Terre Haute Action Track

Motorsport venue
Name = Terre Haute Action Track
Nicknames =
Time = EST/EDT (-0500/-0400)
Location = Terre Haute, Indiana, United States
Coordinates = 39.420315, -87.420884


Image_caption = Turns 1 and 2 at the Action Track at the 2008 Hulman Classic
Capacity =
Owner = Brian Dorsett, Davey Hamilton and Mike King
Operator =
Broke_ground = 1949
Opened = 1952
Closed = 1988-1989, 2007
Construction_cost=
Architect =
Former_names = The Action Track
Events = USAC Hut Hundred midget car race
USAC sprint car race
USAC Silver Crown
Layout1 =
Surface = dirt
Length_km = 0.8
Length_mi = 0.5
Turns = 2
Banking =
Record_time = 16.487 seconds
Record_driver = Danny Lasoski [cite web|url=http://www.racingone.com/track.aspx?trackID=131&seriesID=6&subID=6|title=Terre Haute Action Track|date=RacingOne|publisher=RacingOne|accessdate=2008-06-21]
Record_team =
Record_year = 1999
Record_class = World of Outlaws
Miles_first = True

Terre Haute Action Track (also The Action Track) is a half mile dirt track located at the Vigo County, Indiana fairgrounds on U.S. Route 41 along the south side of Terre Haute, Indiana. The track hosts annual United States Automobile Club (USAC) midget car, sprint car and Silver Crown events. Notable drivers that have competed at the track include A. J. Foyt, Jeff Gordon, Parnelli Jones, and Tony Stewart.cite web|url=http://www.indstate.edu/news/news.php?newsid=1259|title=Action Track sponsorship means opportunities for motorsports students|last=Taylor|first=Dave|date=2008-04-09|publisher=Indiana State University|accessdate=2008-06-20] The track has held events sanctioned by USAC, its predecessor American Automobile Association (AAA), and the World of Outlaws.cite web|url=http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/features/a-closer-look/resurrection|title=New Group Is Breathing Life Back Into Terre Haute|last=O'Leary|first=Mike|publisher=National Speed Sport News|accessdate=2008-06-20]

History

The track opened on June 15 1952.cite web|url=http://www.na-motorsports.com/Tracks/IN/TerreHaute.html|title=Terre Haute Action Track|publisher=na-motorsports|accessdate=2008-06-20] It closed for a short period beginning in 1987 and reopening in 1990. It closed again in May 2007 for the rest of the season after it lost its race card because it broke local curfew.cite web |url=http://www.tribstar.com/sports/local_story_061001422.html |title=Promoters rev up Action Track schedule |last=Pearson|first=Craig |date=2008-03-01|publisher=Tribune-Star |accessdate=2008-06-20] The promoter had to stop the event early. As of the start of the 2008 season, Rich Vogler's 13 feature wins is the most in track history. [cite web|url=http://theactiontrack.com/home/trackhistory.html|title=The History of the Terre Haute Action Track|publisher=Official website|accessdate=2008-06-21]

Promoters

The track was promoted by Don Smith in the 1960s. The track was more recently run by a serious of promoters and attendance dwindled. Most sanctioning bodies holding events at the track and only a few events were held in recent years. The track lost its United States Automobile Club (USAC) events in mid-2007. In 2008, the DHK Promotions LLC group took over running the track. DHK Promotions is owned by former Major League Baseball player Brian Dorsett, Indy Racing League driver Davey Hamilton and Indianapolis 500 radio announcer Mike King.

Media

Events at the track are broadcast on WBOW-AM and WSDX-AM in addition to WSDM-FM.

Hut Hundred

The track has held the major midget car racing event since 1954.cite web|url=http://www.motorsport.com/news/article.asp?ID=231767&FS=USAC-M|title=Terre Haute Hut Hundred preview|date=2006-09-04|publisher=Motorsports.com|accessdate=2008-06-20] The 54th Hut Hundred was held in 2006. Event winners include Jay Drake, Tracy Hines, Mike Hess, Dave Darland, and 2005 winner Johnny Rodriguez. Rich Vogler won the event eight times, including six in the seven years between 1983 and 1989. Al Herman won the first event in 1954.

Hut Hundred winners

*2006 Darren Hagen
*2005 Johnny Rodriguez
*2004 Bobby East
*2003 Dave Darland
*2002 Mike Hess
*2001 Tracy Hines
*2000 Jay Drake
*1999 Dave Darland
*1998 Donnie Beechler
*1997 Jason Leffler
*1996 Kevin Olson
*1995 Tony Stewart
*1994
*1993 Tony Stewart
*1992
*1991
*1990 Jeff Gordon
*1989 Rich Vogler
*1988 Rich Vogler
*1987
*1986
*1985
*1984
*1983 Rich Vogler
*1982
*1981
*1980
*1979 Johnny Parsons
*1976 Gary Bettenhausen
*1975 Pancho Carter
*1974
*1973 Bill Englehart
*1972 Pancho Carter
*1971
*1970
*1969
*1968 Mike McGreevy
*1967
*1966
*1965 A. J. Foyt
*1963 Bob Wente
*1961 A. J. Foyt
*1960 Bob McLean
*1959 Gene Hartley
*1958 Don Branson
*1957 Gene Hartley
*1956 Earl Motter
*1955
*1954 Al HermanResults References: [http://www.ultimateracinghistory.com/racelist3.php?trackid=27 Ultimate Racing history Retrieved July, 22, 2008] [http://www.motorsport.com/news/article.asp?ID=138031&FS=USAC-M Motorsport.com Retrieved July, 22, 2008] [http://www.theautochannel.com/news/date/19990902/news029290.html TheAutoChannel.com Retrieved July, 22, 2008] [http://www.midgetmadness.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=10262&pid=43692&mode=threaded&show=&st=&#entry43692 Midget Madness Forum Retrieved July, 22, 2008] [http://www.springsspeedway.com/default,776.sm Springspeedway.com Retrieved July, 22, 2008] ["True Speed: My Racing Life" by Tony Stewart, Bones Bourcier, Mark Bourcier; Publisher: New York : HarperEntertainment, ©2003.; ISBN:0061031666 9780061031663; Retrieved July, 22, 2008]

References

External links

* [http://www.theactiontrack.com/ Official website]