11/20/2016
RacinBoys
Turkey Night Grand Prix: By the Numbers
By Ventura Raceway PR (Ventura Twenty-two fast, fun numbers on the first 75 editions of the Turkey Night Grand Prix. The 76th running of the longest running and most prestigious midget race in the world is this coming Wednesday and Thursday, November 23rd and 24th, at the Ventura Raceway.
PHOTO CREDIT: John Lee of High-Fly’n Photos/www.highfly-nphotos.com
ThorsonTrackLeeMay7
PREVIOUS RUNNIGS: 75
FIRST RACE: 1934 at Gilmore Stadium (now the site of CBS Studios)
TRACKS: In the first 75 editions, the Turkey Night Grand Prix has been staged on nine different tracks.
APPEARANCES BY TRACK: Ascot Park (30), Gilmore Stadium (14), Irwindale Speedway (13), Gardena Stadium (5), Bakersfield Speedway (5), Perris Auto Speedway (5), Speedway 605 (1), Saugus Speedway (1), Ventura Raceway (1)
TIMES ON DIRT: 60
TIMES ON PAVEMENT: 15
FIRST TIME ON PAVEMENT: 1975 Speedway 605
LAST TIME ON PAVEMENT: 2011 Irwindale Speedway (ironically located across the freeway from the location of Speedway 605)
MOST MAIN EVENT LAPS: 150 (15 times at Gilmore Stadium)
LEAST MAIN EVENT LAPS: 75 (2 times at Gilmore Stadium)
TOTAL MAIN EVENT LAPS RUN: 8,506
WINNING DRIVERS: 51 different drivers have won the Turkey Night Grand Prix
MOST WINS: Ron Shuman – 8 (1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1984, 1987, 1992, 1993)
MULTIPLE WINNING DRIVERS: 16 different drivers have won the Turkey Night Grand Prix more than one time. Only two drivers have won it more than two times. Ron Shuman won eight times (1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1984, 1987, 1992, 1993) and Billy Boat won three times (1995, 1996, 1997). Other multiple winner with two victories each are: Bob Swanson (1934, 1938), Roy Russing (1940, 1941), Perry Grimm (1946, 1949), A.J. Foyt (1960, 1961), Mel Kenyon (1973, 1975), Parnelli Jones (1964, 1966), Gary Bettenhausen (1967, 1970), Bill Engelhart (1971, 1973), Chuck Gurney (1988, 1989), Stan Fox (1990, 1991), Jason Leffler (1999, 2005), Dave Steele (2001, 2003).
MOST SECOND-PLACE FINISHES: Four drivers have three second place finishes each. Sam Hanks (1936, 1937, 1938,), Johnnie Parsons (1947, 1956, 1957), Billy Vukovich (1966, 1968, 1971), Kasey Kahne (2000, 2002, 2007)
MOST THIRD-PLACE FINISHES: Mel Kenyon with four (1962, 1964, 1968, 1971)
MOST TOP FIVE FINISHES: 1. Ron Shuman (10), 2. Mel Kenyon (8), 3. Danny Oakes and Jason Leffler (7)
DRIVERS WHO HAVE WON TURKEY NIGHT ON DIRT AND PAVEMENT: Mel Kenyon (1963 Ascot and 1975 Speedway 605), Stan Fox (1990 Ascot and 1991 Saugus), Dave Darland (2007 Irwindale Speedway and 2013 Perris Auto Speedway)
DRIVERS WON ON MUTLIPE DIRT TRACKS: Billy Boat (Bakersfield Speedway, Perris Auto Speedway, Ventura Raceway) and Ron Shuman (Ascot, Bakersfield Speedway
DRIVERS WITH BACK TO BACK WINS: Ronney Householder (1936, 1937), Roy Russing (1940, 1941), A.J. Foyt (1960, 1961), Ron Shuman (1979, 1980, 1981, 1982), Chuck Gurney (1988, 1989), Ron Shuman (1992, 1993), Billy Boat (1995, 1996, 1997), Bryan Clauson (2009, 2010)
DRIVERS WHO WON TURKEY NIGHT AND THE INDIANAPOLIS 500: Johnnie Parsons 1950 Indianapolis 500 and Turkey Night Grand Prix in 1955. Bill Vukovich 1948 Indianapolis and 1953 & 54’ Turkey Night. A.J. Foyt Turkey Night 1960 and 61’ and Indianapolis 500 in 1961, 1964, 1967 and 1977. Parnelli Jones 1963 Indianapolis 500 and Turkey Night 1964 and 66.’
