and 2007, Schatz put together consecutive WoO wins. And twice last season, he had three-race winning streaks. All three of this week’s races take place at tracks where Schatz has scored a WoO “A” feature triumphs.

State Fair Speedway was where Schatz made his first career Sprint car start in 1993. He won the WoO feature there in July 2003 and has 10 career top-10 finishes at the central Missouri facility, including a runner-up finish last June.

Schatz spent many Sunday nights at Huset’s Speedway early in his racing career with his first two victories at the 3/8-mile dirt oval coming on Mother’s Day and Father’s Day 1995. He spent the first 15 years of his career racing a family owned Sprint car before joining TSR for the 2008 campaign. The Fargo, N.D., resident has 18 career WoO starts at Huset’s with two wins, including the series last stop at the track in July 2007.

The high banks of Eagle Raceway have also been good to Schatz during his 12-year WoO career. He has made 31 career WoO starts at the track and has picked up three “A” feature triumphs and one preliminary feature win. His most recent win came in the fall of 2006, when he put on a thrilling display racing from the 15th starting spot to take the win.

This past weekend, Schatz and the Armor All-backed Chevy team continued their recent surge in the 2008 campaign. He came home second at Knoxville (Iowa) Raceway Friday night and followed it up with a hard-fought victory at the same facility Saturday night. Schatz led all 35 laps of Sunday’s feature event at Tri-City Speedway to claim his 75th career WoO “A” feature. It was his first victory at Tri-City, marking the 43rd different track where he’s captured an “A” feature win.

Through 17 WoO events contested in 2008, Schatz has five victories, 12 top-fives, and six consecutive podium finishes. That consistency has pushed Schatz to the top of the WoO standings with 2,467 points, 37 ahead of Jason Meyers entering this week’s action.

The Advance Auto Parts World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series program at State Fair Speedway, which is located a half-mile mile south of US 50 on US 65, at the Missouri State Fairgrounds, will benefit the Michael Ross Memorial Foundation. Friday’s race at Huset’s Speedway, located near Sioux Falls, three miles south of I-90 on State Road 11, will be the first of two summer stops at the track. Saturday’s event at Eagle Raceway, which is located in Eagle, 11 miles south of I-80 on SR 63, will be the 25th consecutive summer appearance for the traveling Outlaw series.

Wednesday at Sedalia’s State Fair Speedway, pit gates will open at 3 p.m. CDT with the grandstand gates opening at 5 p.m. Hot laps are tentatively scheduled to begin at 6:45 p.m. Friday at Huset’s Speedway, pit gates will open at 3 p.m. CDT and the grandstand gates will open at 4 p.m. for advanced ticketholders and 5 p.m. for those purchasing tickets at the gate. Hot laps are tentatively scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. Eagle Raceway will open the pit gates at 2 p.m. CDT Saturday with the grandstand gates opening at 5 p.m. Hot laps are tentatively scheduled to begin at 6:15 p.m.

Race tickets for Wednesday’s event in Sedalia can be purchased by calling (660) 826-2925. Tickets for the Huset’s event can be purchased by calling (605) 582-3536, or by visiting the track’s Web site, www.husets-speedway.com.  Information and tickets for the Eagle event are available by calling (402) 238-2595, or by visiting the track’s Web site, www.eagleraceway.com. 

Race fans can also listen to all the action this week on the DIRTVision.com cybercast, as well as on the DIRT Radio Network. Visit www.DIRTVision.com  for more information on all the features, including updated results from each night of racing, as well as a chat room to interact with other fans listening to the action.

Donny Schatz, driver of the No. 15 TSR/Armor All/Chevy/ParkerStore J&J:

Wednesday’s race offers the TSR team another shot at racing on a big half-mile. Do you think your recent success at Eldora and Knoxville will help?

“Any time you are winning, that helps. But it’s a new night at a completely different place. Obviously, we’ll take a look at the track and see how the surface compares to what we had at both Eldora and Knoxville. High-speed momentum places, where the tracks slick off and slow down, have been where we’ve really been good the past few years. I’ve raced in Sedalia quite a few years and feel pretty good getting around there.

“I know all of my TSR guys (Ricky Warner, Shane Bowers, Kyle Sundby and Evan Funk) will work hard to give me a car that is the best it can be and we’ll go from there.”

You spent a lot of time learning your craft at Huset’s Speedway early in your career. How did racing there help you become a better driver?

“I said last summer when we won there that Huset’s has always been a place near and dear to me. I felt like there have been some times that I should have won that I didn’t, so that made winning last summer pretty gratifying. I learned a lot racing there on Sunday nights. When you are just trying to figure things out and guys like Danny Lasoski and Terry McCarl pretty much owned the place, it was tough. When you considered everything from the quality of the competition to the shape and size of the track, you really had to learn how to drive, whether it was being able to qualify or dealing with traffic. When you get 24 cars out there, it doesn’t take long to get to lapped cars. You learn how to read cars in front of you and know where they were going to go. You have to learn how to make your car work all over the track, not just on the bottom or top.”

Eagle Raceway has been another one of those places where you’ve been successful. Any specific reason why?

“It’s been a place where we did well in the fall, but for most of my career, we’ve haven’t been as good as we would have liked to be in the summer there. The track is a really nice facility and almost always provides us, as drivers, a great place to race. We’ve been close there in the summer races, but just had something not go our way. Last year, we were running in the top-six when (Daryn) Pittman and Steve (Kinser) got together and we had no place to go. My crew fixed the car and we raced from the back to finish 10th. Hopefully, we can continue the kind of success we’ve had on the short tracks, recently.

“This team is really working hard right now and I want to reward them for their efforts by winning as many races as we can. Same goes for everyone at Tony Stewart Racing. They’ve given me a great opportunity to work with Armor All, Chevy, and ParkerStore and we just want to keep doing the best we can for all of them at every race.”

For complete Advance Auto Parts World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series results, log on to www.worldofoutlaws.com. For information regarding TSR, Schatz, Armor All, Chevy, or ParkerStore, log on to www.tonystewartracing.com, www.donnyschatz.com, www.aa-ownercenter.com, www.chevrolet.com, or www.parkerstore.com. 

-TSR-

 

Sizing Up the Competition
Kinser and Tony Stewart Racing’s Bass Pro Shops Team Prepare for

World of Outlaws Sprint Series Racing Action In Three States

INDIANAPOLIS (June 10, 2008) – The Advance Auto Parts World of Outlaws (WoO) Sprint Series will tackle three very different race tracks in three states this week as its competitors continue to gain momentum. Tony Stewart Racing’s (TSR) Kraig Kinser will return to State Fair Speedway in Sedalia, Mo., Huset’s Speedway in Brandon, S.D., and Eagle (Neb.) Raceway for the first time since 2005.

Kinser and the No. 20 Bass Pro Shops/Chevy/Maxim team roll into the half-mile dirt oval of State Fair Speedway for Wednesday’s Ditzfield Transfer Summer Nationals. All proceeds from the event will benefit the Michael Ross Memorial Foundation (MRMF), which was founded in honor of Tony and Kathy Ross’ son following his passing due to complications from Tay-Sachs disease. The MRMF is a non-profit charity organization supporting Bay Cliff Health Camp in Big Bay, Mich. In his last appearance at State Fair Speedway, on June 22, 2005, Kinser finished eighth.

The WoO Sprint Series will then roll into Huset’s Speedway on Friday for its first appearance of the year at the 3/8-mile dirt oval. The track has been kind to Kinser in the past as he grabbed a second-place finish in his last appearance at the facility on June 28, 2005.

The No. 20 Bass Pro Shops/Chevy/Maxim team’s last race of the week will take place at the 1/3-mile bullring that is Eagle Raceway. Kinser finished sixth in his last appearance at the track on September 17, 2005, and will look to win his first WoO Sprint Series A-main event of the season.

Kinser enters this week’s racing action ranked 15th in the WoO Sprint Series championship standings. He has made 15 series starts thus far in 2008, having earned one top-five and four top-10 finishes.

Wednesday at State Fair Speedway, pit gates will open at 3 p.m. CDT and grandstand gates open at 5 p.m. Racing is set to begin at 7 p.m. Advance tickets for the event can be purchased at Yeager’s Cycle in Sedalia, Mo., or by calling (660) 826-2925. The official Web site of the track is www.statefairspeedway.com. 

On Friday at Huset’s, pit gates open at 3 p.m. EDT with grandstands opening to advance ticketholders at 4 p.m. Gates will open to those purchasing tickets at the gate at 5 p.m. Hot laps are tentatively scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. Tickets for the Huset’s event can be purchased by calling (605) 582-3536, or by visiting the track’s Web site, www.husets-speedway.com.


For Saturday’s race at Eagle Raceway, pit gates will open at 2 p.m. CDT. Grandstand gates will open at 4 p.m. with hot laps set to begin at 6:15 p.m. Eagle Raceway event tickets can be purchased by calling the speedway at (402) 238-2595. The official Web site is www.eagleraceway.com. 

Race fans unable to attend this weekend’s events can catch all of the action on DIRTVision.com. Fans can listen live as Johnny Gibson, “Voice of the Outlaws,” calls the action as he does at all WoO Sprint Series events on the DIRTVision.com cybercast, as well as on the DIRT Radio Network. Go to www.DIRTVision.com for more information on all the site features, including updated results from each night of racing, as well as a chat room to interact with other race fans.


