FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE NOVEMBER 23, 2012
DICK JORDAN 12-218
LARSON CAPS 2012 WITH “TURKEY” DRESSING;
HAGEN, McQUEEN, PRICKETT CELEBRATE USAC CHAMPIONSHIPS
Kyle Larson won Thursday night’s 72nd “Turkey Night Grand Prix” at Perris (Calif.) Auto Speedway. The victory capped a stellar USAC campaign for the Elk Grove, Calif. youngster who piloted the Keith Kunz Motorsports/Curb-Agajanian Toyota TRD Bullet.
Larson’s victory completed a five-race streak which included four wins and a second and also included wins in the “4-Crown Nationals” and “Gold Crown Nationals.”
Sharing Larson’s spotlight at Perris were 2012 USAC Champions Darren Hagen, Shannon McQueen, David Prickett, Mason Cook and the Kunz/Curb-Agajanian team. Hagen, who won the Turkey Night pole with a track record and led 17 laps early in the race, is the 2012 USAC Mopar National Midget Champ. McQueen emerged as the USAC Mopar Western Midget champ, while Prickett is the 2012 Western Midget Dirt titlist. Cook snatched the Western car owner title as a result of driver Brad Kuhn’s sixth-place finish, while the Kunz/Curb-Agajanian team completed a USAC National car owner “sweep” for Curb-Agajanian.
Larson passed Hagen on the 23rd lap and was never headed the rest of the way despite late-race pressure from Tracy Hines, who unfortunately suffered a flat tire just one lap from the 98-lap checkered flag. Former race winner Jason Leffler also led four early laps but the night belonged to Larson.
Jerry Coons Jr. charged to second in the closing laps, while Don Basile “Rookie of the Race” winner Ryan Bernal took third ahead of Nic Faas and Shane Golobic.
FINAL 2012 MOPAR USAC NATIONAL MIDGET POINT STANDINGS
Darren Hagen-1,312, 2-Tracy Hines-1,111, 3-Bryan Clauson-1,051, 4-Caleb Armstrong-955, 5-Kyle Larson-927, 6-Brad Kuhn-867, 7-Rico Abreu-829, 8-Jerry Coons Jr.-794, 9-Bobby East-745, 10-Dalton Armstrong-695.
FINAL 2012 MOPAR USAC NATIONAL MIDGET DIRT POINT STANDINGS
Darren Hagen-879, 2-Jerry Coons Jr.-794, 4-Brad Kuhn-760, 4-Bryan Clauson-728, 5-Tracy Hines-727, 6-Kyle Larson-691, 7-Chris Windom-670, 8-Rico Abreu-592, 9-Caleb Armstrong-547, 10-Davey Ray-512.
FINAL 2012 MOPAR USAC WESTERN MIDGET POINT STANDINGS
Shannon McQueen-778, 2-David Prickett-629, 3-Nick Chivello-591, 4-Scott Pierovich-497, 5-Alex Schutte-449, 6-Frankie Guerrini-431, 7-Cole Carter-412, 8-Connor Kassik-380, 9-Jake Swanson-359, 10-Randi Pankratz-352.
FINAL 2012 MOPAR USAC WESTERN MIDGET DIRT POINT STANDINGS
David Prickett-598, 2-Shannon McQueen-567, 3-Alex Schutte-397, 4-Connor Kassik-380, 5-Randi Pankratz-352, 6-Nick Chivello-335, 7-Cody Swanson-329, 8-Cole Carter-283, 9-Jake Swanson-275, 10-Scott Pierovich-273.
