A little bit has changed since Tracy Hines raced at Plymouth Speedway in Indiana in 2012. For starters, the track converted from pavement to dirt. Also, the configuration was shortened a bit, as the track now measures about a three-eighths-mile. Hines will take to the dirt surface at the Northern Indiana oval this weekend for the second and third races of the season for the Honda USAC National Midget Series.
Midget Maynia for the Honda USAC National Midget Series at Plymouth Speedway in Indiana is set for Friday, May 29 and Saturday, May 30. Each night will feature a complete racing program.
“It’s been a while since we’ve raced a midget, so we are chomping at the bit to get to Plymouth for a two-nighter,” said Hines, who drives the Parker Machinery/Powered by Toyota Spike. “It’s kind of hard to believe that we’ve only had a single night of midget racing this year so far. That makes every race even more important to run up front to gain as many points as you can, because the schedule is so condensed.”
Hines started fifth and finished third in a 50-lap event for the Honda USAC National Midget Series at Plymouth Speedway in 2012. To date, that is the only time he has raced at the venue.
“From the sounds of it, changing over to dirt has been a great move for Plymouth,” said Hines. “They have had a number of races there this year, including some open wheel shows, so the surface should be in pretty good shape for the midgets. A few people have run there, but not too many, so it should be a fairly equal playing field to start.”
Hines has made just one start outdoors in a midget in 2015, as the season opening Kokomo Grand Prix at Kokomo Speedway in Indiana was shortened by rain to a single night event back in April. He finished second in the main event, after timing in seventh-fastest in qualifying and finishing second in a heat race. Hines is second in points as he chases his first Honda USAC National Midget Series title.
“We were close at Kokomo last month and if we can pick up where we left off there, we should be okay,” he noted. “With just dirt races on the midget schedule this year, we can focus all of our energy on just the one-type of car and continue to make fine adjustments to get closer to where we want and need to be.”
Last week, Hines competed in three events leading up to Memorial Day. He began the trio of races on Thursday, May 21 with the running of the Hoosier Hundred for the Traxxas USAC Silver Crown Series at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis. He qualified fourth and was running fourth when he slowed on lap-11, with mechanical issues that ended his night. Hines returned to action with the Traxxas USAC Silver Crown Series on Saturday, May 23 at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis for the running of the Day Before the 500. He qualified third for the 100-lapper and wound up seventh. He is currently ninth in points with the series.
Hines wrapped up the holiday weekend aboard The Carolina Nut Company winged sprint car by competing with the UNOH All Star Circuit of Champions at Fremont Speedway in Ohio on Sunday, May 24. He finished seventh in a heat race and wound up the night in the C-main, with a very strong field in attendance, for what was just his third-ever winged sprint car start. All of which have come at Fremont Speedway.
Along with competing in the full Honda USAC National Midget Series campaign, Hines also is racing full-time with the Amsoil USAC National Sprint Car Series and Traxxas USAC Silver Crown Series.
For more information on Tracy Hines Racing, visit http://www.tracyhinesracing.com. Follow Tracy on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/TracyHinesRacin.
Tracy Hines Racing would like to thank: Parker Machinery, Powered by Toyota, Turbines, Inc., Afco Racing Shocks, Schoenfeld, Stanton Racing Engines, Daum Motorsport, Indiana Underground, Hoosier, Bell and Drivin Racing Oil.
For more information on Tracy Hines Racing, visit http://www.tracyhinesracing.com. Follow Tracy on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/TracyHinesRacin and “Like him” on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/Tracyhinesracing.
- administrator on May 29, 2015
- Article Date: 5/29/2015