“4-CROWN” NEXT FOR MIDGETS SEPTEMBER 26;

THORSON “SWEEPS” GOLD CROWN MIDGET NATIONALS”

Tracy Hines emerged from last week’s “Gold Crown Midget Nationals” presented by DuPont at Granite City, Ill. with a 23-point lead in the latest Honda USAC National Midget Series as he seeks to become the sixth driver in USAC history to land the “Triple Crown.”

Hines finished ninth in Friday night’s 25-lapper, but after running well in Saturday’s 40-lapper, he ended up flipping late in the running. The series has three remaining events, concluding with the Thanksgiving night “Turkey Night Grand Prix” at Perris, Calif.

Tanner Thorson of Minden, Nev. swept to victory at Granite City’s Tri-City Speedway, wheeling the Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports Toyota TRD Bullet/Speedway Toyota to victory on both Friday and Saturday. Saturday night’s win was spectacular as he came from the back after a tire change to run down the leaders and score the victory.

Thorson’s wins have vaulted him to within just 24 points of Hines and is just one point behind series runner-up Kevin Thomas Jr. who suffered through a challenging “Gold Crown” performance.

Thorson led all 25 laps of Friday’s race to beat Thomas Meseraull, Steve Buckwalter, Zach Daum and Tyler Thomas. On Saturday, he led the first 22 laps before a tire change sent him to the back of the field on a restart. Zach Daum assumed the lead, but eventually succumbed to Thorson’s charge on the white flag lap and Daum finished second ahead of Chris Windom, Dave Darland and Meseraull.