The 72nd running of the Turkey Night Grand Prix is coming to Perris Auto Speedway on Thursday night and has attracted an* entry list more than 60 cars to do battle on the half-mile dirt track.* The event is the first Turkey Night on dirt since 1998 when it was held at Bakersfield Speedway.
Now a 98 lap tradition in honor of the Agajanian family that promotes the race, the Turkey Night Grand Prix is the longest running showcase of Midget racing in the United States.* The race serves as a ceremonial season-ender for dirt open-wheel racing in North America.* With USAC sanctioning, Thursday's races will pay points for both the USAC National Midgets and USAC Western Midgets.
The championships for both of those series are already decided, with Riverside, CA's "The Hawk" Darren Hagen claiming National honors while Bakersfield's Shannon "Lightning" McQueen has sewn up the Western crown.
Clauson appeared on our StevenBlakesley.com Podcast and described the Turkey Night Grand Prix as "a marquee event that everyone wants to win.* There are going to be a lot of great race cars and you definitely want to put an exclamation on your season with a Turkey Night victory."
"Perris should be a great venue.* If they can get the track slick and wide people will see a great show.* There's a lot of guys excited about it coming back to dirt and rightfully so.* If we put 60 or 70 cars on the track every year we'll be racing in front of a packed house on one of the greatest holidays in our country."
Drivers from four countries and 13 states make up the nearly 70 car entry list but here are a few drivers we expect to keep an eye on:
Bryan Clauson Carmichael, CA - One of four Keith Kunz Motorsports entries (Clauson, Larson, Abreu, Sweet), the two-time Turkey Night winner will look to become only the third driver with three Turkey Night wins.* Clauson's other two victories came on asphalt at Irwindale Speedway.* Clauson has accumulated 21 open-wheel wins this year, won the USAC National Sprint Car and USAC National Driver's Championship, and made his first career Indianapolis 500 start in a busy 2012.
Kyle Larson Elk Grove, CA - A driver who drives anything with four wheels, Kyle Larson put a historic 2011 season in his rear view mirror and went even bigger in 2012.* His 27 wins this season include many repeats such as the Gold Cup Race of Champions.* He also won the NASCAR K&N Pro Series, East title as a rookie and recorded three top-tens in his first four NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts.* Larson has been brilliant in the Midgets as well, averaging a third place finish across 17 or 18 starts this year.
Alex Bowman Tucson, AZ - Alex Bowman hasn't run much in open-wheels this year but for good measure.* The former USAC Ford Focus champion was busy racing in the ARCA Racing Series with four wins and 13 top-tens to win series Rookie of the Year.* Bowman is not that experienced in dirt racing but has shown a lot of talent and could be a surprise in the Van Dyne-owned #5 car.
Brady Bacon Broken Arrow, OK - Brady Bacon, like Clauson and Larson, has been stacking up wins across multiple types of open-wheel rides.* His 2012 campaign has included 13 victories and teaming up with the storied Wilke-Pak team for Turkey Night should be a potent pair.* Bacon is departing a full-time drive in the ASCS to focus on USAC in 2013 and this could be a preview of what Bacon is cooking for next year.
Damion Gardner Concord, CA - The Demon has had success on half-miles before in his career, including a win at the Louie Vermeil Classic in a USAC Sprint Car a few years ago.* Driving the tricky #47 for Andy Bondio will surely make this pair one of the fan favorites in Southern California.* Gardner is rumored to have lost support from longtime sponsor Pace Lighting for his 2013 USAC National Sprint Car season, which would make a Turkey Night win all that more exciting.
Ryan Bernal Hollister, CA - Ryan Bernal is driving for a Keith Ford team that is Kunz-like with three high quality drivers (Bernal, Pickens, Faas) that all have a shot to win.* Bernal won two USAC Western Midget races earlier this year and earned a USAC/CRA win in the Louie Vermeil Classic on the half-mile Calistoga Speedway this season.* Bernal will probably find himself surrounded by Keith Ford and Keith Kunz entries throughout the feature.
Others to watch: Dave Darland, Bobby East, Brad Kuhn, Cory Kruseman, Tracy Hines, Jerry Coons, Jr.