DRIVERS WHO WON TURKEY NIGHT AND THE DAYTONA 500: A.J. Foyt Turkey Night Grand Prix 1960 and 1961. Daytona 500 1972
This year’s 76th staging of the Turkey Night Grand Prix will take place on November 23rd and 24th and will feature the USAC National and Western Midgets along with the USAC West Coast Sprint Cars. Wednesday will include qualifying heats and mains for the sprint cars and practice for the midgets. At intermission on Wednesday, there will be an autograph session. Thursday will feature qualifying, preliminary main events and the 98-lap main event for the midgets and B main and the A main for the sprint cars. Spectator gates will open at 3:00 PM each day, with qualifying at 3:30 and racing at 5:30. The pit gate will open at noon each day.
TRACK WEBSITE: http://venturaraceway.com/
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/Ventura-Raceway-104668839570641/?fref=ts
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/venturaraceway/
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/VenturaRaceway
Turkey Night Grand Prix Winners
1934 Bob Swanson – Gilmore Stadium
1935 Ted Sizemore – Gilmore Stadium
1936 Ronney Householder – Gilmore Stadium
1937 Ronney Householder – Gilmore Stadium
1938 Bob Swanson – Gilmore Stadium
1939 Mel Hansen – Gilmore Stadium
1940 Roy Russing – Gilmore Stadium
1941 Roy Russing – Gilmore Stadium
1945 Danny Oakes – Gilmore Stadium
1946 Perry Grimm – Gilmore Stadium
1947 Johnny McDowell – Gilmore Stadium
1948 Bill Vukovich – Gilmore Stadium
1949 Perry Grimm – Gilmore Stadium
1950 Bill Zaring – Gilmore Stadium
1955 Johnnie Parsons – Gardena Stadium
1956 Edgar Elder – Gardena Stadium
1957 George Amick – Gardena Stadium
1958 Joe Garson – Gardena Stadium
1959 Tony Bettenhausen – Gardena Stadium
1960 A.J. Foyt – Ascot Park
1961 A.J. Foyt – Ascot Park
1962 Bill Cantrell – Ascot Park
1963 Mel Kenyon – Ascot Park
1964 Parnelli Jones – Ascot Park
1965 Dick Atkins – Ascot Park
1966 Parnelli Jones – Ascot Park
1967 Gary Bettenhausen – Ascot Park
1968 Sam Sessions – Ascot Park
1969 George Benson – Ascot Park
1970 Gary Bettenhausen – Ascot Park
1971 Bill Engelhart – Ascot Park
1972 Tony Simon – Ascot Park
1973 Bill Engelhart – Ascot Park
1974 Danny McKnight – Ascot Park
1975 Mel Kenyon – Speedway 605
1976 Bubby Jones – Ascot Park
1977 Gary Patterson – Ascot Park
1978 Rick Goudy – Ascot Park
1979 Ron Shuman – Ascot Park
1980 Ron Shuman – Ascot Park
1981 Ron Shuman – Ascot Park
1982 Ron Shuman – Ascot Park
1983 Kevin Olsen – Ascot Park
1984 Ron Shuman – Ascot Park
1985 Brent Kaeding – Ascot Park
1986 Warren Mockler – Ascot Park
1987 Ron Shuman – Ascot Park
1988 Chuck Gurney – Ascot Park
1989 Chuck Gurney – Ascot Park
1990 Stan Fox – Ascot Park
1991 Stan Fox – Saugus Speedway
1992 Ron Shuman – Bakersfield Speedway
1993 Ron Shuman – Bakersfield Speedway
1994 Jordan Hermansador – Bakersfield Speedway
1995 Billy Boat – Bakersfield Speedway
1996 Billy Boat – Perris Auto Speedway
1997 Billy Boat – Ventura Raceway
1998 Jay Drake – Bakersfield Speedway
1999 Jason Leffler – Irwindale Speedway
2000 Tony Stewart – Irwindale Speedway
2001 Dave Steele – Irwindale Speedway
2002 Michael Lewis – Irwindale Speedway
2003 Dave Steele – Irwindale Speedway
2004 Bobby East – Irwindale Speedway
2005 Jason Leffler – Irwindale Speedway
2006 Billy Wease – Irwindale Speedway
2007 Dave Darland – Irwindale Speedway
2008 Bobby Santos III – Irwindale Speedway
2009 Bryan Clauson – Irwindale Speedway
2010 Bryan Clauson – Irwindale Speedway
2011 Caleb Armstrong – Irwindale Speedway
2012 Kyle Larson – Perris Auto Speedway’
2013 Dave Darland – Perris Auto Speedway
2014 Christopher Bell – Perris Auto Speedway
2015 Tanner Thorson – Perris Auto Speedway
Submitted By: Kirk Elliott