Quotes from Kraig Kinser, driver of the No. 20 TSR/Bass Pro Shops/Maxim:

With three races on tap for this week, are you looking forward to competing at three tracks in three different states?

“I am looking forward to racing three times this week but we’ll just take it one step at a time. Our first focus will be Sedalia, and then we’ll turn our attention to Huset’s and Eagle as we head to those races. We’ve raced at all three tracks a few times and it comes down to getting myself back up to speed at all of them. We’ve been decent at all of these tracks in the past and we’ll do our best to continue getting better each night. We definitely want to focus on running as well as we can and putting Bass Pro Shops and Chevy up front as often as possible.”

Some people may perceive you as a short-track driver. What’s your take on the different-sized tracks the Advance Auto Parts World of Outlaws Sprint Series competes on all over the country?

“When I first started racing, I had always thought I was better on the smaller tracks. When I came out and started racing with the Outlaws, it seemed like I faired better on the bigger tracks we visited. I guess it just comes down to how well your set-ups are working on any given night. The bigger tracks are more about speed and momentum. The smaller tracks are about maneuverability and traffic. The trick to doing well is to utilize the knowledge and past experience you have at a facility and adapt to the track as it is for that given night of racing.”

For complete WoO Sprint Series results from this week’s action, log on to www.worldofoutlaws.com/sprint.  For information regarding TSR, Bass Pro Shops, J.D. Byrider, Chevy or Kinser, log on to www.tonystewartracing.com , www.basspro.com , www.byrider.com , www.chevy.com  or www.kraigkinser.com .

-TSR-
 

Contact Misha Geisert
True Speed Communication
 

TSR Takes On Indiana Dirt, Pavement In USAC Racing Series Action
Hines, Jones and Chevy Prepare for Four Historic Events
 

INDIANAPOLIS (May 19, 2008) – Tony Stewart Racing’s (TSR) Levi Jones and Tracy Hines are set to take part in four historic USAC Racing events this week as the traditional “Month of May” comes to a close. With decades of racing history packed into four nights, TSR’s Jones and Hines will look to leave their mark on the 2008 version of “May Mania.”

Recent USAC National Sprint Series feature event winners Jones and Hines will return to the quarter-mile high banks of Anderson (Ind.) Speedway on Wednesday to kick off the week. Jones won in the series’ last appearance at the facility on May 23, 2007, as he earned his first career USAC Sprint Series pavement victory. He’ll work to defend his title in the Ninth Annual Banjo Glen Niebel Classic, as well as extend his lead in the USAC Sprint Series standings. Hines will make his first series appearance at the facility since May 24, 2006, when he finished 14th.

At Anderson, both Jones and Hines have posted solid career results in USAC Sprint Series competition. In addition to his 2007 victory, Jones has five top-five and seven top-10 finishes at the facility. Hines has found victory lane at the track on two occasions and has also earned five top-five and 10 top-10 finishes in his career. Wednesday’s event will conclude with a 100-lap feature race.

On Thursday, TSR will head south to the legendary Terre Haute (Ind.) Action Track (THAT). Both Jones and Hines recently posted USAC Sprint Series victories on the dirt and will seek their second wins of the season at the half-mile oval. In the last series event at the track on May 19, 2007, Jones posted an eighth-place finish. The May 22 event will mark Hines’ first appearance at the oval since Oct. 1, 2005, when he finished 17th.

Thursday’s race pays homage to the former owner and president of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the late Tony Hulman. The 38th First Financial Tony Hulman Classic will feature a 30-lap feature for the USAC Sprint Series. THAT is especially near and dear to Jones, who swept all three USAC Sprint Series events at the facility in 2005 en route to his first series title. He has also earned seven top-five finishes and 12 top-10 finishes in series competition at the track. Hines also has three USAC Sprint Series wins at the facility to his credit, in addition to nine top-five and 15 top-10 finishes.

Friday’s 56th Annual Hoosier Hundred will see the return of the USAC Silver Crown Series to the one-mile Indiana State Fairgrounds facility in Indianapolis. The 2007 event was claimed by severe weather. Both Jones and Hines competed in the last Hoosier Hundred event held on May 26, 2006, with Jones finishing a close second to his then-teammate Josh Wise. Hines also posted a top-10 finish in that event, as he took the checkered flag in sixth place.

While both TSR drivers seek their first Hoosier Hundred victories, a win for Jones would also mark his first career USAC Silver Crown Series triumph. To date, Jones has earned one top-five and one top-10 finish in the event. Hines has taken the checkered flag in the series, but a win Friday would be his first in front of a Hoosier Hundred crowd. He has earned one top-10 finish in the 100-lap race.

TSR’s racing action will conclude on Saturday with the 63rd Annual Night Before the 500 at O’Reilly Raceway Park (ORP) in Clermont, Ind. The historic event will feature the stars of the USAC National Midget Car Series in a 50-lap event finale. In last year’s race, on May 26, 2007, Jones finished 13th. In his last series appearance at the track, Jones also earned a 13th-place finish on June 16, 2007. Saturday’s race will mark Hines’ first appearance at the facility since July 1, 2006, when he finished 19th.

A victory in Saturday’s USAC Midget Series feature at ORP would be the third for Hines, who also has nine top-fives and 24 top-10 series finishes at the facility. Jones will seek his first USAC Racing Series victory at ORP Saturday.

Jones drives the No. 20 TSR/Chevy/Bass Pro Shops entry while Hines drives the No. 21 TSR/Chevy/Bass Pro Shops entry in the USAC National Sprint and Midget Series. TSR utilizes Spike Chassis in the USAC Midget Series on both the dirt and the pavement. The team uses Maxim Chassis for dirt USAC Sprint Series and Beast Chassis for pavement events. Jones also drives the No. 10 Chevy/Bass Pro Shops/Maxim while Hines also drives the No. 22 Chevy/Bass Pro Shops/Maxim in the USAC Dirt Silver Crown Series.

Wednesday at Anderson Speedway, the pit gates will open at 9 a.m. EDT, with grandstands opening at 5 p.m. Qualifying is scheduled to begin at 5:35 p.m. with racing set to start at 7 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at the gate. For more information regarding Anderson, visit www.andersonspeedway.com or call 765-642-0206.

For Thursday’s event at the THAT, pit gates will open at 2 p.m. EDT. Grandstands will open at 4 p.m. with qualifying scheduled for 6:15 p.m. Tickets are available at the gate. The official Web site of the track is www.theactiontrack.com, and fans can call 812-236-7951 for more information.

Tickets for Friday’s Hoosier Hundred at the Indiana State Fairgrounds can be purchased by calling Track Enterprises at 217-764-3200, or by visiting www.trackenterprises.com. Tickets are also available at the gate. Practice for the event is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. EDT.

On Saturday at ORP, the driver’s meeting is scheduled to begin at 3:15 p.m. EDT. Practice and racing will follow. Tickets can be purchased in advance by calling the track at 317-291-4090 or by visiting the official Web site at www.oreillyracewaypark.com. 

Levi Jones, driver of the No. 20 and No. 10 TSR/Chevy/Bass Pro Shop Entries for Tony Stewart Racing:

This week, TSR will compete in four different USAC Racing series events on both the dirt and the pavement. Does this type of variation make for a fun week?

“All of the different types of cars we’ll compete in this week definitely make for a lot of fun. The TSR team has worked really hard to make sure we’re well-prepared, and I think this might be the most ready we’ve ever been for these events. Our cars are ready to go. We’ll spend Monday and Tuesday making sure all of the loose ends are tied up. The guys will be ready to load up on Wednesday. This week, as well as the Indiana Sprint and Midget Weeks, are the toughest on our schedule. I look forward to those three weeks all year long and I’m looking forward to racing four nights in a row.”

You won your first USAC Sprint Series pavement feature at Anderson Speedway last year. Does that give you confidence while working toward a repeat in Wednesday’s race?

“Any time you can win a race at a track, you always keep that in the back of your mind. It’s definitely a confidence booster. Anderson is a track where you really have to qualify well in order to put your team in a good position for the night. Qualifying in the top of the field will give you better track position. This Wednesday’s race is a longer race. It’s 100 laps. That really gives you a chance to let the tires play a part in the outcome. You’re able to use tire wear to your advantage and that factors into the final laps of the race. I think that TSR has a great chance to win at Anderson this week. It would be great to put Chevy and Bass Pro Shops in the winner’s circle again.”

Of the four scheduled events on tap for this week, which one are you looking forward to the most?

“I am really excited about the Hoosier Hundred at the Indiana State Fairgrounds on Friday. The weather beat all of us last year. We got some laps in and then the storms took over. I really enjoy running the dirt Silver Crown cars and I’d love to get my first series win at the Fairgrounds on Friday. There is so much history behind that race, especially with it being on a mile track. I also led much of the race in 2006 before my tires went away and Josh (Wise, former TSR teammate) was able to get around me for the win. I’m ready for another shot at it this week.”

Are you looking forward to competing at the Terre Haute Action Track in the USAC Sprint Series for the first time this year?

“I had a chance to run at Terre Haute a few weeks ago with another series and I really have to give credit to Mike King, Davey Hamilton and Brian Dorsett. They’ve taken the steps to bring the track back to the level it has been at in years past. Terre Haute has always been one of my favorite places to race. My family and friends always make the trip from Olney, Ill., to support us. It’s a track that I consider to be one of my home tracks. It will be a lot of fun to race with the USAC Sprint Series there again this week.”

