March 29, 2004

Dick Jordan

Tri-County Speedway in Hudson, North Carolina hosts its
initial USAC Carolina/Virginia Ford Focus Midget Car race this Friday night.

March 29, 2004

Dick Jordan

The 2004 USAC Midwest Ford Focus Midget Car Series opens this Sunday afternoon as part of the "Glen Niebel Classic" at the Anderson (Ind.) Speedway, also showcasing the USAC Valvoline Sprint Cars.

March 29, 2004

Dick Jordan

The Valvoline USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series visits Kings Speedway
in Hanford, Calif. this Saturday night, with a 30-lap feature event
scheduled on the 3/8-mile dirt oval.

March 29, 2004

Dick Jordan

Three USAC racing series convene Saturday at the Bullring at
Las Vegas Motor Speedway, kicking off the 2004 racing season for the
Western Sprint Cars and also featuring the Western Midgets and California
Ford Focus Midgets.

March 29, 2004

Dick Jordan

Two USAC racing "traditions" will continue this weekend as the 2004 Valvoline National Sprint Car Series debuts at tracks in Ohio and Indiana.

March 25, 2004

Dick Jordan

Lyn St.James, who competed in seven Indianapolis 500s during
her racing career, will serve as the Honorary Chairperson and Guest Speaker
for the ninth annual Mary Fendrich Hulman "Women's Golf Tournament,"
scheduled for May 25 at Eagle Creek Golf Course in Indianapolis, Ind. The
event will again benefit the USAC Benevolent Foundation.

March 21, 2004

Dick Jordan

Dave Steele of Tampa, Fla. continued his dominance at Phoenix
International Raceway on Sunday with a wire-to-wire victory in the the 27th
Annual "Copper World Classic", leading all 100 laps in the USAC Weld Racing
Silver Crown Series' opening event. It was his third consecutive victory in
the event.

March 21, 2004

Dick Jordan

Dave Darland and Cory Kruseman were the winners in the 4th
"Sokola Classic" USAC/CRA Sprint Car events at Manzanita Speedway in
Phoenix, Ariz. Friday and Saturday.

March 21, 2004

Dick Jordan

Michael Sboro of Charlotte, N.C. and Brandon Hartsell of
Fairlawn, Ohio scored 20-lap feature victories in Saturday's
"AfordableSpeed.com Twin 20s" at Hickory (N.C.) Motor Speedway, the opening
events of USAC's brand-new Carolina/Virginia Ford Focus Midget Car Series,
presented by Calico Coatings.

March 21, 2004

Dick Jordan

Beau Binder of El Paso, Texas captured Saturday night's
opening event of the 2004 USAC Southwest Sprint Car Series at Imperial
Valley Speedway in El Centro, Calif.

March 21, 2004

Dick Jordan

The opening event in the 2004 USAC California Ford Focus Midget Car Series is scheduled Saturday, March 27 as part of the “Mopar Twin 25s at Irwindale” racing program at Irwindale (Calif.) Speedway.

March 21, 2004

Dick Jordan

J.J. Yeley of Phoenix, Ariz. scored his 51st USAC National
feature victory Saturday afternoon at Phoenix (Ariz.) International
Raceway, winning the 27th Annual "Copper World Classic" 25-miler at the
1-mile paved oval.

March 15, 2004

Dick Jordan

Brandon Lane of Mesa, Ariz. hopes to advance one position in the point standings this year as he prepares for Saturday night's opening USAC Southwest Sprint Car race at Imperial Valley Fairgrounds in El Centro, Calif.

March 15, 2004

Dick Jordan

Robbie Ray of Davenport, Iowa, who is expected to defend his USAC Midwest Ford Focus Midget Car Championship in 2004, is heading for North Carolina this weekend to compete in the opening race in USAC's brand-new Carolina/Virginia Ford Focus Midget Car Series, which is presented by Calico Coatings.

March 15, 2004

Dick Jordan

Mike Kirby of Torrance, Calif. will try to protect his slim
lead in the Valvoline USAC/CRA Sprint Car standings when the series visits
the 1/2-mile dirt Manzanita Speedway in Phoenix, Ariz. this weekend for the
"Sokola Classic."

March 15, 2004

Dick Jordan

Aaron Pollock of Troy, Ohio scored a surprise victory in last year's "Copper World Classic" USAC National/Midget race at Phoenix International Raceway, but the surprise is now gone and he'll face a formidable challenge to repeat in this weekend's 25-miler.

March 15, 2004

Dick Jordan

Dave Steele of Tampa, Fla. will try to do something Sunday only one other driver has ever done in 102 USAC races at Phoenix International Raceway since the track opened in 1964!

March 11, 2004

Dick Jordan

The Bullring at Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway will host a
USAC racing "tripleheader" on April 3, featuring the Western Sprint Cars,
Western Midgets and California Ford Focus Midgets on the 3/8-mile paved oval.

March 11, 2004

Dick Jordan

Terry Hall of Stuart, Va. will compete in the opening race of
USAC's brand-new Carolina/Virginia Ford Focus Midget Car Series March 20 at
Hickory (NC) Motor Speedway and the team he will drive for is certainly no
stranger to the sport.

March 10, 2004

Dick Jordan

"It's the perfect track," says Carl Edwards, who will return to the USAC Weld Racing Silver Crown Series for the March 18-21 "Copper World Classic" at Phoenix (Ariz.) International Raceway.

Edwards, of Columbia, Mo., will pilot a car for RE Technologies of Memphis, Tenn. as a teammate to Boston Reid, USAC's 2002 Sprint Car "Rookie of the Year." The race will be Edwards' 12th in a Silver Crown car, having competed at Phoenix in 2001 and 2002.

Edwards currently leads the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series standings after a sensational victory in the series opener at Daytona Beach, Fla. in February. He will compete in this weekend's NASCAR Craftsman Truck race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, then head for Phoenix.

The heir apparent for Mark Martin's NASCAR Nextel Cup ride when Martin retires, Edwards "wants to win a Silver Crown race in the worst way. These guys are my heroes," he adds. "It would be absolutely awesome to win one of these."

In 2001 in his first National pavement racing appearance, Carl completed 71 laps at PIR before his car overheated, finishing 19th. In 2002 a broken valve spring eliminated his bid after 32 laps, relegating him to 27th place. "I didn't have very good luck the first two times," Carl admits. "I'm really excited about this opportunity to drive for the RE team and to team with a driver like Boston Reid."

Carl's best Silver Crown performance to date came at Indianapolis Raceway Park in his only 2003 series appearance. He finished third behind Jason McCord and J.J. Yeley after qualifying for the fourth starting position.

"I ran fourth in last year's Phoenix truck race and am looking forward to the Copper World Classic," says Edwards. "Not only will it give me a chance to pick up my first Silver Crown win, but it'll give me some extra laps on the track which will help me later in the year. I like the new layout of the track and enjoy the different corners and bankings it provides."

Edwards will be among drivers aiming for one of the 36 starting spots in what is an expanded field for this year's Phoenix 100-miler. Silver Crown practice is slated at PIR on Thursday and Friday, with qualifying Saturday and the 100-mile race at 11:30 am Sunday.

The Weld Racing Silver Crown Series shares the PIR weekend with the Indy Racing League's "Indy 200," the Infiniti Pro Series and the USAC National & Western Midget Car Series. A 100-mile Infiniti Pro and 25-mile Midget race are planned Saturday, with the 100-mile Silver Crown and 200-mile IRL races on Sunday.

--USAC--

March 9, 2004

Dick Jordan

The United States Auto Club's website, www.usacracing.com, has a new look.

March 9, 2004

Dick Jordan

Adrian Fernandez, Michel Jourdain, Jr. and Patrick Carpentier will climb into USAC Ford Focus Midgets to pit their noted racing skills in these quick, twitchy race cars against the best, local regulars when the 2004 USAC Ford Focus Midget Car Series debuts at Irwindale (Calif.) Speedway March 27.

March 8, 2004

Dick Jordan

Mike Kirby of Torrance, Calif. is the early leader in the 2004 Valvoline USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series standings after winning Saturday night's "Temecula Valley Pipe & Supply Showdown" 30-lapper at Perris (Calif.) Auto Speedway.

