By Dick Jordan
Few American motorsports events have the traditional depth of next Saturday night’s “Night Before the 500” USAC National Midget race at Lucas Oil Raceway in Indianapolis, Ind.
The 68th running of this classic marks the resumption of the 2013 USAC National Pavement Midget Series, which debuted this year in Florida.
Caleb Armstrong of New Castle, Ind. enters Saturday’s race as the series leader, six points ahead of Bobby Santos. Armstrong has never won the “Night Before the 500” but Santos roared to two USAC Silver Crown wins at Lucas Oil Raceway last year and was the 2006 “Night Before” winner.
Having begun in 1946 at the 16th Street Speedway across from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the race has continued at tracks like Kokomo Speedway, the Indianapolis Speedrome and the Indiana State Fairgrounds, but has found its home the past 33 years at Lucas Oil Raceway.
Former race winners looking for a repeat Saturday are defending race winner Tracy Hines, Darren Hagen, Tanner Swanson and Santos.
Saturday’s program will also include five USAC Hall of Fame inductions, which were among those delayed by last Saturday’s USAC Silver Crown postponement at the track. Those being honored Saturday will be Johnny Rutherford, A.J. Watson, Bob Wilke, Don White and Pancho Carter.
2013 USAC National Midget Pavement Point Standings: 1-Caleb Armstrong-124, 2-Bobby Santos-118, 3-Tanner Swanson-114, 4-Darren Hagen-112, 5-Kyle O’Gara-107, 6-Tracy Hines-104, 7-Dalton Armstrong-100, 8-Christopher Bell-88, 9-David Byrne-62, 10-Taylor Ferns-60.