Do the excitement and the vibe of the Indianapolis 500 carry over into the USAC Racing events that are held this week?

“Everything that takes place leading up to the Indianapolis 500 really lends a lot of excitement to the entire area. With the drama of yesterday’s Bump Day still being talked about, the four races that we compete in really get caught up in that excitement. We’re entertainers, and this week we’ll have an opportunity to entertain a group of fans that might not typically see what USAC Racing has to offer. The whole week leading into the Indianapolis 500 is a lot of fun and it’s great to be a part of that history.”

Tracy Hines, driver of the No. 21 and No. 22 TSR/Chevy/Bass Pro Shops Entries for Tony Stewart Racing:

This week will see you and the Tony Stewart Racing team participate in several different USAC Racing Series events. Are you looking forward to the four-race stretch?

“We’re really ready for this week to get started. The best thing about this week is the fact that all of these races are at night and all of them will see us run different cars. The guys will be working hard each day, but they won’t have to worry about getting the same cars we raced the night before ready to go again. Running four different cars this week allowed us to prepare everything before this week arrived. We’ll spend Monday and Tuesday of this week making final preparations, and we’ll be ready to go come Wednesday. We’ve worked really hard to get ready and I don’t see any reason why we shouldn’t be contenders at each race this week. I think we’ve got a great shot at putting Chevy and Bass Pro Shops in the winner’s circle each night.”

Which USAC Racing Series event scheduled for this week are you looking forward to the most?

“Having won multiple USAC Silver Crown Series feature events in my career, I really enjoy racing the dirt Champ cars. The Hoosier Hundred race is one that has such a longstanding history. It’s a really neat event, especially being held at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. Any time you race on a mile track, it’s unique. The Silver Crown cars really bring a sense of the history of USAC racing into the present and it’s great to be a part of these events.”

It’s been several years since you’ve competed at the Terre Haute Action Track. Are you looking forward to this Thursday’s race?

“I think Thursday’s race could be one of the best of the week. The only thing that you really have to take into consideration when you’re racing dirt Sprint cars is the weather. It can really affect the track, and that dictates the direction the event goes. If the track is in good shape and the weather cooperates, you can’t find any better racing than dirt Sprint cars. If the weather doesn’t go our way, sometimes it becomes a situation where things can come down to the pill draw for qualifying. If you get a late number and qualify in the back, you just have to hang on and work toward the best finish possible. If the weather cooperates, Thursday’s race will definitely be a good one.”

Does all of the excitement and anticipation of the fans waiting for the Indianapolis 500 make this week more intense?

“I’ve been racing in these events so long that I don’t know if this week’s really got a different feel in terms of anticipation. You’re always ready to race. What is really exciting is that having the crowd in the area for Indy brings more fans to our races during this week. When you have great crowds at events, that’s one of the neatest things you can experience as a driver. The drivers and teams that compete in the three USAC National Racing Series put on such a good show, we’ve got such a great product to offer to fans. Hopefully, people who are in town for Indy will come to a few of our races this week and will become permanent USAC fans after watching the action that our events offer. This week is an opportunity for USAC Racing to come into its own with a new group of fans, and that’s pretty exciting.”

For complete results from this week’s USAC Racing Series events, log on to www.usacracing.com. For information regarding TSR, Chevy or Bass Pro Shops, please visit www.tonystewartracing.com,  www.chevy.com or www.basspro.com. 

-TSR-

 

Contact Misha Geisert
True Speed Communication
 

TSR Hits the Pavement
For USAC Midget Maynia Tour
Hines, Jones and Chevy Head to Wisconsin, Illinois
For USAC National Midget Series Action
 

INDIANAPOLIS (May 14, 2008) – In racing circles, the words “Month of May” are loaded with tradition, especially to those fans who patronize the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) the fifth month of each year. For Tony Stewart Racing’s (TSR) Tracy Hines, Levi Jones and their fellow USAC National Midget Car Series competitors, this week in racing’s most historic month has taken on new meaning.

TSR’s Hines and Jones head to Wisconsin Friday and Saturday and to Illinois Sunday to compete in the first three events of the Midget Maynia Tour. Kicking off the weekend’s racing action with be Friday’s 30-lap event at LaCrosse Fairgrounds Speedway in West Salem, Wis. The USAC Midgets will compete on the 5/8-mile oval for the first time in series history.

Saturday’s second leg of the Midget Maynia Tour takes the USAC Midgets to Slinger (Wis.) Superspeedway for the series’ first appearance at the facility since 1984. The 50-lap Stan Fox Memorial will be the first career start at the quarter-mile paved facility for both TSR drivers.

Sunday’s third and final leg of the Midget Maynia Tour takes the USAC Midgets to Rockford (Ill.) Speedway, a quarter-mile paved oval that Jones and Hines will be tackling for the first time in USAC Racing Series competition. It will be the first time since 1979 that USAC has sanctioned an event at the facility. The weekend will be capped off by a 50-lap feature event.

Hines and the No. 21 TSR/Chevy/Spike team enter this weekend’s tripleheader tied for first place in the USAC Midget Series standings. He has earned three top-five finishes in USAC Midget Series competition this year. Jones and the No. 20 TSR/Chevy/Spike team have earned one top-10 finish thus far this season.

Adding to this month’s festivities for TSR, the team also took part in the historic announcement of the new Chevy Midget engine on May 7 at IMS. The brand unveiled its new four-cylinder Midget powerplant with the help of Hines, Jones and team owner Tony Stewart. TSR will debut the new engine in the near future and already has been testing it with Chevy Racing engineers.

Competitors taking part in this month’s four-event Midget Maynia Tour have a unique incentive in the way of a $5,000 point fund to be distributed after the fourth and final race of the mini-series May 30 at Dodge County Fairgrounds Speedway in Beaver Dam, Wis. The event will be the only race of the mini-series to be held on a dirt track. The Midget car owner earning the most points in the four events will receive a $1,000 bonus. The remainder of the point fund will be distributed among those teams that compete in all four Midget Maynia Tour events.

Friday at LaCrosse Fairgrounds Speedway, racing will begin at 7:30 p.m. CDT. For more information regarding the track, call 608-786-1525 or visit www.lacrossespeedway.com. Saturday at Slinger Superspeedway, racing is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. CDT. More information can be found at www.slingersuperspeedway.com or by calling the track at 262-644-5921. Sunday’s event at Rockford Speedway will see qualifying begin at 2 p.m. CDT. Race fans can call the track at 815-633-1500 for more information. The official Web site of the track is www.rockfordspeedway.com. 

Levi Jones, driver of the No. 20 TSR/Chevy/Spike – USAC National Midget Car Series

Was it exciting to be a part of the Chevy Midget Engine announcement last week at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway?

“Being part of the whole Chevy engine program, from the development and testing to the actual announcement last week has been really exciting. Everyone at TSR is really looking forward to competing with this new piece. Chevy has put a lot of time and development into making it really good right out of the box. Even our competitors are excited about the engine. It’s really cool to see Chevy become an option in terms of engines in the Midget Series ranks. Everyone is talking about the new product and we’ve had a lot of questions about when they may be able to purchase the engines for their race teams to use, as well”

You’re going to compete at three new race tracks this week in USAC Midget Series competition. What do you expect heading into these events?

“I’m really looking forward to running with the USAC Midget Series for three nights in a row. Any time you run the same type of car on the same surface, it helps you get into some kind of a flow. I’ve not seen any of these three tracks before, but I think that we’ve really stepped up our pavement racing program and that we’ll be good on both the quarter-mile and the 5/8-mile track. Working with Tracy (Hines, teammate) has been very helpful and I think TSR has a good chance of putting Chevy and Bass Pro Shops in the winner’s circle one, if not more than one, time this weekend.”

Tracy Hines, driver of the No. 21/TSR/Chevy/Spike – USAC National Midget Car Series

Are you looking forward to bringing USAC Midget Series racing action to three relatively new facilities for the series this weekend?

“I have competed at Rockford Speedway. It’s been a long time ago, but I have raced there, so I do remember a little about the track. The other two tracks, LaCrosse and Slinger, I talked to some friends who have competed there and I was able to get some information from them about those facilities. I’m pretty excited about running three pavement races in a row this weekend. We’ve learned a lot in our first three Midget races this season and I know we’ll be ready for these tracks this weekend. Hopefully, things will go well and it will be another good weekend for TSR, Chevy and Bass Pro Shops.

Having worked with the Chevy engineering team on the development of the new engine, are you looking forward to competing with the new powerplant in the near future?

“I’ve been excited about the whole development process, in general. In working with the engineering team from a junior engineer standpoint, without any formal education, it’s been really good to learn about the different components and development that have gone into these engines. This group has a lot of really intelligent guys working on the program and it’s been great to have every question I’ve ever had about a motor be answered and explained during this process. This team doesn’t just work on the racing engines. It also works on the Corvette program and on the production side, as well. They’ve taken what they’ve learned in those areas and applied it to their racing engines and really made some great powerplants. It’s very cool to have been part of this process. I love driving my Chevy truck, and now I have had an opportunity to meet the great brains behind making it and the other great Chevy products on the road today.”

For complete results from this weekend’s USAC Racing Series events, log on to www.usacracing.com. For information regarding TSR, Chevy or Bass Pro Shops, please visit www.tonystewartracing.com, www.chevy.com or www.basspro.com. 