Kirby, who won the last CRA Sprint car title in 1993, earned his fourth CRA triumph and first in USAC competition in the inaugural race of the new series, passing early leader Jason York on the third lap and leading the rest of the way. The victory was also the first in Sprint competition for car owner Glen Crossno and his ITI Performance/Sander Engineering/Snap-On TCR/Downing.

Kirby was trailed to the checkered flag at Perris by Cory Kruseman of Ventura, Calif. and leads Kruseman by two points going into the March 19-20 "Sokola Classic" events at Manzanita Speedway in Phoenix, Ariz. A 20-lap feature is slated Friday at Manzanita, followed by a 40-lapper on Saturday. In addition to the posted purse awards, numerous added incentives have been posted for participants, bringing the total posted prizes for the two-night program to nearly $30,000.

Rip Williams of Yorba Linda, Calif. finished third at Perris and was followed by Troy Rutherford of Ojai, Calif. and Damion Gardner of Concord, Calif. Rutherford was Saturday night's fastest qualifier at 17.115 seconds. Heats went to Gardner, Greg Bragg and Josh Ford and Rutherford won the semi.

Indianapolis 500 winner Parnelli Jones, five-time CRA Sprint Car Champion Jimmy Oskie and two-time CRA titlist Bubby Jones were part of a great crowd on hand for the series debut at the 1/2-mile dirt oval.

VALVOLINE USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR SERIES STANDINGS

1.-Mike Kirby-68
2.-Cory Kruseman-66
3.-Rip Williams-62
4.-Troy Rutherford-61
5.-Damion Gardner-59
6.-Jason York-51
7.-Tony Jones-50
8.-Rick Ziehl-46
9.-Andy Forsberg-41
10.-Jordan Hermansader-36

March 6, 2004

Dick Jordan

QUALIFICATIONS: 1. Troy Rutherford, 7, Priestley-17.115; 2. Cory Kruseman, 4, Alexander-17.216; 3. Rip Williams, 3, Jory-17.283; 4. Damion Gardner, 50, Chaffin-17.370; 5. Mike Kirby, 38, Crossno-17.425; 6. Tony Jones, 2, Vermeer/Ferreria-17.454; 7. Dwayne Marcum, 25, Ruth-17.478; 8. Jordan Hermansader, 91, Ferro-17.495; 9. Jason York, 25N, York-17.495; 10. Andy Forsberg, 92, Forsberg-17.497; 11. Greg Taylor, 19, Sala-17.514; 12. Tony Elliott, 42, Cheney-17.625; 13. Jimmy Crawford, 18, Crawford-17.657; 14. Levi Jones, 38J, Crossno-17.673; 15. Josh Ford, 73, Ford-17.725; 16. Jon Stanbrough, 0, Shoemaker-17.748; 17. Adam Mitchell, 14, Lancaster-17.760; 18. David Cardey, 59, Giardina-17.785; 19. Brian Venard, 47, Venard-17.795; 20. Greg Bragg, 12, Pratt-17.828; 21. Ron DiDonato, 77, Acosta-17.862; 22. Mark Heidenreich, 22, Heidenreich-18.193; 23. Alan Ballard, 97, Ballard-18.382; 24. Ronnie Case, 33, Blair-18.470; 25. Rick Ziehl, 7s, Scott-18.632; 26. Duane Feduska, 23, Bellegante-18.847; 27. Matthew Rossi, 16, Rossi-18.942.

FIRST HEAT: (10 laps) 1. Gardner, 2. Ziehl, 3. Stanbrough, 4. Forsberg, 5. Crawford, 6. Heidenreich, 7. Marcum, 8. Venard, 9. Rutherford. NT

SECOND HEAT: (10 laps) 1. Bragg, 2. Mitchell, 3. Kirby, 4. L. Jones, 5. Kruseman, 6. Ballard, 7. Hermansader, 8. Feduska, 9. Taylor. NT

THIRD HEAT: (10 laps) 1. Ford, 2. T.Jones, 3. York, 4. Case, 5. Williams, 6. DiDonato, 7. Rossi, 8. Cardey, 9. Elliott. NT

SEMI: (12 laps) 1. Rutherford, 2. Hermansader, 3. Marcum, 4. Cardey, 5. Taylor, 6. Ballard, 7. Elliott, 8. DiDonato, 9. Feduska. NT

FEATURE: (30 laps) 1. Mike Kirby, 2. Cory Kruseman, 3. Rip Williams, 4. Troy Rutherford, 5. Damion Gardner, 6. Jason York, 7. Tony Jones, 8. Rick Ziehl, 9. Andy Forsberg, 10. Jordan Hermansader, 11. Greg Taylor, 12. Jon Stanbrough, 13. Greg Bragg, 14. Dwayne Marcum, 15. Josh Ford, 16. David Cardey, 17. Adam Mitchell, 18. Ronnie Case, 19. Levi Jones, 20. Jimmy Crawford. NT

-----------------------

FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-2 York, Laps 3-30 Kirby.

NEW USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR STANDINGS: 1-Kirby-68; 2-Kruseman-66; 3-Williams-62; 4-Rutherford-61; 5-Gardner-59; 6-York-51; 7-T.Jones-50; 8-Ziehl-46; 9-Forsberg-41; 10-Hermansader-36.

NEXT USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR RACE: March 19 ­ Phoenix, AZ ­ Manzanita Speedway ­ “Sokola Classic”

February 28, 2004

Contact: Shawn T. Wood

Denver, NC-- Randy Briggs, owner of Afordable Speed along with Rene and Lynn Dakota, owners of Dakota Properties both of Mooresville, NC and series promoter Tracy Trotter announced that the inaugural race for the Carolina Ford Focus Midget Series, presented by Calico Coatings, will be titled the "Afordable Speed.com Twin 20's presented by Dakota Properties" at Hickory Motor Speedway on March 20th.

"I've been involved with racing for twenty-one years and I have never been as excited about any type of racing as I am with the USAC Ford Focus Series," Randy Briggs said. "It's affordable, fast and side by side action, what a deal."

Briggs competed in several Craftsman Truck Series races last year earning rookie of the race at Daytona and Darlington. His company, Afordable Speed, will be a major supplier of parts for the Ford Focus midgets in the Carolina's.

Rene and Lynn Dakota have sponsored race cars in the past in Connecticut and are excited about the new open wheel class.

"We hope this series mushrooms," Lynn Dakota said. "My husband and I are glad to be associated with people who care about the racer and we believe we've found them in Randy and Tracy."

Afordable Speed is online at www.afordablespeed.com .

To learn more about the USAC Carolina Ford Focus Series visit www.carolinamidgetseries.com

MARCH 1, 2004

Dick Jordan, USAC News / Communications

"I can't imagine getting this break," says Damion Gardner, the Concord, Calif. driver who will pilot the #50 Ron Chaffin car in Saturday night's Valvoline USAC/CRA opener at Perris (Calif.) Auto Speedway. "Everything I've worked for has led to this opportunity and I'm pumped."

Gardner is one of the favorites for victory in the first of 32 scheduled events in USAC's newest racing series, featuring 410-c.i. non-wing Sprint cars on dirt. He'll be joined by many of California's top Sprint car drivers and a handful of top stars expected to invade from the Midwest when racing gets under way on the 1/2-mile oval at 7 pm.

Gardner developed a friendship with many-time Sprint car champion Richard Griffin and when Griffin retired recently, car owner Chaffin and chief mechanic Bruce Bromme selected Gardner as his replacement.

"Perris is one of my favorite tracks," he admits, and the track has yielded a handful of feature wins during his career. "It suits my driving style," he continues. "It has a lot of different lines and always produces great racing for the fans, not follow-the-leader racing. The Chaffin team has always liked aggressive drivers and I guess that's why they elected to hire me."

Midwestern fans will easily remember the Chaffin team from 1997 when Griffin, in six memorable Valvoline "Indiana Sprint Week" appearances, posted the fastest qualifying time every night!

"Griffin and the late Dean Thompson helped me immensely," Gardner adds. "They taught me a lot in my early career." Gardner started in truck-pulling events, then did a stint in enduro cars before moving into Sprints. He won a few races in NARC competition, then in 2000 made his first USAC appearance at Tucson, Ariz.

