12-RACE USAC MOPAR D1/STARS MIDGET SKED RELEASED

Grundy County Speedway in Morris, Ill., the home of the STARS Midget Series, will serve as the “home” track for the 2012 USAC Mopar D1 Midget Series, with nine of the 12 scheduled events slated at the one-third mile paved oval.

The series which showcases stars of USAC and the STARS Midget organization (Short Track Auto Racing Stars), opens June 2 at the Morris oval and closes September 15 at Columbus (Ohio) Motor Speedway). In between, eight other events at Grundy County are on tap, along with an appearance at Plymouth (Ind.) Speedway and one at Kalamazoo (Mich.) Speedway.

“We are excited about the continuing relationship with STARS and looking forward to the 2012 schedule, which should produce some exciting competition,” says USAC’s James Spink. “Grundy County was the site of one of USAC’s most exciting races in history, which Darren Hagen won last year. Fans in attendance are still talking about Hagen’s spectacular run from last position to the victory after he stalled on the front-stretch during the early laps.”

“By continuing our relationship with the USAC Mopar D1 series, it should make for some tight competition every Saturday Night at Grundy County Speedway,” offered STARS board member Mike Guglielmucci. “The year 2012 will be a season the fans and competitors will want to be a part of each and every week. Having our 2011 STARS champion Jimmy Anderson go against 2011 USAC champion Taylor Ferns, both Grundy favorites, will keep everyone on the edge of their seats.”

The 2012 USAC Mopar D1 Midget Schedule (Co-sanctioned by STARS)

June 2 Morris, IL/Grundy County Speedway

June 9 Morris, IL/Grundy County Speedway

June 30 Morris, IL/Grundy County Speedway

July 14 Morris, IL/Grundy County Speedway

July 28 Morris, IL/Grundy County Speedway

August 4 Morris, IL/Grundy County Speedway

August10 Plymouth, IN/Plymouth Speedway

August 11 Morris, IL/Grundy County Speedway

August 18 Kalamazoo, MI/Kalamazoo Motor Speedway

August 25 Morris, IL/Grundy County Speedway

September 1 Morris, IL/Grundy County Speedway

September 15 Columbus, OH/Columbus Motor Speedway

20-RACE WESTERN MIDGET SCHEDULE ANNOUNCED

Twenty races are listed on the preliminary 2012 USAC Mopar Western Midget Schedule, including three events currently under negotiation, with venues to be announced soon.

Tracks involved in the series incude Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico, Calif., Madera Speedway, Bakersfield Speedway, Santa Maria Speedway, Kings Speedway in Hanford, Ocean Speedway in Watsonville, Calistoga Speedway and the newly-added Chowchilla Motor Speedway.

The series is scheduled to run from mid-March through Thanksgiving Night, with the finale again offering USAC Mopar National Midget points.

Cory Kruseman of Ventura, Calif. captured last year’s title after a season-long duel with David Prickett, his first in the series after claiming the 2006 USAC/CRA Sprint Car crown.

The 2012 Mopar USAC Western Midget Schedule:

March 23 - Chico, CA/Silver Dollar Speedway

March 24 - Chico, CA/Silver Dollar Speedway

March 31 - Madera, CA/Madera Speedway

April 7 - Bakersfield, CA/Bakersfield Speedway

May 5 - Madera, CA/Madera Speedway

May 12 - Santa Maria, CA/Santa Maria Speedway

May 19 - Hanford, CA/Kings Speedway

June 9 - Madera, CA/Madera Speedway

July 6 - Watsonville, CA/Ocean Speedway

July 14 - Madera, CA/Madera Speedway

August 4 - Santa Maria, CA/Santa Maria Speedway

August 18 - TBA/TBA

September 1 - Calistoga, CA/Calistoga Speedway

September 2 - Calistoga, CA/Calistoga Speedway

September 6 - Chico, CA/Silver Dollar Speedway

September 7 - Chico, CA/Silver Dollar Speedway

September 15 - Madera, CA/Madera Speedway

September 22 - Bakersfield, CA/Bakersfield Speedway

October 27 - Chowchilla, CA/Chowchilla Motor Speedway

November 22 - @Irwindale, CA/Toyota Speedway at Irwindale

@=Also awards National Midget points.

“WESTERN AWARDS BANQUET” FEBRUARY 4 AT THUNDER VALLEY

The 2011 USAC Western States “Night of Champions” Awards Banquet is scheduled Saturday, February 4, at the Thunder Valley Casino and Resort in Lincoln, Calif., honoring champions of USAC’s 2012 Western racing series,

Top driver honorees include Tony Hunt (AMSOIL Western Sprints), Geoff Ensign (AMSOIL Western Classic Sprints), Cory Kruseman (Mopar Western Midgets) and Brodie Kostecki (Western Focus Midgets), while numerous others will be saluted for outstanding achievement, including sub-series championships. Primary Car Owner Championships in 2011 included Mike Phulps (AMSOIL Western Sprint), Ted Finkenbinder (AMSOIL Western Classic Sprint) and Kruseman Enterprises (Mopar Western Midgets).

The “top-10 drivers and car entrants in each series are slated for recognition, while champions in Northern California, Southern California, Pavement and Dirt classifications will also be toasted.

Tickets for the function at $55 per person are available and must be purchased in advance by contacting Jeanie Hunt at (916) 863-7223. Special room rates at two sites are also available. Please mention USAC when reserving rooms at the Staybridge Suites in Rocklin, Calif. ($99) or Thunder Valley Casino and Resort ($169-code # 120121-USAC). The Staybridge can be reached at (916) 781-7500, while the numbers at Thunder Valley are (916) 408-7777 or (877) 468-1777. The casino will provide shuttle service from the Staybridge to the Casino.

Bobby Gerould will serve as the emcee for the banquet, which begins with cocktails at 6 pm and a buffet dinner at 7. Numerous special awards will also be presented during the evening.

“WESTERN AWARDS BANQUET” FEBRUARY 4 AT THUNDER VALLEY

The 2011 USAC Western States “Night of Champions” Awards Banquet is scheduled Saturday, February 4, at the Thunder Valley Casino and Resort in Lincoln, Calif., honoring champions of USAC’s 2012 Western racing series,

Top driver honorees include Tony Hunt (AMSOIL Western Sprints), Geoff Ensign (AMSOIL Western Classic Sprints), Cory Kruseman (Mopar Western Midgets) and Brodie Kostecki (Western Focus Midgets), while numerous others will be saluted for outstanding achievement, including sub-series championships. Primary Car Owner Championships in 2011 included Mike Phulps (AMSOIL Western Sprint), Ted Finkenbinder (AMSOIL Western Classic Sprint) and Kruseman Enterprises (Mopar Western Midgets).

The “top-10 drivers and car entrants in each series are slated for recognition, while champions in Northern California, Southern California, Pavement and Dirt classifications will also be toasted.

Tickets for the function at $55 per person are available and must be purchased in advance by contacting Jeanie Hunt at (916) 863-7223. Special room rates at two sites are also available. Please mention USAC when reserving rooms at the Staybridge Suites in Rocklin, Calif. ($99) or Thunder Valley Casino and Resort ($169-code # 120121-USAC). The Staybridge can be reached at (916) 781-7500, while the numbers at Thunder Valley are (916) 408-7777 or (877) 468-1777. The casino will provide shuttle service from the Staybridge to the Casino.

Bobby Gerould will serve as the emcee for the banquet, which begins with cocktails at 6 pm and a buffet dinner at 7. Numerous special awards will also be presented during the evening.

3-RACE NORTHEAST SERIES ANNOUNCED FOR MOPAR .25 MIDGETS

Three Northeast USAC Mopar .25 Midget clubs will participate in a special three-race series for the 2012 “Northeast Championship,"  announced today.

The series encompasses races June 22-24 at Thompson, Conn. (Little T), June 29-July 1 at Syracuse, NY (New York State Fairgrounds) and August 10-12 at Fulton, NY (Oswego County Quarter Midget Club). The opener at Thompson will be part of the 2012 “Yankee Doodle New England Championship.”

In order to be eligible for year-end championship awards, a driver must compete in all three events and finish in the top-three in the point standings.

“We are excited for our Northeast .25 Midget families that this series materialized,” says USAC’s James Spink. “All three clubs have worked hard to make this a fun series for all involved. We look forward to the fierce competition at all three unique venues.”

“The Syracuse Quarter Midget Club is looking forward to being part of the Northeast Series,” says Keil White, club president. “We appreciate USAC arranging this opportunity for our kids to race with drivers from all across the northeast. We are also looking forward to having USAC families from outside of our area come to our track at the New York State Fairgrounds for the first time. The track is about twice the size of most .25 tracks, and the drivers really enjoy racing on the longer straightaways and wider corners.”

