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Contact: Shawn Miller
Inside Line Promotions
Shawn@InsideLinePromotions.com | (541) 510-3663

Bruce Jr. Tackling USAC's Junior Knepper 55 Saturday During First Midget Start Since January

Inside Line Promotions - OWASSO, Okla. (Dec. 12, 2017) - It's that time of year again for Tony Bruce Jr., who transitions from sprint cars to midgets for two events during the offseason.

Bruce Jr. will drive for Team Eights this Saturday at the Southern Illinois Center in Du Quoin, Ill., for the Junior Knepper 55 with the USAC National Midget Series. It will be his ninth career midget event and first since the Chili Bowl Nationals in January.

"Racing in Du Quoin is more or less because we don't race that midget but twice a year," he said. "It's to shake down the car and make sure everything works properly like it should, to get a good feel for where we're at heading into the Chili Bowl."

Bruce Jr. has won his heat race during each of the last two years at the Junior Knepper 55. He was involved in a night-ending flip in a qualifier during his event debut in 2015 before advancing from sixth to third in a qualifier last year. That lined him up fourth in the A Main and he finished a career-best sixth.

"It's been extremely beneficial," he said. "Any success we have had at the Chili Bowl can be related to racing the Junior Knepper 55. Just getting in that mindset of driving something different and also as preparation for the race team. Whenever we roll in to the Chili Bowl practice day we're not shaking the car down. We're actually learning during practice and that's key."

While the main goal for this weekend's event is to knock the rust off, Bruce Jr. is hungry to claim his first career top five during the Junior Knepper 55.

"We ran sixth and my teammate, Chad Wheeler, was fifth last year," he said. "That was really good for both of us. Hopefully we can build on how we ran last year and take another step forward this year."

UP NEXT -

Saturday at Southern Illinois Center in Du Quoin, Ill., for the Junior Knepper 55 with the USAC National Midget Series

MEDIA LINKS -

Website: http://www.TonyBruceJr.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TonyBruceJr

SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT - Lubbock Wrecker Service

With locations in Lubbock and Synder, Texas, Lubbock Wrecker Service has more than 50 years of combined experience providing heavy duty, medium duty and light vehicle towing. For more information, visit http://www.LubbockWrecker.com.

"It's an honor to be associated with Scott Brown and Lubbock Wrecker Service," Bruce Jr. said. "They have been involved with racing for a long time and we are fortunate to have them on our team."

Bruce Jr. would also like to thank Briley Trucking, Wheeler Metals, The Oil Medics, Hinchman Racewear, Eagle Motorsports, Smiley's Racing Products, SWE, Maxwell Industries, Moss Racing Engines, FK Rod Ends, ButlerBuilt Professional Seat Systems, Factory Kahne Shocks, DriverWebsites.com, RacinBoys.com, Wilwood, Schoenfeld Headers, Hoosier Racing Tires, HRP, Kaeding Performance, Schaeffer Oil, Fuel Safe, Bell Helmets, Four Seasons Radiator, Southern Trailer Works, KSE, Brown and Miller Racing Solutions, Weld Wheels, ISC Racers Tape, Pressure Tek, Tiger Towing (Dave and Paula Debates), Sorrels Auto and Truck Parts (Mitchell Sorrels), Melvin Plumbing (Billy Melvin), Engler Machine & Tool, Inc., Maxim Chassis, Wulff Pumps, Miller Auto Supply and Jeff Smith Racing Engines for their continued support.

Contact: Shawn Miller
Inside Line Promotions
Shawn@InsideLinePromotions.com | (541) 510-3663

Giovanni Scelzi Joins Clauson-Marshall Racing Stable for Junior Knepper 55

Inside Line Promotions - FRESNO, Calif. (Dec. 12, 2017) - Giovanni Scelzi is teaming up with Clauson-Marshall Racing to tackle the Junior Knepper 55 this Saturday.

The USAC National Midget Series event at the Southern Illinois Center in Du Quoin, Ill., will mark his debut with the team and will be his second career midget event.

Scelzi charged from seventh to second place in a heat race before being caught up in a race-ending wreck during the main event on May 21, 2016, at Ventura Raceway in Ventura, Calif., during his lone midget start while driving for veteran Cory Kruseman.

"It feels like a faster non-wing micro," he said in reference to racing a midget. "It's slower than what I'm used to in a sprint car so hopefully it will be a quick transition. There will be 50 or 60 cars there this weekend so if I can put it in the show that'd be huge."

The opportunity to drive for one of the premier midget organizations is also a big deal, Scelzi added.

