By Tracy Hines Racing PR
NEW CASTLE, Ind.—April 7, 2014— Setting fast time, leading a lap and finishing in the runner-up position is not too bad of a way to start a new season. That was the formula that Tracy Hines used for the opener of the 2014 Traxxas USAC Silver Crown Series campaign at the Terre Haute Action Track in his home state of Indiana on Sunday, April 6.
Hines took the green flag for the Sumar Classic from the pole, with outside front row starter and eventual winner Kody Swanson, taking the lead at the drop of the green. A number of cautions plagued the early stages of the race, with Hines getting shuffled back to fourth at one point. Hines used a strong restart on lap-35 to gain a couple of spots and took the lead on 37th circuit from Chris Windom, who led lap-36, with Swanson retaking the top spot again on the very next circuit.
The native of New Castle, Ind., got another run on Swanson on the 40th lap and was just about to take the lead when the caution flag flew, putting the latter back on the point. Strong restarts the rest of the way cemented the race for Swanson, who lapped all the way up to fourth-place.
The runner-up finish for Hines, who pilots the Chevy-powered Hugh Brothers/Midwest Sheet Metal Beast for Lightfoot Racing, was his second straight top-five with the Traxxas USAC Silver Crown Series at the Terre Haute Action Track. He is currently second in points, just three markers behind Swanson. The next scheduled event for the Traxxas USAC Silver Crown Series is the USAC Hall of Fame Classic on May 17, at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis.
Hines opened the Sumar Classic by turning the fastest lap in time trials of the 21 entries at the half-mile, stopping the clock at 21.112-seconds. That put him on pole for the 100-lap event at the historic half-mile.
The veteran driver kicked off the weekend on Saturday, April 5, at Lawrenceburg (Ind.) Speedway with the Amsoil USAC National Sprint Car Series in The Carolina Nut Co. DRC. Hines finished third in the second heat race to earn a spot in the 30-lap main event, after qualifying 22nd of the 42 entries in time trials. The 2002 series champion suffered a DNF (Did not finish) in the A-Feature and was scored 19th. He is currently seventh in points, just 29 markers out of the top-five. The next Amsoil USAC National Sprint Car Series event is scheduled for Saturday, April 19, at the famed Eldora Speedway in Ohio.
Hines returns to action this coming weekend at Kokomo Speedway in his home state of Indiana, for the running of the inaugural Kokomo Grand Prix for the Honda USAC National Midget Series and Lucas Oil POWRi National Midget Series on Friday, April 11, and Saturday, April 12.
Tracy Hines Racing would like to thank Primary Sponsors: The Carolina Nut Company, Hansen’s Welding Inc, Elliott’s Custom Trailers and Carts, Hugh Brothers, Midwest Sheet Metal and MPHG Promotions Inc. Associate Sponsors for 2014 include: ProSource Professional Resources, Turbines Inc., Daum Crop Insurance, Parker Machinery, Stanton Racing Engines and Schipper Family Farms. Product Sponsors that are part of Tracy Hines Racing in 2014 include: Afco Racing Products, Schoenfeld Headers, Autonet Mobile, Indy Race Parts, Bell Racing, Kenny’s Components, Race Bumpers, Hoosier Racing Tires, CSI Competition Suspension, Shadow Graphix, Driven Racing Oil, Sander Engineering.
For more information on Tracy Hines Racing, visit http://www.tracyhinesracing.