Gardner's #50 John-Boy chassis is sponsored by Temecula Pipe and Supply and Madera Produce. Saturday night's USAC/CRA opener is titled the "Temecula Pipe and Supply Classic" and concludes with a 30-lap feature.

Gardner admits victory will not be an easy task. "There will be plenty of competition," he says. "Mike Kirby will be in a brand-new car and Troy Rutherford is always in the top-three. Plus, the guys coming from the Midwest will make things tough."

Although he says he's found his niche in non-wing dirt-track racing, he also likes pavement and hopes to advance his career with success in this new series.

In 2003 he started a half-dozen races in USAC's Western Sprint Car Series and had four top-10 finishes on the pavement. He also was the fastest qualifier for the Valvoline "Indiana Sprint Week" race at Tri-State Speedway in Haubstadt, Ind. In 2002 he was the fastest qualifier for USAC's final National Sprint car race at Terre Haute, Ind. In 2001 he won on the pavement at Sandia Motorsports Park in Albuquerque, N.M. and ended up sixth in the final Western Sprint Car standings.

--USAC--

February 26, 2004

Dick Jordan, USAC News / Communications

USAC's Southwest Sprint Car Series expands to an 18-race slate in 2004, with additional events currently under negotiation. In addition, participants will share in contingency bonuses and awards on a per-race as well as year-end basis.

Companies involved in the series contingencies include Valvoline, the University of Northwestern Ohio, Weld Racing, Simpson, Racing Electronics, The Indy Racing League's "Fast Qualifier" program and K & N Performance Filters.

The series kicks off March 20 at Imperial Valley Speedway in El Centro, Calif. and winds its way through six states, concluding November 21 at the United Sports Arizona USA oval in Tucson, Arizona.

In between, the series visits four new venues and returns to our 50th state for the second annual "Hawaii Sprint Car Classic" near Honolulu November 12-13.

New to the 2004 calendar are Reno-Fernley Raceway in Fernley, Nev. (May 29), Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Nevada (May 30), Lone Star Speedway in Kilgore, Texas (June 12), and Dodge City Raceway Park in Kansas (September 24-25). Other facilities on the 2004 slate include a return to Lubbock Motor Speedway in Texas and Hollywood Hills Speedway in New Mexico. The 3/8-mile dirt oval at Tucson (United Sports Arizona USA) will host races May 1, July 4, September 5, October 21-23 and November 21.

Five of the races have been designated "Super Shows," namely the races at Fernley, NV (May 29), Kilgore, Tex. (June 12), Hollywood Hills (October 2), Tucson (October 23) and Hawaii Motor Speedway (November 13).

"This is our most ambitious schedule yet," says series coordinator Hal Burns. "It's also nice to have the incentives from so many contingency companies for our participants. I expect the championship to be hotly-contested from start to finish and we are looking forward to going back to Hawaii in November."

2004 SOUTHWEST SPRINT CAR SERIES SCHEDULE

Date Location/Track Type Track-D/N-Distance

----------------------------------

3/20 El Centro, CA/Imperial Valley Speedway 3/8 D-N-30 L

5/1 Tucson, AZ/United Sports Arizona USA 3/8 D-N-30 L

5/29 @Fernley, NV/Reno-Fernley Raceway 3/8 D-N-40 L

5/30 Las Vegas, NV (T)/Las Vegas Motor Speedway 1/2 D-N-30 L

6/11 Lubbock, TX/Lubbock Motor Speedway 1/3 D-N-30 L

6/12 @Kilgore, TX (T)/Lone Star Speedway 4/10 D-N-40 L

7/4 Tucson, AZ/United Sports Arizona USA 3/8 D-N-30 L

9/5 Tucson, AZ/United Sports Arizona USA 3/8 D-N-30 L

9/24 Dodge City, KS/Dodge City Raceway Park 3/8 D-N-30 L

9/25 Dodge City, KS/Dodge City Raceway Park 3/8 D-N-30 L

10/1 San Felipe Pueblo, NM/Hollywood Hills Speedway 3/8 D-N-30 L

10/2 @San Felipe Pueblo, NM/Hollywood Hills Speedway 3/8 D-N-40 L

10/21 Tucson, AZ/United Sports Arizona USA 3/8 D-N-30 L

10/22 Tucson, AZ/United Sports Arizona USA 3/8 D-N-30 L

10/23 @Tucson, AZ/United Sports Arizona USA 3/8 D-N-30 L

11/12 Ewa Beach, HI/Hawaii Motor Speedway 1/ 4 D-N-30 L

11/13 @Ewa Beach, HI/Hawaii Motor Speedway 1/4 D-N-40 L

11/21 Tucson, AZ/United Sports Arizona USA 3/8 D-N-30 L

@=These events are "Super Shows (T)=Tentative listing

February 24, 2004

Dick Jordan, USAC News / Communications

"It's the only place to race," says Rip Williams of Perris (Calif.) Auto Speedway, where the brand-new USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series debuts March 6.

Williams is among drivers hoping to claim the inaugural championship of the new series, which includes 32 events at a half-dozen tracks in California, Arizona and Washington. A 30-lap feature is on tap at the 1/2-mile dirt oval which also hosts series races on April 10 & 17, May 1 and 29, June 12 and 19, July 3, August 21 and 28, September 11 and 18, October 9, 28, 29 and 30 and November 20.

Williams, who will pilot the famed Jack Jory Stinger in the Perris opener, is no stranger to USAC racing, having competed in numerous Silver Crown and Sprint Car races and even drove a Midget in the 1996 "Turkey Night Grand Prix," which was held at Perris.

"I'm excited about racing at Perris," he added. "I'm also looking forward to competing for the inaugural USAC/CRA championship." Amazingly, Williams, who claims to have won 97 Sprint car features during his storied career, still lacks a series championship, but plans to change all that this year.

"I know it'll be tough," he says. "Guys like Troy Rutherford, Mike Spencer and Damion Gardner will be hard to beat on a regular basis, but I like the aspect of staying close to home, which this series allows me to do. Since I grew up at Ascot Park (in Gardena, Calif.) I like the tracks out here and am excited about my chances this year."

Among Williams' many Perris victories was a 50-lapper just last September, so he'll no doubt be among favorites for the March 6 opener.

Maybe more importantly, though, he sees USAC's involvement as an opportunity to foster the careers of his three sons, Cody, Austin and Logan. "I've been looking at the new Ford Focus Series and like what I see," he says. "The cost factor makes this series a great launching pad for young drivers and I was fortunate enough to get to drive one recently. It was awesome! Cody and Austin have been dabbling in quarter-midgets and it looks like this might be their next step."

Williams' USAC career so far produced a second-place finish in 1985 at Ascot Park in his first USAC feature start at that legendary oval, plus a third-place finish after posting the fastest qualifying time at Paragon (Ind.) Speedway in 1998. He also had a fifth at the Terre Haute (Ind.) Action Track in 2000. He has five career USAC Silver Crown appearances to his credit, including the 1983 "Hoosier Hundred" in Indianapolis, his latest series start coming at Sacramento, Calif. in 1997.

Williams is entering his 27th year of racing sprint cars and with that historic 100th feature win right around the corner, it appears the USAC/CRA Series will help him achieve that goal.

The Midwest is expected to be represented as well at Perris. Already planning to compete are two-time USAC National Sprint Car Champion Tony Elliott of Kokomo, Ind. and Jamestown, Ind.'s Jon Stanbrough, winner of the 2002 "Tony Hulman Classic" at Terre Haute, Ind.

--USAC--

February 9, 2004

Dick Jordan, USAC News / Communications

New venues will spice USAC's 2004 Western Sprint Car Series schedule, which again includes the second season of Port-O-Call Rocky Mountain Sprint Car competition at Rocky Mountain Raceways in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Michael Lewis of Noblesville, Ind. is the defending champion of the Valvoline Western Series, which opens April 24 at Madera (Calif.) Speedway, while Jim Waters of Salt Lake City, Utah is the defending titlist in the Port-O-Call Rocky Mountain Series, which begins May 8 in the Utah capital.

New venues for the Valvoline Western Series include Shasta Speedway in Anderson, Calif., South Sound Speedway in Tenino, Wash. and Evergreen Speedway in Monroe, Wash.

