Manzanita: Pre-event news 2009-02-18

HINES, JONES, COONS SET FOR "TRIPLE DUTY" AT MANZANITA

Tracy Hines, Levi Jones and Jerry Coons Jr. are listed on the pre-entries for all three USAC racing series competing in this weekend's Sands Chevrolet "Copper on Dirt" tripleheader at Manzanita Speedway in Phoenix, Ariz. By race time, others are expected to join the "triple duty" list.

Hines and Jones will compete in all three series as teammates for Tony Stewart Racing, while Coons, who joined USAC's elusive "Triple Crown" champions list last year, will compete for three completely separate teams! Jerry pilots the RW Motorsports Silver Crown car, the Dynamics, Inc. Sprinter and the Wilke-Pak Motorsports Midget.

Last year Coons, of Tucson, Ariz., finished third (Midget), 24th (Sprint) and 1st (Silver Crown) in the three races, while Jones was 12th (Midget), 3rd (Sprint) and 7th (Silver Crown). Hines missed the Sprint race but was 4th in the Midgets and 5th in the Sprints.

In the 2007 "Copper on Dirt" inaugural Hines was the only one of the three who competed in all three features. He was 6th in Sprints and Silver Crown but his Midget was disqualified after finishing 4th. Coons was 3rd in Midgets and 10th in Silver Crown, while Jones was 9th in Midgets and 10th in Silver Crown.

In 2007 Shane Cottle (4th, 8th and 2nd), Cory Kruseman (1st, 9th and 9th) and Dave Darland (15th, 28th and 15th) made all three features and last year Cottle (4th, 1st and 27th) and Darren Hagen (10th, 13th and 1st) joined Coons and Jones in all three.

Preliminary events on Friday night at Manzanita Speedway include qualifying, heat races and 10-lap "Copper Bowl Shootouts" for all three series. Saturday's finales include "B" Mains, followed by a 25-lap Mopar National/Western Midget, 40-lap National/Lucas Oil USAC/CRA Sprint and 50-lap K & N Silver Crown feature.

USAC's 2009 racing season continues February 25 with the "Las Vegas Super Sprint Classic" at the Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway dirt track and February 28 with the "Sokola Classic" at the Perris (Calif.) Auto Speedway. Both events feature the National and Lucas Oil USAC/CRA Sprints and the Mopar National and Western Midgets.

-credit: --USAC--