MIDGETS FACE 3-RACE “KEYSTONE STATE” TOUR THIS WEEK

It’s been 11 years since the Honda USAC National Midgets visited Pennsylvania and 26 years since they appeared on dirt in the Keystone State but that all ends Tuesday when they open a three-night swing at three dirt tracks.

Tuesday night’s race will unfold at Path Valley Speedway in Spring Run, then the tour continues Wednesday at Lincoln Speedway in New Oxford and concludes Thursday at Susquehanna Speedway Park in Newberrytown.

Susquehanna and Lincoln have hosted USAC Sprint cars in recent years, while the race at Path Valley will be the first ever for USAC. Lincoln is the only track which has hosted the USAC Midgets, with the legendary Parnelli Jones winning there 51 years ago!

Tracy Hines of New Castle, Ind. enters the tour with a seven-point lead over Kevin Thomas Jr. in the current standings. A championship this year would make Hines only the sixth driver to claim USAC’s “Triple Crown” championship. He previously won USAC Silver Crown and Sprint Car titles and a Midget title would place him alongside USAC Triple Crown Champions Pancho Carter, Dave Darland, Tony Stewart, J.J. Yeley and Jerry Coons Jr.

Hines, a 35-time winner in the series, is still seeking his first 2015 Midget win despite four podium finishes and eight “top-10s” in 10 starts.