USAC Midget/Sprint Car

“We’re going to continue to take an aggressive racing approach for the Turkey Night event,” said Kevin Gerhardt, Western Speed Racing co-owner. “We won’t back off because of the Challenge points race. Our goal is to win Turkey Night and the Toyota Challenge.”

Western Speed is one of the many traditional powerhouse teams that will be fighting for the top prize in the $25,000 Toyota Challenge. Nine Racing, Tony Stewart Racing and Klatt Enterprises also enter the finale in the top-five with a title locked in their sights. After two of three Toyota Challenge races, these powerhouse teams are close behind current (Challenge) points leader, Chuck Gurney Jr.

“The Toyota Challenge is great for the sport of USAC Midget Racing,” said team owner and driver Chuck Gurney Jr. “Being a small team we can’t afford to run all the races during the season, but this opportunity allows us to get some exposure and race head-to-head with the bigger teams like Western Speed, Stewart Racing and Nine Racing. We just need to focus on one race and do the very best we can.”

Gurney will have a little extra motivation on Turkey Night. If he can win the race, he’ll not only win the Toyota Challenge, but he will also join his father, Chuck Gurney Sr., as a Turkey Night Grand Prix winner. This year’s event will mark the 20th anniversary of Gurney Sr.’s first Turkey Night victory in 1988. He also won again in 1989.

Ironically, Gurney Jr. ran the first Toyota Challenge event this year as a driver for Nine Racing when a late season opportunity presented itself. In his place, the team ran driver Chase Scott, who earned a second-place finish. At the following race, Gurney went back to his trusty #151, took the lead on the opening lap and never relinquished it as he went on to earn his first-ever USAC National Midget Series victory. Heading into Thursday night’s events, Gurney has a 12-point lead over the #45 Western Speed entry driven by Bobby Santos III.

The Gurney and Western Speed teams are the only competitors to have registered top-five finishes in each of the two Toyota Challenge races held this season. Yet, the #19 Nine Racing (driven by Kody Swanson) and the #20 Tony Stewart Racing (driven by Levi Jones) are just 26 points behind Gurney Jr. and in contention to take the checkered flag and prize fund. This year’s race also will have additional meaning to the Nine Racing team, as the defending Turkey Night champions make their final USAC start following team owner Steve Lewis’ retirement announcement earlier this month.

When it’s all said and done, though, the #4 Klatt Enterprises team may be the favorite. Driver Bobby East dominated Round One of the Toyota Challenge with a flag-to-flag victory. East also was the fastest qualifier and pole-sitter in Round Two before suffering a mechanical problem as the cars were preparing to start the main event. The Klatt team is just 34 points out of the lead leading into the finale.
A total of 10 cars are still mathematically eligible for the Toyota Challenge crown, but a new Challenge champion is guaranteed with two-time winner Keith Kunz Motorsports having been eliminated from contention.

In addition to Thursday’s Turkey Night Grand Prix, this year’s “Challenge” events included the “Toyota Challenge Night Before the 500” in May, as well as the “Toyota Challenge Racing Classic” in July, both at O’Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis. The finale was originally scheduled to conclude at ORP with the Toyota Challenge Showdown in September, but weather forced a postponement.

The three-race championship within a championship “Toyota Challenge” is one of three major USAC initiatives implemented by Toyota. The manufacturer also offers a unique year-end owner's bonus fund that can total up to $25,000 to recognize and support entrant participation. At the end of the season, the top-10 point standings USAC National Midget Series team owners will receive $100 for every event entered in the 2008 schedule.

The USAC National Midget Racing Series, Western States Midgets, the USAC Silver Crown Series, National Sprints and Western States Sprints are also a part of Toyota Motorsports/TRD, U.S.A Contingency Awards Program that is designed to reward exemplary performance. In addition, TRD, U.S.A., is an engine supplier to both the USAC Silver Crown Series and Sprint cars.

Unofficial Toyota Challenge Top-10 Point Standings (after two of three events)

2008 Toyota Challenge Race Winners
Toyota Challenge Night Before the 500 – Bobby East, #4 Klatt Enterprises
Toyota Challenge Racing Classic – Chuck Gurney Jr., #151 Chuck Gurney

Overall Toyota Challenge Race Winners
2006 – Dave Steele, (ORP)
2006 – Bobby Santos, Jr., (Milwaukee)
2006 – Darren Hagen, (Terre Haute)
2007 – Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. (Tri-State Speedway)
2007 – Kevin Swindell (ORP)
2007 – Bryan Clausen (ORP)
2008 – Bobby East (ORP)
2008 – Chuck Gurney, Jr. (ORP)

Past Toyota Challenge Champions
2006 – Keith Kunz Motorsports
2007 – Keith Kunz Motorsports