"Hines aims for second NMDOTY title on Thursday at Irwindale "
Five drivers & five owners have shot at NMDOTY championship in final race

Phoenix, Ariz., Nov. 7----All eyes at Thursday's 68th annual Turkey Night Grand Prix will be on #21 Tony Stewart Racing Chevrolet/Bass Pro Shops entry driven by Tracy Hines. Hines enters the event leading both the National Midget Driver of the Year Championship presented by Chevrolet & Ford Racing and the USAC Mopar National Midget Series points. Hines has one previous midget feature victory at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale, winning on April 24, 2003.

After 221 races, a record five drivers remain in contention for the National Midget Driver of the Year Crown. With a recent victory at Phoenix and third place at Las Vegas, Bobby East has closed to within 82 points of Hines, with a maximum of 160 points available at Irwindale. Two-time NMDOTY champion Brad Kuhn, Cole Whitt, and Brad Loyet also remain in contention for the champion but will need finishes of first or second place combine with an unfavorable finish by Hines to secure the title.

Tony Stewart Racing#21 holds a slim 49-point lead over Terry Klatt's #4 entry in the NMDOTY car owner points, heading into the event. Keith Kunz#71, Loyet Motorsports#05, and Kasey Kahne's #49 are also within striking distance. The 2004 Turkey Night Grand Prix saw East score the victory with Hines finishing third.

Hines will also will try to hold off Cole Whitt to secure the USAC Championship which would make him a USAC Triple Crown Champion. Hines leads Whitt by 17 points, a Whitt Championship would make him USAC's youngest National Champion ever!

Six of the past nine years the NMDOTY Championship has been determined at the final event of the season, in those six years the driver leading the points heading into the finale has won all six! The top ten drivers, car owners, and other award winners will receive their point fund checks and trophies in the annual ceremony held during the final night of the Chili Bowl Midget Nationals on Jan. 17, 2009.