Indianapolis (IRP): Turbines Sprint Challenge preview

Hines eyes Bliss' IRP record in Saturday's "Turbines Sprint Challenge".

Stoops Freightliner Sprint Car Series point leader Tracy Hines will try to tie Mike Bliss' IRP victory record this Saturday night in the Subway Racing Series "Turbines Sprint Challenge" at Indianapolis Raceway Park.

Hines has won eight USAC Sprint Car races in the past four years on the .686-mile paved IRP oval and coupled with his two Midget wins there in 1997 and 1998 he has 10 total victories, compared to Bliss' 11. Bliss won five times in Sprint Cars, four times in Silver Crown and twice in Midgets at IRP.

Hines leads Derek Davidson by 90 points going into Saturday night's program, which starts with practice at 5:30 pm. Qualifying begins at 6:30 and the first race is set for 8:15. The feature is 30 laps.

Davidson was the fastest qualifier for last Saturday night's USAC Silver Crown race at Terre Haute and had a third at IRP last year.

Hines has already presented his car owner, Dynamics, Inc. of Milford, Ohio, with record-breaking USAC feature victories at Anderson and Haubstadt, Ind. and Nazareth, Pa. Dave Steele (2), J.J. Yeley (2) and Jon Stanbrough have also scored 2002 USAC Stoops Freightliner Sprint Car feature wins.

Drivers will aim for Jason McCord's 1-lap track qualifying record of 123.381 mph set last year, while Hines holds the 30-lap record of 118.123 mph.

USAC STOOPS FREIGHTLINER SPRINT CAR SERIES STANDINGS
1. Tracy Hines 498
2. Derek Davidson 408
3. J.J. Yeley 351
4. Jay Drake 325
5. Dave Darland 286
6. A.J. Fike 267
7. Tony Elliott 233
8. Jason McCord 224
9. Levi Jones 220
10. Eric Gordon 210

-usac-