Published: September 27, 2008 12:04 am            

Yeley ready to return to Action Track

TERRE HAUTE — J.J. Yeley has been a winner several times at the Action Track and will be back to the Vigo County oval to try and win the one race he has not won in his U.S. Auto Club racing.

Yeley won an all-time USAC record 24 races in 2003 but did not win the Hut Hundred for midget cars in Terre Haute. He will be back in this year’s race slated for Oct. 4, sponsored by First Financial Bank and presented by Dorsett Mitsubishi.

Yeley won the feature for midgets last week in the 4-Crown Nationals, his first USAC midget start since late last year.

“Obviously I feel like I can win or I wouldn’t be running,” says Yeley. “We’ve got a brand new version of the Mopar engine for Terre Haute and I’m looking forward to adding that race to my resume. It’s a race with a lot of great tradition and I’d like to win it.”

The 100-lap race is a strategic event and Yeley has some thoughts about how to be competitive at the end.

“One of the drawbacks to leading so long like I did in 2003 is that the groove you develop often goes away. Dave [Darland] was working better on the cushion than I was and by the time I switched lanes it was too late. Survival is the key word in a 100-lapper and you need to make sure you have a good handling car at the end. Horsepower is critical but the track can change a lot during the race.”

One of only four USAC Triple Crown Champions (Dave Darland, Tony Stewart and Pancho Carter are the others), Yeley led the first 75 laps of the 2003 Hut Hundred after starting on the front row but lost to his teammate, Darland. J.J. had won the Tony Hulman Classic sprint race at Terre Haute four months earlier.

Yeley’s last Hut Hundred race in 2004 resulted in a DNF, 28th place.

Yeley also led 28 laps of the 2002 Hut Hundred but finished third behind Mike Hess and Dave Darland. The previous year he was second to Tracy Hines in the event which was at Lincoln Park Speedway. His first three Hut Hundred starts in 1997 through 1999 netted no better than a 29th-place finish.

Yeley is one of only 13 USAC drivers with 60 career victories. His Eldora win was his first in nearly a year, having won the Silver Crown race at Kansas City last year.

        

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