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Dave Darland

Nine Racing Driver 1997-2004

Open wheel racing icon Dave Darland has made his mark on the USAC playing field, and with 25 USAC National Midget Series feature victories for Nine Racing so far to go with his numerous sprint car and Silver Crown feature wins, Dave is the winningest member in the team's history, which dates almost 30 years.

During his rewarding career with Nine Racing, the champ has notably won the "Hut Hundred" twice at the half-mile clay oval Terre Haute Action Track and twice won the Belleville Midget Nationals at historic Belleville High Banks, 'the world's fastest half-mile dirt track.' It comes as no surprise that Dave, who has often been labeled a dirt driver because of his abundant success on dirt, scored a breakthrough win for Toyota in May 2008 at Indiana's historic Kokomo Speedway, besting a star-studded field of midget cars to capture the 30-lap, open-competition Jack Hewitt Classic feature event. It was Toyota's first victory on a dirt racing surface, using a 166-ci in-line four-cylinder engine prepared by Ed Pink Racing Engines.

While wins on dirt seem to come naturally to Dave, he has proven more than capable of dominating the field on asphalt as well, evidenced by his victory at the 2007 Turkey Night Grand Prix, one of midget racing's touchstone events, held at pavement track Toyota Speedway at Irwindale. After taking the race lead on lap three, driving the Ed Pink Toyota-powered #9, he led the rest of the 98-lap race. It was Dave's first win at the prestigious annual race held on Thanksgiving night, and the moment he joined other Turkey Night legends like AJ Foyt, Parnelli Jones, Ron Shuman, and Stan Fox.

Dave started quarter-midget racing when he was four years old, and at age 16 he and his dad, who was always a race fan, built their first sprint car. Team owner Steve Lewis took notice of him after his success in USAC sprint car and Silver Crown events as well local area sprint car shows. An avid race fan himself, Dave had many racing role models growing up. Some of his heroes that raced before him, like Steve Kinser and Bob Kinser, were key influences, not to mention plenty of heroes who drove for Steve Lewis before Dave became part of the Nine Racing team in 1997.

Dave is drawn to this type of racing for the fun of it, because midgets need to be driven with a lot of throttle--and Dave likes to drive with the pedal to the metal. While Dave especially enjoys driving on dirt, he and the team have had much success on pavement. The veteran driver favors adrenaline-pumping, high-bank dirt track Eldora Speedway in Ohio; he's had success there and considers it a fun place to win races.

 

Nine Racing Stats
2008:
Won USAC National Midget Event at La Crosse Fairgrounds Speedway
Won Jack Hewitt Classic Feature Event at Kokomo Speedway
2007:
Winner of Turkey Night Grand Prix at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale
Won USAC National Midget Event at Mansfield Motorsports Park
2004:
Won USAC National Midget Event at Attica Raceway Park
2003:
Won USAC National Midget Event at Terre Haute Action Park
Won USAC National Midget Event at Eldora Speedway
Won USAC National Midget Event at Lima Motorsports Park
Won USAC National Midget Event at The New Fremont Speedway
Won USAC National Midget Event at Attica Raceway Park
2002:
USAC National Midget Series Champion
Won USAC National Midget Event at Anderson Speedway
Won USAC National Midget Event at Salem Speedway
Won USAC National Midget Event at Belleville High Banks
2001:
USAC National Midget Series Champion
Won USAC National Midget Event at Salem Speedway
Won USAC National Midget Event at Kentucky Speedway
Won USAC National Midget Event at Belleville High Banks
Won USAC National Midget Event at Lakeside Speedway
Won USAC National Midget Event at Eldora Speedway
2000:
Won USAC National Midget Event at Salem Speedway
1999:
Won USAC National Midget Event at Bakersfield Speedway
Won USAC National Midget Event at Eldora Speedway
Won USAC National Midget Event at Terre Haute Action Track
Won USAC National Midget Event at Belleville High Banks
Won USAC National Midget Event at Belleville High Banks
Won USAC National Midget Event at Eagle Raceway
1997:
Won USAC National Midget Event at Las Vegas Motor Speedway

 

 

     
     
Dave Darland
Hometown: Lincoln, Indiana
Birthday: September 4, 1966
Wife:Brenda
Children: Trenton, Tristiny, and Destiny
Website:www.davedarland.net

Career Highlights:

USAC Silver Crown Series Champion in 1997
USAC Sprint Car Series Champion in 1999
2001 and 2002 USAC National Midget Series Champion
One of only five drivers to win the USAC Triple Crown Championship
     
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