-TSR-

 

Levi Jones Captures Second
USAC National Sprint Series Championship
Chevrolet Powers Tony Stewart Racing to Driver and Owner Titles

PHOENIX (Nov. 10, 2007) – Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) driver Levi Jones clinched his second USAC National Sprint Car Series championship by virtue of his fourth-place finish in Friday night’s 25-lap Western World preliminary feature at Manzanita Speedway in Phoenix. Jones’ championship via his No. 20 TSR/Chevrolet/Maxim is the first USAC title for Chevrolet, which entered the longstanding open-wheel series this season as TSR’s primary sponsor and engine provider.

The championship also marked the seventh USAC title for Tony Stewart the car owner, as well as his second straight in the Sprint Car division.

J.J. Yeley, Stewart’s teammate at Joe Gibbs Racing, earned a USAC Sprint Car championship for TSR in 2003. And in a co-owner role with Bob East, TSR won four straight USAC Silver Crown championships from 2002 to 2005 with a handful of drivers that included Yeley, Kasey Kahne and Dave Steele. TSR’s Sprint Car crown in 2006 came via Josh Wise, who has since moved up the racing ladder, where he’s a development driver for Michael Waltrip Racing, competing in the ARCA RE/MAX Series, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and the NASCAR Busch Series.

“When I won my first Sprint Car title in 2005, it was a huge milestone in my career,” said the 25-year-old Jones, who hails from Olney, Ill. “Winning a second championship this weekend means just as much as the first title did, maybe more. I am so glad we were able to finish the season this way. It’s really exciting to be able to present Chevrolet with its first USAC championship. The TSR team didn’t give up, and their hard work and dedication put me in a position to win at every event this season.

“It was also great to have Tony (Stewart) with us for this weekend. I really appreciate the opportunity he’s given me in being a part of his team, and I’m glad I was able to win a championship for him and the guys. My family has also been behind me all season long, and having them here in Phoenix for this weekend was pretty special.”

Leading into Friday night’s event, Jones carried an 89-point advantage over his nearest challenger, Darren Hagen. After qualifying the No. 20 TSR/Chevrolet/Maxim in the sixth position, Jones transferred from the first heat race to claim a front row starting position for the feature event. Jones led the first three laps and took the checkered flag in fourth-place after lapped traffic slowed his advance on the final restart.

With confirmation that the title was locked up, Jones was looking forward to Saturday night’s Western World finale.

“I was really relieved that the championship didn’t go down to Saturday night,” Jones said. “I’m glad we’re able to focus on going after the victory and the money in the finale. When I won in 2005, it came down to the final night at Manzanita. Knowing that we have it won heading into tonight’s race is a real confidence booster. The boss (Stewart) told me Friday night after we won to have fun and to go for the win, and that’s exactly how we’ll approach this race.”

Stewart, who made the commute from Phoenix International Raceway to Manzanita after qualifying for the Checker Auto Parts 500k NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race, was obviously pleased with his race team’s results.

“With Levi clinching the championship on Friday night, it really took the stress off and allowed the team to focus on Saturday night’s finale,” Stewart said. “I’m extremely proud of the entire TSR operation, and I believe it’s a testament to our racing teams that we’ve been able to continue our success into this season. Levi is an outstanding driver and I’m very happy that he was able to win his second Sprint Car title as a part of TSR. When we hired him in 2006, we knew we were getting a champion.

“I’m also extremely proud to have Chevrolet as part of my open-wheel program. It’s a privilege to present them with their first ever USAC championship. They’ve put a lot of effort and dedication into helping TSR move forward with our USAC and World of Outlaws teams, and it’s an honor to have them, as well as our other sponsors, as part of this championship.”

For more information regarding TSR or Chevrolet, visit www.tonystewartracing.com  or www.chevrolet.com. 

-TSR-

Levi Jones: Driver of the No. 20 TSR/Chevrolet/Maxim USAC National Sprint Car
Date of Birth: 6.10.82
Hometown: Olney, Ill.
Residence: Brownsburg, Ind.
Marital Status: Single
Children: None
Crew Chief: Bubby Jones

Highlights: 2007 USAC National Sprint Car Series Champion…Earned Runner-Up Honors in the 2006 USAC Sprint Series championship…Won his first USAC Sprint Series title in 2005…Earned a series-high five USAC Sprint Series feature event victories in 2005…Named as the inaugural O’Reilly Sprint Bandits Champion in 2005 after sweeping four of five events en route to the title…Voted as Driver of the Year by the North American Non-winged Sprint Car Panel…Won the 2004 USAC Indiana Sprint Week Series Championship…Earned national attention by winning the inaugural USAC Sprint Series event at The Dirt Track @ Lowe’s Motor Speedway in 2004…Finished third in the USAC Sprint Series Championship in 2003…Was named as the USAC Sprint Series Most Improved Driver in 2001…Began racing 410 sprint cars in 1998 at the age of 16.


 

Kraig Kinser to Join Tony Stewart Racing’s
World of Outlaws Sprint Series Team
Kinser and Donny Schatz Form Potent Two-Car Lineup in 2008

CONCORD, N.C. (Nov. 3, 2007) – Two-time NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series champion Tony Stewart announced tonight that World of Outlaws (WoO) Sprint Series driver Kraig Kinser will join Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) beginning with the 2008 season. Kinser will replace Paul McMahan in the No. 20 Bass Pro Shops/J.D. Byrider/Chevrolet entry.

“I’m excited about joining forces with such an established team,” said Kinser, an eight-time WoO race winner, which includes a victory at the prestigious Knoxville (Iowa) Nationals in 2005. “Tony Stewart Racing has a proven track record with the World of Outlaws, and I’m looking forward to making a return to the series with a team of this caliber.”

Kinser’s teammate will be reigning WoO Sprint Series driver Donny Schatz, who will join TSR beginning with the 2008 season in the No. 15 Armor All/ParkerStore/Chevrolet machine.

“I am extremely pleased to welcome Kraig Kinser to our race team,” said Stewart, TSR team owner. “To be able to work with a driver of Kraig’s talent is a great opportunity for all of us. His proven skill behind the wheel will continue to help TSR grow into a stronger organization.

“Just as Levi Jones, Tracy Hines and Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., helped step up our USAC program, we expect Kraig Kinser and Donny Schatz to do the same with our World of Outlaws team.”

Bass Pro Shops, recently voted the No. 1 outdoor retailer in America by Sporting Goods Business Magazine and the primary sponsor of the No. 20 Chevrolet-powered entry that Kinser will pilot next season, welcomes Kinser to the TSR family.

“Bass Pro Shops is extremely proud of our relationship with Tony Stewart Racing,” said Jim Hagale, president of Bass Pro Shops. “While we’ve been very happy with the performance of the No. 20 team, the addition of Kraig Kinser for 2008 takes our program to another level. Kraig’s past performance and his family’s racing heritage will provide the opportunity for Bass Pro Shops and TSR to contend for the WoO Sprint Series championship.”

The familiar Bass Pro Shops paint scheme will continue to adorn the No. 20 for the 2008 season. The Chevrolet-powered winged sprint car will be overseen by longtime TSR crew chief Jimmy Carr, who will head up both of TSR’s WoO Sprint Series programs.

Since its formation in November 2000, TSR has earned seven owner championships. Danny Lasoski earned TSR’s first championship in its inaugural season competing in the WoO Sprint Series, taking the 2001 title. J.J. Yeley, Stewart’s teammate at Joe Gibbs Racing, earned a USAC Sprint car championship for TSR in 2003. And in a co-owner role with Bob East, TSR won four straight USAC Silver Crown championships from 2002 to 2005 with a handful of drivers that included Yeley, Kasey Kahne and Dave Steele. In 2006, TSR earned the USAC Sprint car title with Josh Wise. Additionally, TSR has three Knoxville Nationals championships in the WoO Sprint Series, as Lasoski captured wins in the famed winged sprint car event in 2001, 2003 and 2004.

For more information regarding TSR or Bass Pro Shops, visit www.tonystewartracing.com or www.basspro.com. 
 

Calm Before the Storm
Tony Stewart Racing’s McMahan Seeks
Momentum Building Victory at Charter Raceway Park

INDIANAPOLIS (August 1, 2007) – Tony Stewart Racing’s (TSR) Paul McMahan has a game plan for the next two weeks. Everyone knows that the Knoxville Nationals will dominate sprint car racing next week, but McMahan and the No. 20 TSR/Bass Pro Shops/Eagle team are focused on getting there one step at a time. For TSR, this weekend’s doubleheader at Charter Raceway Park (CRP) in Beaver Dam, Wis., is an opportunity to tune-up and prepare for what’s ahead.

On Sept. 24, 2005 in his last appearance at CRP, McMahan scored a 10th-place finish. He has set quick time at the facility on two separate occasions and has already claimed one victory in the state of Wisconsin this season. McMahan won the World of Outlaws (WoO) Sprint Series A-main at Cedar Lake Speedway in New Richmond, Wis., on July 1, 2007, to grab his second victory of the year.

In 50 starts this season, McMahan has earned two victories, six fast time awards, 11 top-five finishes and 27 top-10s in WoO Sprint Series competition. He is ranked eighth in the WoO championship standings with 6,534 points. He trails series leader Schatz by 652 points and is only 188 points out of the top-five.

Grandstand gates at CRP’s 1/3-mile, high banked oval, will open Friday at CRP at 3 p.m. CDT, and at 2 p.m. on Saturday. Hot laps will begin both nights at 6:45 p.m. CDT. To purchase tickets for the CRP events, call 920-887-1600 or visit www.wismotorsports.net. 

