|
Traditional Sprint Car FanSite |
See You At The Races!!! |
| Press Release |
|
|
|
USAC'S "MAGNIFICENT 7" INCLUDES 3 SPRINT/MIDGET "DOUBLES" |
|
FEBRUARY 9, 2009 --- Seven races in Arizona, Nevada and California open USAC's 2009 racing season and the National Sprint Cars and Mopar National Midgets are part of all three racing programs. The K & N Silver Crown Cars share billing in the Feb. 20-21 "Copper on Dirt" tripleheader at Phoenix, Ariz., while the Sprints and Midgets combine for the "Las Vegas Super Sprint Classic" Feb. 25 in Las Vegas, Nev. and the "Sokola Classic" Feb. 28 at Perris, Calif. All three programs also offer Lucas Oil USAC/CRA Sprint and Western Midget points. The history of USAC Sprint/Midget "doubleheaders" reflects 214 previous encounters but only 26 "sweeps" Only one driver has ever swept Silver Crown, Sprint and Midget races on the same program, that being Jack Hewitt, who in 1998 won all three plus the Modified feature to claim all four legs of that year's "4-Crown Nationals" at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio! Hewitt remains one of only two drivers with three Sprint/Midget "sweeps" in USAC history. Dave Steele is the other. Jeff Gordon, J.J. Yeley and Tony Stewart each have two "sweeps" while 14 others have done it once. Tracy Hines is the last to record the rare USAC National Sprint/Midget "sweep," during the 2006 "4-Crown Nationals" at Rossburg, Ohio. In the last 24, counting Western "doubleheaders," only Kody Swanson achieved the feat in a 2007 Western event at Tracy, Calif. The first driver to accomplish the "sweep" since 1970 was Pancho Carter, who in 1977, nearly won four features in a row at the Salem (Ind.) Speedway. He won two Midgets and a Sprint but lost the Sprint finale that day to Tom Bigelow. Stellar fields of cars and drivers are expected for all three events, which should form the foundation for the 2009 USAC racing championships. Defending USAC series champions are Jerry Coons Jr. (K & N Silver Crown and National Sprints), Cole Whitt (Mopar National Midgets), Mike Spencer (Lucas Oil USAC/CRA Sprints) and Nic Faas (Western Midgets). All are expected to compete in all three programs. |
