Backstretch Motorsports

 The USAC National Midget race originally scheduled March 21 at Thunder Hill Raceway in Kyle, Texas has been postponed indefinitely.

 Event promoters C.T. Hellmund and Aryn White and USAC officials are exploring opportunities for rescheduling of the event later in 2008. The postponement was announced to create increased opportunities for enhanced promotional opportunities for the only scheduled appearance of the series in the Lone Star State.

 “We want this event to be a signature event on our calendar,” said Hellmund. “To that end we want to make sure we have all the pieces in place for what we hope can become an annual destination for race fans. The entertainment value USAC provides demands and deserves the ultimate in attendance and promotional effort and we intend to meet that demand. We look forward to an opportunity later this year to bring this premier series to Thunder Hill Raceway.”

 USAC’s National Midget Series returned to Texas in 2006 following a 34-year hiatus. Dave Steele won that race at Thunder Hill Raceway. The 2007 renewal was interrupted by rain.

 “We were disappointed by the rainout last year,” added USAC Midget Series Coordinator Greg Staab. “We want to get back to Thunder Hill under the best of circumstances and with C.T. and Aryn’s assistance, I’m confident we can do that.”

 USAC’s initial Midget races in the state were in 1959, won by Tony Bettenhausen, A.J. Foyt and Gene Force.

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"The Demon" Captures Gold in Tulsa

TULSA, Okla. (Jan. 12, 2008) –  Damion "The Demon" Gardner fought his way from taking the lead on the eleventh lap of  "A" Main racing to victory lane in Saturday night's 50-lap championship final event at Tulsa Expo Raceway's 22nd Annual Dodge Chili Bowl Midget Nationals

After winning Friday night's Qualifying feature, Gardner, overcoming a near flip, led the rest of the way to become the 16th different winner in event history in front of a packed house at Tulsa's QuikTrip Center and before a worldwide television audience on HBO Pay-Per-View courtesy of Lucas Oil. The victory provided a first-time owner's trophy for car owner and NASCAR Nationwide Series stand out Jason Leffler and the Pace Electronics/Team ASE No. 71g team.

Gardner, a California native , who now resides in Pittsboro, Indiana went on to say, "The car was really good when it was pretty tacky all the way across, but it was getting really slick to a curb.  And it was right after a yellow, I got in a little too hot and caught the edge of it and spiked it up.  I just tried to keep it straight, and when we landed Dave (Darland) was alongside me but he was on the slick and probably gonna get no traction.  From then on, I just entered a little lower and tried to put in good smooth laps rather than fast ones."

"I was just trying to keep the nerves down the whole time, and even during the race at the end it was tough to keep the nerves down and to put in the good laps," Gardner commented afterward.

Dave Darland, who finished a close second, responded that, "I was trying to keep his nerves up there a few times, it didn't work." Darland started fourth and then climbed to second to give Toyota a runner-up finish in Saturday night’s 22nd Annual Chili Bowl Nationals at the Tulsa Expo Raceway.

“We’re happy with the second-place finish,” said Darland. “This is the first time that Steve Lewis and 9 Racing have had a team here in a while and to get this result, hopefully, he’ll let us come back next year.  The team really did a great job for me. The Toyota power was really good all weekend on the dirt. It was just hard to know what the track is going to do.  When we pushed out there, the track was really wet and we just missed the set-up by a little bit.  It wasn’t too bad, but it was just a little too tight.” With the runner-up finish, 9 Racing has logged a pair of victories and a second-place finish consecutively in the Copper World Classic, the Turkey Night Grand Prix and the Chili Bowl – three of the sport’s most prestigious events.  Tonight’s performance was even more impressive considering Darland’s 9 Racing team was racing in its first Chili Bowl in nine years.

Shane Cottle, bringing home a third place finish, closed in on Gardner's rear nerf bar on the final restart, but Gardner was once again able to open up an advantage of a half dozen car-lengths on both Cottle and Darland.

After starting twelfth, budding NASCAR star Bryan Clauson outdueled Jon Stanbrough over the final rounds to claim fourth in the Keith Kunz Motorsports Esslinger-powered No. 67 Bullet.

Last year's Chili Bowl winner Tony Stewart finished 8th.