"The Custom Midget Club at The Little T Speedway, located on the grounds of Thompson International Speedway, America's first paved track, is looking forward to hosting its first Gen Next Race and honored that this race will be part of the inaugural Northeast Championship Series,  says Eileen Gross, secretary of the Custom Midget Club. “We encourage .25 midget racers from around the country to join us for a great weekend of racing on the high banks of Little T Speedway."

USAC is entering its 57th season of sanctioning motorsports and its fourth season of presenting top-quality competition for championships in its Mopar .25 Midget series. More information regarding the Northeast Championship and other Mopar .25 Midget activities can be found at www.usacracing.com.

16 EASTERN FOCUS DATES ANNOUNCED

The 2012 USAC Eastern Focus Midget schedule announced today lists 16 events at five different speedways, all on pavement.

Ace Speedway in Altamahaw, N.C. hosts the openers March 30 and 31 in conjunction with USAC Mopar National Midget events and the closer on September 3. A special three-race “Eastern Midget Week” which includes Concord (N.C.) Motorsports Park, Ace Speedway and Hickory (N.C.) Motor Speedway in early August highlights the 2012 calendar.

Concord will host a total of nine races between mid-May and early-August, while Plymouth (Ind.) Speedway and Grundy County Speedway in Morris, Ill. join Ace Speedway is hosting races awarding points toward both the Eastern and Midget championships.

Nick Drake of Mooresville, N.C. is the defending USAC Eastern Ford Focus Midget Champion and claimed his second USAC National Ford Focus title in 2011.

“Our Eastern series is shaping up for some really exciting events in 2012, starting with the big two-night event in March at Ace Speedway,” states USAC’s James Spink. “The return of the mid-week schedule at Concord has received positive feedback and we’re looking forward to that as well.”

2012 Eastern Focus Midget Series Schedule

March 30 @Altamahaw, NC/Ace Speedway

March 31 @Altamahaw, NC/Ace Speedway

May 17 Concord, NC/Concord Motorsports Park

May 30 Concord, NC/Concord Motorsports Park

June 6 Concord, NC/Concord Motorsports Park

June 13 Concord, NC/Concord Motorsports Park

June 20 Concord, NC/Concord Motorsports Park

June 27 Concord, NC/Concord Motorsports Park

July 11 Concord, NC/Concord Motorsports Park

July 18 Concord, NC/Concord Motorsports Park

August 1 #Concord, NC/Concord Motorsports Park

August 3 #Altamahaw, NC/Ace Speedway

August 4 #Hickory, NC/Hickory Motor Speedway

August 10 @Plymouth, IN/Plymouth Speedway

August 11 @Morris, IL/Grundy County Speedway

September 3 Altamahaw, NC/Ace Speedway

@=Also award Midwest points

#=Eastern Midget Week

28-RACE MIDWEST FOCUS SLATE FOR 2012

A total of 28 races are listed on the preliminary 2012 USAC Midwest Focus Midget schedule announced today, which includes both dirt and paved races.

The series opens with events at Ace Speedway in Altamahaw, NC which award points toward both the Midwest and Eastern championships. August 10 and 11 races at Plymouth, Ind. and Morris, Ill. also award points toward both series championships.

Two dirt and 10 paved ovals comprise the schedule, with new venues at Norton, Lorain and Painesville, Ohio and Springport, Mich.

Gas City and Montpelier, Ind. ovals return with dirt-track events, each hosting a half-dozen back-to-back races.

“We look forward to visiting some new tracks in Ohio in 2012,” states USAC’s James Spink. “Our dirt program has continued to grow for the Focus cars the last two seasons and we anticipate more of that this year.”

2012 Midwest Focus Midget Series Schedule

March 30 #Altamahaw, NC/Ace Speedway

March 31 #Altamahaw, NC/Ace Speedway

April 20 Gas City, IN/Gas City I-69 Speedway

April 21 Montpelier, IN/Montpelier Motor Speedway

May 12 Columbus, OH/Columbus Motor Speedway

June 1 Xenia, OH/Kil-Kare Speedway

June 2 South Amherst, OH/Lorain County Speedway

June 8 Gas City, IN/Gas City I-69 Speedway

June 9 Montpelier, IN/Montpelier Motor Speedway

June 22 Gas City, IN/Gas City I-69 Speedway

June 23 Montpelier, IN/Montpelier Motor Speedway

June 30 Morris, IL/Grundy County Speedway

July 1 Springport, MI/Springport Motor Speedway

July 6 Plymouth, IN/Plymouth Speedway

July 7 Plymouth, IN/Plymouth Speedway

July 13 Gas City, IN/Gas City I-69 Speedway

July 14 Montpelier, IN/Montpelier Motor Speedway

July 20 Norton, OH/Barberton Speedway

July 21 Painesville, OH/Lake County Speedway

August 10 #Plymouth, IN/Plymouth Speedway

August 11 #Morris, IL/Grundy County Speedway

August 18 Kalamazoo, MI/Kalamazoo Speedway

August 25 Morris, IL/Grundy County Speedway‘

September 7 Gas City, IN/Gas City I-69 Speedway

September 8 Montpelier, IN/Montpelier Motor Speedway

September 15 Columbus, OH/Columbus Motor Speedway

September 28 Gas City, IN/Gas City I-69 Speedway

September 29 Montpelier, IN/Montpelier Motor Speedway

#=Also awards Eastern Focus points.

CONTINUE USAC MOPAR .25 MIDGET EXPANSION

Two New York quarter midget clubs are the latest to join USAC’s growing family of Mopar .25 Midget clubs which will compete in 2012.

The Syracuse Quarter Midget Club, headquartered at the famed New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse, and the Oswego County Quarter Midget Club, which competes on a track located near the Oswego County Airport in Volney, N.Y., are the latest to become affiliated with the USAC Mopar .25 Midget family.

The Syracuse club has been in operation for more than 30 years and known as the “Beast of the East” it conducts events from April through October, culminating with a “Super Dirt Week” program. Similarly, the Oswego County Club, which debuted in 1997, races from April through October and joins the Syracuse club for its annual “Super Dirt Week” activities.

“I would like to take this opportunity to say that the Syracuse Quarter Midget Club is extremely excited about joining the USAC organization for the 2012 racing season,” says John Trenca, President of SYRQM. “I. myself, raced with the USAC organization with our family-owned Silver Crown Team, and know first hand that USAC is the premier sanctioning body in North America. The resources, professionalism and endless opportunities of the organization are what led our club to make this switch. We look forward to working with USAC this coming racing season and many seasons to come.”

"Oswego County Quarter Midget Club is very excited to be joining the ranks of such a storied organization,” adds Ken Sheldon, vice-president.” With USAC's history and progressive vision for the future of auto racing we look forward to a long and rewarding relationship."

“We are delighted to announce the inclusion of these two Empire State clubs in USAC’s inventory of Mopar .25 Midget clubs for the upcoming season,” says USAC Developmental Racing Director James Spink. “We have an ambitious schedule planned in the new year, with an expanded “Generation Next” calendar, and the addition of these two clubs is a welcome expansion of our operations.”

2012 “GENERATION NEXT” SLATE EXPANDS TO 15 RACES

The 2012 USAC Mopar .25 Midget “Generation Next” calendar has been released and contains a record 15 events in a dozen states plus a non-points special event.

Opening with the “Spring Training Spectacular” in the Valley of the Sun (Phoenix, Ariz.) in March and closing during the “4-Crown Nationals” at Tony Stewart’s “Little E” at Rossburg, Ohio in September, drivers will compete for National Championships at a variety of venues, including several new events.

The “Lone Star Nationals” in Texas, the “Peach State Championship” at Braselton, Ga. and the “Music City Mayhem” at Nashville, Tenn. complete the March calendar. April offers the “Dirt Triple Crown Round #1” at Terre Haute, Ind. and the “Unser Family Classic” at Albuquerque, N.M.

The eBay Motors Western World at San Bernardino, Calif. and the special non-points “Robbie Stanley Memorial” at the “Mini-Indy” oval in Indianapolis, Ind. comprise the May schedule.

June is “busting out all over” with the “eBay Motors Midwest Championship” at Xenia, Ohio, the “Mason-Dixon Shootout” at Hagerstown, Md. And the “Yankee Doodle New England Championship” at Thompson, Conn.

The “Battle at the Brickyard” unfolds this year at the Mini-Indy oval in Indianapolis in July. The event which concludes with the NASCAR weekend at IMS will offer several new unique opportunities for families during this racing week.