72nd Turkey Night Grand Prix Entry List:
Car Driver Hometown Owner Chassis/Engine
0 Johnny Murdock Dallas, TX Zero Motorsports
0 Cameron Beard Atwater, CA Dave Lamott Stealth Honda
05 Jake Swanson Anaheim, CA Swanson Mtorsports Stealth/Honda
2 Levi Roberts Broomfield, CO Dave Roberts Spike/Esslinger
2G Terry Goodwin Belleville, KS Misty Goodwin
2X Robby Josett Santa Clarita, CA Ron Josett
Spike Esslinger
3 Darren Hagen Riverside, CA RFMS Racing DRC/Esslinger
3F Dave Darland Lincoln, IN RFMS Racing DRC/Esslinger
4 Bobby East Brownsburg, IN Klatt Enterprises Beast/Chevy
5 Alex Bowman Tucson, AZ Tres Van Dyne Edmunds/Van Dyne
5D Zach Daum Pocahontas, IL Don Daum Eagle/Fontana
7 Shannon McQueen Bakersfield, CA McQueen-Eskesen-Rescino Spike/Esslinger
7A Dalton Armstrong New Castle, IN C&A Motorsports Spike/Toyota
7C Caleb Armstrong New Castle, IN C&A Motorsports Spike/Toyota
8 Randi Pankratz Atascacadero, CA Wally Pankratz Edmunds/Fontana
9 TBA Sean Dodenhoff Spike/Fontana
9D Sean Dodenhoff Bakersfield, CA Sean Dodenhoff Spike/Fontana
9E Wink Schweitzer Bakersfield, CA Sean Dodenhoff Spike/Fontana
10 Brad Kuhn Avon, IN Mason Cook
11 Brady Bacon Broken Arrow, OK Wilke-Pak Racers Stanton/Toyota
11X Greg Bragg Visalia, CA Dave Thurston Spike/Esslinger
12 Riley Emmel Estavan, SK, Canada Dave Ray Spike/Mopar
12JR Chad Boat Phoenix, AZ Robbie & Gaye Allen Spike/Esslinger
12 Josh Pelkey Peoria, AZ Robbie & Gaye Allen Spike/Esslinger
12X Rick Hendrix Palmdale, CA Rick Hendrix TCR/Van Dyne
15 David Pickett Fresno, CA Neverlift Motorsports Spike/Van Dyne
17K Nathan Smee Sydney, Australia Kruseman Motorsports Spike/Esslinger
19 Richard Vander Weerd Visalia, CA Mike Sala Spike/Chevy
19W Jonathon Henry San Luis Obispo, CA Mike Sala Spike/Chevy
21 Jimmy Voitel Covina, CA Jimmy Voitel
21K Cory Kruseman Ventura, CA Kruseman Motorsports Spike/Esslinger
22AZ Rick Shuman Gilbert, AZ Rick Shuman Cobra/Fontana
24 Tracy Hines New Castle, IN Bob Parker Spike/Toyota
25 Danny Stratton Riverside, CA Jerome Rodella Toyota
26 Shane Golobic Freemont, CA Doug Bock
27 Nick Chivello Manteca, CA Paul Chivello Spike/Esslinger
27 Casey Shuman Mesa, AZ Calvin Martens TCR/Mopar
33 Davey Ray Davenport, IA Team RayPro Spike/Speedway Toyota
35 Scott Pierovich Alamo, CA Lance Pierovich Spike Mopar
39 Dillon Welch Carmel, IN Tucker-BCI-Curb-Agajanian Spike/Esslinger
39K Kyle Edwards Fountain Valley, CA Gordon Edwards Ellis/Van Dyne
47 Damion Gardner Concord, CA Andy Bondio Bondio Barnes
50 Evan Margeson Tacoma, WA Evan Margeson Beast/VDS
51 R.J. Johnson Phoenix, AZ Bobby Martin Spike/Fontana
55 Taylor Ferns Shelby Township, MI Jim Ferns Spike/Stanton Mopar
55 Tony Everhart El Cajon, CA Tony Everhart
55T Matt Stewart San Diego, CA Tony Everhart
56 Jason Leffler Long Beach, CA 5IVE-61X, Inc. Beast/Esslinger
57 Andrew Felker Carls Junction, MO Bill Eckert Spike/Fontana
57 Mike Spencer Temecula, CA Bill Eckert
62 Britton Bock Angwin, CA Doug Bock
Spike Esslinger
63 Jerry Coons, Jr. Tucson, AZ Joe Dooling Spike/Esslinger
67 Bryan Clauson Noblesville, IN Kunz-Curb-Agajanian Bullet/Speedway Toyota
67K Rico Abreau Rutherford, CA Keith Kunz Motorsports Bullet/Speedway Toyota
67X Brad Sweet Grass Valley, CA Willie Khane Speedway/Toyota
68 Ronnie Gardner Norco, Ca Mitchell Johnson Stewart/Esslinger
71 Kyle Larson Elk Grove, CA Kunz-Curb- Agajanian Bullet/Speedway/Toyota
71K Trevor Cooper Auckland, NZ Kruseman Motorsports Spike /Esslinger
71X Cody Swanson Norco, CA Kirk Swanson Edmunds/Van Dyne
72 Nic Faas Huntington Beach, CA Keith Ford Spike/Wirth Fontana
73 Michael Pickens Auckland, NZ Keith Ford Spike/Esslinger
73X Ryan Bernal Hollister, CA Keith Ford Spike/Wirth Fontana
84 Joe Fabbozi Norco, CA Joey Fabbozi Spike/Fontana
86 Troy Rutherford Ojai, CA Calvin Martens TCR/Mopar
115 Connor Kassik Lake Havasu, AZ Neverlift Motorsports Spike/Van Dyne
151 Jim Waters Salt Lake City, UT Neverlift Motorsports Spike/Van Dyne
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Susan St. Catherine