The July 3-4 event at Pikes Peak International Raceway in Fountain, Colo. will combine the Valvoline National and Western Sprint Car Series, while races at Salt Lake City, Utah July 24 and September 11 will again afford points toward both the Valvoline Western and Port-O-Call Rocky Mountain championships.

The 2004 Western Sprint Car pavement schedules are as follows:

VALVOLINE WESTERN SPRINT CAR SERIES

--------------------------------------------------------------------

4/24 Madera, CA/Madera Speedway 1/3 P ­ N - 40 L

5/1 Madera, CA/Madera Speedway 1/3 P ­ N ­ 40 L

5/8 Anderson, CA/Shasta Speedway 1/3 P ­ N ­ 40 L

6/12 Tucson, AZ/Tucson Raceway Park 1/3 P ­ N ­ 40 L

7/3-4 Fountain, CO/Pikes Peak International Raceway 1 P ­ D ­ 30 M

7/16 Tenino, WA/South Sound Speedway 3/8 P ­ N ­ 40 L

7/17 Monroe, WA/Evergreen Speedway 5/8 P ­ N ­ 40 L

7/24 Salt Lake City, UT/Rocky Mountain Raceways 3/8 P ­ N ­ 40 L

8/7 Madera, CA/Madera Speedway 1/3 P ­ N ­ 40 L

8/21 Madera, CA/Madera Speedway 1/3 P ­ N ­ 40 L

8/27 Boise, ID/Meridian Speedway 1/3 P ­ N ­ 40 L

8/28 Boise, ID/Meridian Speedway 1/3 P ­ N ­ 40 L

9/4 Stockton, CA/Stockton 99 Speedway 1/4 P ­ N ­ 40 L

9/11 Salt Lake City, UT/Rocky Mountain Raceways 3/8 P ­ N ­ 40 L

10/16 TBA/TBA TBA/TBA/TBA

11/20 Tucson, AZ/Tucson Raceway Park 1/3 P ­ N ­ 40 L

11/25 Irwindale, CA/Irwindale Speedway 1/2 P ­ N - 40 L

--------------------------------------------------------------------

PORT-O-CALL ROCKY MOUNTAIN SERIES

--------------------------------------------------------------------

All 40-lap Races at Rocky Mountain Raceways in Salt Lake City, UT

5/8
5/15
5/31
6/12
7/24
7/31
8/15
8/28
9/11

February 2, 2004

Dick Jordan, USAC News / Communications

Rick Ziehl of Las Cruces, N.M, topped honorees at Saturday night's inaugural USAC Southwest Sprint Car Series Awards Banquet in Tucson, Ariz. The 2003 series champion was among recipients of distinctive year-end and special awards distributed at the Carolina Homestead to top series performers.

Ziehl, who succeeded Mike Boat as the series titlist (Boat won the 2002 USAC New Mexico/Arizona championship), was presented a special High Achievement and Performance Award at the conclusion of the ceremonies, emceed by USAC VP/News & Communications Dick Jordan. Joining series coordinator Hal Burns in making the presentation to Ziehl was USAC VP/Western Operations Tommy Hunt

Preceeding addresses by Jordan, Hunt and Burns, the attendees were read a congratulatory letter from USAC President/CEO Rollie Helmling, who was unable to attend due to business commitments in Indianapolis, Ind.

In addition to Ziehl, drivers finishing in the "top-10" in final series standings also receiving awards included, (2-10) Brandon Lane of Mesa, AZ, Robert Hall, Jr. of Show Low, AZ, Ronnie Clark of Tucson, AZ, Beau Binder of El Paso, Texas, Kaylene Verville of Avondale, AZ, Mike Martin of Yuma, AZ, Shon Deskins of Phoenix, AZ, Bruce St. James of Phoenix and Matt Rossi of Glendale, AZ.

Lane was named the series' "Rookie of the Year," while St. James picked up the "Most Improved Driver" Award. Other special recognition went to Clark (Hard Charger), Binder (Hard Luck), and Deskins (Best Appearing Car), and Verville, USAC's first-ever female Sprint Car feature winner in 2002, was named the series' "Most Popular Driver."

Dave Burns of Santa Fe, N.M. was presented the prestigious "Hank Arnold Award" for dedication, commitment and achievement by Arnold's daughter, Shirley Galbreath, and former car owner Don Brown.

Leighton Crouch of Shallowater, Texas accepted the "Sportsmanship Award" in recognition of his attitude on and off the race track and cooperation with series officials, while Hall received an "Outstanding First-Year Performance" Award.

A special thank you was extended to Pacific Air Cargo for their sponsorship of the affair and for their assistance in making the November "Hawaii Sprint Car Classic" a reality. In addiiton, C.L. Bryant Company was also recognized for their contributions to the series.

Arizona resident Dick Wallen also addressed the attendees regarding his progress on the planned commemorative book and video chronicalling USAC's 50-year history which are expected in early 2006.

USAC's Southwest Sprint Car Series Officials also came in for special recognition, receiving appreciation plaques from the USAC Headquarters in Indianapolis.

The 2004 USAC Southwest Sprint Car Series schedule is in the final stages of completion and is expected to be released later this week.

--USAC--

January 24, 2004

Dick Jordan, USAC News / Communications

The USAC Benevolent Foundation, which affords benefits to needy USAC racers and their families in times of need, will benefit from a 3-hour Karting Enduro scheduled February 26 at Fastimes Indoor Karting in Indianapolis, Ind.

"Fun at Fastimes" continues a tradition started in 1997 featuring USAC race drivers and fans teaming up for three hours of go-kart competition and lots of fun.

Participants submit bids for team memberships, then 10 teams are former, each with two USAC driver co-captains. Drivers scheduled to compete in this year's event include Cole Carter, Dane Carter, Kent Christian, Dave Darland, Bobby East, Tony Elliott, Ted Hines, Shane Hollingsworth, Michael Lewis, Critter Malone, Brad and Justin Marvel, Johnny Parsons, Brandon Petty, Billy Puterbaugh and J.T. Stapp.

Former winning co-captains of the race have included Tracy Hines and Kevin Besecker (1997), Ted Hines and Tony Elliott (1998), Stevie Reeves and Johnny Parsons III (1999), Dave Darland (2000), Ted and Tracy Hines (2001), Bobby East and Dickie Gaines (2002) and Ted and Tracy Hines again last year.

Entry fees are $600 per team or $100 per individual and can be submitted to Bill Marvel, c/o USAC Benevolent Foundation, 4910 W. 16th Street, Speedway, IN 46224.

--USAC--

January 23, 2004

Dick Jordan, USAC News / Communications

Completing one of the most challenging tasks he's faced since becoming USAC's National Series coordinator, Jason Smith today released the 2004 schedules for the Valvoline National Sprint Car and National Midget Car Series.

Reflected in the schedules are 29 venues in 14 states for the Sprint Cars and 21 venues in 14 states for the Midgets. A total of 69 feature events are included in the combined schedules, which include 10 dates featuring both series.

The National Midget Car Series kicks off with the traditional "Copper World Classic" at Phoenix (Ariz.) International Raceway March 19-21 and will conclude with traditional November dates including the November 25 "Turkey Night Grand Prix" at Irwindale (Calif.) Speedway. In between, traditional races include the "Mopar Twin 25s" at Irwindale, Calif. and Indianapolis Raceway Park, the "Night Before the 500" at IRP, the "Buckeye Nationals" in Ohio, the "Belleville Midget Nationals" in Kansas, the "Hut Hundred" at the Terre Haute (Ind.) Action Track and the "4-Crown Nationals" at Rossburg, Ohio.

The Sprint Cars debut April 3 with the "Don Branson/Jud Larson Classic" and the following day at Anderson, Ind., with the "Glen Niebel Classic" and will close with the newly-added Perris (Calif.) Oval Nationals and "Western World Open" at Manzanita Speedway in Phoenix, Ariz. Traditional events in between include the "Border Wars" races at Gas City, Ind. and Rossburg, Ohio, the "Tony Hulman Classic" at Terre Haute, Ind., the "Buckeye Nationals" in Ohio, the Valvoline "Indiana Sprint Week" series at seven tracks, the "Joe James/Pat O'Connor Classic" at Salem, Ind. and the "4-Crown Nationals" at Rossburg, Ohio.

