USAC: The Week in Sprints, Midgets, & F2000
21 July 1998
SILVER CROWN CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES JULY 29 "DuPONT 100" NEXT FOR SILVER CROWN STARS The July 29 "DuPont 100" at Indianapolis Raceway Park is the eighth round of the 11-round series and six different winners have emerged from the seven previous races. Tony Stewart (Phoenix and IRP) is the only repeat winner so far. Other winners include Brian Tyler (Orlando), Donnie Beechler (Indianapolis), Dave Steele (Memphis), Tony Elliott (Terre Haute) and John Heydenreich (Fountain, Colo.)The "DuPont 100" is the opening event in IRP's big Kroger SpeedFest and a 100-mile feature follows practice, qualifying and a 15-lap "qualifying race." Practice begins at 3 p.m., with qualifying at 5 and racing at 8.
Kenny Irwin, Jr. has won the past two "DuPont 100" features and is attempting to structure his schedule to be able to participate although his entry is not yet firm. Irwin's Silver Crown teammate, Dave Steele, could be one of the favorites for victory at IRP. He dominated the June 7 "Delta Thunder" 100-lapper at Memphis, Tenn. and led the July 12 "Rocky Mountain Classic" 100-lapper in Colorado before a late-race incident forced him to the back of the pack.
Jim Keeker holds the 1-lap track qualifying mark of 119.143 mph set in 1995, while Johnny Parsons holds the race record of 97.630 mph, set in 1991. Jack Hewitt, the winningest driver in series history, will seek his 125th career start in the "DuPont 100," which would tie him with George Snider as the leader in terms of all-time starts.
Jason Leffler of Long Beach, Calif., last year's USAC National Midget Champion, currently leads the Silver Crown standings by 16 over Tyler of Parma, Mich., last year's Stoops Freightliner/USAC Sprint Car titlist. Leffler has a second, two fourths and two fifths in seven starts, while Tyler has a second, third and a fifth in addition to his one victory.
Silver Crown Point Standings: 1-Jason Leffler-322; 2-Brian Tyler-306; 3-Ryan Newman-286; 4-Jimmy Sills-263; 5-J.J. Yeley-219; 6-Dave Steele-202; 7-Dave Darland-194; 8-Robby Flock-176; 9-Jack Hewitt-171; 10-Russ Gamester-166.
STOOPS FREIGHTLINER SPRINT CAR SERIES DARLAND, ELLIOTT TAKE PENNZOIL "INDIANA SPRINT WEEK" OPENERS 5 DIRT-TRACK RACES THIS WEEK DETERMINE 11TH CHAMPION
Dave Darland of Kokomo, Ind. is the early leader in the Pennzoil "Indiana Sprint Week" standings after his victory in Saturday night's opener at Lawrenceburg Speedway and subsequent second-place finish behind Tony Elliott, also of Kokomo, in Sunday night's feature at the Evans Kokomo Speedway.
Pennzoil "Indiana Sprint Week" events are slated this Wednesday night at the Terre Haute Action Track, Thursday night at the Twin Cities Raceway Park in North Vernon, Friday night at Bloomington Speedway, Saturday night at Paragon Speedway and Sunday night at Lincoln Park Speedway in Putnamville. All have 30-lap features. Timetables are as follows: Terre Haute (Prac.-6, Qual.-7, Race-8), North Vernon (Prac.-6, Qual.-6:45, Race-7:30), Bloomington (Prac.-6:30, Qual.-7, Race-7:45), Paragon (Prac.-6, Qual.-6:45, Race-7:30), Putnamville (Prac.-5, Qual.-6, Race-7).
Darland caught Jack Hewitt on the 16th lap at Lawrenceburg and led the rest of the way in his Hoffman Auto Racing Special to beat 4-time "Indiana Sprint Week" champion Kevin Thomas, Elliott, Jeremy Sherman and Greg Wilson to the checkered flag. Kevin Miller raked in a $600 bonus from Turbines, Inc. as the night's fastest qualifier. Richard Griffin won the True Value "last chance" semi.
