HINES, THORSON, THOMAS IN “LEFFLER” SPOTLIGHT FRIDAY

Friday night’s “Jason Leffler Memorial” at Wayne County Speedway in Wayne City, Ill. offers a $20,000 winner’s share for participants in the race co-sanctioned by USAC and POWRi. It’s the nation’s largest-paying Midget race and is sponsored by Great Clips.

The final 2015 Honda USAC National Midget Series race in the Midwest will have a significant impact on determining the champion as a trio of drivers are separated by only 31 points with a maximum of 74 available Friday.

Tracy Hines is chasing the elusive USAC “Triple Crown Championship,” a feat which eluded him by a single point in 2008, when he was edged for the Midget crown by Cole Whitt. Tracy previously won the USAC Sprint Car title in 2002 and the Silver Crown title in 2000. He has a 25-point lead over Tanner Thorson and a 31-point lead over Kevin Thomas Jr. entering Friday’s race.

Thorson and Thomas are teammates and are each seeking their initial USAC championship.

Hines has 35 career USAC Midget wins but has been unable to crack the winner’s circle this season despite a dozen “podium” finishes. Thorson is one of the hottest drivers at present, sweeping the recent “Gold Crown Midget Nationals” in Granite City, Illinois and winning an “Indiana Midget Week” feature at Gas City, Ind. earlier this year. Thomas won at Solomon Valley Raceway in Beloit, Kans. in July and scored a win at Plymouth, Ind. in May.

Daryn Pittman won last year’s “Jason Leffler Memorial” and Zach Daum was the inaugural race winner in 2013.