By Scott Daloisio
(Perris, CA, November 21, 2013) Lincoln, Indiana racing superstar Dave Darland, who earlier this month scored the win in the 18th Annual Budweiser Oval Nationals Presented by All Coast Construction at Perris Auto Speedway, is headed back to the Riverside County clay oval for the running of the 73rd Annual Turkey Night Grand Prix on Thanksgiving night. For the Honda USAC Midget show, Darland will be part of three driver team fielded by Josh Ford Motorsports.
By posting the win at the Oval Nationals on November 2nd, Darland became on the second driver (Bud Kaeding is the other) to have won the race three times. In addition to his win in 2013, he also won the event back to back in 2005 and 2006. One of the few drivers to have won all three of USAC’s open wheel division championships (1997 Silver Crown, 1999 Sprint Car and 2001 & 2002 Midget), Darland also won the Turkey Night Grand Prix at Irwindale in 1997.
“Anytime Dave Darland is on the racetrack, he is a potential winner,” Perris promoter Don Kazarian said. “He is one of the greatest open wheel drivers of all time and on top of that, he is one of the nicest guys in all of racing. A true winner and a class act all the way.”
Lincoln, Indiana’s Dave Darland, pictured above on the way to winning his 3rd Budweiser Oval Nationals at Perris Auto Speedway on November 2nd, will be back on Thanksgiving night for the Turkey Night Grand Prix. Media feel free to publish this photo and please give photo credit to Doug Allen.
Darland will be driving the #73 Spike/Fontana tuned by Jimmy May. His teammates for the weekend will be Wooster, Ohio’s Jac Haudenschild and Kevin Thomas Jr. of Colman, Alabama. Haudenschild, 55, is affectionately known as the “Wild Child” and has been racing and winning races across the country since 1974. Thomas, 22, tied champion Bryan Clauson and Darland for the most wins in the USAC National Sprint Car Series with 7 in 2013.
“That is a very strong, very talented team,” Kazarian said. “You have two of the all-time winningest veterans in sprint car racing teaming up with one of the young, rising stars in the sport. They will be a force to be reckoned with on Thanksgiving.”
Haudenschild has strong ties to Southern California. His wife, Patty, is the daughter of racer Max Sweeney who passed away from injuries sustained in a Midget crash at Ascot in 1979. His brother law Mike Sweeney was a popular driver who won 33 sprint car main events in the original California Racing Association (CRA).
Tickets to the longest running and most historic Midget races in the world will be available at the track ticket office on the day of the race. Advance tickets are available 24-7 by calling 1-800 595-4849 or by visiting the following link online: http://pas.tix.com/Schedule.
For those who cannot attend the race in person, it will be streamed live online on “The Cushion.” Cost of the PPV broadcast is $24.95. There is a 100-mile blackout radius around the track. Fans who wish to get more information, to purchase the PPV or to see what other races “The Cushion” has On-Demand, can visit the web site at: http://thecushion.com/
Fans attending the race in person who would like to camp at the track can do so for $25.00 per night. The campground will open at noon on Tuesday, November 26th. Fans can tailgate in the spectator parking lot on Thanksgiving.
The remaining 2013 PAS schedule is listed at the end of this release.
Perris Auto Speedway wants to thank its corporate sponsors for the 2012 season. 1-800LoanMart, 777 Racecars, Aaron’s, Ahern Rentals, All Coast Construction, Amsoil, Ayers Hotel and Spa, Budweiser, CamGuard, Champion Towing, City of Perris, Comfort Inn, Day Construction, Daytona Boat & RV Storage, Edelbrok, Frazee Paint, HD Industries, Hoosier Tires, K&N Engineering, McMahon’s RV, OneDirt.com, P.I.P.E., Pep Boys, Pepsi-Cola, Pick-A-Part Auto Salvage, Prolong Super Lubricants, Running Waters Hospice, Scott Sales, Snap-on, Soboba Casino, Sprint Car Driving Experience, Square H, Swedish Speed, Temecula Valley Pipe & Supply, Trench Shoring, US Foods, Valley Auto Salvage, White Nuckl USA and Zanzabuku Sports Lounge.
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Video and DVD productions of all racing events at Perris Auto Speedway are available from Loudpedal Productions. For more information on these productions you can contact them by calling (805) 844-3854, E-mailing mailto:trtruex@gmail.com or you can visit the web site http://www.loudpedalvideo.com/
Perris Auto Speedway is located on the Lake Perris Fairgrounds (home of October’s Southern California Fair), approximately one hour east of Los Angeles and one hour North of San Diego. To get to the track, take the 215 freeway, exit on the Ramona Expressway and go three miles east to the fairgrounds.
racesatthepas@aol.com is the only authorized Internet address to issue official media news released from The Perris Auto Speedway or Oval Entertainment
2013 PERRIS AUTO SPEEDWAY SCHEDULE
November 27 – Practice for the 73rd Running of the Turkey Night Grand Prix
November 28 – 73rd Running of the Turkey Night Grand Prix – USAC National and Western Midgets
Note #1 – Schedule is subject to change.