  "A" Main Results –  1. #71G Damion Gardner, Pittsboro, IN; 2. #9X Dave Darland, Walton, IN; 3. #1ST Shane Cottle, Kokomo, IN; 4. #67 Bryan Clauson, Noblesville, IN; 5. #05S Jon Stanbrough, Avon, IN; 6. #39 Kevin Swindell, Germantown, TN; 7. #99 Brady Bacon, Broken Arrow, OK; 8. #20 Tony Stewart, Columbus, IN; 9. #21 Tracy Hines, Newcastle, IN; 10. #12JR Nathan High, Goodyear, AZ; 11. #20J Levi Jones, Olney, IL; 12. #29L Jesse Hockett, Warsaw, MO; 13. #71 Cole Whitt, Alpine, CA; 14. #73 Josh Ford, Oxnard, CA; 15. #33 Davey Ray, Loves Park, IL; 16. #7F Aaron Fiscus, Sun Prairie, WI; 17. #71K Jason Leffler, Long Beach, CA; 18. #11 Jerry Coons Jr., Tucson, AZ; 19. #11W Terry McCarl, Altoona, IA; 20. #12W Billy Wease, Noblesville, IN; 21. #49JR Bobby Michnowicz, Torrance, CA; 22. #91 Kasey Kahne, Enumclaw, WA; 23. #71X Brad Kuhn, Avon, IN; 24. #67A Gary “Bubba” Altig, Mechanicsburg, IL

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Saturday, January 12 from Tulsa, Okla.Live on HBO Pay-Per-View

TULSA, OKLAHOMA (January 11, 2008) - With one of NASCAR's top rides at his disposaland a USAC National Midget Championship trophy on his mantel, Kasey Kahne has certainlyhad a career to be proud of, even at age 27. But as this January unfolds, Kahne's thoughtsincreasingly turn to an event he hasn't won: the Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Midget Nationals.

The Chili Bowl, being held this week on a specially constructed indoor dirt track at the TulsaQuikTrip Center, will draw its usual sellout crowds. For the first time, those unable to attendSaturday night's main events can watch a live pay-per-view telecast. Kahne figures to be amongthe favorites for the "Golden Driller," the coveted trophy awarded to the Chili Bowl's A-Mainwinner on the final evening Well, that's not quite accurate. See, Kahne figures to be the man tobeat, starting with tonight's qualification feature that Kahne's Mopar Midget is scheduled to run.

"I'm taking the trophy this year," Kahne says.

The popular driver from Enumclaw, Wash., who will steer the Budweiser Dodge #9 fielded byGillett Evernham Motorsports on this year's NASCAR Sprint Cup trail, cut his teeth on the dirttracks of his native Northwest before moving to Indiana in 1999 to make his way as aprofessional race car driver. Success came soon enough: The very next season, he won thatUSAC Midget title, in the process capturing the first of two consecutive victories in the hugelyprestigious Belleville Midget Nationals in Kansas. Even before his 21st birthday, Kahne wasregarded as one of the top Midget drivers in the land.

Of driving Midgets on dirt tracks, Kahne says, "It's more mental than physical. I think focus isthe thing. Hit your marks every lap, don't overdrive the car, don't run over the guy in front ofyou. One of the Belleville [races] I won, I had my right-rear tire about a foot off the wall for theentire race. In the other one, I was actually touching the wall through [turns] three and four,every lap, all night. Wide open."

And "hitting your marks" on a dirt track, he declares, is a much more difficult task than itappears. "Don't forget, you're sliding to that mark every lap. I mean, if you're trying to run sixinches off the wall, you've got to slide first just to get there."

His technique won him dirt-tack races from coast to coast before he climbed the ladder toNASCAR. But he has never stood in Victory Lane after the Chili Bowl, a fact that brings himback to Tulsa whenever his NASCAR testing schedule and his jammed-packed calendar ofpersonal appearances will allow.

Kasey says of the Chili Bowl, "It's fun! There's a lot going on. Tons of cars, tons of drivers. It'sjust exciting. It's cool to be a part of."

He first attended the Chili Bowl as a teenaged spectator in 1994, with his dad (and then-carowner), Kelly Kahne. "We flew out from Seattle, and had a blast," Kasey recalls. "Ever sincethen, I wanted to race in it."

Although he has generally been fast on the tight quarter-mile oval, Kahne has also been unlucky.The huge Chili Bowl entry list - a record 286 Midgets - requires three nights of qualifying heatsand preliminary features to pare the field down to the 24 A-Main starters, and often poor luck onthose nights has kept Kahne from achieving success in the Saturday-night finale. His best A-Main finish was sixth, in 2001.

