From Scott Daloisio
Perris, CA — (November 24, 2014) — Perris Auto Speedway will conclude its 19th season of racing this Thursday night, November 27th, when Oval Entertainment and Agajanian Promotions present the 74th Annual Running of the 98-lap Turkey Night Grand Prix featuring the USAC Honda National and Western States Midgets. It will be the third consecutive year midget racing’s longest running and most historical race will stay on a dirt track. Spectator gates will open at 3:00 PM, qualifying will begin at 6:00 and the first race will take the green flag at 7:05.
The race will feature the top Midget drivers in the nation and will include the winners of the 2012 and 2013 TNGP’s at The PAS. Rising NASCAR Sprint Cup star Kyle Larson, who won in 2012, will be making his first start in a midget since the annual Chili Bowl in Tulsa, Oklahoma in January. Lincoln, Indiana’s Dave Darland, who won the race for the second time in 2013 and who became only the third driver in history to have won it on both the dirt and pavement, will also return in the same Keith Ford Motorsports #73 that he drove to the victory 52 weeks ago.
Now NASCAR star Kyle Larson on his way to winning the 2012 Turkey Night Grand Prix at Perris Auto Speedway. Media please feel free to publish this photo and please give photo credit to Doug Allen.
Rutherford, California’s Rico Abreau will come into the event with a slender lead in the USAC National Championship point standings. Norman, Oklahoma’s Christopher Bell, who has won 25-main events in sprint cars, midgets and pavement stock cars this year, heads into the race only 26-points behind Abreau. If that is not tight enough, Wilkinson’s Indiana’s Tracy Hines is only 10-behind Bell. That trio will decide who will be the 2014 champion on Thursday night.
Among the 43 drivers who have stated their intention to contest the race is 2014 USAC/CRA champion Damion Gardner of Concord, California and Norco’s Ronnie Gardner. Damion, who is not related to Ronnie, was leading last year’s TNGP when a left wheel came off late in the race. Ronnie Gardner, the grandson of Indy driver Ronnie Duman on his mother’s side and the famous Gardner racing clan on his father’s side, sewed his second straight Western Midget championship last Saturday in Peoria, Arizona.
Norco’s Ronnie Gardner sewed up his second straight USAC Western Midget Championship last Saturday. Media please feel free to publish this photo and please give photo credit to Doug Allen.
Others slated to compete are Noblesville, Indiana’s Bryan Clauson, Phoenix, Arizona’s Chad Boat, the son of three-time winner Billy Boat, Zach Daum of Pocahontas, Illinois, Tanner Thorson if Minden, Nevada, Trey Marcham of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Darren Hagen of Irvine, 5-time CRA champ Mike Spencer of Temecula, 2012 Western Midget champion Shannon McQueen of Bakersfield and World of Outlaws star Brad Sweet of Grass Valley.
If Clauson, who has already secured a ride in the 2015 Indianapolis 500 driving for car owner Jonathon Byrd, can win on Thursday, he will become only the fourth driver in TNGP history to have won the race on both pavement and dirt. He already has victories at Irwindale in 2009 and 2010. Mel Kenyon was the first to do the trick with victories at Ascot in 1963 and Speedway 605 in 1975. The late Stan Fox was the next driver to do it when he won the last ever race at Ascot on Thanksgiving night in 1990 and followed that up with his pavement win at Saugus Speedway in 1991. Darland became the third driver to accomplish the feat when he won last year at The PAS. His initial TNGP win came at Irwindale in 2007.
The fast qualifier on the night will take home the gorgeous Danny Pearson designed Jason Leffler Fast Time Award honoring 1964 & 1966 TNGP winner and 2014 Grand Marshal Parnelli Jones. The top rookie in the race will take home the “Don Basile Rookie of the Race” award and the $500.00 check that goes with it.
The Jason Leffler Award Honoring Parnelli Jones that will go to the fastest qualifier at Thursday’s Turkey Night Grand Prix
Spectator gates will open at 3:00 PM and there will be an on track autograph session featuring all of the entered drivers including Larson from 3:00 to 4:00 PM. From 3:30 to 4:15, legends of the Turkey Night Grand Prix will be signing autographs in the track sports bar. Dave Darland will also be doing a special signing of his new book, The People’s Champ, A Racer’s Life until 4:00 PM.
Wheel packing and hot laps will begin at 5:00 PM with qualifying at 6:00 followed by racing at 7:05.
Fans who wish to catch an early glimpse of the competitors can attend the pre-race practice at the track on Wednesday night. The practice is free for fans in the grandstands and will begin at 5:00 PM. There will be $2.00 pizza, beer and sodas.
Tickets to the longest running and most prestigious Midget race in the world will be available at the track ticket office on the day of the race. Advance tickets are available 24-7 by calling 1-800 595-4849 or by visiting the following link online: http://pas.tix.com/Schedule.aspx?OrgNum=7. For those wishing to get tickets at the track on race night, there will be plenty available for everyone.
Camping will be available on the fairgrounds for $25.00 per night. The campground will open at noon on Tuesday, November 26th. Fans can tailgate in the spectator parking lot on Thanksgiving.
For more information on The PAS call: (951) 940-0134.
Perris Auto Speedway wants to thank its corporate sponsors for the 2014 season. 1-800LoanMart, All Coast Construction, Amsoil, Ayers Hotel and Spa, BlueLine Rental, Budweiser, California Budget Finance, CamGuard, Champion Towing, City of Perris, Daytona Boat & RV Storage, Edelbrok, Engine Pro, HD Industries, Hoosier Tires, K&N Engineering, Marjon RV, Pacific Coach Works, Pep Boys, P.I.P.E., Pepsi-Cola, Pick-A-Part Auto Salvage, Running Waters Hospice, Scott Sales, Shaver Racing Engines, Sherwin-Williams, Sprint Car Driving Experience, Square H, Swedish Speed, Town and Country Golf Carts, Trench Shoring, United States Army, US Foods and Valley Auto Salvage.
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