Tracy Hines Wins Twice in Florida to Open 2013 USAC Sprint Car Season

New Castle, Ind.--Feb. 24, 2013-- After finishing 2012 on a very
strong note, Tracy Hines was pretty optimistic heading into the 2013
sprint car season. He had formed his own team, built new cars all
winter long and switched engines programs for this year as well. For
the native of New Castle, Ind., all of that hard work paid big
dividends as he opened the 2013 USAC Amsoil National Sprint Car
Series campaign with a pair of wins in just his second and third
starts of the season at Bubba Raceway Park in Florida, aboard his
self-owned No. 4 Hansen's Welding Inc./Motor City Transport
DRC/Stanton Mopar.

The two victories for Hines marked the 44th and 45th of his career
with the USAC Amsoil National Sprint Car Series, which ties him for
third with Larry Dickson, a three-time series champion, on the series
all-time win list. Hines is now just one behind Hall of Famer Jack
Hewitt for second on the all-time list. For Hines, the wins were his
first triumphs in a sprint car in Florida and his third overall USAC
victory in the "Sunshine State," adding to a victory at
Homestead-Miami Speedway with the USAC Traxxas Silver Crown Series in
2007.

"To open the year with two wins is pretty amazing, especially knowing
all of the work we put in during the off-season forming this team,"
said Hines. "We changed our engine program this year and came out of
the box pretty fast with the Stanton Mopar engines we have under the
hood. Winning early in the season definitely pumps everyone up and
gives us some confidence heading back north, knowing that we have a
very good car and can contend night in and night out."

In the finale of the three-night event at Bubba Raceway Park in
Ocala, Fla., on Saturday, Feb. 23, Hines lined up on the outside of
the front row and used a strong start to take the lead on the opening
lap. He would go on to pace all 30 circuits, enduring a handful of
cautions, including one on the initial start that led to a complete
restart. Hines began the night by turning the fifth-fastest lap in
time trials and followed that up with a runner-up finish in the first
heat race to transfer to the 30-lap main event.

"The car was great all night long and it was my job to make sure it
stayed in the lead," he noted. "With how fast the track was tonight,
starting position was important as well and we put ourselves in a
good position in terms of where we started. Continuing to move up the
USAC win list is pretty special and great motivation to keep working
hard to make sure the car is fast every night, so we give ourselves a
shot at more wins this year."

Hines, the 2002 USAC Amsoil National Sprint Car Series champion,
started fourth in the 30-lap main event on Friday, Feb. 22, at the
three-eighths-mile and quickly moved into the second spot behind
leader Robert Ballou. Hines worked on tracking down Ballou for most
of the race and with two laps remaining was able to close in as the
pair approached a slower machine. As they took the white flag, Hines
dove under Ballou, who lost a tire going into turn one, to take the
lead and ultimately the win. Hines opened the night by turning the
fourth-fastest lap in time trials of the 29 drivers that took to the
track. He came home third in the fourth eight-lap heat race to earn a
spot in the 30-lap A-Feature.

"We were pretty fast right out of the box on Friday night and kept
working on the car," he noted. "Starting up front was a key, as well
as being in the right place at the right time, but you always have to
be fast as well to be in a position like that. I've been in the spot
of leading on the last lap and having something happens as well, so
it certainly takes a little luck as well as being fast to win these
things. It always feels great to get that first win of the year under
your belt."

On the opening night of the Bubba Winternationals for the USAC Amsoil
National Sprint Car Series on Thursday, Feb. 21, Hines finished 11th,
working his way back from the tail of the field, after getting caught
up in a four-car accident on the fourth lap. The veteran driver was
13th-fastest in time trials and finished third in the first heat race
to transfer to the main event.

Hines, who is currently tied for third in points with the USAC Amsoil
National Sprint Car Series, just seven markers out of the lead,
returns to action with the series on Saturday, April 6 at
Lawrenceburg Speedway in his home state of Indiana.

"We'll head back to the shop and keep working hard as we prepare for
the bulk of the season," Hines shared. "It was a great start to the
season and we showed what we are capable of and have a good
foundation and baseline now to go off the rest of the year. I can't
wait to get to Lawrenceburg in April and climb back in the car."