"We've run well at times, and we've just about won prelims," he says, but a Chili Bowlcheckered flag has thus far eluded him. "It's a tough little track."

A tough little track that he hopes at last he will conquer.

ABOUT CHILI BOWL TELECAST:Don't miss a minute! HBO Pay-Per-View presents the live, with no commercials, televisionbroadcast of the 2008 Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Midget Nationals on Saturday, Jan. 12, at 8:00 pmET (5:00 pm PT). The HBO Pay-Per-View telecast has a suggested retail price of $24.95, andwill be available to all cable and satellite homes throughout the US and Canada. Order directlyfrom your digital cable or satellite TV system or contact your provider's customer service fordetails. A subscription to HBO is not required. Visit http://www.hbo.com./events/chili.

On Friday, January 11 at 10:30 pm ET (7:30 pm PT), racing fans can log on to NASCAR.comand Foxsports.com to watch a free live video webcast of the final night of qualifications.

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Saturday, January 12 from Tulsa, Okla.Live on HBO Pay-Per-View

TULSA, OKLAHOMA (January 10, 2008) - The thousands of spectators who fill the TulsaQuikTrip Center from Jan. 8-12 for the Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Midget Nationals - not to mentionthose countless more race fans who will see Saturday evening's finale televised live on pay-per-view - won't just witness some fabulous racing. They'll also be watching many of the futurestars of racing.

Perhaps more than any other short-track event in recent times, the Chili Bowl has become asneak-preview kind of race, one at which attentive viewers can get an early look at some ofAmerica's emerging motorsports talent.

The list of drivers whose career ladders have included a Chili Bowl rung - or several - isimpressive, indeed, starting with two-time NASCAR NEXTEL Cup champion Tony Stewart,who has also twice hoisted the "Golden Driller" trophy for winning this Tulsa classic.

Others who have made the jump from Midgets in Tulsa to NASCAR's "big three" touringcircuits include Sprint Cup stars Kasey Kahne and J.J. Yeley, Busch Series contender JasonLeffler and Bobby East, and Busch and Truck Series veteran Tracy Hines.

Stewart is clear in his belief that Chili Bowl experience can do wonders for a young driver'sconfidence, not to mention his career. "Coming up and just getting the chance to race with someof these drivers is an experience of a lifetime," Tony declares, "yet alone having the possibilityof winning the whole thing."

This year's Chili Bowl will feature several young drivers who have already forged links to majorNASCAR teams. Among them are former USAC Midget and Sprint Car champion Josh Wise (adevelopment driver for Michael Waltrip Racing), Bryan Clauson and Brady Bacon (ChipGanassi Racing), Billy Wease (Penske Racing), Kevin Swindell (Gillett Evernham Motorsports),Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (Roush Fenway Racing) and 2005 Chili Bowl winner Tim McCreadie(Richard Childress Racing).

And hot on the heels of those young men is another group of "25 and under" racers who haveChili Bowl glory as a short-term plan, and a major-league opportunity as their ultimate goal.Sharp-eyed fans will no doubt be marking many of them down as drivers to watch. Among them:two-time USAC Sprint Car champion Levi Jones; Kasey Kahne Racing driver Brad Sweet;USAC Western Sprint and Midget star Ryan Kaplan; World of Outlaws Late Model winner JoshRichards; Darren Hagen, a threat to win in both USAC Sprints and Midgets; Missouri star BradLoyet; Badger Midget Auto Racing Association (BMARA) champion Brad Kuhn; JessicaZemken, a popular winged Sprint Car winner in the Northeast; young USAC contenders ChrisWindom, Hunter Schuerenberg, Dakoda Armstrong, Cole Whitt and Brett Beauchamp; ARCAstock car sensation (and third-place finisher in last year's Chili Bowl) Justin Allgaier; teenagedPOWRi Midget contender Zach Daum of Illinois; California's Justin Grant, a Bay Cities RacingAssociation (BCRA) champion at 17; New Yorker Coleman Gulick, to young to drive onAmerica's highways but already a winged Sprint Car winner; Indiana Sprint Car winner ShaneHollingsworth; and home-state favorites Dustin Morgan of Collinsville and Donnie RayCrawford of Broken Arrow.