Elliott won Sunday's 30-lapper at Kokomo in his Stealth/Murray's B/S/Jam It In Storage Special, leading the final 18 laps after passing Robbie Rice. Darland was second, with Rice third, Terry Pletch fourth and Cory Kruseman fifth. Jeremy Sherman got the Turbines, Inc. $600 fast qualifier bonus and came back to win the True Value semi.
Stoops Freightliner Sprint Car Point Standings: 1-Kevin Thomas-1,076; 2-Tony Elliott-1,004; 3-Brian Tyler-879; 4-Tim Cox-855; 5-Jason McCord-846; 6-Derek Davidson-839; 7-J.J. Yeley-741; 8-Brad Armstrong-719; 9-Kevin Doty-671; 10-Dave Darland-669. Pennzoil "Indiana Sprint Week" Standings (After 2 of 7 rounds) 1-Dave Darland-137; 2-Tony Elliott-122; 3-Jeremy Sherman-111; 4-Kevin Thomas-100; 5-Brian Hayden-78; 6-Richard Griffin-69; 7-Kevin Doty-64; 8-Cory Kruseman-62; 9-Robbie Rice-61; 10-Greg Wilson-55.
NATIONAL/16TH STREET/SPEEDROME MIDGET SERIES
'97 CHAMPS LANG, KNEPPER SCORE INDY MIDGET VICTORIES
$51,000 CHARLOTTE RACE FRIDAY, LINCOLN HOSTS JULY 28 RACE
Michael Lang and Steve Knepper, USAC's 1997 Indianapolis Midget Series Champions, scored respective feature victories last week, Lang emerging as the point leader in both the Indianapolis Speedrome and 16th Street Midget Series.
Lang is among a large contingent of drivers from across the country gearing up for this Friday night's all-time record single-day Midget program at the Charlotte (NC) Motor Speedway's Legends track. A $51,000 purse has been posted for this historic program, with the winner earning a check in the amount of $9,000 and all 24 feature starters guaranteed no less than $1,000! Practice at the 1/4-mile paved oval starts at 4 p.m., with qualifying at 5:15 and the first preliminary race at 8:15.
Jay Drake of Canyon Country, Calif. is the new leader in the USAC National Midget standings after finishing fourth in Saturday night's 40-lapper at the 16th Street Speedway in Indianapolis, Ind. He leads defending series titlist Jason Leffler by three points, with Ricky Shelton now third, 20 back of Drake. Shelton, Drake's teammate, flipped during the 16th Street program and was transported to Indianapolis' Methodist Hospital but was released and is expected to compete at Charlotte.
Steve Knepper of Belleville, Ill. led all 40 laps to win the National race at 16th Street Speedway in his Bud Racing Fontana, beating Leffler, Jerry Coons, Jr., Drake and Brian Gerster as Lang finished eighth.
Lang drove his Keco/Ad-Tech Floor Care/IFI VW to victory in Thursday night's 50-lapper at the Speedrome, leading all but the first seven laps to beat Norm Young, Robbie Parish (who led laps 1-7), Joe Devin and Dean Franklin. Lang and Parish won heat races.
Lang has a 16-point over Critter Malone going into the August 1 race at 16th Street, while he has a more substantial lead over John Sluss going into this Thursday night's program at the Speedrome, which has a 50-lap feature. Sluss was involved in a heat-race tangle and failed to start last Thursday's 50-lapper.
Following Charlotte, the National Series heads to Lincoln, Neb. for the July 28 (Tuesday night) "Mid-Summer Midget Classic" at Eagle Raceway's 1/3-mile dirt oval before heading to Belleville, Kans. for the July 30-August 1 Miller Genuine Draft "Belleville Midget Nationals." A 40-lapper is set at Lincoln.
National Midget Standings: 1-Jay Drake-383; 2-Jason Leffler-380; 3-Ricky Shelton-363; 4-Jimmy McCune-301; 5-Tracy Hines-253; 6-Jerry Coons, Jr.-250; 7-Dave Steele-171; 8-Travis Welpott-169; 9-Ronnie Johncox-168; 10-Michael Lewis-130.