"Their cars win all of the time," he said. "I know they are good pieces. Hopefully I can learn from Tim (Clauson) and all of the good drivers on that team."

Scelzi is coming off a stellar season during only his second year racing a winged sprint car. He won five races and finished second in the King of the West-NARC Fujitsu Series championship standings - only one point out of the title - in 2017.

UP NEXT -

Saturday at Southern Illinois Center in Du Quoin, Ill., for the Junior Knepper 55 with the USAC National Midget Series

MEDIA LINKS -

Website: http://www.GaryScelziMotorsports.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/GioScelzi

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Gary-Scelzi-Motorsports/225890834113599

VIDEO -

Here is a link to a highlight and promotional video: https://youtu.be/RjDQszUzoe0

SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT - Brown and Miller Racing Solutions

Brown and Miller Racing Solutions, which has more than 40 years of experience, specializes in fuel, oil and water connection systems within the motor sports industry. For more information, visit http://www.BMRS.net.

"BMRS started helping us a couple of years ago," Scelzi said. "They build hands-down the best hoses and fuel lines. It's been a pleasure to have them part of our team."

Scelzi would also like to thank Whipple Superchargers, Carlucci Transport, Panella Trucking, Red Rose Transportation, Inc., Scelzi Enterprises, Roth Motorsports, Fuel Delivery Services, Inc., NAPA Auto Parts, Todd Jorgensen, Red Line Oil, Schoenfeld Headers, FK Rod Ends, Weld Wheels, Sparco, K&N Filters, Simpson Race Products, Worldwide Bearings, Blast Tech, ButlerBuilt Professional Seat Systems, Meridian Steel, Kenny's Components, Auto Meter, Allstar Performance, DJS Safe Seats, Arctic Cat and Southern Pacific Farms for their continued support.

Contact: Shawn Miller
Inside Line Promotions
Shawn@InsideLinePromotions.com | (541) 510-3663

Hagar Aiming to Make A Main During Rare Midget Race at USAC's Junior Knepper 55

Inside Line Promotions - MARION, Ark. (Dec. 12, 2017) - Derek Hagar will make his fourth career midget start for Hagar-Proctor Racing this Saturday during the Junior Knepper 55.

The team, which is co-owned by Hagar and Jonathan Proctor, has three races under its belt entering this weekend's USAC National Midget Series event at the Southern Illinois Center in Du Quoin, Ill.

"We got snowed out last year for the Junior Knepper 55, but we went earlier this year (to the Southern Illinois Center) and missed the show by a couple of spots," Hagar said. "It was a good experience. It was our first midget race in this new car. We learned some valuable things and improved the next couple of times out."

Hagar was in contention for a top 10 at Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 in Pevely, Mo., in August before a DNF relegated him to a 21 st-place finish and he scored a sixth-place result at I-30 Speedway in Little Rock, Ark., in September during his most recent midget race.

"There's a lot to learn because you can kind of compare what you do at the Southern Illinois Center to the Chili Bowl," he said. "It's small and keeps you up on the wheel. It's nice to have a race so close to the Chili Bowl to keep you in tune with how much different these cars are to a sprint car. It usually takes me a few laps to adapt so it's nice to not have to do that at the Chili Bowl."

Hagar said his goal for Saturday is to make the A Main.

"There's probably more than 60 entries," he said. "To make the show with a fresh team would be a big accomplishment. We've only ran three times. We don't have a lot of laps with it and we're going up against drivers who race midgets regularly. It'd be a big deal if we could make the A Main."

UP NEXT -

Saturday at Southern Illinois Center in Du Quoin, Ill., for the Junior Knepper 55 with the USAC National Midget Series

MEDIA LINKS -

Website: http://www.DerekHagarRacing.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/HagarDerek

SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT - J&J Auto Racing

Located in McKenzie, Tenn., J&J Auto Racing has manufactured sprint car chassis and racing parts for more than 40 years. For more information, visit http://www.JandJAutoRacing.com .

"They've been in the family since J&J Auto Racing started building cars," Hagar said. "My stepdad's dad owned race cars back in the Riverside days. They are good, safe, dependable race cars and great people to deal with."

Hagar would also like to thank Dynotech Performance, DHR Suspension, B&D Towing, Xtreme Race Graphics, Fragola Performance Systems, ButlerBuilt Professional Seat Systems, Weld Wheels, Hinchman Racewear, Wix Filters, Wings Unlimited, FK Rod Ends, Valvoline and Ti64 for their continued support.