All of these drivers, plus more than 200 of their closest friends and fiercest rivals, will endure arugged series of "qualifying nights" on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, hoping above all tomake the 24-car starting field for Saturday night's prestigious A-Main on January 12.

ABOUT CHILI BOWL TELECAST:Don't miss a minute! HBO Pay-Per-View presents the live, with no commercials, televisionbroadcast of the 2008 Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Midget Nationals on Saturday, Jan. 12, at 8:00 pmET (5:00 pm PT). The HBO Pay-Per-View telecast has a suggested retail price of $24.95, andwill be available to all cable and satellite homes throughout the US and Canada. Order directlyfrom your digital cable or satellite TV system or contact your provider's customer service fordetails. A subscription to HBO is not required. Visit http://www.hbo.com./events/chili.

On Friday, January 11 at 10:30 pm ET (7:30 pm PT), racing fans can log on to NASCAR.comand Foxsports.com to watch a free live video webcast of the final night of qualifications.

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€ Kasey Kahne and Gary Scelzi will join six other Team Mopar® circle track stars in an autograph session on Friday, Jan. 11 at the 22nd Annual Dodge Chili Bowl Nationals€ The Chili Bowl Nationals event details

Center Line, Mich. — Eight Team Mopar® drivers will participate in an autograph session at the 22nd Annual Dodge Chili Bowl Nationals on Friday, Jan. 11, 2008. The signing will take place from 2 to 2:45 p.m. in the Oklahoma Dodge Dealers Booth at the QuikTrip Center at the Tulsa Expo Raceway in Oklahoma.

Kasey Kahne, NASCAR Sprint Cup star and owner of Mopar’s factory-backed team in World of Outlaws Sprint and USAC Sprint and Midget competition, will appear for the second consecutive year at the Team Mopar Chili Bowl Nationals autograph session. Kahne’s signing session will be limited to the first 100 fans in line.

Gary Scelzi, four-time NHRA POWERade champion and driver of the Mopar/Oakley Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car for Don Schumacher Racing, will make his first appearance at the popular fan event.

Joining Kahne and Scelzi in the Team Mopar autograph session will be USAC National Midget Series champion Jerry Coons Jr., 2007 World of Outlaws Sprint Series runner-up Joey Saldana, as well as young USAC stars Brady Bacon, Brad Sweet, Kevin Swindell and Darrin BoltonThe 22nd Annual Dodge Chili Bowl Nationals event detailsThe 22nd Annual Dodge Chili Bowl Nationals begin on Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2008, with pre-qualifying. Qualifying is set for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. The Bass Pro Shops Championship Saturday will be televised live on HBO Pay-Per-View for the first time. The live broadcast begins at 8 p.m. ET on Saturday, Jan. 12, 2008. For ordering information, visit www.hbo.com/events/chili/. 70 Years of MoparWhen Chrysler bought Dodge in 1928, the need for a dedicated parts manufacturer, supplier and distribution system to support the growing enterprise led to the formation of the Chrysler Motor Parts Corporation (CMPC) in 1929.

Originally used in the 1920s, Mopar (a simple contraction of the words MOtor and PARts) was trademarked for a line of antifreeze products in 1937. It was also widely used as a moniker for the CMPC. The Mopar brand made its mark in the 1960s – the muscle car era. The Chrysler Corporation built race-ready Dodge and Plymouth “package cars” equipped with special high-performance parts. Mopar carried a line of “Special Parts” for super stock drag racers and developed its racing parts division called Mopar Performance Parts to enhance speed and handling for both road and racing use.

Today, Chrysler LLC’s Global Service & Parts division is responsible for the manufacturing and distribution of nearly 250,000 authentic Mopar replacement parts, components and accessories for Chrysler, Jeep® and Dodge vehicles sold around the world. To assure quality, reliability and durability, all Mopar parts and accessories are designed in strict adherence to Chrysler engineering standards.

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Saturday, January 12 from Tulsa, Okla.Live on HBO Pay-Per-View

TULSA, OKLAHOMA (January 9, 2008) - Don't blame regular attendees of the Lucas Oil ChiliBowl Midget Nationals for feeling a bit spoiled. After all, each January they have come to expectthe very best dirt-track drivers in America taking to the tight quarter-mile oval inside the TulsaQuikTrip Center for one of the most-talked-about events of every motorsports season.