Race fans can listen to all the action from this weekend on the DIRTVision.com cybercast, as well as on the DIRT Radio Network. Visit www.DIRTVision.com  for more information on all the features, including updated results from each night of racing, as well as a chat room to interact with other fans listening to the action.

The WoO Sprint Series also returns to television this year with the series’ final broadcast on ESPN2 set for Sunday (August 5) at 11 a.m. EDT. A total of 20 races will be televised either on SPEED or ESPN2, including the World of Outlaws SuperClean Summer of Money Series. ESPN2 will broadcast eight races from June 17 through August 5. For a complete television schedule, or more information regarding the WoO Sprint Series, log on to www.worldofoutlaws.com. 
 

Quotes from Paul McMahan, driver of the No. 20 TSR/Bass Pro Shops/Eagle:

With a two-day event at Charter Raceway Park on tap for this weekend, are you looking forward to having a short break from traveling?

“My family and I have spent time at the shop in Brownsburg, Ind., this week. It’s been great to have a few days to regroup from the 12-day stretch we just came off of. It also gives the team a chance to get the truck unloaded and restocked before we head out again. It’s also nice to have two races back-to-back at the same facility this weekend. It will really give us a break. We’ll be ready to go at Charter and when we head to Knoxville next week.”

You’ve had some success at Charter in recent years. What makes the facility unique to the series?

“Charter Raceway Park has always been a lot of fun to race on. Being a 1/3-mile track with high banking, it’s very racy and pretty fast for a bullring. I like short tracks. there are a lot of them in California where I grew up racing. Having set quick time a couple of times at the track is also good to go into the weekend with. We’re hoping to take the No. 20 Bass Pro Shops/Chevy to victory lane this weekend. It would be a great note to head to Knoxville on.”


For complete WoO Sprint Series results, log on to www.worldofoutlaws.com.  For information regarding Stewart, McMahan, Bass Pro Shops or Chevrolet, log on to www.tonystewartracing.com,  www.paulmcmahanracing.com,  www.basspro.com  or www.chevrolet.com. 
 

-TSR-
 

Chasing the Championship
Tony Stewart Racing’s Jones, Stenhouse, Jr.,
Hit the Pavement in USAC Title Chases

INDIANAPOLIS (August 1, 2007) – Tony Stewart Racing’s (TSR) Levi Jones and Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. quickly put themselves in contention to win both the USAC National Sprint and Midget Series Championships with standout performances in recent weeks. The TSR team has steadily been gaining momentum with its pavement racing program since the season began, and with a doubleheader on tap for this weekend, Jones will have another shot to extend his USAC Sprint Series points lead while Stenhouse will resume his chase for the USAC Midget Series title.

TSR will kick off the busy weekend at Salem (Ind.) Speedway on Saturday. The No. 20 and 21 TSR/Chevrolet/BEAST teams will compete in the 48th Annual Cardinal Contracting Joe James/Pat O’Conner Memorial event. The event, which features a 30-lap USAC Midget and 50-lap USAC Sprint race, will mark the first of the final eight races in the 2007 sprint series schedule.

Jones is no stranger to running in the front at Salem Speedway, as he set quick time at the facility on Aug. 12, 2006, in USAC Sprint Series competition. He went on to finish fourth in the 50-lap feature event. In last year’s doubleheader, Jones finished 10th in the USAC Midget Series feature.

Jones and the No. 20 team lead the USAC Sprint Series championship heading into this weekend’s event with 1,166 points. Jones has also scored four Sprint Car victories thus far in 2007, making him one of two series’ four-time winners this year. He also has a pavement win to his credit, as he won the USAC Sprint Series feature at Anderson Speedway on May 23. Jones is ranked fifth in the USAC Midget Series standings with 475 points.

This weekend’s race will mark Stenhouse’s first appearance at Salem Speedway. Stenhouse has one Sprint Car victory this season, having claimed the checkered flag at Big Diamond (Pa.) Raceway on June 7. He also has three Midget Car victories to his credit and is ranked fifth in the USAC Sprint Car Series standings with 824 points. Stenhouse is ranked third in the USAC Midget Series standings with 531 points.

TSR will have another odd in its favor as they head to Salem’s half-mile, high-banked oval on Saturday. Tracy Hines, who was injured in an off-road motorcycle accident on April 30, has rejoined the team as a pavement set-up consultant while he continues his recovery. Hines will continue to work with TSR until his recovery is complete and he is able to return to the driver’s seat. On August 13, Hines will undergo a second surgery on his right knee to remove scar tissue and continue to repair the nerves. He will resume daily therapy following the surgery.

Pit Gates at Salem Speedway will open at 1 p.m. EDT on Saturday. Spectator gates will open at 3:30 p.m. EDT with qualifying for both series set to begin at 5:30 p.m. Racing is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. EDT. To purchase race tickets for Saturday’s Cardinal Contracting Joe James/Pat O’Conner Memorial, race fans can call the track at 1-888-246-7223. For more information regarding Salem Speedway, visit www.salemspeedway.com.
 

Quotes from Levi Jones, driver of the No. 20 TSR/Chevrolet/BEAST

You’ve found speed and success at Salem in the past. Are you looking forward to this weekend’s race?

“I am very comfortable in the sprint car around Salem Speedway. Setting quick time last year was a big confidence booster and we’re looking forward to getting another shot at a win there on Saturday. I’m also looking forward to getting back in the midget. I’d really like to get my first win in that series at a historical track like Salem. It’s a really fast track that’s all about momentum. Our pavement program has really moved forward and it’s great to have Tracy back to work with us. Hopefully our efforts will end up with Chevy and Bass Pro Shops in the winner’s circle.


Quotes from Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., driver of the No. 21 TSR/Chevrolet/BEAST

Salem Speedway will mark another ‘first’ in your career. Are you ready to tackle the historical half-mile?

“I’ve really enjoyed having an opportunity to race at so many new tracks this year and going to Salem Speedway is no exception. I like the bigger tracks and I think that we’re going to have two great cars to race this weekend. Everyone at the shop has really been working hard to push our pavement program forward and working with Tracy has definitely taught me a lot. It would be pretty cool to get my first pavement win in either series at Salem on Saturday. We’re hoping to make it a Chevy/Bass Pro Shops sweep.”

For complete results from this weekend’s USAC National Sprint Car Series event, log on to www.usacracing.com.  For information regarding Stewart, TSR or Chevrolet, log on to www.tonystewartracing.com  or www.chevrolet.com. 

-TSR-
 

WEEKLY REWIND

LEVI JONES – No. 20 TSR/CHEVROLET/BEAST (USAC)

USAC NATIONAL MIDGET CAR SERIES AT KNOXVILLE RACEWAY – JUNE 23

 Saturday, June 23 – Knoxville (Iowa) Raceway (1/2-mile oval) – USAC National Midget Car Series
 Finished fourth in the 20-lap King Doodlebug Classic feature which was postponed on June 22 by rain.
 Won the sixth heat race to transfer to the feature event.
 Top-five finish locked Jones into the USAC Knoxville Midget Nationals feature event.

 Saturday, June 23 – Knoxville (Iowa) Raceway (1/2-mile oval) – USAC National Midget Car Series
 Finished fourth in the USAC Knoxville Midget Nationals 25-lap feature event.
 Started from the front row alongside teammate Stenhouse, Jr. Ran in third for much of the race.
 Jumped five positions in the USAC Midget Series standings to go from eighth place to third.


• To date:
 Jones has won five sprint features this season (four USAC and one open event).
 Jones is ranked third in the USAC National Midget Car Series championship standings with 264 points.
 Jones leads the USAC National Sprint Car Series championship standings with 610 points.

HE SAID IT …

LEVI JONES ON THE NO. 20 TSR TEAM’S TWO TOP-FIVE FINISHES AT KNOXVILLE RACEWAY ON SATURDAY:

“We had an awesome points weekend at Knoxville Raceway. Both TSR teams are now back in contention to win the USAC Midget Series championship. The rain on Friday night really helped the track. It was very fast on Saturday night, especially in the first feature. We were able to run wide-open at just about anywhere on the track. With the rain, we had a different format to work with on Saturday night, and both Ricky (Stenhouse, teammate) and I were able to finish in the top-five in the Doodlebug Classic to give ourselves a good position to start the second feature event. We both drew very well. We pulled the one and two pills to make it an all TSR front row. The car was great throughout the feature event. We were very competitive throughout the race. My engine wasn’t taking off as well as Ricky’s and I lost a spot on the last restart but we finished in fourth. We’ll take it. We’ve been working very hard to step up our midget program and I think that was evident last weekend. We had a great weekend for Chevrolet and Bass Pro Shops, and I think that our competitors are also aware that we’ve become contenders for the championship.”

“While we had a great weekend in Iowa, our thoughts were with my crew chief, Bubby Jones, and his family. His mother, Lorene Jones, passed away on Saturday morning. Bubby returned to Illinois to be with his family on Saturday. We missed him but we hope that he and his family are doing well at this time.”


