Santos Wins 68th Turkey Night
Steve Lewis’ famous number 9 USAC midget at Irwindale Speedway
The “Turkey Night Grand Prix” USAC midget race is probably the oldest, most prestigious race that most people have never heard of. It’s been run in Southern California every year on Thanksgiving night since 1934 and the list of previous winners is a Who’s Who of American open wheel racing. People like Johnny Parsons, Gary Bettenhausen, Parnelli Jones, A.J. Foyt, Mel Kenyon, Bill Vukovich, Jason Leffler, and Tony Stewart, among others, have all tasted victory in the holiday classic. Over the years the venue has changed as tracks in the Los Angeles area opened and closed. For most of its history it was held on the dirt at places like Gilmore Stadium and the famous Ascot Park in Gardena. But for the last several years it has run on the pavement at the beautiful Irwindale Speedway near Los Angeles.
Bobby Santos from
Cole Whitt needed only to finish 11th or better to sew up the 2008 USAC National Midget Championship and that’s exactly where he finished, 11th. He beat Tracy Hines by just one point for the title.
For Steve Lewis, 2008 was his final Turkey Night Grand Prix, maybe. Lewis is not a driver however, but a team owner, and one of the best. His team has produced 10 USAC champions in 29 years. They have won five times on Turkey Night including three of the last four. His cars have been driven by the likes of Stan Fox, Jason Leffler, Dave Darland, Kasey Kahne, and Tony Stewart. Lewis hesitates to use the word “retirement” but admits the team has not performed as it used to and it may be time to step back a little. He has also been busy shepherding the racing career of his son, Michael, who spent the summer racing in Europe.
Five different drivers led the race beginning with pole sitter Bobby East for five laps, Chuck Gurney, Jr. for the next three. Jason Leffler then led for 43 laps when he was overtaken by Davey Hamilton, who led for 33 laps before being passed by eventual winner, Santos.