New 2004 venues not on the 2003 calendar include the Raceway @ Powercom Park in Beaver Dam, Wisc. (Midgets and Sprints), the Indianapolis Speedrome (Midgets), the Milwaukee Mile (Midgets), Nashville (Tenn.) Fairgrounds Speedway (Sprints), Memphis (Tenn.) Motorsports Park (Sprints), Lake Erie Speedway in North East, Pa. (Sprints) Dixie Speedway in Woodstock, Ga. (Sprints) and the closing Sprint events at Perris, Calif. and Phoenix, Ariz.

Creek County Speedway near Tulsa, Okla. (Sapulpa) welcomes the Midgets back in 2004 after suffering a rainout of their inaugural event in 2003, while the Sprint cars will join the Silver Crown cars for the first time at the Tulsa Fairgrounds Motorplex. The Sprint cars will also join the Silver Crown cars for the first time in 2004 at the Richmond (Va.) International Raceway.

Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio, which again hosts the "4-Crown Nationals" after a year's hiatus, will also host the "Mopar Challenge" Sprint spectacular in August.

The traditional "Hut Hundred" Midget race at the Terre Haute (IN) Action Track is not yet reflected on the schedule, but that date will be announced soon, when finalized.

"This was certainly my biggest challenge since coming to USAC," reiterated Jason Smith, USAC's series coordinator. "The dynamics of assembling our 2004 schedule were tremendous but we feel we have created, with few exceptions, a participant-friendly calendar. In 2004 USAC is anticipating its most ambitious racing season ever by far, with over 250 total racing events, and it is becoming increasingly difficult to avoid conflicting dates. Although our slate is full, we continue to discuss additional venues and dates and the 2004 schedule could reflect some changes as we proceed with this process."

--USAC--

2004 VALVOLINE/USAC NATIONAL SPRINT CAR SERIES SCHEDULE

4/3 Rossburg, OH/Eldora Speedway 1/2 D - N/30 L

4/4 Anderson, IN/Anderson Speedway 1/4 P - D/50 L

4/10 Nashville, TN/Fairgrounds Speedway 5/8 P - N/77 L

4/10 Nashville, TN/Fairgrounds Speedway 5/8 P - N/77 L

4/24 Beaver Dam, WI/Raceway @ Powercom Park 1/3 D - N/30 L

4/30 %Gas City, IN/Gas City I-69 Speedway 1/4 D - N/30 L

5/1 %Rossburg, OH/Eldora Speedway 1/2 D - N/30 L

5/7 Memphis, TN/Memphis Motorsports Park 1/4 D - N/30 L

5/22 Terre Haute, IN/Terre Haute Action Track 1/2 D - N/30 L

5/26 Anderson, IN/Anderson Speedway 1/4 P - N/50 L

6/4 Cedar Rapids, IA/Hawkeye Downs 1/2 P - N/40 L

6/16 *Attica, OH/Attica Raceway Park 1/3 D - N/30 L

6/17 *Fremont, OH/Fremont Speedway 1/3 D - N/30 L

6/18 *Lima, OH/Limaland Motorsports Park 1/4 D - N/30 L

6/19 *Rossburg, OH/Eldora Speedway 1/2 D - N/30 L

6/25 Richmond, VA/Richmond International Raceway 3/4 P - N/60 L

7/3-4 Fountain, CO/Pikes Peak International Raceway 1 P - D/30 M

7/9 Toledo, OH/Toledo Speedway 1/2 P - N/40 L

7/10 Indianapolis, IN/Indianapolis Raceway Park 7/16 P - N/30 L

7/15 @North Vernon, IN/Twin Cities Raceway Park 3/8 D - N/30 L

7/16 @Gas City, IN/Gas City I-69 Speedway 1/4 D - N/30 L

7/17 @Putnamville, IN/Lincoln Park Speedway 5/16 D - N/30 L

7/18 @Haubstadt, IN/Tri-State Speedway 1/4 D - N/30 L

7/22 @Lawrenceburg, IN/Lawrenceburg Speedway 1/4 D - N/30 L

7/23 @Bloomington, IN/Bloomington Speedway 1/4 D - N/30 L

7/24 @Terre Haute, IN/Terre Haute Action Track 1/2 D - N/30 L

8/7 Rossburg, OH/Eldora Speedway 1/2 D - N/40 L

8/13 North East, PA/Lake Erie Speedway 3/8 P - N/40 L

8/14 Salem, IN/Salem Speedway 1/2 P - N/50 L

8/27-28 Nazareth, PA/Nazareth Speedway 1 P - D/30 M

9/10 Joliet, IL (T)/Route 66 Raceway 1/2 D - N/30 L

9/17 Tulsa, OK/Tulsa Fairgrounds Motorplex 3/4 D - N/30 L

9/24-25 Rossburg, OH/Eldora Speedway 1/2 D - N/30 L

10/2 Terre Haute, IN/Terre Haute Action Track 1/2 D - N/30 L

10/13 Charlotte, NC/The Dirt Track @ Lowe's Motor Speedway 4/10 D - N/30 L

10/16 Woodstock, GA/Dixie Speedway 3/8 D - N/30 L

10/28 Perris, CA/Perris Auto Speedway 1/2 D - N/30 L

10/29 Perris, CA/Perris Auto Speedway 1/2 D - N/30 L

10/30 Perris, CA/Perris Auto Speedway 1/2 D - N/30 L

11/4 Phoenix, AZ/Manzanita Speedway 1/2 D - N/30 L

11/5 Phoenix, AZ/Manzanita Speedway 1/2 D - N/30 L

11/6 Phoenix, AZ/Manzanita Speedway 1/2 D - N/30 L

@=Indiana Sprint Week®
*=Buckeye Nationals
%=Border Wars
(SE)=Special Non-Points Event
(T)=Tentative Date

2004 USAC NATIONAL MIDGET CAR SERIES SCHEDULE

3/18-20 @Phoenix, AZ/Phoenix, International Raceway 1 P - D/25 M

3/27 @Irwindale, CA/Irwindale Speedway 1/2 P - N/25 L

3/27 @Irwindale, CA (SE)/Irwindale Speedway 1/2 P - N/25 L

4/24 Beaver Dam, WI/Raceway @ Powercom Park 1/3 D - N/30 L

5/27 Indianapolis, IN/Indianapolis Speedrome 1/5 P - N/100 L

5/29 Indianapolis, IN/Indianapolis Raceway Park .686 P - N/50 L

6/12 Indianapolis, IN/Indianapolis Raceway Park .686 P - N/25 L

6/12 Indianapolis, IN (SE)/Indianapolis Raceway Park .686 P - N/25 L

6/16 Attica, OH/Attica Raceway Park 1/3 D - N/30 L

6/17 Fremont, OH/Fremont Speedway 1/3 D - N/30 L

6/18 Lima, OH/Limaland Motorsports Park 1/4 D - N/30 L

6/19 Rossburg, OH/Eldora Speedway 1/2 D - N/25 L

7/3-4 @Fountain, CO/Pikes Peak International Raceway 1 P - D/30 M

7/23-24 Milwaukee, WI/Milwaukee Mile 1 P - D/30 M

7/27 @Lincoln, NE/Eagle Raceway 1/3 D - N/40 L

7/30 @Belleville, KS/Belleville High Banks 1/2 D - N/TBA

7/31 @Belleville, KS/Belleville High Banks 1/2 D - N/40 L

8/4 Indianapolis, IN/Indianapolis Speedrome 1/5 P - N/100 L

8/14 Salem, IN/Salem Speedway 1/2 P - N/30 L

8/27-28 Nazareth, PA/Nazareth Speedway 1 P - N/30M

9/10 Joliet, IL (T)/Route 66 Raceway 1/2 D - N/30 L

9/11 Anderson, IN/Anderson Speedway 1/4 P - N/30 L

9/16 Sapulpa, OK/Creek County Speedway 1/4 D - N/30 L

9/24-25 Rossburg, OH/Eldora Speedway 1/2 D - N/30 L

11/20 @Tucson, AZ/Tucson Raceway Park 1/3 P - N/40 L

11/25 @Irwindale, CA/Irwindale Speedway 1/2 P - N/100 L

11/27 @TBA/TBA TBA - TBA/TBA

NOTE: "Hut Hundred" date at the Terre Haute (IN) Action Track being finalized, to be released soon.