FAST FORWARD …

 Saturday, June 29 – Richmond (Va.) International Raceway (3/4-mile dirt oval)
 Jones will compete in a one-day event with the USAC National Sprint Car Series.
 Richmond International Raceway (RIR) is a ¾-mile paved oval.
 Jones finished sixth in the 2006 USAC Sprint Series feature on June 23. He also earned a fifth place feature event finish at the facility on June 24, 2005.
 Brian Tyler won the 2006 USAC Sprint Series event at RIR on June 23.
 Practice for the USAC Sprint Series will be held at RIR at 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. EDT. Qualifying is set to begin at 5:30 p.m. EDT with racing at 8:40 p.m. on June 29.
 For tickets or more information regarding RIR, visit www.rir.com.
 

RICKY STENHOUSE, JR., No. 21 TSR/CHEVROLET/BEAST (USAC)

USAC NATIONAL MIDGET CAR SERIES AT KNOXVILLE RACEWAY – JUNE 23

 Saturday, June 23 – Knoxville (Iowa) Raceway (1/2-mile oval) – USAC National Midget Car Series
 Finished fifth in the 20-lap King Doodlebug Classic feature which was postponed on June 22 by rain.
 Finished third in the second heat race to transfer to the feature event.
 Top-five finish locked Stenhouse into the USAC Knoxville Midget Nationals feature event.

 Saturday, June 23 – Knoxville (Iowa) Raceway (1/2-mile oval) – USAC National Midget Car Series
 Won the USAC Knoxville Midget Nationals 25-lap feature event.
 Started from the front row alongside teammate Jones, Stenhouse led all 25 laps.
 Jumped five positions in the USAC Midget Series standings to go from ninth place to fourth.

• To date:
 Stenhouse has won two USAC Midget Series features this season.
 Stenhouse is ranked fourth in the USAC National Midget Car Series championship standings with 263 points.
 Stenhouse is ranked 13thin the USAC Sprint Series standings with 308 points.


HE SAID IT …

RICKY STENHOUSE, JR., ON THE TEAM’S SECOND USAC MIDGET SERIES VICTORY:

“It was awesome to not only get my second midget series win, but to do it at Knoxville was just unbelievable. In the Doodlebug Classic, I had a really good car. I started 12th, but it only took a few laps to get up to fifth. We battled up there for most of the race and I had actually passed Dustin Morgan and Levi (Jones, teammate) for third but then the caution came out, which put me back into fifth place. We finished in fifth, which locked us in for the Knoxville Midget Nationals feature. Levi and I both drew very well – one and two – and we ended up starting on the front row. At the start, I got a good jump on Levi and just spent the next 25 laps trying not to mess up. I wasn’t thrilled to see the last caution come out near the end of the race, as it was taking my engine a few laps to get up to speed. I didn’t panic, and we got a good start and I was able to get the win. The Chevrolet motors were nearly perfect all night. They were great in the corners and on the straightaway, which is really important at a horsepower track like Knoxville. Not only was it great to win, but we put TSR, Chevrolet and Bass Pro Shops in contention to win the USAC Midget Series championship again.”

FAST FORWARD …

 Saturday, June 29 – Richmond International Raceway in Richmond, Va. (3/4-mile dirt oval)
 Stenhouse will compete in a one-day event with the USAC National Sprint Car Series.
 Richmond International Raceway (RIR) is a ¾-mile paved oval.
 Stenhouse has not competed in any USAC Racing Series event at RIR. This weekend will mark his first appearance to date.
 Brian Tyler won the 2006 USAC Sprint Series event at RIR on June 23.
 Practice for the USAC Sprint Series will be held at RIR at 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. EDT. Qualifying is set to begin at 5:30 p.m. EDT with racing at 8:40 p.m. on June 29.
 For tickets or more information regarding RIR, visit www.rir.com. 


TRACY HINES – INJURED DRIVER – UPDATE

TRACY HINES WAS INJURED IN AN OFF-ROAD MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENT ON HIS INDIANA PROPERTY ON APRIL 30. HE CONTINUES TO RECOVER AT HIS HOME, PARTICIPATING IN OUTPATIENT THERAPY SEVERAL TIMES WEEKLY.

 Monday, June 25 – Tony Stewart Racing USAC National Sprint & Midget Car Teams
 Hines will work with TSR’s crew chiefs to improve the team’s pavement program.
 Work will focus on pavement set-up and concepts.

For updated information regarding Hines’ recovery, visit www.TonyStewartRacing.com. 

Cards and get-well wishes can be sent to:
Tony Stewart Racing
Attn: Tracy Hines
5644 West 74th Street
Indianapolis, IN 46278

PAUL MCMAHAN, No. 20 TSR/BASS PRO SHOPS/EAGLE (World of Outlaws)

MISSOURI STATE FAIR SPEEDWAY – JUNE 20
DODGE CITY RACEWAY PARK – JUNE 22
DODGE CITY RACEWAY PARK – JUNE 23

 Wednesday, June 20 – Missouri State Fair Speedway in Sedalia, Mo. (1/2-mile dirt oval)
 McMahan finished 16th in the 25-lap A-main, battling handling issues throughout the feature.
 He finished eighth in the first heat race.
 He earned a fourth place finish in the B-main to transfer into the A-main event.
 McMahan qualified 22nd.

 Friday, June 22 – Dodge City (Kan.) Raceway Park (3/8-mile dirt oval)
 McMahan finished fifth in the 30-lap A-main.
 He finished fourth in the second heat race to earn a transfer spot into the A-feature.
 McMahan qualified fifth.

 Saturday, June 23 – Dodge City (Kan.) Raceway Park (3/8-mile dirt oval)
 McMahan finished 13th in the 30-lap A-main.
 He finished eighth in the second heat race.
 McMahan won the B-main to transfer into the A-main event.
 Qualified 14th fastest.

 To date:
 McMahan is currently ranked eighth in the WoO Sprint Series championship with 4,476 points.
 He trails series leader Donny Schatz by 504 points and is only 173 points out of the top-five.
 McMahan has earned one A-main event victory, three quick time awards, eight top-five finishes and 16 top-10 finishes to date.

HE SAID IT …

PAUL MCMAHAN ON THE TEAM’S UPAND DOWN WEEK IN THE PLAINS:

“We’ve been trying to debug a new car that we debuted at Knoxville and we’re still battling it. It’s just a matter of figuring it out, but it’s been a rough road for the past few races. It either wants to be all right fronted or to be completely laid left. There doesn’t seem to be any middle ground. It’s been a challenge, but I know the guys are working on it. In Sedalia, were stuck in the middle and couldn’t get the car to handle right. It was a handful. When we went to Dodge City over the weekend, we split the event down the middle. On Friday night, the car was better and we ended up fifth. I got a good start in the dash and was able to pass several cars at the beginning to finish fifth. In the feature, it was a one-lane race track and we maintained to get another top-five. On Saturday, we missed a little in qualifying and the car was up on the right front in the heat race. We got through the feature with a decent finish. It wasn’t where we would have liked to be at the end. I’m looking forward to heading to these four tracks up north this week. I think we’re going to have a good shot of getting the Bass Pro Shops car back to victory lane along the way.”

FAST FORWARD …

 Monday, June 25 – Black Hills Speedway in Rapid City, S.D. (3/8- mile oval)
 McMahan will compete in a one-day event with the World of Outlaws Sprint Series.
 Black Hills Speedway is a 3/8-mile semi-banked dirt oval.
 Grandstands will open at 4 p.m. CDT. Hot laps are scheduled to begin at 6:15 p.m. CDT.
 McMahan did not compete at the facility in 2006 due to a scheduling conflict with the National Sprint Tour (NST) Series.
 Donny Schatz won the A-main in the WoO Sprint Series’ last event at Black Hills Speedway (August 17, 2006).
 For tickets to Monday’s event, race fans can call 615-341-0752 or 800-727-2411.
 The official Black Hills Speedway Web site is www.blackhillsspeedway.net. 

 Friday, June 29 – River Cities Speedway in Grand Forks, N.D. (3/10-mile dirt oval)
 McMahan will compete in a one-day event with the World of Outlaws Sprint Series.
 River Cities Speedway is a 3/10-mile, high-banked oval.
 Grandstands will open at 4 p.m. CDT. Hot laps are scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. CDT.
 This Friday’s event will mark the inaugural WoO Sprint Series event at the facility.
 McMahan last competed at the facility in 2006. In a NST Series doubleheader, McMahan earned a 12th place finish on July 7 and a ninth place finish on July 8.
 The event is part of the “Duel in the Dakotas” series presented by the WoO Sprint Series. The second leg of the series will be run on June 30 at Red River Valley Speedway.
 For tickets to one or both events, race fans can call 815-344-2023 or visit www.slspromotions.com. 
 The official Web site of River Cities Speedway is www.rivercitiesspeedway.com. 

 Saturday, June 30 – Red River Valley Speedway in West Fargo, N.D. (1/2-mile dirt oval)
 McMahan will compete in a one-day event with the World of Outlaws Sprint Series.
 Red River Valley Speedway is a 1/2-mile, high-banked oval.
 Grandstands will open at 4 p.m. CDT. Hot laps are scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. CDT.
 Donny Schatz won the 2006 WoO Sprint Series feature at the facility on June 17.
 McMahan did not compete at the facility in 2006. In his last appearance at the track on August 16, 2005, he earned a 10th place finish.
 The event is part of the “Duel in the Dakotas” series presented by the WoO Sprint Series. The first leg of the series will be run on June 29 at River Cities Speedway.
 For tickets to one or both events, race fans can call 815-344-2023 or visit www.slspromotions.com. 
 The official Web site of Red River Valley Speedway is www.redrivervalleyfair.com. 

