Irwindale gets ready for fall shows

Jason Leffler and other United States Auto Club participants are gearing up for two major events at Irwindale (Calif.) Speedway, which will have an impact on year-end point rankings. Leffler is the defending winner of both the Coors Light Silver Bullet race, which unfolds at the 1/2-mile paved oval October 14, and the Home Depot "Turkey Night Grand Prix" MCI WorldCom National/Western Midget Car race, slated November 23. Both events are scheduled for national broadcast on ESPN2's "Thunder Series." The Four Point Sheraton Hotel in Monrovia, Calif., formerly the Wyndham Garden Hotel, will again serve as the official USAC race headquarters for both events. In addition, Irwindale Speedway has invited all former winners of the "Turkey Night Grand Prix" Midget Car race to attend the 60th anniversary running of the Thanksgiving Night race. Leffler, who won last night's (August 23) "Mel Kenyon Classic" Midget Car race at Indianapolis Raceway Park, teamed with Tony Stewart and Dave Darland in last year's "Turkey Night" classic and is part of the Steve Lewis team which also includes 2000 MCI WorldCom National point leader Kasey Kahne. Jason also owns two Coors Light Silver Bullet wins this season, at Phoenix, Ariz. and Indianapolis, Ind., in the series currently led by Brian Tyler of Parma, Mich. In addition to Leffler, other former "Turkey Night Grand Prix" winners invited to attend this year's race will be 8-time winner Ron Shuman (1979-80-81-82-84-87-92-93), 3-time winner Billy Boat (1995-96-97), 2-time winners A.J. Foyt (1960-61), Mel Kenyon (1963-75), Gary Bettenhausen (1967-70), Bill Engelhart (1971-73), Chuck Gurney (1988-89), Stan Fox (1990-91) and Parnelli Jones (1964-66), plus George Benson (1969), Tony Simon (1972), Danny McKnight (1974), Bubby Jones (1976), Rick Goudy (1978), Kevin Olson (1983), Brent Kaeding (1985), Warren Mockler (1986), Jordan Hermansader (1994) and Jay Drake (1998).

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