@=These races also award Western points.
*=Buckeye Nationals
SE=Special Event (No points)
(T)=Tentative Date

January 20, 2004

Dick Jordan, USAC News / Communications

Contact: Scott Denby, Ford Racing (313) 337-8248
Eric Bunn, United States Auto Club (317) 247-5151

(Indianapolis, IN) - The United States Auto Club and Ford Racing Technology have reached an agreement to extend Ford Racing's sponsorship of the USAC Ford Focus Midget Series through the 2008 racing season.

Since the series inaugural race in Southern California in March of 2002, the USAC Ford Focus Midget Series has grown to include regional championships in Southern and Northern California, the Midwest, the Carolinas and a weekly racing championship at the Indianapolis Speedrome. During the 2004 season more than 100 cars will contest the five championships in nearly 95 events on both dirt and paved oval racetracks.

This contract extension not only reaffirms Ford Racing's commitment to USAC, the Ford Focus Midget Series competitors, and grassroots racing but it provides the backing to ensure the series continues to prosper.

"This announcement reinforces Ford Racing's commitment to the USAC Ford Focus Midget Series. More so, it provides long-term stability for the series and gives it a foundation for success few series at the grassroots level enjoy," said Dan Davis, director, Ford Racing Technology.

"The additional commitment on behalf of Ford Racing Technology and USAC through the end of 2008 is a 'milestone' event for open wheel racing. We look forward to the continued exciting and explosive growth this series is experiencing," said Rollie Helmling, President and CEO of the United States Auto Club.

"I am certain that during the term of this agreement we will see many young racers who are starting in the USAC Ford Focus Midget Series advance to the pinnacle of motor sports and be on their way to becoming racing legends. USAC is honored and privileged to join with Ford Racing in this great endeavor which racers and enthusiasts will enjoy for years to come," Helmling continued.

The USAC Ford Focus Series will also hold the first national Ford Focus Midget Car event, The Belleville USAC Ford Focus Midget Nationals, at the Belleville High Banks in Belleville, KS, on July 27, 2004.

SCREAM, of Harbor City, CA., will continue to be the official engine supplier for the series. The engines for the series are based on internally stock 2.0-liter Ford ZETEC engines, use mechanical fuel injection, methanol fuel and each car features an onboard starter and clutch eliminating the need for the traditional push trucks.

Aside from the convenience the onboard starter and clutch provides, the engine package has been incredibly reliable under extreme conditions. Some Ford Focus Midget Series competitors will be starting their third season with the same engine, a testament to the series' engine and rules package.

The 2004 USAC Ford Focus Midget Series will kick off the 2004 season with the Carolina Series opener at Hickory Motor Speedway, Hickory, NC, March 20, while the California teams will open at Irwindale Speedway, Irwindale, CA on March 27. The Midwest Series traditional first race will again be held at Anderson Speedway, Anderson, IN, on April 4. Weekly racing at the Indianapolis Speedrome, Indianapolis, IN, begins May 5.

USAC - United States Auto Club

All The Dirt Racing News

January 19, 2004

Dick Jordan, USAC News / Communications

Champions of USAC's 2003 Western racing series were honored Saturday night at the annual USAC Western Awards Banquet in Sacramento, Calif. The affair was held in the Sky Box at Race Place Motorsports and was followed by go-kart racing on a European-style indoor road circuit.

Michael Lewis of Noblesville, Ind was saluted as the Western Sprint Car Champion, while Steve Paden of Downey, Calif. accepted plaudits as the Western Midget Car titlist. Also celebrated were Ford Focus Midget driving championships for Todd Hunsaker of Chino Hills, Calif. (South) and Josh Lakatos of Pasadena, Calif. (North), Rick Ziehl of Las Cruces, N.M. (Southwest Sprints), Jim Waters of Salt Lake City, Utah (Port-O-Call Rocky Mountain Sprints) and Bruce Feldman of San Ramon, Calif. (Russell Racing Series).

Car Entrant champions honored included Larry Trigueiro and Rick Gerhardt of Western Speed Racing of Fresno, Calif. (Western Sprints) and Richard Farrier (Western Midgets), plus Ford Focus Champions Hunsaker and Lakatos.

All of the "top-10" drivers and car entrants in the final 2003 standings received distinctive awards and numerous special accolades were bestowed.

Hoosier Tire "Rookie of the Year" honors went to Michael Lewis and Greg Taylor of Ojai, Calif. (Sprints), Garrett Hansen of Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif. (Midgets) and Ryan Kaplan of Chico, Calif. (Ford Focus Midgets). Hoosier also presented "Most Improved Driver" awards to Jim Waters (Sprints), Johnny Rodriguez of Elk Grove, Calif. (Midgets) and Chris Rahe of Placentia, Calif. (Ford Focus Midgets). Each Hoosier recipient will also receive a specially-designed Hoosier Racing Jacket.

Specially-designed jackets from C.L. Bryant and VP Racing Fuels are also targeted for 2003 "Hard Chargers" Waters (Sprints), Paden (Midgets) and Kaplan (Ford Focus Midgets).

USAC's Western Racing Officials were each presented Appreciation Certificates from USAC and two were again saluted for honors bestowed in December at the USAC Champions Night in Indianapolis, Ind. They were "Diana Fell Gilmore Woman Behind the Scenes" Award winner Pat Johnson of Burbank, Calif. and USAC Winners Circle "Ross Hadley Memorial Achievement" Award winner Dennis Johansen of Stockton, Calif.

Ford Focus Midget competitors James Miller, Sr. and Jr. of Parowan, Utah were named winners of the inaugural "Walt Johnson Memorial Achievement Award" in memory of the late USAC Chief Steward, presented by Bob & Cookie Pool and Mrs. Johnson. Rick Gerhardt, President of Hoosier Tire West, was named the recipient of the Curly Merrill "Let's Go Racing Award" saluting his many contributions to USAC's Western activities. Jerome Rodela of El Monte, Calif. was named the winner of the "Joe Lynch Memorial Award" recognizing mechanical excellence.

The affair was emceed by USAC VP/News & Communications Dick Jordan. USAC President Rollie Helmling and VP/Western Operations Tommy Hunt also addressed the attendees and Utah's Gordon Tyler assisted in the award presentations.

--USAC--

USAC - United States Auto Club

All The Dirt Racing News

January 19, 2004

Dick Jordan, USAC News / Communications

Principals of the recently-announced 2004 USAC/CRA 410 Sprint Car Series assembled Thursday night (January 15) at the Elks Lodge in Downey, California for an informative public forum to discuss details of the new series and acquaint prospective participants with series track operators/owners and USAC sanctioning-body officials.

A capacity, standing-room-only audience of more than 160, including car owners, drivers and other interested participants were in attendance for the meeting, opened by longtime California Sprint Car principal Glen Howard, who then introduced the panel, comprised of parties from Perris Auto Speedway, Ventura Raceway and Manzanita Speedway (Phoenix, Ariz.), plus USAC National and Western Officers.

The assembly was initially addressed by Don Kazarian of Perris Auto Speedway, who summarized discussions which have taken place since the conclusion of the 2003 racing season and presented reasons for the decision to create the new series.

USAC President/CEO Rollie Helmling then addressed the meeting and informed the group about USAC's involvement in the new series. Mr. Helmling also outlined items contained in an informational packet distributed to all attendees, which included the 2004 racing schedule and answers to numerous specific series-related issues such as purse, rules, race procedures, year-end point funds, series sponsors, memberships, etc.

Mr. Helmling then served as moderator for the open forum in which questions were directed to the panel, which also included USAC VP/Western Operations Tommy Hunt, Mr.Kazarian, Ventura Raceway owner/operator Jim Naylor and Manzanita Speedway owner/operator Keith Hall.

Unable to attend but offering input contained in the informational packet were Dave Swindell of Kings Speedway in Hanford, Calif., Steve and Randy Schweitzer of Bakersfield Speedway and Steve Beitler of Skagit (Wash.) Speedway, whose facilities are also included in the 2004 calendar of events.

Questions regarding many aspects of the new series were fielded by the panel, which offered insight into the structure and plans for the coming season, which opens Saturday night, March 6 at Perris Auto Speedway and presently includes 32 events with additional venues under consideration.