August’s calendar includes the ”Carolina Clash Finals” at Salisbury, N.C., the “Mopar Mega Weekend” at Kalamazoo, Mich. and the “Labor Day Spectacular” at Toledo, Ohio, which spills over into September.

“Expansion of our operations in recent months with brand new clubs joining the fold has opened opportunities for expansion of the “Generation Next” calendar and we are excited about the 15-race schedule we have announced,” says USAC Developmental Director James Spink. “Spanning America, we now offer exposure on a national level to our participants and we look forward to the crowning of our 2012 National Champions and the celebrations which will ensue at the end of the season.”

In addition, four sub-series will be announced for those families wishing to stay closer to home. These sub-series will include: the Southwest Swing, the Dirt Triple Crown, the Mid-Atlantic Championship and the Mopar Midwest Tour.

2012 USAC Mopar .25 Midget “Generation Next” Calendar

Date Location/Event

March 2-4 Phoenix, AZ/Spring Training Spectacular

March 9-11 San Antonio, TX/Lone Star Nationals

March 16-18 Braselton, GA/Peach State Championship

March 23-25 Nashville, TN/Music City Mayhem

April 13-15 Terre Haute, IN/Dirt Triple Crown Round #1

April 27-29 Albuquerque, NM/Unser Family Classic

May 4-6 San Bernardino, CA/eBay Motors Western World

May 18-20 #Indianapolis, INRobbie Stanley Memorial

June 1-3 Xenia, OH/eBay Motors Midwest Championship

June 15-17 Hagerstown, MD/Mason Dixon Shootout

June 22-24 Thompson, CT/Yankee Doodle New England Championship

July 24-28 Indianapolis, IN/Battle at the Brickyard

August 2-4 Salisbury, NC/Carolina Clash Finals

August 17-19 Kalamazoo, MI/Mopar Mega Weekend

August 31-September 2 Toledo, OH/Labor Day Spectacular

September 21-23 Rossburg, OH/4-Crown Nationals

#=Special Non-Points Event

AT FRIDAY’S 56th “NIGHT OF CHAMPIONS” CELEBRATION

Friday night’s 56th USAC “Night of Champions” National Awards Dinner held at the Indiana Roof Ballroom in downtown Indianapolis, Ind. sported a somewhat familiar theme to the previous year’s function. Bryan Clauson of Noblesville, Ind. once again headlined the list of award recipients after claiming his second consecutive USAC National Drivers Championship.

Clauson, of Noblesville, Ind., raked in a $40,000 year-end cash bonus, along with a $300,000 scholarship from INDYCAR.

Also accepting checks as members of the National Drivers Championship “top-10” were runner-up Kyle Larson of Elk Grove, Calif., Chris Windom of Canton, Ill., Levi Jones of Olney, Ill., Tracy Hines of New Castle, Ind., Bobby East of Brownsburg, Ind., Jerry Coons Jr. of Tucson, Ariz., Darren Hagen of Riverside, Calif., Hunter Schuerenberg of Sikeston, Mo. and Jon Stanbrough of Avon, Ind.

Clauson, as he did in 2010, also claimed the 2011 USAC Mopar National Midget title and was again the top USAC Midget driver on dirt.

Tony Stewart Racing teammate Levi Jones of Olney, Ill. repeated as the 2011 USAC Traxxas Silver Crown and AMSOIL National Sprint Car Champion. The Silver Crown title was Jones’ second, while his fifth Sprint car title broke the previous record of four set by Steve Butler.

Nick Drake of Mooresville, N.C. also claimed his second consecutive USAC National Ford Focus crown and will have his name again emblazoned on the permanent Henry Ford Sweepstakes Trophy, along with 2011 USAC National Focus Young Guns Champion Cole Custer of Kannapolis, N.C. Drake also claimed the Eastern Ford Focus title.

Champions of USAC’s 2011 The Off Road Championship (TORC) series honored Friday included Ricky Johnson of Trabuco Canyon, Calif. (Pro 4x4), Bryce Menzies of Las Vegas, Nev. (Pro 2WD) and Andrew Caddell of Graham, Wash. (Pro Light 2WD).

Keys to the City of Indianapolis from Mayor Gregory A. Ballard were presented to Jones, Clauson and Drake in recognition of their 2011 National Championships.

Emcees Jim Tretow and Meghan Kolb (TORC) orchestrated the presentations, which included driver and car entrant champions, Rookies of the Year, Most Improved Drivers and special award recipients.

Among items presented to the 2011 champions were trophies, plaques, Oakley timepieces, Hoosier jackets, medallions and personalized remote-control TRAXXAS Trucks.

USAC President Kevin Miller and Famous Rhodes, Senior Director of eBay Motors, outlined special eBay Motors/Mopar PACE Awards presented to Famous Rhodes II, Taylor Ferns, Mitch Hoffses and R.J. Anderson, while Tommy McCarthy and Tyler Shullick received Arrive and Drive Awards.

Driving champions in addition to the aforementioned included Mike Spencer of Temecula, Calif. (AMSOIL USAC/CRA Sprints), Tony Hunt of Lincoln, Calif. (AMSOIL Western Sprints and Western Classic Pavement Sprints), Geoff Ensign of Sebastopol, Calif. (Western Classic Sprints), Cory Kruseman of Ventura, Calif. (Mopar Western Midgets), Jim Waters of West Jordan, Utah (Rocky Mountain Sprint and Utah Ford Focus), Richard VanderWeerd of Visalia, Calif. (West Coast 360 Sprint), Taylor Ferns of Shelby Township, Mich. (Mopar D1 Midget), Joe Krawiec of Bristol, Conn. (DMA Midget), Ross Rankine of Willard, Ohio (Midwest Ford Focus), Brodie Kostecki of Roseville, Calif. (Western Ford Focus and Focus Young Guns), Jared Irvan of Midland, N.C. (Eastern Focus Young Guns) and Sam McGhee of Camby, Ind. (Midwest Focus Young Guns).

Lyn St. James, founder of the Women in the Winners Circle program joined 2004 USAC Speedrome Midget Champion Sondi Eden in celebrating along with newly-crowned USAC Mopar D1 Midget Champ Taylor Ferns. Ferns became USAC’s second female driving champion in 2011 while Jessica Clark claimed a pair of Western Ford Focus titles to expand the list of USAC female driving champs to three.

Darren Hagen of Riverside, Calif. was honored as the top USAC pavement Midget driver, while Bobby Santos of Franklin, Mass. was honored as the top pavement Sprint driver of 2011.

Honored as USAC .25 Midget National Champions as a result of their “Generation Next Tour” titles were Harrison Burton of Huntersville, NC (Light 160), Tyler Clem of St. Petersburg, FL (Junior Honda), Bryant Dawson of Phoenix, AZ (Mod and Heavy AA), Michael Fanelli of Rio Rancho, NM (Unrestricted Animal), Carson Hocevar of Portage, MI (Junior Stock and Junior Animal), Jared Irvan of Midland, NC (Senior Honda), Garrett Jones of West Palm Beach, FL (Light World Formula and Senior Animal) Ryan Krachun of Neshanic, NJ (B), Mark Miller of Mooresville, NC (Heavy 160), Wil Raber of Allegan, MI (Heavy Honda), Katlyn Stanley of Concord, NC (Heavy World Formula) and Gage Walker of Fairland, IN (Light AA).

Ford Racing was presented the Midget Engine Manufacturer of the Year award, while Mopar received the TORC Engine Manufacturer of the Year honors. B.F. Goodrich earned the TORC Tire Manufacturer of the Year award.

Andrew Caddell of Graham, Wash. accepted the TORC TRAXXAS MAXX Award for posting the most “fastest laps” during the 2011 Pro Light 2WD campaign.

R.J. Anderson of Riverside, Calif., also a Pro Light 2WD participant, was named TORC “Rookie of the Year,” and Mark Jenkins of Fairview, Texas, a Pro 4x4 participant, was named the “Most Improved” TORC driver.

Oakley Bomb awards went to Bryce Menzies (Pro 2WD) and Ricky Johnson (Pro 4x4).

The second annual “Jack Flannery Award” recognizing determination and perseverance went to Scott Taylor of Belvidere, Ill. The TORC “Crew Chief of the Year” honors went to Mike Krahling of Red Bull Team Menzies.

A special USAC “Spirit of Youth Award” was presented to Melissa Osborne of Winston Salem, N.C. for her many contributions to the sport of quarter-midget racing.

