NEW CASTLE, Ind.—Jan. 19, 2014— Racing against over 280 other competitors for just 24 starting spots leaves very little room for error. Tracy Hines thrives on such a situation and that’s what he faced this past week at the Lucas Oil Chili Bowl presented by General Tires in Tulsa, Okla. When the final checkered flag flew on Saturday, Jan. 18, the 2005 winner of the event, found himself just outside of the top-10 in the 12th position.
Hines began his week in Tulsa, aboard his familiar No. 24 Parker Machinery/Powered by Toyota Spike, by competing in the Vacuworx Invitational Race of Champions on Tuesday, Jan. 14, finishing fifth in that 20-lap star-studded event. The native of New Castle, Ind., lined up 11th and steadily worked his way forward on the tight indoor oval.
The veteran driver returned to the track on Thursday, Jan. 16 for John Christner Trucking Qualifying Night, which was the third of four qualifiers. Hines started on the pole of the ninth heat race and led wire-to-wire to win that eight-lap contest, which put him in the fourth Qualifier. He remained unbeaten on the night as he came from the second row to win that 10-lapper and lock himself into the 25-lap preliminary feature. Hines started sixth in the feature and wound up taking the checkered flag eighth, which put him in the second B-main on the final night.
Hines found himself in the ninth spot on the grid for the second B-main of the final night of the 2014 Chili Bowl on Saturday, Jan. 18, which measured 20 laps in distance, with the top-six finishers earning a spot in the 55-lap Chili Bowl finale. He worked his way forward and finished fifth to race his way into the A-Feature, after a couple of cars ahead of him tangled in the late going.
The 2000 Traxxas USAC Silver Crown Series champion and 2002 Amsoil USAC National Sprint Car Series titlist took the green flag for the Chili Bowl main event in the 22nd position. For Hines it marked the 13th time in his career he had earned a spot in the A-Feature of the Chili Bowl, a feat only three other active drivers have accomplished.
A number of cautions dotted the 55-lap feature, with the first of those being just seven laps into the race. Hines methodically worked his way forward and was near the top-15 by the halfway point of the race. He was able to avoid a number of late accidents to cross the line 12th, in the event that aired live on MAVTV.
Hines also turned the wrenches at the Chili Bowl for fellow Hoosier C.J. Leary, who piloted a Tracy Hines Racing machine. The 2013 Lawrenceburg Speedway sprint car track champion wrapped up his week with a 13th-place showing the second F-main on Saturday. During the Vacuworx Global Qualifying Night on Friday, Jan. 17, Leary finished ninth in the first B-main, coming up just three spots short of earning a spot in the preliminary feature. He finished seventh earlier in the evening in the third heat race.
Hines will return to action in the season-opening Bubba Army Winter Nationals at Bubba Raceway Park in Ocala, Fla., for the Amsoil USAC National Sprint Car Series, Feb. 20–22. The veteran driver won two of the three races at Bubba Raceway Park in 2013.
Tracy Hines Racing would like to thank: Parker Machinery, Powered by Toyota, Turbines, Inc., Carolina Nut Company, Afco Racing Shocks, Schoenfeld, Stanton Racing Engines, Daum Motorsport, Indiana Underground, Hoosier, Bell and Drivin Racing Oil.
For more information on Tracy Hines Racing, visit http://www.tracyhinesracing.com. Follow Tracy on Twitter atwww.Twitter.com/TracyHinesRacin.