Membership information was distributed signaling the beginning of licensing and registration for the series and is also available by contacting USAC Headquarters in Indianapolis or the USAC website at www.usacracing.com.

A subsequent meeting is planned Thursday night February 5 at the Downey Elks Lodge, beginning at 7 pm for the new membership to discuss series rules.

--USAC--

USAC - United States Auto Club

All The Dirt Racing News

January 12, 2004

Dick Jordan, USAC News / Communications

Weld Racing, Inc. of Kansas City, Mo. returns as the series entitlement sponsor of USAC's Weld Racing Silver Crown Series in 2004, as year which will see expansion in terms of Weld's commitment as well as the number of events and venues. Weld's Silver Crown involvement also now extends to include the 2005 season as well.

"We are extremely excited about our continuing involvement with USAC's premier series," said Taylor Weld, Vice President, Research and Development for Weld Racing, Inc., the larghest manufacturer of forged aluminum racing wheels in the United States.

Its founder and President/CEO is USAC's 1967 National Sprint Car Champion, Greg Weld. "We are proud of our association with USAC and look forward to two more years of fantastic racing," Weld continued. "This series has long been the standard-bearer for developing the nation's major racing talent, as evidenced by the success of its champions in other arenas. Just look at the accomplishments of Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, Ryan Newman, Mike Bliss and Jason Leffler and you quickly realize the impact this series has on America's motorsports heritage. We recognized long ago the benefits of USAC sponsorship and are proud to affiliate our product and our company with a sanctioning body which next year will celebrate its golden anniversary."

In addition to the series sponsorship, Weld Racing has significantly increased its support of USAC participants in the Valvoline Sprint Cart Series as a contingency sponsor for 2004 and 2005. Through product service and supply, Weld Racing takes a hands-on approach to all of its motorsports endeavors.

In 2004 the USAC Weld Racing Silver Crown Series, which contains 14 dates at present and opens March 19-21 with the Coppoer World Classic at Phoenix, Ariz., will expand to include races at Memphis, Tenn. and Milwaukee, Wisc.

--USAC--

USAC - United States Auto Club

All The Dirt Racing News

January 12, 2004

Dick Jordan, USAC News / Communications

USAC participants and fans will have an Official Credit Card for the first time, courtesy of MBNA, which has been designated as the Official Credit Card of USAC.

The world's largest independent credit card issuer, MBNA has operations throughout the United States and in Canada, Ireland, Spain and the United Kingdom. MBNA also provides retail deposit, consumer loans and insurance products.

As a result of this new affiliation, USAC members will be able to acquire specially-designed, unique USAC credit cards, for which applications will be available at USAC events across America, from the MBNA and USAC websites and various other outlets yet to be announced. In addition, MBNA will provide a distinctive year-end award which will be presented for the first time at the USAC Champions Night in December of 2004. Information about this award will be announced when finalized.

"MBNA is excited to become the official credit card issuer of the United States Auto Club," said Dave Elgena, Senior Executive Vice President and Director of MBNA Motorsports. "It is such a great opportunity to be able to partner with an organization that has produced drivers such as A.J. Foyt, Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart. USAC's commitment to excellence is well known and we look forward to a long and productive partnership."

--USAC--

USAC - United States Auto Club

All The Dirt Racing News

January 7, 2004

Dick Jordan, USAC News / Communications

United States Auto Club dirt-track Sprint Car racing returns to the West Coast on a regular basis in 2004 with today's announcement of a 30-race USAC/CRA 410 Sprint Car Series encompassing five tracks in Southern California and Arizona.

The new series debuts March 6 at Perris (Calif.) Auto Speedway and includes races at Manzanita Speedway in Phoenix, Ariz., Ventura (Calif.) Raceway, Kings Speedway in Hanford, Calif. and Bakersfield (Calif.) Speedway. As the title implies, the California Racing Association acronym has been revived and will be utilized in series logos and identification.

"We are pleased to be the home track for the newly formed USAC/CRA 410 Sprint Car Series in California and Arizona, said Don Kazarian, race organizer at Perris Auto Speedway, which will host more than half of the already-scheduled 30 races. "To be associated with one of the largest and oldest sanctioning bodies in the United States can only propel 410 Sprint Car racing to new levels nationwide. I truly believe this program is good for the racer, racefan and gives stability to the organizers of the events. Currently, USAC is developing and producing the Superstars of today and tomorrow.

"I am pleased to see King's Speedway in Hanford and the Bakersfield Speedway once again promoting 410 Sprint Car racing in the central valley," continued Kazarian. "They are two historical speedways that have a tremendous fan base to help the series grow. Hopefully the series can be expanded into Northern California in the future. In addition, the ninth running of the Budweiser Oval Nationals at PAS October 28-30, presented by Temecula Valley Pipe & Supply, will afford points toward USAC's Valvoline National Sprint Car Championship."

Utilizing non-winged 410 cubic-inch Sprint Cars, the new series will include some of America's most traditional Sprint Car classics, namely the "Sokola Classic" in Phoenix March 20-21, the "Oval Nationals" at Perris October 28-30 and the "Western World Open" November 4-6 in Phoenix. In between, competition will be keen for points leading toward the inaugural series title, with the champion to be among those saluted at USAC's Champions Night in Indianapolis, Ind. in December.

"USAC has a very strong 'brand name' that will support additional sponsorship for the series," added Kazarian.

In 2003 USAC's Southwest Sprint Cars visited Imperial Raceway in El Centro, Calif., while Manzanita Speedway in Phoenix, Ariz. last hosted the Southwest Sprint Cars in 2002. Kings Speedway hosted USAC Sprint racing on a "regional" basis in 1998, while Ventura and Perris are new to the USAC Sprint Car scene, although both played host to USAC's prestigious "Turkey Night Grand Prix" Midget race during the 1990s.

Although the 30 races listed below are firm, additional dates are also being negotiated and will be released as they are finalized, as well as specific information regarding point funds to be distributed at season's end. Race purses will reflect a traditional structure and participants will notice a scheduling gap permitting them to compete in the popular Valvoline "Indiana Sprint Week" events in the Midwest.

In addition to the Sprint car events listed here, USAC Western Midget and California Ford Focus Midget Car events are also slated for the four aforementioned California tracks in 2004.

The 2004 USAC/CRA 410 Sprint Car schedule in California and Arizona is as follows:

Date Track

March 6/Perris Auto Speedway
March 20/Manzanita Speedway
March 21/Manzanita Speedway

April 3/Kings Speedway
April 10/Perris Auto Speedway
April 17/Perris Auto Speedway

May 1/Perris Auto Speedway
May 8/Manzanita Speedway
May 22/Ventura Raceway
May 29/Perris Auto Speedway

June 12/Perris Auto Speedway
June 19/Perris Auto Speedway

July 3/Perris Auto Speedway

August 14/Kings Speedway
August 21/Perris Auto Speedway
August 28/Perris Auto Speedway

September 4/Ventura Raceway
September 11/Perris Auto Speedway
September 18/Perris Auto Speedway
September 25/Manzanita Speedway

October 9/Perris Auto Speedway
October 16/Bakersfield Speedway
October 23/Ventura Raceway
October 28/Perris Auto Speedway
October 29/Perris Auto Speedway
October 30/Perris Auto Speedway

November 4/Manzanita Speedway
November 5/Manzanita Speedway
November 6/Manzanita Speedway
November 20/Perris Auto Speedway

USAC - United States Auto Club

All The Dirt Racing News

January 7, 2004

Dick Jordan, USAC News / Communications

USAC's National and Western Sprint Car Series will have title sponsorship from Valvoline in 2004, 2005 and 2006 as the Lexington, KY-based company has extended its USAC involvement to an increased level.

The Valvoline/USAC National and Western Sprint Car Series are expected to debut in March and continue to highlight the commitment of the company, a division of Ashland, Inc., to USAC and grass-roots racing.

A leading marketer, distributor and producer of quality branded automotive and industrial products and services to more than 140 countries, Valvoline products include automotive lubricants, transmission fluids, gear oils, hydraulic lubricants, automotive chemicals, specialty products, greases and cooling system products. Valvoline also offers Eagle One car care products for automotive cleaning and maintenance and operates Valvoline Instant Oil Change, the second largest quick-lube chain in the U.S.