National car entrant champions included Tony Stewart/Curb-Agajanian Racing of Brownsburg, Ind. (Silver Crown), Tony Stewart Racing (National Sprint Car) and Corey Tucker Racing/BCI/Curb-Agajanian of Noblesville, Ind. (National Midget).

USAC President Kevin Miller presented USAC Special Appreciation Awards to Traxxas (corporate) and Gary Reed of Toyota (individual) for their contributions and dedicated service to the racing community.

Randy Bernard, Chief Executive Officer for INDYCAR, was named as the recipient of USAC’s prestigious Roger McCluskey Award of Excellence, recognizing his commitment to USAC and its grass-roots racing endeavors.

USAC’s 2011 “Race Organizer of the Year” awards were presented to Bob Miller for the Sprint Eastern Storm series (National) and Dennis Gage of Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico, Calif. (Western).

Kyle Larson of Elk Grove, Calif. earned the 2011! USAC Silver Crown “Rookie of the Year” honors as well as the Bob Stroud Memorial National Midget “Rookie of the Year” Award. Coleman Gulick of Binghamton, N.Y. received the National Sprint Car “Rookie of the Year” honors.

Casey Riggs of Shelbyville, Ind. and Zach Daum of Pocahontas, Ill were named USAC “Most Improved” National Drivers of 2011.

The Jim Blunk Award for contributions to the sport of Midget racing went to three-time USAC National Midget Champion Jason Leffler in recognition of his commitment to the history of the sport of Midget auto racing.

USAC’s 2011 “Mechanical Achievement of the Year” awards went to Tony Stewart Racing’s John Sayne and Brad Mariscotti.

Second and third-place drivers and car entrants in USAC’s National racing series also received their year-end recognition and awards.

All USAC driving champions were also presented one-year memberships by the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in Knoxville, Iowa.

Joe DeFabis of DeFabis Photography, USAC’s Official Portrait Studio, presented Championship Photos to the 2011 National driving champions.

Floral decorations were provided by Jockish Flowers of Indianapolis. Tim Spillman of Auto Racing Ministries delivered the invocation.

AT FRIDAY’S 56th “NIGHT OF CHAMPIONS” CELEBRATION

Friday night’s 56th USAC “Night of Champions” National Awards Dinner held at the Indiana Roof Ballroom in downtown Indianapolis, Ind. sported a somewhat familiar theme to the previous year’s function. Bryan Clauson of Noblesville, Ind. once again headlined the list of award recipients after claiming his second consecutive USAC National Drivers Championship.

Clauson, of Noblesville, Ind., raked in a $40,000 year-end cash bonus, along with a $300,000 scholarship from INDYCAR.

Also accepting checks as members of the National Drivers Championship “top-10” were runner-up Kyle Larson of Elk Grove, Calif., Chris Windom of Canton, Ill., Levi Jones of Olney, Ill., Tracy Hines of New Castle, Ind., Bobby East of Brownsburg, Ind., Jerry Coons Jr. of Tucson, Ariz., Darren Hagen of Riverside, Calif., Hunter Schuerenberg of Sikeston, Mo. and Jon Stanbrough of Avon, Ind.

Clauson, as he did in 2010, also claimed the 2011 USAC Mopar National Midget title and was again the top USAC Midget driver on dirt.

Tony Stewart Racing teammate Levi Jones of Olney, Ill. repeated as the 2011 USAC Traxxas Silver Crown and AMSOIL National Sprint Car Champion. The Silver Crown title was Jones’ second, while his fifth Sprint car title broke the previous record of four set by Steve Butler.

Nick Drake of Mooresville, N.C. also claimed his second consecutive USAC National Ford Focus crown and will have his name again emblazoned on the permanent Henry Ford Sweepstakes Trophy, along with 2011 USAC National Focus Young Guns Champion Cole Custer of Kannapolis, N.C. Drake also claimed the Eastern Ford Focus title.

Champions of USAC’s 2011 The Off Road Championship (TORC) series honored Friday included Ricky Johnson of Trabuco Canyon, Calif. (Pro 4x4), Bryce Menzies of Las Vegas, Nev. (Pro 2WD) and Andrew Caddell of Graham, Wash. (Pro Light 2WD).

Keys to the City of Indianapolis from Mayor Gregory A. Ballard were presented to Jones, Clauson and Drake in recognition of their 2011 National Championships.

Emcees Jim Tretow and Meghan Kolb (TORC) orchestrated the presentations, which included driver and car entrant champions, Rookies of the Year, Most Improved Drivers and special award recipients.

Among items presented to the 2011 champions were trophies, plaques, Oakley timepieces, Hoosier jackets, medallions and personalized remote-control TRAXXAS Trucks.

USAC President Kevin Miller and Famous Rhodes, Senior Director of eBay Motors, outlined special eBay Motors/Mopar PACE Awards presented to Famous Rhodes II, Taylor Ferns, Mitch Hoffses and R.J. Anderson, while Tommy McCarthy and Tyler Shullick received Arrive and Drive Awards.

Driving champions in addition to the aforementioned included Mike Spencer of Temecula, Calif. (AMSOIL USAC/CRA Sprints), Tony Hunt of Lincoln, Calif. (AMSOIL Western Sprints and Western Classic Pavement Sprints), Geoff Ensign of Sebastopol, Calif. (Western Classic Sprints), Cory Kruseman of Ventura, Calif. (Mopar Western Midgets), Jim Waters of West Jordan, Utah (Rocky Mountain Sprint and Utah Ford Focus), Richard VanderWeerd of Visalia, Calif. (West Coast 360 Sprint), Taylor Ferns of Shelby Township, Mich. (Mopar D1 Midget), Joe Krawiec of Bristol, Conn. (DMA Midget), Ross Rankine of Willard, Ohio (Midwest Ford Focus), Brodie Kostecki of Roseville, Calif. (Western Ford Focus and Focus Young Guns), Jared Irvan of Midland, N.C. (Eastern Focus Young Guns) and Sam McGhee of Camby, Ind. (Midwest Focus Young Guns).

Lyn St. James, founder of the Women in the Winners Circle program joined 2004 USAC Speedrome Midget Champion Sondi Eden in celebrating along with newly-crowned USAC Mopar D1 Midget Champ Taylor Ferns. Ferns became USAC’s second female driving champion in 2011 while Jessica Clark claimed a pair of Western Ford Focus titles to expand the list of USAC female driving champs to three.

Darren Hagen of Riverside, Calif. was honored as the top USAC pavement Midget driver, while Bobby Santos of Franklin, Mass. was honored as the top pavement Sprint driver of 2011.

Honored as USAC .25 Midget National Champions as a result of their “Generation Next Tour” titles were Harrison Burton of Huntersville, NC (Light 160), Tyler Clem of St. Petersburg, FL (Junior Honda), Bryant Dawson of Phoenix, AZ (Mod and Heavy AA), Michael Fanelli of Rio Rancho, NM (Unrestricted Animal), Carson Hocevar of Portage, MI (Junior Stock and Junior Animal), Jared Irvan of Midland, NC (Senior Honda), Garrett Jones of West Palm Beach, FL (Light World Formula and Senior Animal) Ryan Krachun of Neshanic, NJ (B), Mark Miller of Mooresville, NC (Heavy 160), Wil Raber of Allegan, MI (Heavy Honda), Katlyn Stanley of Concord, NC (Heavy World Formula) and Gage Walker of Fairland, IN (Light AA).

Ford Racing was presented the Midget Engine Manufacturer of the Year award, while Mopar received the TORC Engine Manufacturer of the Year honors. B.F. Goodrich earned the TORC Tire Manufacturer of the Year award.

Andrew Caddell of Graham, Wash. accepted the TORC TRAXXAS MAXX Award for posting the most “fastest laps” during the 2011 Pro Light 2WD campaign.

R.J. Anderson of Riverside, Calif., also a Pro Light 2WD participant, was named TORC “Rookie of the Year,” and Mark Jenkins of Fairview, Texas, a Pro 4x4 participant, was named the “Most Improved” TORC driver.

Oakley Bomb awards went to Bryce Menzies (Pro 2WD) and Ricky Johnson (Pro 4x4).

The second annual “Jack Flannery Award” recognizing determination and perseverance went to Scott Taylor of Belvidere, Ill. The TORC “Crew Chief of the Year” honors went to Mike Krahling of Red Bull Team Menzies.

A special USAC “Spirit of Youth Award” was presented to Melissa Osborne of Winston Salem, N.C. for her many contributions to the sport of quarter-midget racing.