 Sunday, July 1 – Cedar Lake Speedway in New Richmond, Wis. (3/8-mile dirt oval)
 McMahan will compete in a one-day event with the World of Outlaws Sprint Series.
 Cedar Lake Speedway is a 3/8-mile, high-banked dirt oval.
 Grandstands will open at 4:30 p.m. CDT. Racing is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. CDT.
 McMahan last competed at the facility in 2006 with the NST. He earned a third place finish on July 10.
 Brooke Tatnell won the 2005 WoO Sprint Series feature event on July 4. McMahan earned a ninth place finish.
 For tickets, race fans can call 612-363-0479.
 The official Web site of Cedar Lake Speedway is www.cedarlakespeedway.com. 


WoO SPRINT SERIES TELEVISION & RADIO INFORMATION …

Coming Up Next …

 Sunday, July 1 – World of Outlaws Sprint Series on ESPN2
 Action from the WoO Sprint Series event at Red River Valley Speedway on June 30 will be broadcast on ESPN2.
 The event will air at 12:30 p.m. EDT Sunday. For more information, visit www.worldofoutlaws.com. 

WoO Sprint Series Cybercast Information …

Race fans can also listen to all the action from this week on the DIRTVision.com cybercast, as well as on the DIRT Radio Network. Visit www.DIRTVision.com  for more information on all the features, including updated results from each night of racing, as well as a chat room to interact with other fans listening to the action.

NUTS AND BOLTS …

 Jones and Stenhouse compete with a Maxim chassis in the USAC National Sprint Car Series and the USAC Silver Crown Series. The Nos. 20 and 21 dirt midget chassis are designed by Spike Chassis.
 Jones and Stenhouse compete with BEAST pavement chassis in the USAC National Sprint Car Series and the USAC National Midget Car Series.
 Paul Kistler of Kistler Engines builds the Chevrolet powerplants for TSR’s USAC National Sprint Car and Silver Crown Series entries. TSR’s Chevrolet Midget engines are built by Steve Smith of Hawk Race Engines.
 McMahan competes with an Eagle Chassis in the World of Outlaws Sprint Series.
 Kistler also builds the Chevrolet powerplants for TSR’s World of Outlaws Sprint Series entry.
 The Nos. 20 and 21 (USAC & WoO) team sponsors are:
 Chevrolet, Bass Pro Shops, J.D. Byrider, Coca-Cola, Old Spice, Hoosier Tire and Simpson.

 Crew Chiefs:
 Bubby Jones – No. 20 USAC National Sprint & USAC National Midget, No. 10 USAC Silver Crown Series entries driven by Jones.
 Bobby Barth – No. 21 USAC National Sprint & USAC National Midget, No. 22 USAC National Silver Crown Series driven by Stenhouse.
 Jimmy Carr – No. 20 World of Outlaws Sprint Series, driven by McMahan.

LEVI JONES … AT A GLANCE

 Jones is the driver of the No. 20 USAC National Sprint Car & USAC National Midget and the No. 10 USAC National Silver Crown Series entries for Tony Stewart Racing.
 Jones is in his second year with TSR. He was the USAC National Sprint Car Series runner-up in 2006 in his first season with TSR. Jones also earned a sixth-place finish in the USAC National Midget Car Series championship in his first full season in the series.
 Jones is in his fourth year of USAC National Silver Crown Series competition this year. The 2007 season also marks Jones’ second full-time efforts in the USAC Silver Crown Series and the USAC National Midget Car Series.
 Jones won the 2005 USAC National Sprint Car Series championship, his first national title.
 Jones won the inaugural O’Reilly Sprint Bandit Tour ’N Topless Series in 2005, sweeping four of five events en route to the title.
 Jones was named as the 2005 “Driver of the Year” by the North American Non-Winged Sprint Car Poll voting panel.
 Before becoming a full-time USAC National Series competitor, Jones honed his racing skills around the Midwest in various sprint car classes.

STENHOUSE, JR. … AT A GLANCE

 Stenhouse is the driver of the No. 21 USAC National Sprint Car & USAC National Midget and No. 22 USAC National Silver Crown Series entries for Tony Stewart Racing. He was named as the interim driver for TSR’s Tracy Hines, who is recovering from injuries he sustained in an off-road motorcycle accident on April 30.
 Stenhouse joins TSR after competing in several different winged and non-winged open-wheel racing series over the past four years. His experience includes events in several 360 winged sprint divisions, the All Star Circuit of Champions (ASCoC,) the American Sprint Car Series (ASCS,) and the United Sprint Car Series (USCS) winged sprint car ranks.
 Stenhouse made his first USAC National Sprint Car Series start at Memphis Motorsports Park (MMP) in 2004. He finished seventh in the feature.
 Stenhouse was named as the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame (NSCHoF) driver poll “Wild Card” nominee in the 360 Winged Sprint and 410 Winged Sprint Car Series divisions.
 Stenhouse won three ASCoC Ohio Speedweek A-main features in 2006.
 Stenhouse won four USCS features in 2005.
 Before moving into the professional ranks, Stenhouse recorded 47 A-main karting wins in various series. He also won the 1999 Tulsa Shootout A-main and the 1998 Indoor Thunder Nationals Championship.

PAUL MCMAHAN…AT A GLANCE

 McMahan is the driver of the No. 20 World of Outlaws sprint car for Tony Stewart Racing.
 McMahan is in his second year with TSR. He earned a sixth-place finish in the 2006 National Sprint Tour Series Championship.
 McMahan posted one World of Outlaws Sprint Series victory in 2006, winning at USA Race Park in Tucson, Ariz., in March, 2006.
 McMahan has earned at least one World of Outlaws Sprint Series A-main victory since 2003.
 McMahan won his first World of Outlaws Sprint Series A-main in 2001, capturing a victory at the Sedalia (Mo.) State Fair Speedway.
 McMahan was named as the All Star Circuit Champions “Rookie of the Year” in 1999.
 Before joining the World of Outlaws Sprint Series full-time in 2001, McMahan competed in the Golden State Challenge Series in California, the World of Outlaws Gumout Racing Series and the All Star Circuit of Champions.

WEB SITE INFORMATION …

 For driver bios, statistics and updated performance charts, please visit www.TrueSpeedCommunication.com. 

FOR MORE INFORMATION …

Contact Misha Geisert at True Speed Communication
317-432-4110 (mobile) or Misha.Geisert@truespeedcommunication.com

Or log on to www.tonystewartracing.com,  www.tonystewart.com,  www.chevrolet.com  or www.basspro.com. 

 

Tony Stewart Racing Launches Official Web Site
TonyStewartRacing.com Features World of Outlaws Sprint Series
and USAC Racing Teams

INDIANAPOLIS (May 29, 2007) – Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) is proud to announce today’s launch of the team’s official Web site, www.TonyStewartRacing.com. 

Dedicated solely to TSR’s World of Outlaws (WoO) Sprint Series and USAC Racing teams, the site hosts up-to-date information regarding TSR’s drivers, teams and crews. Other features include the latest statistics, photo galleries and a link to the online Tony Stewart Racing Store.

Visitors to the site will have instant access to the most up-to-date information about TSR drivers Levi Jones, Paul McMahan, Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., and Tracy Hines. Event and candid photograph galleries will be updated frequently. Complete series schedules are also listed. Links to the official Web sites of TSR’s sponsors are available, as well.

TSR also plans to announce a new, interactive fan contest in the near future. Information about the contest will be made available at www.TonyStewartRacing.com. Interested race fans are invited to check the site for further details as they become available.

-TSR-

 

Southern Invasion
Tony Stewart Racing, McMahan
Look for Success in NASCAR’s Backyard

INDIANAPOLIS (May 22, 2007) – Paul McMahan and the No. 20 Tony Stewart Racing/Bass Pro Shops/Eagle team will tackle two northeastern ovals before and after their return to the south’s crown jewel of dirt track racing during the next three rounds of World of Outlaws Sprint Series action. The TSR team will kick things off Wednesday at Grandview Speedway in Bechtelsville, Pa. Then they’ll head south to the Dirt Track @ Lowe’s Motor Speedway for a one-day event on Friday. McMahan and TSR will wrap up this latest stretch on Memorial Day (Monday) at Rolling Wheels Raceway Park in Elbridge, N.Y.

Wednesday at the 1/3-mile Grandview Speedway oval, McMahan will make his first appearance since at the facility since May 24, 2005. On that date, Steve Kinser won the A-main and McMahan earned a 13th-place finish. Donny Schatz won the series’ last appearance at Grandview on May 16, 2006.

McMahan battled mechanical issues at the Dirt Track @ Lowe’s 4/10-mile clay oval his last visit there (May 24, 2006) and was credited with a 21st-place finish. Kevin Swindell won the A-main on that date to become the youngest WoO Sprint winner in series history.

Rolling Wheels Raceway Park is a 5/8-mile semi-banked dirt oval located in upstate New York. Schatz won last year’s race at the track (May 30, 2006) and McMahan brought home a 13th-place finish.

In 23 WoO races this season, McMahan has earned four top-five finishes, nine top-10s, one quick time award, one dash event win and one B-main victory. He enters this week ranked eighth in the WoO Sprint Series championship standings with 2,877 points. McMahan trails Schatz, the series leader, by 392 points.