16th Street Midget Standings: 1-Michael Lang-179; 2-Critter Malone-163; 3-Jeff Hampton-141; 4-Andy Pierce-138; 5-Roy Caruthers-134; 6-Jay Drake-124; 7-Jerry Coons, Jr.-124; 8-Steve Knepper-122; 9-Ron Smoker-120; 10-Ricky Shelton-113. Speedrome Midget Standings: 1-Michael Lang-5,140; 2-John Sluss-4,050; 3-Dean Franklin-1,670; 4-Daryl Campbell-1,410; 5-Brad Kuhn-1,305; 6-Gregg Cory-1,200; 7-Ron Hamm-1,190; 8-John Mount & Norm Young-1,030; 10-Mike Hurst-980.
FORMULA 2000 SERIES
CMS OVAL HOSTS ROUNDS #9 & #10 FRIDAY, SATURDAY
Australian David Besnard continues his quest for the 1998 USAC/SCCA Formula 2000 National Championship this weekend in rounds nine and ten of the series at Charlotte (NC) Motor Speedway.
Besnard leads Ryan Hampton of Glendora, Calif. by 37 points entering the two 30-lap races on the 1-1/2 mile paved oval. Practice is set from noon-12:30 p.m. Friday, with qualifying from 1-2 p.m. Friday's feature is at 6:30 p.m. and Saturday's feature is at 6:45 p.m.
Last year's Charlotte rounds were the most hotly-contested in series history, with Hampton scoring a victory in a race which saw no less than 16 official lead changes in 30 laps!
Formula 2000 Point Standings: 1-David Besnard-227; 2-Ryan Hampton-190; 3-Robby McGehee-152; 4-Andy Lally-148; 5-Mike Johnson-115; 6-Marc Antoine Camirand-113; 7-Jonathan Bottoms-110; 8-Jon Herb-102; 9-Steve Rikert-96; 10-Bobby Oergel-90.
WESTERN STATES SERIES
FACCINTO AGAIN IN KINGS "REBELS
TQs at VENTURA, SPRINT CARS AT CARSON CITY SATURDAY
Monte Faccinto of Hanford, Calif. added another "hometown" victory Saturday night at Kings Speedway to bolster his lead in the USAC Regional Rebel Sprint Car standings. He leads Davey Pombo by 27 points going into an August 1 race at the 3/8-mile dirt oval.
Faccinto led all 20 laps to beat Mike Faria, Shane Travioli, Andy Ferris and Pombo in the race which was shortened from its original 30-lap distance to 20 laps due to a multi-car accident. Craig Stidham, fast qualifier Ricci Faria and Garrett Ishii all flipped during the melee and Stidham was transported to a local hospital for a precautionary check.
Jeff Gardner leads the USAC "Western States" Sprint Cars to Silver State Raceway in Carson City, Nev. for this Saturday night's racing program on the 1/4-mile paved oval. A 30-lap feature caps the action. Gardner leads Rick Williams by 61 points going into the event.
Western States Midget Standings: 1-Rick Hendrix-291; 2-Wally Pankratz-255; 3-Bryan Stanfill-251; 4-Bobby Boone-209; 5-Shane Scully-200; 6-Steve Paden-166; 7-Dwayne Marcum-164; 8-Clay Klepper-161; 8-Sleepy Tripp-154; 10-Nick Mitchell-144.
Western States Sprint Standings: 1-Jeff Gardner-361; 2-Rick Williams-300; 3-Monte Faccinto-177; 4-Tyler Haylett-168; 5-Kirk Wartman-151; 6-Davey Pombo-148; 7-Tony Hunt-141; 8-Dave Fitzgerald-118; 9-Ray Evans-110; 10-Kevin Urton-105.
TQ Midget Standings: 1- Alex Harris-304; 2-Gene Godepski-182; 3-Paul Krueger-164; 4-Randi Pankratz-162; 5-West Evans-157; 6-Ron Ahrendt-148; 7-Josh Lakatos-146; 8-Brian Harris-142; 9-Ron Wade-125; 10-Joe Bishop-113. Regional Rebel Sprint Standings: 1-Monte Faccinto-508; 2-Davey Pombo-481; 3-Mark Barroso-352; 4-Lawrence Edlund-340; 5-Craig Stidham-293; 6-Jeff Gardner-227; 7-Larry Brown-223; 8-Shane Travioli-199; 9-H.P. Myatt-172; 10-Glenn Rudolph-165.