National car entrant champions included Tony Stewart/Curb-Agajanian Racing of Brownsburg, Ind. (Silver Crown), Tony Stewart Racing (National Sprint Car) and Corey Tucker Racing/BCI/Curb-Agajanian of Noblesville, Ind. (National Midget).

USAC President Kevin Miller presented USAC Special Appreciation Awards to Traxxas (corporate) and Gary Reed of Toyota (individual) for their contributions and dedicated service to the racing community.

Randy Bernard, Chief Executive Officer for INDYCAR, was named as the recipient of USAC’s prestigious Roger McCluskey Award of Excellence, recognizing his commitment to USAC and its grass-roots racing endeavors.

USAC’s 2011 “Race Organizer of the Year” awards were presented to Bob Miller for the Sprint Eastern Storm series (National) and Dennis Gage of Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico, Calif. (Western).

Kyle Larson of Elk Grove, Calif. earned the 2011! USAC Silver Crown “Rookie of the Year” honors as well as the Bob Stroud Memorial National Midget “Rookie of the Year” Award. Coleman Gulick of Binghamton, N.Y. received the National Sprint Car “Rookie of the Year” honors.

Casey Riggs of Shelbyville, Ind. and Zach Daum of Pocahontas, Ill were named USAC “Most Improved” National Drivers of 2011.

The Jim Blunk Award for contributions to the sport of Midget racing went to three-time USAC National Midget Champion Jason Leffler in recognition of his commitment to the history of the sport of Midget auto racing.

USAC’s 2011 “Mechanical Achievement of the Year” awards went to Tony Stewart Racing’s John Sayne and Brad Mariscotti.

Second and third-place drivers and car entrants in USAC’s National racing series also received their year-end recognition and awards.

All USAC driving champions were also presented one-year memberships by the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in Knoxville, Iowa.

Joe DeFabis of DeFabis Photography, USAC’s Official Portrait Studio, presented Championship Photos to the 2011 National driving champions.

Floral decorations were provided by Jockish Flowers of Indianapolis. Tim Spillman of Auto Racing Ministries delivered the invocation.

AT FRIDAY’S 56th “NIGHT OF CHAMPIONS” CELEBRATION

Friday night’s 56th USAC “Night of Champions” National Awards Dinner held at the Indiana Roof Ballroom in downtown Indianapolis, Ind. sported a somewhat familiar theme to the previous year’s function. Bryan Clauson of Noblesville, Ind. once again headlined the list of award recipients after claiming his second consecutive USAC National Drivers Championship.

Clauson, of Noblesville, Ind., raked in a $40,000 year-end cash bonus, along with a $300,000 scholarship from INDYCAR.

Also accepting checks as members of the National Drivers Championship “top-10” were runner-up Kyle Larson of Elk Grove, Calif., Chris Windom of Canton, Ill., Levi Jones of Olney, Ill., Tracy Hines of New Castle, Ind., Bobby East of Brownsburg, Ind., Jerry Coons Jr. of Tucson, Ariz., Darren Hagen of Riverside, Calif., Hunter Schuerenberg of Sikeston, Mo. and Jon Stanbrough of Avon, Ind.

Clauson, as he did in 2010, also claimed the 2011 USAC Mopar National Midget title and was again the top USAC Midget driver on dirt.

Tony Stewart Racing teammate Levi Jones of Olney, Ill. repeated as the 2011 USAC Traxxas Silver Crown and AMSOIL National Sprint Car Champion. The Silver Crown title was Jones’ second, while his fifth Sprint car title broke the previous record of four set by Steve Butler.

Nick Drake of Mooresville, N.C. also claimed his second consecutive USAC National Ford Focus crown and will have his name again emblazoned on the permanent Henry Ford Sweepstakes Trophy, along with 2011 USAC National Focus Young Guns Champion Cole Custer of Kannapolis, N.C. Drake also claimed the Eastern Ford Focus title.

Champions of USAC’s 2011 The Off Road Championship (TORC) series honored Friday included Ricky Johnson of Trabuco Canyon, Calif. (Pro 4x4), Bryce Menzies of Las Vegas, Nev. (Pro 2WD) and Andrew Caddell of Graham, Wash. (Pro Light 2WD).

Keys to the City of Indianapolis from Mayor Gregory A. Ballard were presented to Jones, Clauson and Drake in recognition of their 2011 National Championships.

Emcees Jim Tretow and Meghan Kolb (TORC) orchestrated the presentations, which included driver and car entrant champions, Rookies of the Year, Most Improved Drivers and special award recipients.

Among items presented to the 2011 champions were trophies, plaques, Oakley timepieces, Hoosier jackets, medallions and personalized remote-control TRAXXAS Trucks.

USAC President Kevin Miller and Famous Rhodes, Senior Director of eBay Motors, outlined special eBay Motors/Mopar PACE Awards presented to Famous Rhodes II, Taylor Ferns, Mitch Hoffses and R.J. Anderson, while Tommy McCarthy and Tyler Shullick received Arrive and Drive Awards.

Driving champions in addition to the aforementioned included Mike Spencer of Temecula, Calif. (AMSOIL USAC/CRA Sprints), Tony Hunt of Lincoln, Calif. (AMSOIL Western Sprints and Western Classic Pavement Sprints), Geoff Ensign of Sebastopol, Calif. (Western Classic Sprints), Cory Kruseman of Ventura, Calif. (Mopar Western Midgets), Jim Waters of West Jordan, Utah (Rocky Mountain Sprint and Utah Ford Focus), Richard VanderWeerd of Visalia, Calif. (West Coast 360 Sprint), Taylor Ferns of Shelby Township, Mich. (Mopar D1 Midget), Joe Krawiec of Bristol, Conn. (DMA Midget), Ross Rankine of Willard, Ohio (Midwest Ford Focus), Brodie Kostecki of Roseville, Calif. (Western Ford Focus and Focus Young Guns), Jared Irvan of Midland, N.C. (Eastern Focus Young Guns) and Sam McGhee of Camby, Ind. (Midwest Focus Young Guns).

Lyn St. James, founder of the Women in the Winners Circle program joined 2004 USAC Speedrome Midget Champion Sondi Eden in celebrating along with newly-crowned USAC Mopar D1 Midget Champ Taylor Ferns. Ferns became USAC’s second female driving champion in 2011 while Jessica Clark claimed a pair of Western Ford Focus titles to expand the list of USAC female driving champs to three.

Darren Hagen of Riverside, Calif. was honored as the top USAC pavement Midget driver, while Bobby Santos of Franklin, Mass. was honored as the top pavement Sprint driver of 2011.

Honored as USAC .25 Midget National Champions as a result of their “Generation Next Tour” titles were Harrison Burton of Huntersville, NC (Light 160), Tyler Clem of St. Petersburg, FL (Junior Honda), Bryant Dawson of Phoenix, AZ (Mod and Heavy AA), Michael Fanelli of Rio Rancho, NM (Unrestricted Animal), Carson Hocevar of Portage, MI (Junior Stock and Junior Animal), Jared Irvan of Midland, NC (Senior Honda), Garrett Jones of West Palm Beach, FL (Light World Formula and Senior Animal) Ryan Krachun of Neshanic, NJ (B), Mark Miller of Mooresville, NC (Heavy 160), Wil Raber of Allegan, MI (Heavy Honda), Katlyn Stanley of Concord, NC (Heavy World Formula) and Gage Walker of Fairland, IN (Light AA).

Ford Racing was presented the Midget Engine Manufacturer of the Year award, while Mopar received the TORC Engine Manufacturer of the Year honors. B.F. Goodrich earned the TORC Tire Manufacturer of the Year award.

Andrew Caddell of Graham, Wash. accepted the TORC TRAXXAS MAXX Award for posting the most “fastest laps” during the 2011 Pro Light 2WD campaign.

R.J. Anderson of Riverside, Calif., also a Pro Light 2WD participant, was named TORC “Rookie of the Year,” and Mark Jenkins of Fairview, Texas, a Pro 4x4 participant, was named the “Most Improved” TORC driver.

Oakley Bomb awards went to Bryce Menzies (Pro 2WD) and Ricky Johnson (Pro 4x4).

The second annual “Jack Flannery Award” recognizing determination and perseverance went to Scott Taylor of Belvidere, Ill. The TORC “Crew Chief of the Year” honors went to Mike Krahling of Red Bull Team Menzies.

A special USAC “Spirit of Youth Award” was presented to Melissa Osborne of Winston Salem, N.C. for her many contributions to the sport of quarter-midget racing.

National car entrant champions included Tony Stewart/Curb-Agajanian Racing of Brownsburg, Ind. (Silver Crown), Tony Stewart Racing (National Sprint Car) and Corey Tucker Racing/BCI/Curb-Agajanian of Noblesville, Ind. (National Midget).

