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Turkey Night Grand Prix

Annual race of midget cars


Annual race of midget cars

FieldValue
Race titleTurkey Night Grand Prix
Series longUnited States Auto Club National Midget Series
Series shortUSAC Midgets
VenueVentura Raceway (as of 2016)
SponsorAutomotive Racing Products
First race1934
Distance19.6 miles
Laps98
Surfaceclay
Length km.320

The Automotive Racing Products Turkey Night Grand Prix is an annual race of midget cars. It is the third oldest race in the United States behind the Indianapolis 500 and the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. It has been held on Thanksgiving night most years since 1934, where it was founded by Earl Gilmore at his Gilmore Stadium in Los Angeles. It stayed at this location until 1950. Since that time it has been held at various southern California race tracks. Since 1955, the race has been promoted by J. C. Agajanian and later his descendants, currently by son Cary. Traditionally a dirt track event, it has sometimes been on asphalt during the turn of the 21st century, although it returned to dirt in 2012. The feature race was held over 98 laps in the modern era, the same number that Agajanian used for his racecars.

The race is the traditional end of the midget and sprint car racing season in North America, although many top stars typically take a few weeks off before returning to racing in Australia or New Zealand, with the Southern Hemisphere summer leading to an "international season" that starts Boxing Day.

There was no race in 1942–44 (World War II) nor 2020 (California state pandemic restrictions).

The expansion of the USAC Midget schedule around Thanksgiving week with the Hangtown 100 in Placerville the week before, and the Merced County Fairgrounds meeting on the Tuesday and Wednesday of Thanksgiving week led promoters in 2021 to move the Turkey Night Grand Prix to a two-day format away from Thanksgiving, with practice and support division races on Friday, and the heat races and feature on Saturday. Currently, the California Midget Swing is 16 days in the two weeks leading to Thanksgiving and the two days after with six features -- Placerville Speedway's two-night feature on the first weekend, followed by three races the week before Thanksgiving at Plaza Park in Visalia on Tuesday, Merced on Friday and Tulare on Saturday, followed by Thanksgiving Week's Jason Leffler Memorial at Kern Raceway on Tuesday that leads to Friday's opening of the two-night Turkey Night event. This is similar to the summer "Indiana Sprint Week" for USAC's non-winged sprint cars.

The Turkey Night is regarded as one of three major midget races during the year, with the Chili Bowl in Tulsa, OK, and the Bryan Clauson Classic at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Drivers

The event is considered a major event in the midget cars series. It frequently attracts drivers from other disciplines, especially former drivers that have moved to the highest levels of auto racing; the major auto racing circuits in the United States end their seasons prior to Thanksgiving, so major drivers do not have any schedule conflicts with their main circuits. Drivers that have competed in the event include Parnelli Jones, A. J. Foyt, Johnnie Parsons, Bill Vukovich, Danny Oakes, Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, J. J. Yeley, Jason Leffler, Kasey Kahne, and Kyle Larson.

After Kaylee Bryson qualified fastest for the 2021 event, she became the first woman to start on the pole position in the 80th event. Her Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian teammate Taylor Reimer qualified second, and they became the first women to start first and second in USAC National Midget history. Bryson led the first 17 laps to become the first woman to lead the event.

Locations

Several locations have hosted the race.

  • Gilmore Stadium (1934–1950) (now Television City Studios)
  • Gardena Stadium (1955–1959)
  • Ascot Park (1960–1974, 1976–1990)
  • Speedway 605 (1975)
  • Saugus Speedway (1991)
  • Bakersfield Speedway (1992–1995, 1998)
  • Perris Auto Speedway (1996, 2012–2015)
  • Ventura Raceway (1997, 2016–present)
  • Irwindale Speedway (1999–2011)