This year's Chili Bowl, with qualifications running all this week culminating with a climacticSaturday night final televised live via pay-per-view, will be no different. What two-time winnerand NASCAR champion Tony Stewart calls a racing "all-star game" has again drawn the creamof the dirt-track crop to Oklahoma with a record 286 posted entries.

Stewart himself professes to being amazed by the depth of talent he faces when he competes atthe Chili Bowl. "This the only place that you can take the best Midget drivers from USAC andBadger [Midget Auto Racing Association], and guys in the Rocky Mountain Midget Association,guys from USAC Sprint Cars and Silver Crown Cars and the World of Outlaws, all the best indirt open wheel racing," Stewart marvels. "Those drivers are all at one place for the weekend,and when you've got [all those] guys competing for just the 24 starting spots in the A-Main, youhave some of the best racing that you're going see all year all in one week at the Chili Bowl."

Stewart isn't exaggerating about the talent level. Following last night's pre-qualifying feature,the entry list is essentially broken into thirds for three nights of "qualifying" programs, eachfeaturing a series of heat races, dash-type events and preliminary features. As is customary at theChili Bowl, each of these preliminary nights will contain a cluster of names which at any otherevent would have promoters smiling and race fans grinning in delight.

Drivers scheduled to compete on Wednesday evening include two-time defending USAC MidgetJerry Coons Jr., former World of Outlaws (WoO) Sprint Car champion Danny "The Dude"Lasoski, 2007 USAC Sprint Car champion Levi Jones, former USAC Sprint Car and Midgetchamp Josh Wise, 2007 USAC Sprint and Midget Rookie of the Year Ricky Stenhouse, 2007WoO points runner-up Joey Saldana, legendary Midget veteran Kevin Olson, USAC graduateand NASCAR up-and-comer Bryan Clauson, and surprise 2006 Chili Bowl winner TimMcCreadie, one of America's top dirt-track stock car pilots.

Thursday night's entry list is topped by four-time Chili Bowl winner Sammy Swindell, 2005winner Tracy Hines, National Non-Wing Sprint Car Driver of the Year Jon Stanbrough, 2007Badger champion Brad Kuhn, USAC Sprint and Silver Crown contender Shane Cottle, USACSilver Crown champion Bud Kaeding, '07 Chili Bowl podium finisher Justin Allgaier, Oklahomafavorite and USAC speedster Brady Bacon, teenaged Bay Cities Racing Association championJustin Grant, Chili Bowl veteran Johnny Heydenreich, and NASCAR Cup regular J.J. Yeley,always one of the most thrilling drivers inside the Tulsa Expo Center.

Tony Stewart is scheduled to headline the Friday field, joined by fellow USAC grad andNASCAR star Kasey Kahne, USAC multi-division champion Dave Darland, Indianapolis 500veteran P.J. Jones, Busch Series contender and former USAC champ Jason Leffler, wingedSprint Car star Terry McCarl, California Sprint Car hero Damion Gardner, WoO winner JasonMyers, former USAC Midget champ and current NASCAR shoe Bobby East, and one of theChili Bowl's most popular drivers each January, two-time winner Cory Kruseman.

Come the final night, Saturday, Jan. 12, the best of that bunch will be slugging it out in theprestigious A-Main, and one very lucky racer will be standing tall as a Chili Bowl champion.

ABOUT CHILI BOWL TELECAST:Don't miss a minute! HBO Pay-Per-View presents the live, with no commercials, televisionbroadcast of the 2008 Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Midget Nationals on Saturday, Jan. 12, at 8:00 pmET (5:00 pm PT). The HBO Pay-Per-View telecast has a suggested retail price of $24.95, andwill be available to all cable and satellite homes throughout the US and Canada. Order directlyfrom your digital cable or satellite TV system or contact your provider's customer service fordetails. A subscription to HBO is not required. Visit http://www.hbo.com./events/chili.

On Friday, January 11 at 10:30 pm ET (7:30 pm PT), racing fans can log on to NASCAR.comand Foxsports.com to watch a free live video webcast of the final night of qualifications.

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Laguna Beach, CA — Two-time USAC National Midget Series Champion Dave Darland has signed on to drive the full 2008 USAC National Midget Series season with Nine Racing. Driving the famous #9 Team ASE/Oakley/Pink Toyota for Nine Racing, Dave returns for his 8th season with the team.