USAC President Kevin Miller presented USAC Special Appreciation Awards to Traxxas (corporate) and Gary Reed of Toyota (individual) for their contributions and dedicated service to the racing community.

Randy Bernard, Chief Executive Officer for INDYCAR, was named as the recipient of USAC’s prestigious Roger McCluskey Award of Excellence, recognizing his commitment to USAC and its grass-roots racing endeavors.

USAC’s 2011 “Race Organizer of the Year” awards were presented to Bob Miller for the Sprint Eastern Storm series (National) and Dennis Gage of Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico, Calif. (Western).

Kyle Larson of Elk Grove, Calif. earned the 2011! USAC Silver Crown “Rookie of the Year” honors as well as the Bob Stroud Memorial National Midget “Rookie of the Year” Award. Coleman Gulick of Binghamton, N.Y. received the National Sprint Car “Rookie of the Year” honors.

Casey Riggs of Shelbyville, Ind. and Zach Daum of Pocahontas, Ill were named USAC “Most Improved” National Drivers of 2011.

The Jim Blunk Award for contributions to the sport of Midget racing went to three-time USAC National Midget Champion Jason Leffler in recognition of his commitment to the history of the sport of Midget auto racing.

USAC’s 2011 “Mechanical Achievement of the Year” awards went to Tony Stewart Racing’s John Sayne and Brad Mariscotti.

Second and third-place drivers and car entrants in USAC’s National racing series also received their year-end recognition and awards.

All USAC driving champions were also presented one-year memberships by the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in Knoxville, Iowa.

Joe DeFabis of DeFabis Photography, USAC’s Official Portrait Studio, presented Championship Photos to the 2011 National driving champions.

Floral decorations were provided by Jockish Flowers of Indianapolis. Tim Spillman of Auto Racing Ministries delivered the invocation.

AT FRIDAY’S 56th “NIGHT OF CHAMPIONS” CELEBRATION

Friday night’s 56th USAC “Night of Champions” National Awards Dinner held at the Indiana Roof Ballroom in downtown Indianapolis, Ind. sported a somewhat familiar theme to the previous year’s function. Bryan Clauson of Noblesville, Ind. once again headlined the list of award recipients after claiming his second consecutive USAC National Drivers Championship.

Clauson, of Noblesville, Ind., raked in a $40,000 year-end cash bonus, along with a $300,000 scholarship from INDYCAR.

Also accepting checks as members of the National Drivers Championship “top-10” were runner-up Kyle Larson of Elk Grove, Calif., Chris Windom of Canton, Ill., Levi Jones of Olney, Ill., Tracy Hines of New Castle, Ind., Bobby East of Brownsburg, Ind., Jerry Coons Jr. of Tucson, Ariz., Darren Hagen of Riverside, Calif., Hunter Schuerenberg of Sikeston, Mo. and Jon Stanbrough of Avon, Ind.

Clauson, as he did in 2010, also claimed the 2011 USAC Mopar National Midget title and was again the top USAC Midget driver on dirt.

Tony Stewart Racing teammate Levi Jones of Olney, Ill. repeated as the 2011 USAC Traxxas Silver Crown and AMSOIL National Sprint Car Champion. The Silver Crown title was Jones’ second, while his fifth Sprint car title broke the previous record of four set by Steve Butler.

Nick Drake of Mooresville, N.C. also claimed his second consecutive USAC National Ford Focus crown and will have his name again emblazoned on the permanent Henry Ford Sweepstakes Trophy, along with 2011 USAC National Focus Young Guns Champion Cole Custer of Kannapolis, N.C. Drake also claimed the Eastern Ford Focus title.

Champions of USAC’s 2011 The Off Road Championship (TORC) series honored Friday included Ricky Johnson of Trabuco Canyon, Calif. (Pro 4x4), Bryce Menzies of Las Vegas, Nev. (Pro 2WD) and Andrew Caddell of Graham, Wash. (Pro Light 2WD).

Keys to the City of Indianapolis from Mayor Gregory A. Ballard were presented to Jones, Clauson and Drake in recognition of their 2011 National Championships.

Emcees Jim Tretow and Meghan Kolb (TORC) orchestrated the presentations, which included driver and car entrant champions, Rookies of the Year, Most Improved Drivers and special award recipients.

Among items presented to the 2011 champions were trophies, plaques, Oakley timepieces, Hoosier jackets, medallions and personalized remote-control TRAXXAS Trucks.

USAC President Kevin Miller and Famous Rhodes, Senior Director of eBay Motors, outlined special eBay Motors/Mopar PACE Awards presented to Famous Rhodes II, Taylor Ferns, Mitch Hoffses and R.J. Anderson, while Tommy McCarthy and Tyler Shullick received Arrive and Drive Awards.

Driving champions in addition to the aforementioned included Mike Spencer of Temecula, Calif. (AMSOIL USAC/CRA Sprints), Tony Hunt of Lincoln, Calif. (AMSOIL Western Sprints and Western Classic Pavement Sprints), Geoff Ensign of Sebastopol, Calif. (Western Classic Sprints), Cory Kruseman of Ventura, Calif. (Mopar Western Midgets), Jim Waters of West Jordan, Utah (Rocky Mountain Sprint and Utah Ford Focus), Richard VanderWeerd of Visalia, Calif. (West Coast 360 Sprint), Taylor Ferns of Shelby Township, Mich. (Mopar D1 Midget), Joe Krawiec of Bristol, Conn. (DMA Midget), Ross Rankine of Willard, Ohio (Midwest Ford Focus), Brodie Kostecki of Roseville, Calif. (Western Ford Focus and Focus Young Guns), Jared Irvan of Midland, N.C. (Eastern Focus Young Guns) and Sam McGhee of Camby, Ind. (Midwest Focus Young Guns).

Lyn St. James, founder of the Women in the Winners Circle program joined 2004 USAC Speedrome Midget Champion Sondi Eden in celebrating along with newly-crowned USAC Mopar D1 Midget Champ Taylor Ferns. Ferns became USAC’s second female driving champion in 2011 while Jessica Clark claimed a pair of Western Ford Focus titles to expand the list of USAC female driving champs to three.

Darren Hagen of Riverside, Calif. was honored as the top USAC pavement Midget driver, while Bobby Santos of Franklin, Mass. was honored as the top pavement Sprint driver of 2011.

Honored as USAC .25 Midget National Champions as a result of their “Generation Next Tour” titles were Harrison Burton of Huntersville, NC (Light 160), Tyler Clem of St. Petersburg, FL (Junior Honda), Bryant Dawson of Phoenix, AZ (Mod and Heavy AA), Michael Fanelli of Rio Rancho, NM (Unrestricted Animal), Carson Hocevar of Portage, MI (Junior Stock and Junior Animal), Jared Irvan of Midland, NC (Senior Honda), Garrett Jones of West Palm Beach, FL (Light World Formula and Senior Animal) Ryan Krachun of Neshanic, NJ (B), Mark Miller of Mooresville, NC (Heavy 160), Wil Raber of Allegan, MI (Heavy Honda), Katlyn Stanley of Concord, NC (Heavy World Formula) and Gage Walker of Fairland, IN (Light AA).

Ford Racing was presented the Midget Engine Manufacturer of the Year award, while Mopar received the TORC Engine Manufacturer of the Year honors. B.F. Goodrich earned the TORC Tire Manufacturer of the Year award.

Andrew Caddell of Graham, Wash. accepted the TORC TRAXXAS MAXX Award for posting the most “fastest laps” during the 2011 Pro Light 2WD campaign.

R.J. Anderson of Riverside, Calif., also a Pro Light 2WD participant, was named TORC “Rookie of the Year,” and Mark Jenkins of Fairview, Texas, a Pro 4x4 participant, was named the “Most Improved” TORC driver.

Oakley Bomb awards went to Bryce Menzies (Pro 2WD) and Ricky Johnson (Pro 4x4).

The second annual “Jack Flannery Award” recognizing determination and perseverance went to Scott Taylor of Belvidere, Ill. The TORC “Crew Chief of the Year” honors went to Mike Krahling of Red Bull Team Menzies.

A special USAC “Spirit of Youth Award” was presented to Melissa Osborne of Winston Salem, N.C. for her many contributions to the sport of quarter-midget racing.

National car entrant champions included Tony Stewart/Curb-Agajanian Racing of Brownsburg, Ind. (Silver Crown), Tony Stewart Racing (National Sprint Car) and Corey Tucker Racing/BCI/Curb-Agajanian of Noblesville, Ind. (National Midget).

