From RHR
When hurricanes are categorized, usually the strongest is a Category 5 which can bring winds over 160 mph and storm surges more than 18 feet. This year as Randy “The Hurricane” Hannagan embarked on the 2012 NRA Sprint Invaders schedule, he should have been categorized as a Category 8 — as he went on to win eight of the 15 scheduled races at three different tracks and picked up his second consecutive title with the series.
Going into the last race of the season, the driver who now calls Pittsboro, Ind., home only had an eight point lead in the championship due to running Knoxville Nationals for the 19th time in his career. At the beginning of the 25-lap feature in the series finale at Limaland Motorsports Park, Hannagan was lined up in the eleventh starting position. By lap 13, the native Californian had climbed his way into the top-three and was tracking down the lead duo of J.R. Stewart and Jared Horstman.
A restart on lap 21 began an amazing duel as there were slide jobs traded in almost every corner between Horstman and Hannagan. When the action settled, Hannagan had secured the lead with just a few of laps to go and went on to take the checkered flag for the eighth time this season and clinch the NRA crown.
“Championships are not only won by drivers,” Hannagan explained. “I have to thank Kent and John Karhoff for being with me this entire year and believing in me enough to work with me week in and week out. Thank you to Fritz who without his lucky clothing, I may not have been so lucky at times. I have to thank Lonnie for all the times he helped put my car together and preparing it weekly. A big thanks goes out to Dave Yokam A.K.A. “Pops” for being my biggest supporter and going above the of duty in picking up parts, motors and hauling the car all over the place. It has been a dream year and a driver couldn’t ask for a better scenario.
“A big key in my success is driving for Dennis the past couple of years. I am having fun racing again and of course the winning just makes it that much better. Dennis is the best car owner a guy could ask for. He’s also one of my closest friends. Our wives don’t even want to look at our cell phone bills, because we talk so much. There is a lot of racing left to do and maybe we can put more wins in the books for the 2012 racing season.”
Hannagan will close out his 360-sprint car racing season at several notable events. First up is the Canadian Nationals at Ohsweken Speedway in Ontario. Then the two-time NRA Sprint Invaders Champion will follow that up with the Trophy Cup in Tulare, Calif., Short Track Nationals in Little Rock, Ark., and the Fall Classic at the famed Eldora Speedway.
Randy Hannagan and Yoakam Motorsports would like to thank the following sponsors for making their 2012 NRA Sprint Invaders title possible: Starke County Co-Op Elevator Services, Medallion Refinish Systems, BMRS, FK Rod Ends, Kenny’s Components, Gorby’s Howard Johnson of Lima, Integra Racing Shocks, Lucas Oil Products, Stars and Stripes Tool, Team Indy Transport, and Weld Racing.