Dave and the Nine Racing team begin the 2008 race season this week at the 22nd Annual Chili Bowl, at the Tulsa Expo Raceway clay oval, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The 2008 USAC National Midget Series season kicks off February 15 and 16 with the “The Copper on Dirt” at Manzanita Raceway, in Phoenix, Arizona. Dave and the Nine Racing team plan to continue their winning streak, as Dave won the last race of the 2007 season, the 67th Annual Turkey Night Grand Prix.

“We are pleased to have Dave returning to the Nine Racing team,” stated Steve Lewis, team owner. “Dave brings tremendous experience to our team as he seeks his third midget championship, and will share his extensive knowledge to newcomer Kody Swanson.” Kody will drive the #19 Team ASE/Oakley/Pink Toyota full-time in 2008.

“I’m ready to go for my third championship with the Nine Racing team,” added Dave Darland. “Steve Lewis and Kelly Drake always give me a car ready to win at every event, and I’m looking forward to working with them, as well as Ed Pink and his crew, and the team at Toyota.”

2008 USAC National Midget Series Schedule

2/15-16/2008  Manzanita Speedway, Phoenix, AZ3/21/2008  Thunder Hill Raceway, Kyle, TX 4/6/2008  Anderson Speedway, Anderson, IN4/12/2008  Southern National Speedway, Kenly, NC5/10/2008  Tri-State Speedway, Haubstadt, IN 5/16/2008  LaCrosse Fairgrounds Speedway, West Salem, WI 5/17/2008  Slinger Super Speedway, Slinger, WI 5/18/2008  Rockford Speedway, Rockford, IL 5/24/2008  O'Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN 5/30/2008  Dodge County Fairgrounds Speedway, Beaver Dam, WI 6/20/2008  Knoxville Raceway, Knoxville, IA 6/21/2008  Knoxville Raceway, Knoxville, IA 7/24/2008  O'Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN 7/29/2008  Junction Motor Speedway, McCool Junction, NE 7/30/2008  Junction Motor Speedway, McCool Junction, NE 8/1/2008  Belleville High Banks, Belleville, KS 8/2/2008  Belleville High Banks, Belleville, KS8/5/2008  Kamp Motor Speedway, Boswell, IN 8/6/2008  Gas City I-69 Speedway, Gas City, IN 8/7/2008  Union County Speedway, Liberty, IN 8/8/2008  Bloomington Speedway, Bloomington, IN 8/9/2008  Lawrenceburg Speedway, Lawrenceburg, IN 8/10/2008  Kokomo Speedway, Kokomo, IN 8/15/2008  Macon Speedway, Macon, IL 8/23/2008  Angell Park Speedway, Sun Prairie, WI 8/24/2008  Angell Park Speedway, Sun Prairie, WI 9/5/2008  Route 66 Raceway, Joliet, IL  9/12/2008  O'Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN 9/13/2008  Anderson Speedway, Anderson, IN 9/20/2008  Eldora Speedway, Rossburg, OH10/4/2008  TBA 11/6/2008  Phoenix International Raceway, Phoenix, AZ 11/27/2008  Irwindale Speedway, Irwindale, CA

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 MOORESVILLE, NC  - Jason Leffler, the three-time Midget National Champion in 1997-1999, has captured victories in almost every prestigious midget event over the years with the exception of one – the Chili Bowl Midget Nationals.  Coined the Superbowl of midget racing, the Chili Bowl is the one victory that Leffler has yet to capture during his racing career but he will set out to change that once again in this year’s 22nd running of the event, held January 8-12, 2008 at the Tulsa Expo Raceway.

Leffler, who last year finished third in the NASCAR Nationwide Championship point standings driving the No. 38 Great Clips Toyota for Braun Racing, has posted victories in almost every elite national midget race over the last decade including wins at the Belleville Nationals and Hut 100 (both in 1997), the Copper Classic (1999), the Night Before the 500 (2002) and two Turkey Night events (1999 and 2005).  Leffler’s illustrious USAC career boasts over 40 midget feature wins and six Silver Crown victories.  In 1998, he captured the USAC Silver Crown Championship and in 1999, he etched his name in the record books by becoming only the third driver in history to claim three consecutive Midget National Championships 

Still, Leffler hungers for a victory in midget racing's biggest event. This year will mark his 11th year competing in the event since 1995.  His best finish came in 1998 when he finished second.  Other top finishes include a 5th place in 2004 and 9th in 2000.  Leffler, driving the No. 71 entry for  Keith Kunz Motorsports with sponsorship from Great Clips, Inc. Team ASE and Toyota is slated for the Friday night qualifying round, when he will make a bid for a top-four finishing position to lock himself into the Saturday night Chili Bowl Championship feature event. 