List of winners

SeasonDriver193419351936193719381939194019411945194619471948194919501955195619571958195919601961196219631964196519661967196819691970197119721973197419751976197719781979198019811982198319841985198619871988198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920212022202320242025
Bob Swanson
Ted Sizemore
Ronney Householder
Ronney Householder
Bob Swanson
Mel Hansen
Roy Russing
Roy Russing
Danny Oakes
Perry Grimm
Johnny McDowell
Bill Vukovich
Perry Grimm
Bill Zaring
Johnnie Parsons
Edgar Elder
George Amick
Joe Garson
Tony Bettenhausen
A. J. Foyt
A. J. Foyt
Bill Cantrell
Mel Kenyon
Parnelli Jones
Dick Atkins
Parnelli Jones
Gary Bettenhausen
Sam Sessions
George Benson
Gary Bettenhausen
Billy Engelhart
Tony Simon
Billy Engelhart
Danny McKnight
Mel Kenyon
Bubby Jones
Gary Patterson
Rick Goudy
Ron Shuman
Ron Shuman
Ron Shuman
Ron Shuman
Kevin Olson
Ron Shuman
Brent Kaeding
Warren Mockler
Ron Shuman
Chuck Gurney
Chuck Gurney
Stan Fox
Stan Fox
Ron Shuman
Ron Shuman
Jordan Hermansader
Billy Boat
Billy Boat
Billy Boat
Jay Drake
Jason Leffler
Tony Stewart
Dave Steele
Michael Lewis
Dave Steele
Bobby East
Jason Leffler
Billy Wease
last=Estradafirst=Christitle=USAC: Dave Darland wins Turkey Night Grand Prixurl=http://motorsportstalk.nbcsports.com/2013/11/29/usac-dave-darland-wins-turkey-night-grand-prix/publisher=NBC Sportsaccessdate=December 2, 2013}}
Bobby Santos III
Bryan Clauson
Bryan Clauson
Caleb Armstrong
Kyle Larson
Dave Darland
Christopher Bell
Tanner Thorson
Kyle Larson
Christopher Bell
Christopher Bell
Kyle Larson
title=Logan Seavey Completes Sweep Of All Three USAC Finalesurl=https://www.floracing.com/articles/7233106-logan-seavey-completes-sweep-of-all-three-usac-finaleswebsite=www.floracing.compublisher=FloRacingaccess-date=November 28, 2021language=en}}
title=Turkey Night Grand Prix USAC Midget Resultsurl=https://www.usacracing.com/news/item/11768-turkey-night-grand-prix-usac-midget-results-nov-26-2022website=www.usacracing.compublisher=United States Auto Clubaccess-date=November 27, 2022language=en}}
Kyle Larson
Corey Day
Corey Day

References

References

  1. (November 28, 2014). "Christopher Bell wins 74th Turkey Night Grand Prix midget racing event". [[Autoweek]].
  2. "WM: Turkey Night race will be 98 laps".
  3. Vaughn, Mark. (December 24, 2012). "We'll Always Have Perris". [[Autoweek]].
  4. [http://www.irwindalespeedway.com/pressdetail.asp?pressid=1083 98 laps "Turkey Night" in honor of J.C. Agajanian]; [[Irwindale Speedway]]; Retrieved December 12, 2007
  5. Estrada, Chris. "USAC: Dave Darland wins Turkey Night Grand Prix". [[NBC Sports]].
  6. (November 28, 2014). "Christopher Bell wins 74th Turkey Night Grand Prix midget racing event".
  7. (November 27, 2015). "Thorson, Toyota take Turkey Night Grand Prix".
  8. (November 25, 2016). "Kyle Larson, Toyota win Turkey Night Grand Prix at Ventura Raceway".
  9. "Christopher Bell beats Kyle Larson to win Turkey Night Grand Prix". [[NBC Sports]].
  10. "Logan Seavey Completes Sweep Of All Three USAC Finales". [[FloRacing]].
  11. "Four Score! Larson Gets Turkey Night Win #4 at Ventura". United States Auto Club.
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