USAC President Kevin Miller presented USAC Special Appreciation Awards to Traxxas (corporate) and Gary Reed of Toyota (individual) for their contributions and dedicated service to the racing community.

Randy Bernard, Chief Executive Officer for INDYCAR, was named as the recipient of USAC’s prestigious Roger McCluskey Award of Excellence, recognizing his commitment to USAC and its grass-roots racing endeavors.

USAC’s 2011 “Race Organizer of the Year” awards were presented to Bob Miller for the Sprint Eastern Storm series (National) and Dennis Gage of Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico, Calif. (Western).

Kyle Larson of Elk Grove, Calif. earned the 2011! USAC Silver Crown “Rookie of the Year” honors as well as the Bob Stroud Memorial National Midget “Rookie of the Year” Award. Coleman Gulick of Binghamton, N.Y. received the National Sprint Car “Rookie of the Year” honors.

Casey Riggs of Shelbyville, Ind. and Zach Daum of Pocahontas, Ill were named USAC “Most Improved” National Drivers of 2011.

The Jim Blunk Award for contributions to the sport of Midget racing went to three-time USAC National Midget Champion Jason Leffler in recognition of his commitment to the history of the sport of Midget auto racing.

USAC’s 2011 “Mechanical Achievement of the Year” awards went to Tony Stewart Racing’s John Sayne and Brad Mariscotti.

Second and third-place drivers and car entrants in USAC’s National racing series also received their year-end recognition and awards.

All USAC driving champions were also presented one-year memberships by the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in Knoxville, Iowa.

Joe DeFabis of DeFabis Photography, USAC’s Official Portrait Studio, presented Championship Photos to the 2011 National driving champions.

Floral decorations were provided by Jockish Flowers of Indianapolis. Tim Spillman of Auto Racing Ministries delivered the invocation.

SHOWCASES TRADITIONAL EVENTS

Twenty-four preliminary dates have been released for USAC’s 2012 Mopar National Midget Series, with “traditional events” spanning the calendar.

Ace Speedway in Altamahaw, N.C., which hosted USAC Ford Focus events in 2011, joins the Mopar National Midget calendar in 2012, offering series openers in late-March, while the series concludes with the 72nd running of the “Turkey Night Grand Prix” at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale, Calif. in November.

In between, highlights include the “Hut Hundred” at Haubstadt, Ind., the “Night Before the 500” in Indianapolis, Ind., Indiana Midget Week, the “4-Crown Nationals” at Rossburg, Ohio and the “Gold Crown Nationals” at Pontoon Beach, Ill.

New to the calendar is the two-night “Plymouth Palooza” at Plymouth (Ind.) Speedway in July with the first night’s events on the track’s 1/3-mile paved oval and the following night’s races on a newly-constructed dirt oval inside the paved oval.

2012 USAC MOPAR NATIONAL MIDGET SCHEDULE

Date Location/Track

March 30 Altamahaw, NC/Ace Speedway

March 31 Altamahaw, NC/Ace Speedway

May 4 Dodge City, KS/Dodge City Raceway Park

May 5 Dodge City, KS/Dodge City Raceway Park

May 26 Indianapolis, IN/Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis

June 2 Haubstadt, IN/Tri-State Speedway

June 13 @Gas City, IN/Gas City I-69 Speedway

June 14 @Putnamville, IN/Lincoln Park Speedway

June 15 @Bloomington, IN/Bloomington Speedway

June 16 @Lawrenceburg, IN/Lawrenceburg Speedway

June 17 @Kokomo, IN/Kokomo Speedway

June 22 Newton, IA/Iowa Speedway

June 29 Toledo, OH/Toledo Speedway

June 30 Morris, IL/Grundy County Speedway

July 6 Plymouth, IN/Plymouth Speedway

July 7 Plymouth, IN/Plymouth Speedway

July 8 Sun Prairie, WI/Angell Park Speedway

July 27 Indianapolis, IN/Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis

August 19 Sun Prairie, WI/Angell Park Speedway

September 22 Rossburg, OH/Eldora Speedway

October 4 Pontoon Beach, IL/Tri-City Speedway

October 5 Pontoon Beach, IL/Tri-City Speedway

October 6 Pontoon Beach, IL/Tri-City Speedway

November 22 Irwindale, CA/Toyota Speedway at Irwindale

@=Indiana Midget Week

FEATURES ADDED “HALL OF FAME CLASSIC” AT IRP

Opening with a brand-new USAC “Hall of Fame” race at Indianapolis Raceway Park May 19, the 2012 Traxxas USAC Silver Crown Championship Series encompasses nine races, five on dirt and four on pavement.

The “Sumar Classic”  at the Terre Haute (Ind.) Action Track returns as the season finale in October. The “Rollie Beale 150” at Toledo (Ohio) Speedway, the closing events the past two seasons, moves to its new June date in 2012.

“Traditional” races abound, including the “Hoosier Hundred” at the Indiana State Fairgrounds, the “Tony Bettenhausen 100” at the Illinois State Fairgrounds and the “Ted Horn 100” at the DuQuoin (Ill.) State Fairgrounds.

Iowa Speedway again showcases USAC’s Traxxas Silver Crown cars on its spectacular 7/8-mile pavement in June and the “4-Crown Nationals” unfolds at the Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio in September.

Indianapolis Raceway Park becomes the first track to host two Traxxas Silver Crown races in the same season since 2003 when it hosts the “J.D. Byrider 100” in July. Ironically, IRP was also the host for the two 2003 races,

2012 USAC TRAXXAS SILVER CROWN SCHEDULE

Date Location/Track 

May 19 Indianapolis, IN/Indianapolis Raceway Park

May 25 Indianapolis, IN/Indiana State Fairgrounds

June 22 Newton, IA/Iowa Speedway

June 29 Toledo, OH/Toledo Speedway

July 27 Indianapolis, IN/Indianapolis Raceway Park

August 18 Springfield, IL/Illinois State Fairgrounds

September 2 DuQuoin, IL/DuQuoin State Fairgrounds

September 22 Rossburg, OH/Eldora Speedway

October 13 Terre Haute, IN/Terre Haute Action Track

AiM SPORTS DATA LOGGER SEMINAR FOR .25s THURSDAY AT IMIS

USAC’s Mopar ,25 Midget Series participants will be able to attend a free seminar Thursday (Dec. 8) at the International Motorsports Industry Show (IMIS) in downtown Indianapolis, Ind., to learn more about the new AiM Sports Data Logger  and its practical uses in USAC Mopar .25 Midget racing.

The seminar is scheduled for 3 pm and will be held in room 138 at the Indiana Convention Center in conjunction with IMIS.

On Saturday, USAC’s Mopar .25 Midget Series champions will be celebrated during a special “Showcase of Champions” to be emceed by renowned broadcaster Bob Jenkins which will be held in rooms 237-239.

MyChron gauges by AiM Sports set the standard in digital data acquisition gauges for karting, yet are surprisingly easy to use and own. Imagine having RPM, temperature, and lap times at your fingertips, and saved in memory for later review.

The seminar will be conducted by Roger Caddell, National Training Manager for AIM Sports, LLC.

More information regarding these systems can be found on the AiM Sports website at www.aimsports.com.

BOB JENKINS TO EMCEE USAC MOPAR .25 "SHOWCASE"

Internationally renowned broadcaster Bob Jenkins will serve as the emcee for the Saturday, December 10 USAC Mopar .25 Midget “Showcase of Champions,” scheduled at the Indiana Convention Center in downtown Indianapolis, Ind. in conjunction with the International Motorsports Industry Show (IMIS). The affair begins at 4:30 pm in rooms 237-239 and does not include food service.

The formal event will closely follow USAC’s “Night of Champions” National Awards Dinner, scheduled Friday night, December 9, at the Indiana Roof Ballroom in Indianapolis. All the USAC National Mopar .25 Midget Champions will also be honored at the Friday function.

Jenkins, a veteran of over 30 years in auto racing broadcasting, has received numerous citations for his work in the sport, including membership in Halls of Fame and he also served as host for ESPN’s “Speedweek” program from 1983-1997. As a member of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network, Bob served as the “Radio Voice of the 500” from 1990-1999.

In 1993 Jenkins was honored by USAC as the recipient of the Special Individual Recognition Award. In 2001 he received USAC’s highest honor, the Roger McCluskey Award of Excellence.

Dress code includes shirt and tie and maps and directions to the Convention Center can be found at:
http://www.icclos.com/Maps_and_Parking/

The top-five drivers from the Generation Next standings and the top-three drivers from sub-series (Mid-Atlantic, Dirt Triple Crown and Southwest) will be honored, as well as winners of the National Award Series.