Valvoline has also been designated as the Official Oil of USAC's revolutionary Ford Focus Midget Car Series, which will experiencing unprecedented expansion in 2004.

"Over the last two years Valvoline's presence and support of USAC and specifically the Sprint Car series has grown," says Mikel Hartman, manager of motorsports marketing for Valvoline. "We quickly realized our best investment is the title sponsorship. Valvoline has something to offer every driver, team, owner and builder. Whether it's helping teams go faster and engines last longer with our new Valvoline "Not Street Legal" racing oil, or developing talent for the NASCAR team we own, there is tremendous opportunity for Valvoline in USAC Sprint Car racing."

Valvoline served as a presenting sponsor for USAC's 2003 Weld Racing Silver Crown Series and as the title sponsor of USAC's Silver Crown Series from 1986-1990 and in 1992.

Included in Valvoline's commitments to USAC participants are title sponsorship of the "Valvoline Indiana Sprint Week" and continuing "Official Oil" status of USAC, plus year-end bonuses and the prestigious "Jimmy Caruthers Award," which was presented to Dave Darland in December at USAC's "Champions Night" in Indianapolis, Ind.

--USAC--

USAC - United States Auto Club

All The Dirt Racing News

January 7, 2004

Dick Jordan, USAC News / Communications

Daktronics, Inc., a recognized leader in the design and manufacture of electronic scoreboards, timing systems, computer-programmable displays, large screen video displays, and sports statistics software, has joined in a marketing partnership with USAC. Through the partnership, Daktronics will be the official scoreboard provider for USAC.

"We are excited about Daktronics being involved with USAC and the racing market," said Daktronics Sales and Service manager (Indianapolis, IN) John Paloma. "Daktronics has a huge race fan base and we can't wait to get started."

The three-year sponsorship agreement provides for exclusive product/service category for all USAC Series, Daktronics decal placement on all USAC corporate haulers, sponsor banner placement at all USAC events, advertisement in the USAC Media Guide and Daktronics logos/patches on all USAC Officials uniforms. Several other items are also included in the Official Category Sponsorship agreement.

Daktronics will provide a Galaxy monochrome electronic message center to include a control computer and interface software written by Daktronics. A unique (alpha-numeric) Black Flag display will also be provided to USAC. The displays will be transported by USAC personnel to each USAC track facility in the Midwest.

"We are looking forward to partnering with a professional organization like USAC," said Dan Jackson, Motorsports Marketing manager at Daktronics. "There are some impressive companies that are partnered with USAC and we are excited to be one of them."

Daktronics has strong leadership positions in, and is one of the world's largest suppliers of, electronic scoreboards, computer-programmable displays and larger screen video display and control systems. The company excels in the control of large display systems, including those that require integration of complex multiple displays showing real time information, graphics, animation and video. Daktronics designs, manufactures, markets and services display systems for customers around the world in sport, business and transportation applications, and celebrated its 35th year in business in 2003.

For more information, visit the company's worldwide web site at www.daktronics.com, email the company at sales@daktronics.com, call toll-free 1-800-DAKTRONICS (800-325-8766) in the U.S., or write to the company at 331 32nd Avenue, P.O. Box 5128, Brookings, S.D. 57006-5128.

--USAC--

USAC - United States Auto Club

All The Dirt Racing News

January 5, 2004

Dick Jordan, USAC News / Communications

USAC participants will split nearly $30,000 in total prizes from Holley Performance Products in 2004 as a result of expansion of the Earl's Plumbing USAC Fast Qualifier Championships.

"We have added the Ford Focus Midget Car Series to the mix," says USAC National Director of Sales & Marketing Steve Farmer. "In 2004, each of our three Ford Focus Series champions will join our National and Western driving champions as recipients of year-end bonuses from this extremely-competitive program."

J.J. Yeley and Tracy Hines each earned $10,000 as 2003 USAC Earl's Fast Qualifier Champions, while Michael Lewis also earned a $5,000 bonus as a result of this program.

"Expansion of our most recent new racing series will find three Ford Focus Midget Car regions in 2004," added Farmer. "We recognize the fact that some of these events will not include qualifying so we have devised an alternate points formula to apply. In the event qualifications are held, points will be awarded in the traditional fashion. When the special heat and passing point system is employed to determine the feature lineup, the first six feature starters will receive the Earl's points, and in the case of inverted feature starts, the sixth-starter would receive the nine points, fifth-starter six points, etc.

Points are traditionally awarded at each USAC event based on an international system awarding the top-six qualifiers with points in the following scale: 1st-9. 2nd-6, 3rd-4, 4th-3, 5th-2, 6th-1.

Each USAC National, Western and Ford Focus Midget Car Earl's Plumbing FQ Champion will be honored at USAC's Champions Night ceremony in Indianapolis in December. The National and Western FQ champs will receive $5,000 each, while the Ford Focus FQ champs will each receive $1,500.

Final 2003 Standings: Weld Racing Silver Crown: 1-J.J. Yeley-72; 2-Dave Steele-44; 3-Tracy Hines-28; 4-Dave Darland-21; 5-Jay Drake-15.

National Sprint Car: 1-Tracy Hines-127; 2-Jay Drake-124; 3-J.J. Yeley-123; 4-Boston Reid-53; 5-Jon Stanbrough-26.

National Midget Car: 1-Tracy Hines-109; 2-J.J. Yeley-94; 3-Bobby East-80; 4-Dave Steele-33; 5-Jay Drake-30.

Western Sprint Car: 1-Michael Lewis-58; 2-Tony Hunt-57; 3-Rick Hendrix-43; 4-Jeff Gardner-22; 5-Jim Waters & Greg Taylor-15.

Western Midget Car: 1-J.J. Yeley-43; 2-Josh Wise & Dave Steele-33; 4-Bobby East-25; 5-Steve Paden-24.

--USAC--

USAC - United States Auto Club

All The Dirt Racing News

January 5, 2004

Dick Jordan, USAC News / Communications

Big Daddy's South Boston (Va.) Speedway will serve as the anchor race track for the 2004 USAC Carolina/Virginia Ford Focus Midget series, it was announced today by officials of the United States Auto Club (USAC) and the speedway.

The track will host six events in the brand-new series, beginning with a Saturday night, April 10 program also featuring a 150-lap race for the legendary South Boston Late Model Stocks, a 50-lapper for Limited Sportsmen and a 30-lapper for Pure Stocks.

"USAC's open-wheel divisions have proven to be a valuable stepping stone for many of today's greatest racing stars in NASCAR and the IRL," said Joe Mattioli, President of South Boston Speedway, the first venue in the Mid-South to contact USAC regarding the Ford Focus series. "South Boston also has a reputation for being a 'star-maker," continued Mattioli. "We want to give our competitors the best opportunity to develop their skills for motorsports' major leagues and believe that the Ford Focus Midget Series will be a great asset. A competitive Ford Focus Midget, which can be purchased for less than $20,000, will turn laps faster than our Late Models and will give our competitors the experience they need to succeed, right in their own back yard, while giving our fans the thrill of super-fast open wheeled competition."

USAC Ford Focus Midget cars are powered by a "spec" 2-liter Ford Zetec engine. Internally the motors are directly from the Ford assembly line and are currently featured in the Ford Focus, the best selling car in the world. The Ford Focus Series engine produces 178 horsepower, running on methanol with mechanical fuel injection. All USAC Ford Focus Midgets are required to have a functioning on-board starter and clutch.

"When we first began talking to Joe Mattioli and his staff, we knew we had our anchor track for the Ford Focus Series in the Mid-South," said Eric Bunn, USAC National Coordinator for Ford Focus racing. "With South Boston's past experience running USAC National Midgets it was a logical extension of our relationship to feature the Focus Series there. Big Daddy's is a great track with plenty of tradition and the perfect foundation for USAC's first full-time series in the Mid-South."

The USAC Carolina/Virginia Ford Focus Midget Series will open on Saturday, March 10, at Hickory (N.C.) Motor Speedway and will compete at South Boston April 10, May 8, June 5, August 7, September 4 and October 23. The October 23 event will conclude the series, offering double points. Additional dates in this brand-new series are being finalized and a complete series schedule will be announced when they are firm.

For Season Ticket information, contact Big Daddy's South Boston Speedway at (877) 440-1540 or log onto www.southbostonspeedway.com.

--USAC­