Gordon revisits racing roots at IMS dirt track
NASCAR Hall of Fame driver Jeff Gordon traveled back in time at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, revisiting his racing roots by driving exhibition laps in a United States Auto Club Midget car for the first time in 30 years at the place that turned him into a household name.
In a moment he said was unreal, Gordon drove a ClausonMarshall Racing USAC Midget car at The Dirt Track at IMS in celebration of his storied career and to offer a preview of what’s to come Aug. 18-19 in the Driven2SaveLives BC39 Powered by NOS Energy Drink.
“I feel like I’ve gone back 25 years in my youth,” Gordon said. “It’s been a long time since I was that excited to get behind
the wheel of a race car. I can’t believe I waited this long to get back on dirt in a midget. In another way, I’m very excited that I waited, because it’s a cool event, it’s a great track, and it just made it very special for me.”
Four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Gordon reminisced with former car owner Rollie Helmling about their dominant USAC days before hopping in the white No. 4 car. Gordon took it easy the first few laps, but he quickly fell back into his competitive element and floored it off Turn 4.
In classic dirt racing fashion, Gordon drifted the car into the corner and worked the wheel like he did 30 years ago in competition, showing why he is one of the greatest race car drivers of all time.
Gordon, 49, parked the car after his first 10-lap run, let out an emphatic cheer and clapped his hands in awe of the exhibition laps he just turned.
It was a special moment for the adopted Hoosier, who moved to nearby Pittsboro, Indiana, from his native California at age 15. Gordon experienced much success at the Racing Capital of the World in his NASCAR career, winning the Brickyard 400 a record five times, including the inaugural race in 1994.
Gordon said his USAC Midget exhibition laps rank near the top of the long list of accomplishments he has achieved at IMS, which also includes a NASCAR-Formula One ride swap with Juan Pablo Montoya in 2003 on a previous configuration of the IMS road course.
Visit IMS.com/BC39 for more information about tickets for the Driven2SaveLives BC39 Powered by NOS Energy Drink on Wednesday, Aug. 18 and Thursday, Aug. 19 at The Dirt Track at IMS.
The Pennsylvania 410 Sprint Speed Week Series presented by Red Robin will invade the Grandview Speedway on Tuesday night, June 29 as part of the NAPA Auto Parts Thunder on the Hill Racing Series. $10,000 is up for grabs to win the 40 lap Greg Hodnett Cup for the 410 Sprints. The 358 Modifieds will also be on the June 29 race card with gates opening at 5 p.m. and race time set for 7:30 p.m.
The Hodnett Cup is dedicated to Greg Hodnett, a feature winner, multiple champion and star of the PA Posse who lost his life in a racing accident in 2018.
The 358 NASCAR Modifieds, the weekly division at the Grandview Speedway will also be part of this event, bringing two premier divisions to this venue on the same night, a spectacular Doubleheader.
Changes in the Big Diamond Speedway schedule. On June 25 & July 30, the ARDC Midgets have been removed from the program with the U.S.S. Achey Sportsman being added in their place.
July 23 finds the Wingless Super Sportsman removed from the nights show with the Insigner Performance Modifieds added to the program.
The EM Autobody & Graphics Open Sportsman Match Races have been moved from July 23 to July 30.
The Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series (STSS) Fueled By Sunoco is dormant for now before kicking off a busy month of July full of new ventures.
It all begins on Independence Day (Sunday, July 4) at Fonda (N.Y.) Speedway for the third annual running of the Fuccillo Autoplex of Nelliston ‘Firecracker 50.’ The 50-lap main event will pay a minimum $10,000-to-win and $400-to-start at the ‘Track of Champions.’
Following Fonda, the series heads to two completely new facilities and one reconfigured racetrack.
On Wednesday, July 14, the STSS takes part in the inaugural season at the Bloomsburg (Pa.) Fair Raceway in the ‘Battle at Bloomsburg’ in Round No. 5 of the chase for the Hurlock Auto & Speed $12,000 North Region championship.
The race is scheduled for 50-laps, $5,000-to-win at the all-new bullring on the Bloomsburg Fairgrounds.
Eight days later, the second new facility, N.Y.’s Utica-Rome Speedway, takes center stage on the STSS Tour. On Thursday, July 22, the STSS bigblock/small-block Modifieds take on the halfmile ‘Home of Heroes’ in the ‘Richie Evans Remembered 61.’ The Modifieds will race 61 laps with $6,100 reserved for the winner. A hefty $610 will be paid just to take the green flag.
Round No. 6 of the Hurlock Auto & Speed North Region brings the STSS to its fourth brand new facility of the 2021 season, dating back to the Sunshine Swing at Bubba Raceway Park in Ocala, Fla.
The STSS rounds out July at the newly configured Bridgeport (N.J.) Motorsports Park on Tuesday, July 27. The trip will mark the third different configuration the STSS has run at Bridgeport, previously having run on the fiveeighths and three-eighths mile racetracks.
Now the STSS heads to the high-banked, fourtenths mile for the first time after losing the 2020 scheduled event due to COVID-19.
The ‘South Jersey Shootout’ will be Round No. 6 of the Velocita-USA South Region presented by Design for Vision and Sunglass Central $10,000 championship chase.
The Precision Hydraulic & Oil North Region Crate 602 Sportsman will join the STSS Modifieds at Fonda, Bloomsburg and Utica-Rome throughout the month of July.
The Belmont’s Garage South Region Crate 602 Sportsman are on the card for the ‘South Jersey Shootout’ at Bridgeport, as well.
All four events will be streamed live on FloRacing (www.floracing.tv).
Grandview Speedway has the T.P.Truck Equipment Sportsman in the spotlight on Saturday, July 3rd with $2,000 going to the winner of the Firecracker 40. And the T.P.Trailers Modifieds will make up the second part of the doubleheader as Brett Kressley continues to chase his first Modified title. It all gets started at 7:30 p.m.