DADS FREE AT THE ELITE 8 RACING SERIES JUNE 15

 


Indianapolis, June 8, 2011 — Race fans can celebrate Fathers Night with the United States Auto Club (USAC) and Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) at the June 15 Elite 8 Midget Races at the Bryant Heating and Cooling Systems Indianapolis Speedrome. Fathers get in free if accompanied by a family member, and family members accompanying their father get in for a reduced price of $5.


 


The USAC Elite 8 Midget Series presented by IUPUI got off to a roaring start on Wednesday, June 1. The most exciting race of the night was the D1 Midget 40 lap main event. In his first ever feature start in a full USAC Midget, Kyle O’Gara made an aggressive first lap pass on Morgan Nelson, to grab the lead. For the next forty laps O’Gara had Jake Blackhurst on his tail every inch of the way. Running so close behind the leader that his shadow from the setting sun sometimes stretched alongside O’Gara, Blackhurst never let up, pushing harder and harder in the closing laps. With five laps to go he actually got his front wheels along-side the leader coming out of turn two, but O’Gara slammed the door in turn three and held on for his first ever D1 division midget win. Blackhurst was closely followed to the line by Kyle Hamilton.


 


In the 50 lap Ford Focus Feature race, James Robertson moved up from fourth starting spot to lead most of the race and win by a safe margin, with Nick Hamilton finishing second, mere feet ahead of Nick Drake and Ross Rankine. Drake, having towed all the way from North Carolina for the races, started seventh and gained the third spot on the next to last lap with a pass on Rankine. The Focus Young Guns 30 lap feature was won by Tyler Shullick while the real battle was for second, with Sam McGee shadowing Cooper Clouse virtually the whole distance.


 


The 2011 season marks the first partnership between USAC and IUPUI. USAC has been the primary sanctioning body for open wheel race cars competing in the US since 1956, while IUPUI has the unique distinction of offering the only four-year bachelor’s degree in Motorsports Engineering in the country.  The partnership offers unique opportunities for students to see the inner workings of an important motorsports series.


 


Fans will be able to walk the pit area and meet the drivers and view the cars from 4:30-5:30 pm.  Practice begins at 6:00 and racing at 7:00.  The Bryant Heating and Cooling Systems Indianapolis Speedrome is located at 802 South Kitley Avenue on Indianapolis’ east side.