“The Chili Bowl is one of the greatest spectacles in racing,” said Leffler.  “You have over 250 midgets show up to compete over four days for 24 spots in the A Main feature with one prize.  Where else are you going to see something like that?  It’s really a sight to see with the midgets, the drivers and crews and 10,000 fans all under one roof. If you love racing, The Chili Bowl is something you should experience at least once in your lifetime.”

“For current and former midget racers, the Chili Bowl is THE race you want to win,” added Leffler.  “You are competing against some of the best drivers from all different series of racing, so to win really sets you apart from everybody else.”

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Chili Bowl Midget Nationals Action Heats Up On and Off the Track for Tony Stewart RacingBass Pro Shops Kick-Off Party, HBO Pay-Per-View Headline National Event

INDIANAPOLIS (January 5, 2008) – With less than a week until the green flag drops on the 22nd Annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Midget Nationals, Tony Stewart Racing’s (TSR) four-car contingent is eagerly anticipating the trip to Tulsa, Okla., for another opportunity to bring the coveted “Golden Driller” trophy back to the Hoosier State. With racing action set for Jan. 8-12 at the Tulsa Expo Center, TSR will see its schedule heat up as it participates in the Bass Pro Shops Official Chili Bowl Kick-Off Party on Monday, Jan. 7.

The Bass Pro Shops store located in Broken Arrow, Okla., will serve as host to TSR’s Levi Jones, Tracy Hines and Josh Richards, as well as to Chili Bowl fans from across the country. Jones, Hines and Richards will be on hand beginning at 6 p.m. CST for a meet-and-greet with those attending the first-ever event. Fans attending the meet-and-greet can also present their Chili Bowl tickets for a chance to win a pace truck ride during the weekend’s headline event.

For those unable to make the trip to Oklahoma, the Saturday-night finale can be seen on HBO Pay-Per-View for the first time. The broadcast, which can be purchased directly via digital cable or satellite television outlets, will begin at 8 p.m. EST. Those interested in purchasing the broadcast can also contact their cable provider’s customer service department for more details.

In addition to taking part in the Bass Pro Shops kick-off party, TSR’s Jones, Hines and Richards will also be available for autographs at the Tony Stewart merchandise trailer located within the Chili Bowl Midget Nationals trade show. Richards is scheduled to appear from 4-5 p.m. Wednesday, with Jones on hand at the same time on Thursday. Hines is scheduled to appear Friday from 4-5 p.m. CST. The Tony Stewart merchandise trailer will again feature a TSR Chili Bowl exclusive T-shirt featuring two-time event winner and NASCAR champion Stewart, along with Jones, Hines and Richards.

Hines will participate in the first-ever racing event for radio controlled cars as part of the Losi Mini-Sliders team. Held in conjunction with the Chili Bowl Midget Nationals in the Mustang arena, located on the Expo Center grounds, the celebrity event is set for Wednesday through Friday at 2:30 p.m. CST each afternoon. Six celebrity drivers will participate in radio controlled races that will feature 1/18-scale Losi Mini-Slider Sprint Cars.

The TSR/Chevrolet/Bass Pro Shops/Armor All team, featuring Stewart, Jones, Hines and Richards, represents one of the notable “power-teams” entered in this year’s Chili Bowl Midget Nationals. Combined, the formidable foursome has earned three Chili Bowl Midget Nationals titles, two NASCAR championships, one Indy Racing League (IRL) championship and eight USAC National Series titles. Defending Chili Bowl Midget Nationals champion Stewart will seek his third “Golden Driller” trophy in this year’s event.

For more information regarding TSR or the 22nd Annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Midget Nationals, please visit www.tonystewartracing.com, www.tonystewart.com or www.chilibowl.com.

