By Dick Jordan
Bryan Clauson will triple his chances for a victory at USA Raceway’s 4th Annual Copper on Dirt as he enters the event with a seat for all three divisions. While he is among many drivers planning to do triple duty, Clauson is arguably the guy to beat in 2010.
Notably one of the hottest open wheel drivers in the country going into 2010, Clausen will look to resume his success of 2009 and likely gain distance from a field of some of the best open wheel racers in the country. Twenty year old Clauson has the accomplishments of a seasoned veteran after racking up an incredible year filled with more than 20 victories in Sprint Car and Midget competition including the Belleville Midget Nationals, USAC Indiana Midget Week Champion, The Night Before the Brickyard, The Turkey Night Grand Prix and the Glenn Howard Memorial to name a few.
The 2009 National Midget Driver of The Year will come to Tucson driving the familiar Corey Tucker owned Parker Stone Company/Esslinger Midget entry that has been a stable of success. Clauson will add to his arsenal by joining the stout RWB Sprint Car team fielded by Scott Benic and a very powerful Tony Stewart Silver Crown team. This will mark the first Copper on Dirt start for the Sprint car portion of the event and the first ever Silver Crown start for Clauson.
“I can’t wait for this event,” commented Clauson. “I am really excited to get down to Tucson and get the 2010 season under way.”
The 4th Annual “Copper on Dirt” featuring USAC Silver Crown, USAC National/CRA Sprint Cars and USAC National/Western States Midgets all taking part in a sensational racing spectacle at Tucson’s USA Raceway’s for two nights on February 19thand 20th marking USA Raceway as one of only two dirt track venues to host USAC’s Triple Crown all in one event.
As the 2010 racing season goes into to full swing, USAC championship hopefuls will make their way west to start the year off at one of the premier events of the season. More than a hundred of the nations top open wheel teams are anticipated to take part in the 4th Annual “Copper on Dirt” making this a must see event of 2010.
Ticket pricing, seating charts and purchasing information can be found online at http://www.usaraceway.net/Uploads/CopperOnDirtTicketForm.pdf or by calling the USA Raceway office at 520-574-8515
Hotel Information can be found at www.usaraceway.net/lodging.php or by calling the Tucson Airport Courtyard by Marriott at 520-573-0000
USA Raceway is located east of Tucson off I-10 exit 265, then 1.6 miles south on Craycroft Road, which turns into Los Reales. For more information please, contact the track at 520-574-8515 or additional information regarding USA Raceway can be found at http://www.usaraceway.net
Mississippi’s Ricky Stenhouse became the first and only driver to win multiple “Copper on Dirt” features in a single year. Stenhouse set the bar high at the inaugural “Copper on Dirt” by winning back to back races in the 40-lap sprint car feature and finishing off the night by capturing the 50-lap USAC Silver Crown Feature.
California native, Darren Hagen, is the only other driver to win in two divisions with a midget victory in 2008 and a sprint car win in 2009. Hagen will lead the USAC trio into Tucson as the defending “Copper on Dirt” Sprint Car Champion while Brad Sweet and Bud Kaeding will likely set out to defend the USAC Midget and Silver Crown titles respectively. Hagen also leads the “Copper on Dirt” stats with 8 of 9 feature starts (Did not participate in 2007 Silver Crown portion) and an average finish of 5th in 8 total events.
Past Copper on Dirt Winners:
2007 USAC Midgets – Cory Kruseman
2007 USAC Sprint Cars – Ricky Stenhouse
2007 USAC Silver Crown – Ricky Stenhouse
2008 USAC Midgets – Darren Hagen
2008 USAC Sprint Cars – Shane Cottle
2008 USAC Silver Crown – Jerry Coons Jr.
2009 USAC Midgets – Brad Sweet
2009 USAC Sprint Cars – Darren Hagen
2009 USAC Silver Crown – Bud Kaeding