Double Duty Drivers Ready For USAC Test At Powercom Park

BEAVER DAM, WI - Several of the nations best open wheel drivers will get tested twice during the running of the USAC Sprint Car/Midget doubleheader at The Raceway at Powercom Park on April 24th as they put their wares to task in attempting to win both 30-lap feature events.

The program will mark the only appearance in 2004 of both the National Sprint Car and National Midget Series' in Wisconsin.  Qualifying is slated to begin at 2:30 that afternoon with the first green flag to fall at 4:00 pm.  

"The drivers that have committed to this event are good, very good," said Wisconsin Motorsports General Manager Rex Melius.  "There is a good chance that one of them could win both feature races that day.  When all is said and done and the cars are in the pit area I think there might be as many as 10 different drivers trying to run in both classes.  It should be fun."

Tony Elliott, of Kokomo, IN, will be one driver looking for a double payday.  Elliott has been a force within the ranks of the United States Auto Club for many seasons.  Elliott is a nine times Kokomo Speedway track champion and 13-time overall track titlist.  Elliott is a 14-time winner of televised events for the open wheeled divisions and has collected over 200 career victories.

Elliott's accomplishments also include wins in both sprint cars and midgets in New Zealand as well as being the 2000 USAC National Sprint Car Champion.

Tom Hessert will also challenge the high-banked 1/3-mile clay oval in both divisions.  Hailing from Cherry Hill, NJ, Hessert was named the "Most Improved Driver" on the USAC National Midget Series in 2003 after he finished ninth in the overall standings.  While his best finish of the season was a fifth, Hessert built on a 2002 campaign that saw him crack the top 10 in the Midget Series just twice.

Hessert is also a veteran campaigner in the 24 Hours of Daytona. Competing with his father the pair had ran as high as 12th overall in 2003 before having to retire from the race.  Hessert's day at Powercom Park will be somewhat similar to that experience.

Drivers from 10 states have entered the program to date with more expected on race day.  The program will be the first National Sprint Car Series event on dirt of 2004.  The tour, which has been hit hard by rain in the early season, will kick off its season at the Anderson Speedway in Indiana on Sunday, April 18th.

J.J. Yeley won the season opening National Midget Series feature at the Phoenix International Raceway in March while Bobby East, who will be at Powercom Park on April 24th, came back a week later to take top honors at the Irwindale (CA) Speedway.  

The Raceway at Powercom Park is located on Highway 33, just off of Highway 151 in Beaver Dam.  

For more information on the event feel free to contact Wisconsin Motorsports at (920) 887-1600 or visit the website at www.wismotorsports.com.