Families wishing to attend the IMIS Trade Show can request credentials via the following link:
http://www.imis-indy.com/AttRegistration.html.

RANKINE 10TH DIFFERENT “TURKEY NIGHT” FORD FOCUS WINNER

Nick Drake, Brodie Kostecki and Jessica Clark left Toyota Speedway at Irwndale, Calif.; Thursday night with 2011 USAC Ford Focus championships.

Drake, of Mooresville, N.C., finalized his second consecutive USAC National Ford Focus title with a second-place finish in the 40-lap Western finale which was held as part of the track’s “Turkey Night Grand Prix” events. Kostecki, of Roseville, Calif., grabbed the Western Ford Focus title with his fifth-place Irwindale finish.

Clark, of Westlake Village, Calif., became USAC’s third female driving champion in history, walking off with both the Western Pavement and Southern California titles after her 13th-place finish in the 40-lap finale.

Ross Rankine of Willard, Ohio passed Kostecki on lap 20 and led the final 21 laps to win Thursday night’s race at Irwindale. Rankine piloted the National Pride Beast/Ford Focus to the win over Drake, Garett Peterson, Jim Waters and Kostecki. Rankine ended up as the 10th different winner of the “Turkey Night” Ford Focus race in its 10 runnings.

CALEB ARMSTRONG WINS TURKEY NIGHT #71

Bryan Clauson and Cory Kruseman put the finishing touches on 2011 USAC Mopar Midget driving championships Thursday night as the season concluded in the 71st “Turkey Night Grand Prix” at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale, Calif.

Clauson, of Noblesville, Ind., repeated as USAC’s Mopar National Midget titlist, while Kruseman, of Ventura, Calif., earned his initial USAC Mopar Western Midget crown. Clauson finished third in the 98-lap race while Kruseman struggled to a 21st-place finish in the 35-car field.

Car owner championships respectively went to Tucker Racing /BCI/Curb-Agajanian (National) and Neverlift Motorsports (Western).

Darren Hagen, who was second at Irwindale, emerged as the 2011 USAC Mopar National Pavement Midget Champion.

Caleb Armstrong of New Castle, Ind. led the final 81 laps to win Thursday night’s “Turkey night Grand Prix,” He passed Kody Swanson on lap 18 and held off repeated challenges from several challengers in the final laps for the win in his Ferrell Gas/Syngenta Seeds Beast/Toyota. Hagen, Clauson, Kyle Larson and Kody Swanson rounded out the “top-five” at the checkered flag. Alex Bowman led the first three laps and pole starter Kody Swanson led the next 14 before yielding to Armstrong. Larson won the Don Basile “Rookie of the Race” award for finishing fourth.

CALEB ARMSTRONG HALTS CLAUSON’S “TURKEY NIGHT” 3-PEAT BID

Irwindale, CA………Caleb Armstrong of New Castle, Ind. led the final 81 laps to win Thursday night’s 71st “Turkey night Grand Prix” USAC Mopar National/Western Midget race at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale, Calif. He passed Kody Swanson on lap 18 and held off repeated challenges from several challengers in the final laps for the win in his Ferrell Gas/Syngenta Seeds Beast/Toyota. Darren Hagen, Bryan Clauson, Kyle Larson and Kody Swanson rounded out the “top-five” at the checkered flag. Clauson ended up as the 2011 USAC National Drivers Champion and the Mopar National Midget Champion, while Hagen claimed the National Midget Pavement title. Cory Kruseman, who finished 21st, emerged as the Mopar Western Midget king. Alex Bowman led the first three laps and pole starter Kody Swanson led the next 14 before yielding to Armstrong. Larson won the Don Basile “Rookie of the Race” award for finishing fourth.

USAC MOPAR NATIONAL/WESTERN MIDGET CAR SERIES RACE RESULTS: November 24, 2011 – Irwindale, California – Toyota Speedway at Irwindale – 71st “Turkey Night Grand Prix”

QUALIFICATIONS: 1. Kody Swanson, 11, Wilke-Pak-16.386; 2. Alex Bowman, 55, Cline-16.424; 3. Bobby Santos III, 20, Stewart-16.442; 4. Brad Kuhn, 17B, RW-16.526; 5. Evan Margeson, 50, Beal-16.552; 6. Kyle Larson, 67, Kunz-16.596; 7. Caleb Armstrong, 7c, C & A-16.597; 8. Robby Josett, 2x, Josett-16.660; 9. Tanner Swanson, 3F, RFMS-16.660; 10. Chris Windom, 56, RW-16.683; 11. Billy Wease, 25, Rodela-16.688; 12. Adam Kramer, 2, Kramer-16.732; 13. Bryan Clauson, 39, Tucker/BCI/Curb-Agajanian-16.742; 14. Darren Hagen, 3, RFMS-16.743; 15. Chad Nichols, 17x, Nichols-16.750; 16. Mario Clouser, 06, MCM-16.760; 17. Dalton Armstrong, 7A, C & A-16.782; 18. Bobby East, 4, Klatt-16.785; 19. Taylor Ferns, 55F, Ferns-16.795; 20. Dillon Welch, 9, Nine Racing-16.806; 21. Kyle Hamilton, 33, Spike-16.829; 22. Tracy Hines, 24, Parker-16.833; 23. Levi Roberts, 91, Nine Racing-16.838; 24. Jason Leffler, 71, Kunz-16.850; 25. Dakoda Armstrong, 7D, C & A-16.868; 26. Troy DeCaire, 2B, Benic-16.909; 27. David Byrne, 20D, Byrne-17.126; 28. Scott Pierovich, 35, Pierovich-17.134; 29. Nick Chivello, 27B, Blackwell-17.247; 30. Ben Petter, 21, Petter-17.254; 31. Travis Berryhill, 10c, Eskesen-17.344; 32. Shannon McQueen, 10, Cook-17.366; 33. David Prickett, 15, Neverlift-17.410; 34. David Goodwill, 88x, Arata-17.804; 35. Cory Kruseman, 21k, Kruseman-17.871.

FEATURE: (98 laps) 1. Caleb Armstrong, 2. Darren Hagen, 3. Bryan Clauson, 4. Kyle Larson, 5. Kody Swanson, 6. Brad Kuhn, 7. Chris Windom, 8. Dillon Welch, 9. Evan Margeson, 10. Levi Roberts, 11. Kyle Hamilton, 12. Mario Clouser, 13. Bobby East, 14. Billy Wease, 15. Robby Josett, 16. Taylor Ferns, 17. David Prickett, 18. David Byrne, 19. Dakoda Armstrong, 20. David Goodwill, 21. Cory Kruseman, 22. Troy DeCaire, 23. Dalton Armstrong, 24. Tracy Hines, 25. Bobby Santos III, 26. Tanner Swanson, 27. Alex Bowman, 28. Jason Leffler, 29. Shannon McQueen, 30. Chad Nichols, 31. Scott Pierovich, 32. Nick Chivello, 33. Adam Kramer, 34. Ben Petter, 35. Travis Berryhill. NT

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FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-3 Bowman, Laps 4-17 K.Swanson, Laps 18-98 C.Armstrong.

FINAL MOPAR NATIONAL MIDGET POINTS: 1-Clauson-1,164; 2-Hagen-1,148; 3-Larson-1,082; 4-Hines-954; 5-East-867; 6-Kuhn-811; 7-Zach Daum-787; 8-C.Armstrong-737; 9-Jerry Coons Jr.-701; 10-T.Swanson-630.

FINAL MOPAR WESTERN MIDGET POINTS: 1-Kruseman-599; 2-Prickett-562; 3-Johnathon Henry-518; 4-Cody Swanson-479; 5-Jake Swanson-421; 6-Pierovich-313; 7-Connor Kassik-292; 8-Chris Ennis-240; 9-Randi Pankratz-215; 10-Austin Smith-192.

FINAL MOPAR PAVEMENT MIDGET POINTS: 1-Hagen-421; 2-Larson-395; 3-C.Arsmtrong-359; 4-Clauson-304; 5-T.Swanson-280; 6-Hines-271; 7-Clouser-261; 8-Kramer-236; 9-East-222; 10-Byrne-217.

FINAL USAC NATIONAL DRIVERS CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS: 1-Clauson-1,062; 2-Larson-1,028; 3-Windom-1,026; 4-Levi Jones-1,022; 5-Hines-991; 6-East-942; 7-Jerry Coons Jr.-921; 8-Hagen-866; 9-Hunter Schuerenberg-864; 10-Jon Stanbrough-854.