By Dick Jordan
The 58th running of one of America’s most traditional short-track races is scheduled for May 8 at Tri-State Speedway in Haubstadt, Ind. It will be the “Hut Hundred at Haubstadt” featuring the nation’s top Midget racers in 100 laps of thrilling action on one of the country’s most exciting quarter-mile dirt ovals.
Although absent from the 2009 calendar, the race dates back to 1954 and has been held at four different Indiana speedways. The Terre Haute Action Track, which hosted the inaugural event, was the site for most of the races, while the Indiana State Faigrounds in Indianapolis hosted the 1987 running, Lawrenceburg Speedway was the venue in 1989 and Lincoln Park Speedway in Putnamville hosted the race in 1988, 2000 and 2001.
Race organizer Tom Helfrich, who is responsible for maintaining one of America’s best-manicured dirt ovals, is excited about not only the return of the tradition, but the competition his track should provide. “We are glad to be a part of this historic event,” says Helfrich. “We’ve cultivated a new generation of open-wheel fans here and this is the type of racing they want to see at our track. We want to put on a race people will not forget and with the traditional three-abreast start of eleven rows we are sure we will give them just that.”
Cole Whitt won the 2008 race on his way to that year’s USAC National Midget Championship and the race history contains names of many of America’s finest oval track stars. Four-time Indianapolis 500 Champion A.J. Foyt won it twice, seven-time USAC Midget Champ Mel Kenyon is a former winner and NASCAR champions Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon are also listed among the former race winners. But nobody can come close to what Rich Vogler achieved, winning the Hut Hundred eight times on his way to becoming the winningest driver in USAC racing history. Those eight wins came at three different tracks!
Tri-State Speedway’s USAC history dates back to 1978 when Sleepy Tripp was victorious in a Midget there. Last year the track was the scene of the closest finish in the history of Indiana Sprint Week, as Levi Jones edged Bryan Clauson by a single point for the series title!