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USAC Midgets: Leffler and Malone Both Winners Over the Weekend

11 May 1998

NATIONAL/16TH STREET/SPEEDROME MIDGET SERIES
LEFFLER 1ST AT LOUISVILLE; MALONE TAKES 16TH STREET
SECOND SPEEDROME RAINOUT POSTPONES OPENER TO THURSDAY

Defending USAC National Midget Champion Jason Leffler of Long Beach, Calif., Critter Malone of Plainfield, Ind. and Jupiter Pluvius from somewhere up above all scored victories in USAC Midget racing events last weekend.

Pluvius (rain) intervened at the Indianapolis Speedrome for the second consecutive Thursday night, again postponing the 1998 Speedrome Midget Series opener to this Thursday night, May 14. A 50-lap feature is planned.

Leffler, driving the Steve Lewis/Ford/Beast/ASE/Wynn's/PRI Ed Pink Ford, led all 30 laps of Saturday night's National points race at the 7/16-mile paved Louisville (Ky.) Motor Speedway. Ronnie Johncox, Tracy Hines, Jimmy McCune and Jerry Coons, Jr. trailed at the checkered flag. Hines emerged from the race with a five-point lead over fast qualifier Ricky Shelton (who was eighth in the 30-lapper). The next National Midget race is the May 23 Budweiser 53rd "Night Before the 500" Classic at Indianapolis Raceway Park.

Malone trailed Ron Smoker for the first eight laps at 16th Street's 1/4-mile dirt track, then led the last 22 laps to beat Roy Caruthers, Steve Knepper, Jeff Hampton and Andy Pierce. Fast qualifier Johnny Parsons III was one of six drivers who flipped during the program but they all escaped injury. Malone drove the Red Top Equipment Rentals Chevy to the victory, vaulting to the top of the 16th Street Series points as a result. The series resumes May 21.

NATIONAL MIDGET STANDINGS: 1-Tracy Hines-128; 2-Ricky Shelton-123; 3-Jay Drake-115; 4-Jimmy McCune-110; 5-Jason Leffler-108; 6-Ronnie Johncox-84; 7-Ted Hines-70; 8-Chris Shultz-66; 9-Kevin Thomas-62; 10-Sarah McCune-57. 16TH STREET REGIONAL STANDINGS: 1-Critter Malone-49; 2-Jeff Hampton-40; 3-Roy Caruthers-37; 4-Andy Pierce-37; 5-Donnie Beechler-32; 6-Steve Knepper-31; 7-Andy Michner-29; 8-Tracy Hines-27; 9-Jay Drake-25; 10-Jerry Coons, Jr.-23.