For more information regarding the HBO Pay-Per-View broadcast, please visit http://www.hbo.com./events/chili. The HBO Pay-Per-View telecast is available for a suggested retail price of $24.95 to more than 61 million pay-per-view homes in the United States and Canada, with millions more worldwide. It can be ordered directly via digital cable or satellite TV, or by contacting cable or satellite customer service representatives for details. A subscription to HBO is not required.Bass Pro Shops is located off State Highway 51 (Broken Arrow Expressway), 10 miles from the Tulsa Expo Raceway

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Saturday, January 12 from Tulsa, Okla.Live on HBO Pay-Per-View

TULSA, OKLAHOMA (January 5, 2008) - To two-time defending United States Auto Club(USAC) National Midget champion Jerry Coons, it's a race with a "buzz." To NASCARNEXTEL Cup superstar Kasey Kahne, "it's just exciting." To USAC Triple Crown winner DaveDarland, "it's a great time." To defending winner - and two-time NASCAR NEXTEL Cupchampion - Tony Stewart, it's "one of the coolest races of the year."

Clearly, the Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Midget Nationals is a lot of things to a lot of people. But onthis point, there is no debate: The Chili Bowl has become an event not to be missed. This year,fans unable to be a part of the sell-out crowd jamming the Tulsa Expo Center from Jan. 8-12 canwatch a live pay-per-view international telecast of Saturday night's (Jan. 12) headline action.

First run in 1987 on a specially-built, quarter-mile indoor dirt oval, the Chili Bowl - namedbecause it was first sponsored by a local food company whose primary product was, you guessedit, chili - has become one of America's premier short-track events, and one of its most-discussedautomobile races, period. Each winter, the top Midget and Sprint Car drivers flock to Tulsa indroves, joined by an eclectic smattering of NASCAR stars, Indy Car drivers and even theoccasional drag-racing champion.

"You've got guys from all over the world," marvels Darland, himself an iconic figure. "NewZealand, Australia, NASCAR, NHRA, Indy Cars; you know, there's just all sorts of differentcompetition there, all sots of different levels of drivers."

Stewart, the 2002 and '06 Chili Bowl king, says, "It's like going to an all-star game. Just gettingthe chance to race with some of these drivers is an experience of a lifetime … and you do havethat possibility of winning the whole thing."

Sprint Car legend Sammy Swindell is the leading Chili Bowl winner, with four titles to hiscredit. He will be back for a fifth, at age 52, and is considered to be among the favorites. On theoccasion of his 1992 triumph, one of Swindell's mechanics was a 16-year-old California kidnamed Jason Leffler, who would soon gain fame as a three-time USAC Midget champion and,later, a NASCAR Busch Series regular. "The first year I went there, I worked for a guy named

Larry Howard," Leffler recalls. "Larry had Sammy Swindell driving his car, and Sammy went tovictory lane. So the first time I went there, I won it, as a crew member. And it's been a racethat's been close to my heart ever since then." Leffler, too, will compete in this year's ChiliBowl, and is another strong threat to walk off with the A-Main feature victory.

Race organizers Emmett Hahn and Lanny Edwards have zealously crafted the Chili Bowl'stradition, and the winning trophy - dubbed the "Golden Driller" in recognition of the 76-footstatute of an Okie oilman which guards the Expo Center in a nod to Tulsa's petroleum history -has become a cherished piece of motorsports hardware. Everybody wants a shot at Chili Bowlglory; this year, upward of 280 Midgets are expected.

"When you arrive at the Chili Bowl, there's a certainly a buzz there," says Coons, one of the topMidget drivers of the last half-dozen years in anyone's book. "It's in the winter time, [so]everybody's itching for a race. The fans are; the racers are."

Joey Saldana, one of the top drawing cards on the World of Outlaws (WoO) Sprint Series, putsinto perspective exactly what the Chili Bowl means.

"I race for a living," says Saldana, a 13-time WoO winner last season, "and the better I do, themore money I make. But the Chili Bowl isn't about the money. It's more about the prestige."

ABOUT CHILI BOWL TELECAST:Watch the live television broadcast of the 2008 Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Midget Nationals onSaturday, Jan. 12, at 8:00 p.m. ET. The HBO Pay-Per-View telecast has a suggested retail priceof $24.95 and will be available to more than 61 million pay-per-view homes in the United Statesand Canada and millions more worldwide. Order directly from your digital cable or satellite TVsystem or contact your provider's customer service for details. A subscription to HBO is notrequired. Visit http://www.hbo.com./events/chili.

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