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Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park is an auto racing facility in Brownsburg, Indiana, about 10 miles (16 km) northwest of downtown Indianapolis. It includes a 0.686 mi (1.104 km) oval track, a 2.500 mi (4.023 km) road course, and a 4,400-foot (1,300 m) drag strip which is among the premier drag racing venues in the world. The complex receives about 500,000 visitors annually.
Midget cars, also speedcars in Australia, is a class of racing cars. The cars are very small with a very high power-to-weight ratio and typically use four cylinder engines. They originated in the United States in the 1930s and are raced on most continents. There is a worldwide tour and national midget tours in the United States, Australia, Argentina and New Zealand.
Rodger Morris Ward was an American racing driver best known for his open-wheel career. He is generally regarded as one of the finest drivers of his generation, and is best known for winning two National Championships, and two Indianapolis 500s, both in 1959 and 1962. He also won the AAA National Stock Car Championship in 1951.
William John "Bill" Vukovich was an American racing driver. He won the 1953 and 1954 Indianapolis 500, plus two more American Automobile Association National Championship races, and died while leading the 1955 Indianapolis 500.
John Woodrow "Johnnie" Parsons was an American racing driver in the AAA and USAC Championship Car series. He was the 1949 AAA national champion, and won the 1950 Indianapolis 500.
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Mel Kenyon is a former midget car driver. He is known as the "King of the Midgets", "Miraculous Mel" and "Champion of Midget Auto Racing." The Motorsports Hall of Fame of America says "Many consider him to be midget car racing's greatest driver ever."
Ascot Park, first named Los Angeles Speedway and later New Ascot Stadium, was a dirt racetrack located near Gardena, California. Ascot Park was open between 1957 and 1990. The track held numerous United States Auto Club (USAC) national tour races and three NASCAR Grand National races. The Turkey Night Grand Prix was held at the track for several decades.
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The Dave Steele Carb Night Classic is a United States Auto Club dirt track car race held near Indianapolis, Indiana, United States, which takes place in late May before the Indianapolis 500 at the nearby Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Over its history, the event has been held at several different short tracks in Indiana, but since 1980, it has permanently been hosted at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park in Brownsburg, Indiana. The event has long been considered one of the Indianapolis 500 traditions, along with the Hoosier Hundred and Little 500, which are also held over the same weekend at different venues in Indiana. Over the course of its history, numerous Indy 500 drivers have competed in the Night Before the 500, some winning.
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Jeffery Michael "Jeff" Gordon is an American professional auto racing driver who competed in the NASCAR Cup Series over a 25-year career. He was born in Vallejo, California to Carol Houston and Billy Gordon; the couple separated a few months later. Gordon's mother then married John Bickford, a car builder and parts supplier.
The 2016 USAC National Midget Championship is the 61st season of the USAC National Midget Championship. The series began with the Shamrock Classic at Southern Illinois Center on March 9, and ended with the Turkey Night Grand Prix at Perris Auto Speedway on November 24. Tracy Hines entered the season as the defending champion.
The 2017 USAC National Midget Series is the 62nd season of the USAC National Midget Series. The series began with the Shamrock Classic at Southern Illinois Center on March 18, and will end with the Turkey Night Grand Prix at Ventura Raceway on November 23. Tanner Thorson came into the season as the defending champion. Spencer Bayston won the series championship driving for Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports in the #97 Bullet by Spike Chassis / Speedway Toyota.
The 2018 USAC P1 Insurance National Midget Championship is the 63rd season of the Midget series sanctioned by USAC. P1 Insurance becomes the new title sponsor of the series for 2018. The season will begin with the Shamrock Classic at Southern Illinois Center on March 10, and will end with the Turkey Night Grand Prix at Ventura Raceway on November 22. The series will also have a non points race with the Junior Knepper 55 at Southern Illinois Center on December 15. Spencer Bayston enters the season as the defending champion.
References
- ↑ Vaughn, Mark (November 28, 2014). "Christopher Bell wins 74th Turkey Night Grand Prix midget racing event". Autoweek .
- ↑ "WM: Turkey Night race will be 98 laps". Motorsport.com. Retrieved December 14, 2019.
- ↑ Vaughn, Mark (December 24, 2012). "We'll Always Have Perris". Autoweek . 62 (26): 66–67.
- 1 2 3 "Logan Seavey Completes Sweep Of All Three USAC Finales". www.floracing.com. FloRacing . Retrieved November 28, 2021.
- ↑ 98 laps "Turkey Night" in honor of J.C. Agajanian; Irwindale Speedway; Retrieved December 12, 2007
- 1 2 Estrada, Chris. "USAC: Dave Darland wins Turkey Night Grand Prix". NBC Sports . Retrieved December 2, 2013.
- ↑ Vaughn, Mark (November 28, 2014). "Christopher Bell wins 74th Turkey Night Grand Prix midget racing event". Autoweek . Retrieved November 26, 2016.
- ↑ "Thorson, Toyota take Turkey Night Grand Prix". Autoweek . November 27, 2015. Retrieved November 26, 2016.
- ↑ "Kyle Larson, Toyota win Turkey Night Grand Prix at Ventura Raceway". Autoweek . November 25, 2016. Retrieved November 26, 2016.
- ↑ Long, Dustin. "Christopher Bell beats Kyle Larson to win Turkey Night Grand Prix". NBC Sports . Retrieved November 25, 2018.
- ↑ "Turkey Night Grand Prix USAC Midget Results". www.usacracing.com. United States Auto Club . Retrieved November 27, 2022.
- ↑ "Four Score! Larson Gets Turkey Night Win #4 at Ventura". USAC Racing. United States Auto Club. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
- Irwindale Turkey Night Grand Prix Preview; November 3, 1999; motorsport.com; Retrieved February 5, 2007; includes winners list before 1999
- Turkey Night Midget Grand Prix; scrafan.com; Retrieved February 7, 2007