Pit Gates will open at Grandview Speedway Wednesday at 2 p.m. EDT. Grandstands will open to spectators at 5 p.m., with racing scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available in advance by calling 215-860-5631 or by logging on to www.thunderonthehillracingseries.com.  The official Web site of Grandview Speedway is www.grandviewspeedway.com. 

Pit gates open for Friday’s event at the Dirt Track @ Lowe’s at 1 p.m. EDT. Early admission will begin at 4:30 p.m., and fans eligible to attend the Eckert Pit Party will have special pit area access until 6 p.m. Regular grandstand admission will begin at 5 p.m., with hot laps scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased by calling 1-800-455-FANS. The official Web site of The Dirt Track @ Lowe’s is www.lowesmotorspeedway.com. 

Racing action for Monday’s Memorial Day event at Rolling Wheels Raceway Park will begin at 7 p.m. EDT. Advance tickets can be purchased by calling 315-834-6606. The official Web site of Rolling Wheels Raceway Park is www.rollingwheelsraceway.com. 

Race fans can listen to all the action from this weekend on the DIRTVision.com cybercast, as well as on the DIRT Radio Network. Visit www.DIRTVision.com  for more information on all the features, including updated results from each night of racing, as well as a chat room to interact with other fans listening to the action.

The WoO Sprint Series also returns to television this year, with the series’ second broadcast on SPEED set for June 3 at 1 p.m. EDT. A total of 20 races will be televised either on SPEED or ESPN2, including the World of Outlaws SuperClean Summer of Money Series. ESPN2 will broadcast eight races from June 17 through August 5. All shows on ESPN2 begin at 12:30 p.m. EDT. For a complete television schedule, log on to www.worldofoutlaws.com. 

Quotes from Paul McMahan, driver of the No. 20 TSR/Bass Pro Shops/Eagle:

Are you looking forward to returning to the Dirt Track @ Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Charlotte, N.C., this week?

“I love racing in Charlotte. Any time you have a WoO event in conjunction with a NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series event, it’s a really good time. The atmosphere is pretty cool, especially in Charlotte. It’s not uncommon to have some of the NASCAR drivers and teams come over and spend some time in our pit area during the night. It’s fun to talk with them about our racing. Many of them keep up with sprint car racing and really get into it. It will also be cool to have the boss (Tony Stewart, team owner) around. We’d love to get our first win of the season with him in the photo sporting the Chevrolet and Bass Pro Shops logos with us.”

With three races in Pennsylvania in the past week and another event to kick-off the action on Wednesday, have you enjoyed the eastern swing thus far?

“Pennsylvania has been pretty good to us this time around. We really have had a good time and a couple of really good runs. You know that it’s always going to be tough when you head to the eastern part of the country. It’s really the heart of winged sprint-car racing and the competition each night is really fierce. I think Grandview is going to be another good event for us. The track is a little tricky. You really have to stay on top of it throughout the night. It can stay really wet and tacky or it can lay rubber. It’s got a mind of its own. It’s a pretty cool facility, as most of the 1/3-mile bullrings are. I’m sure we’ll be able to put on a good show for the fans.”

Rolling Wheels Raceway Park is located in a historic part of the country. Are you looking forward to racing in New York on Memorial Day?

“Upstate New York is really beautiful. When you head up there you can’t help but notice all of the surroundings and atmosphere that the area presents. It gives off a pretty unique vibe. The fans in that part of the country are great. They love sprint-car racing. I can’t think of a better place to race on Memorial Day, especially since so much of our country’s early history took place up there.”

For complete WoO Sprint Series results, log on to www.worldofoutlaws.com.  For information regarding Stewart, McMahan, Bass Pro Shops or Chevrolet, log on to www.tonystewart.com,  www.paulmcmahanracing.com,  www.basspro.com  or www.chevrolet.com.

-TSR-
 

Home State Charge
Tony Stewart Racing’s Jones, Stenhouse, Jr.,
Prepare to Tackle Four of Indiana’s Short Tracks

INDIANAPOLIS (May 22, 2007) – Tony Stewart Racing’s (TSR) USAC driving duo of Levi Jones and Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., is set to take on a schedule that will have them competing at four different race tracks in three different series as the final full week of May promises to be one of the most exciting the 2007 season has seen.

Kicking off the week will be USAC National Sprint Car Series events Tuesday at Twin Cities Raceway Park in North Vernon, Ind., and Wednesday at Anderson (Ind.) Speedway. Both tracks are making up events that were postponed in April due to inclement weather.

On Friday, TSR will make its first USAC Silver Crown Series appearance of the year at the Indiana State Fairgrounds Speedway in Indianapolis where the team will also debut a new Chevrolet engine. Paul Kistler of Kistler Engines maintains the team’s Chevrolet program.

On Saturday, the team will compete with the USAC Midget Series at O’Reilly Raceway Park (ORP) in Clermont, Ind., for the first time this season. In addition to the on-track action, a silent auction to benefit injured TSR driver Tracy Hines will take place from 3-8:45 p.m. EDT. Items available for bidding include autographed memorabilia from several NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series drivers and teams, as well as items donated by numerous NASCAR Busch Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series teams. Items have also been donated by countless USAC, World of Outlaws Sprint Series and ARCA series drivers and teams.

In each of Jones’ last appearances at the 3/8-mile Twin Cities Raceway Park (July 13, 2006) and the paved Anderson Speedway (May 24, 2006) track, he grabbed fourth-place finishes. In his last race at the Indiana State Fair Speedway (May 26, 2006), he led 99 of 100 laps before being passed on the final lap by his former teammate, Josh Wise. Jones took the checkered flag in second. Jones finished 12th at his last event at ORP (July 1, 2006).

Stenhouse will be making his first race appearances at Twin Cities, Anderson and ORP this week. In 2006, Stenhouse drove to a 14th-place finish in his first race at the Indiana State Fairgrounds Speedway. While he has not raced at Anderson or ORP, Stenhouse has logged laps in testing at both tracks.

Tuesday’s USAC National Sprint Car Series event at Twin Cities will feature a 30-lap race. In 2006, Mat Neely won the series’ only appearance at the facility. Tickets can be purchased the day of the event or by calling 812-358-3849. The official Website of Twin Cities Raceway Park is www.twincitiesracing.net.

Gates open to the public at 5 p.m. EDT for Wednesday’s Eighth Annual Glen Niebel Classic at Anderson Speedway. Racing is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. A 100-lap USAC Sprint Car feature will conclude the event at the 1/4-mile paved oval. The series’ last contest at Anderson was won by Bryan Tyler (May 27, 2006). Tickets can be purchased at the gate on Wednesday or by calling 765-642-0206. For more information regarding Anderson Speedway, log on to www.andersonspeedway.com. 

Practice begins at 4:30 p.m. EDT for Friday’s 55th Annual Hoosier Hundred at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. The one-mile dirt oval will host a 100-lap feature event for the USAC Silver Crown Series. Race fans can purchase tickets by calling 317-927-1482. Spectator gates open at 3 p.m. EDT and racing begins at 7 p.m. For more information regarding the 55th Annual Hoosier Hundred, log on to www.usacracing.com. 

Pit gates for the 62nd Annual Night Before the 500 event at ORP will open at 10 a.m. EDT. The driver’s meeting is scheduled for 3:15 p.m. EDT. The .686-mile paved oval will host a 50-lap feature for the USAC Midget Series. Last year’s event was won by Bobby Santos, Jr. Tickets are available by calling 317-291-4090. The official website of ORP is www.oreillyracewaypark.com. 

Quote from Levi Jones, driver of the No. 20 TSR/Chevrolet/Maxim

As you approach one of TSR’s busiest weeks of the year, are you looking forward to racing several times this week?

“This week is going to be awesome. I am so excited about the packed schedule. I love to race as much as I can, whenever I can, so this is right up my alley. It’s also going to be pretty cool to get back in the Silver Crown Series car. We’ve worked really hard to get brand new cars

ready for this week and I think we’re going to be really good. It’s also going to be fun to transition back and forth from pavement to dirt throughout the week. The different tracks, surfaces and race cars will definitely present a challenge, but I know we’re up to it. I think we’ll have several chances to get Chevrolet and Bass Pro Shops back in the winner’s circle.”

Quote from Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., driver of the No. 21 TSR/Chevrolet/Maxim

With all of the different racing series and venues you’re going to face this week, are you looking forward to getting your first look at several of these facilities?

“I have a lot of confidence heading into this week. I think we’re well prepared and it’s going to be a lot of fun. Even though I’ve not raced at some of these tracks before, I’m okay with it. I just kind of roll with things as they come. All tracks have something different about them and they all change constantly. You just have to adapt to how things go throughout each night. We’ve tested at Anderson Speedway and ORP and that really gave me a chance to get comfortable in the car. It was good to get some laps. I know that I’ll remember the things we learned during the test when we get on the pavement later this week. I’m also really excited to head back to the Fairgrounds with such a great team. The new cars we’ve built are going to be really good and I am anxious to get back in a Silver Crown car. Winning at Manzanita earlier this year was really cool and I think we have a great shot at giving Chevrolet and Bass Pro Shops their first series victory on Friday.”

For complete results from this weekend’s USAC National Sprint & Midget Car Series doubleheader, log on to www.usacracing.com.  For information regarding Stewart, TSR or Chevrolet, log on to www.tonystewart.com  or www.chevrolet.com. 

-TSR-
 

Action Track Return
Tony Stewart Racing’s Jones, Stenhouse, Jr., Ready
For First Outing of Season at Terre Haute Action Track