PERRIS, Calif. — Report by Race Chaser Online Managing Editor Jacob Seelman — Photo courtesy Spike Chassis —
While Tanner Thorson was celebrating the win in Thursday night’s 75th annual Turkey Night Grand Prix, Tracy Hines climbed from his car relieved at being able to celebrate his own piece of history at Perris Auto Speedway.
The 43-year-old veteran from New Castle, Ind. finished sixth in the 98-lap main event, but it was enough for him to hold off Thorson by 18 points and win his first Honda USAC National Midget Series championship as he marked his retirement from full-time racing.
The title was Hines’ first in the series, third across USAC’s three national series — following titles in the Silver Crown (2000) and National Sprint Car (2002) ranks — and makes him the sixth driver in United States Auto Club history to complete a career Triple Crown of championships.
“It’s really just a relief to end it and do this in the final night,” Hines said. “I’ve been running every race and chasing points for 20 years and it just has worn me down. I’m happy to have something good to do that is involved with racing now after my driving days, and I’m happy to go out on top winning the championship in this division.”
Hines joins Tony Stewart, J.J. Yeley, Pancho Carter, Dave Darland and Jerry Coons Jr. as drivers who have won USAC’s Triple Crown over the course of their open wheel careers.
Stewart (1995) and Yeley (2003), now stars in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, are the only ones to have accomplished the feat in a single season.
“It’s been a trying year at times, but we persevered and met this goal. To join such a great group of racers who have won the Triple Crown is pretty cool, as I know them all and raced against all but one, and we’ve battled with each other all along the way.”
Hines’ impact and career in motorsports goes far beyond the USAC ranks, however.
He ran full-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in 2004 and 2005 for ThorSport Racing, notching a best-career finish of fifth twice — at Mansfield Motorsports Park (2004) and Richmond International Raceway (2005) — and also made 17 NASCAR XFINITY Series starts from 2004-2006.
For 2016, Hines will take his skill set back to his former Truck team, becoming the competition director for the Duke and Rhonda Thorson-led team as driver Matt Crafton seeks his third career NCWTS championship.
“I’m truly excited for what next year will bring,” Hines said of the move out of the driver’s seat. “I get to take my love for racing to a great place with great people that share my passion. I look forward to this new step in our lives.”
“I have been so lucky to have amazing owners, sponsors, and fans that have made my career such a blessing. They have stuck with me through many years of ups and downs. I have gotten to do so much in our sport and am truly thankful for each and every experience.”
In all, Hines’ career record in USAC boasts 47 National Sprint Car wins (third all-time), 35 National Midget wins (eighth all-time) and nine Silver Crown wins (12th all-time) for 91 total victories across the three national tours.
About the Writer
Jacob Seelman is the Managing Editor of Race Chaser Online and creator of the Motorsports Madness radio show, airing at 7 p.m. Eastern every Monday on the Performance Motorsports Network. Seelman grew up in the sport, watching his grandparents co-own the RaDiUs Motorsports NASCAR Cup Series team in the 1990s.
The 21-year-old is currently studying Broadcast Journalism at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, S.C., and is also serving as the full-time tour announcer for both the United Sprint Car Series and the Must See Racing Sprint Car Series.
Email Jacob at: [email protected]
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