By Dick Jordan
Several drivers will be in new or relatively new seats when the 2010 Amsoil USAC National Sprint Car Series arrives at East Bay Raceway Park in Gibsonton, Fla. for the โBubba Army Sprint Nationalsโ February 8-10.
Dave Darland, Bryan Clauson, Tracy Hines, Chris Windom, Cole Carter, Kyle Cummins and Justin Grant are among early entries who will be โsorting outโ new rides in the three-night non-winged spectacular at the 3/8-mile dirt oval on the south side of Tampa.
Darland will make his first appearance in the Keith Kunz sprinter in six years, while Clauson hops into the RWB Motorsports #2B vacated by Darland after the 2009 season. Hines will pilot an entry for Bob Parker, for whom he drove selected Midget races in 2009. Cole Carter and Kyle Cummins are entered in Steve Stapp entries and Justin Grant makes his debut in the Baldwin Brothers entry. Carterโs father Pancho and uncle Dana both piloted Stapp entries during their USAC Sprint car careers.
The โBubba Army Sprint Nationalsโ are part of the trackโs 34th Winternationals and mark the first time USAC Sprint cars have raced on dirt in the Sunshine State since Rich Voglerโs victory at the Florida State Fairgrounds 23 years ago.
Stappโs entries continue a long tradition of family involvement in the sport. Steve ranks second all-time in terms of USAC National feature wins with 51, while Dynamics, Inc., who will field a car for Jerry Coons Jr. at East Bay, is the all-time leader at 74.
A special โmatch raceโ for the news media in four-cylinder stocks is planned during Monday nightโs (Feb. 8) activities, with the participants to be announced soon.
The Tampa races officially open USACโs 2010 National racing calendar, which continues with a Silver Crown/Sprint/Midget tripleheader February 19-20 at USA Raceway Park in Tucson, Ariz. (the โCopper on Dirtโ) and Sprint/Midget doubleheaders February 25 at Las Vegas, Nev. and Feb. 27 at Perris, Calif.