International Teams Racing returns Western Springs with a vengeance Thursday, Boxing Day

International Teams Racing returns Western Springs with a vengeance Thursday, Boxing Day as three countries fight for points, pride and a lofty prize pool.

Australia, USA and New Zealand will each field three drivers for the two international heat races which, unlike previous years, now also offer individual points towards feature race grid positions.

Team USA enters the series as favorites with three professional race drivers on their books.

California's Darren Hagen makes his first visit to New Zealand coming off two USAC National Midget Championships in 2012, alongside another newcomer in 18-year-old Oklahoman Christopher Bell who won everything there is to win in the USA this year. These two young guns will be marshalled around by 41-year-old speedway icon and Team USA captain Jerry Coons Jr from Indiana.

"It's an honor they chose me to be captain. Either that or it just means I'm the oldest," said former USAC Triple Crown winner Coons Jr.

"We've got an incredible team with both the 2012 and 2013 USAC National Midget Champions so we're pretty confident for tonight's teams racing, although we know the Kiwis are always strong too having raced Brad Mosen and Michael Pickens in the States this year."

Current New Zealand champion Pickens will captain the local contingent tonight, alongside former International series champion Mosen and current Western Springs points leader Chris McCutcheon.

"We couldn't be happier with the team we've put together and hopefully with a bit of crowd support and home track advantage we can keep the trophy in Auckland," said one of three New Zealand team selectors Graham Standring.

Current POWRI Australian Midget Super Series champion Nathan Smee is still fighting fit at 40-years-old and will captain the Aussie team. He will be joined by fellow speedway veteran and two-time national midget champion Adam Clarke, as well as 22-year-old rising star Matthew Jackson who is coming off his first campaign in the USA.

Promoters are expecting around 16,000 fans at the track, ready to witness some of the best midget racing ever seen.

"We don't get anywhere near the amount of fans at a midget race in the US like we do at The Springs. It's such a cool atmosphere here in Auckland with all the entertainment that goes on off the track too. We just love coming down here," said Coons Jr.

Dates	Event	Website
12/26	Western Springs, New Zealand (Boxing Night)	http://springsspeedway.com/
12/27-28	Rumble in Fort Wayne, IN USA	http://www.rumbleseries.com/
12/28	Western Springs, NZ (World Derby)	http://springsspeedway.com/
1/1	Western Springs, NZ (King of The Springs)	http://springsspeedway.com/

A strong entry list for the Rumble this weekend in Fort Wayne includes Bobby Santos III, Lou Cicconi Jr., Jarett Andretti, Matt Westfall, Tony Elliott, Russ Gamester, Dave Darland, Bobby East, Brian Gerster, and Billy Wease. 

DEFENDING RUMBLE IN FORT WAYNE CHAMPIONS: Billy Wease (first night) and Derek Bischak (second night)

TRACK QUALIFYING RECORD: 7.323 seconds set by Tony Stewart, Dec. 30, 2005

Cicconi is the only driver to beat Tony Stewart when Tony was still running at the end of the race.  The two will team up this year with Cicconi driving Stewart's "Munchkin" race car.  Stewart is still weeks away from his return following multiple operations for a broken leg suffered in a sprint car accident.