USAC: Kaeding, Wise, Sills Share 'Western Glory'

11 May 1999

MIDGET CARS HEAD TO STOCKTON 99 SPEEDWAY SATURDAY

Californians Bud Kaeding of Campbell, Joshua Wise of Riverside, and Jimmy Sills of Placerville, were victorious in USAC "Western" racing events this past weekend. The MCI WorldCom Midget Cars head for Stockton (Calif.) 99 Speedway Saturday night, while the MCI WorldCom TQ Midget Cars are idle until May 22 and the Western Sprint Cars take a month's hiatus, resuming competition in early-June.

Kaeding extended his lead in the "Western" Sprint Car Series standings, leading all but the first four laps of Saturday night's 30-lap race at the Irwindale (Calif.) Speedway. The win was a repeat of his March 27 Irwindale victory as this time he held off the challenges of Rick Williams, Bobby McMahan, defending series champion Jeff Gardner and Curtis Brown. Kaeding was also the night's fastest qualifier. He takes a 28-point lead over McMahan into the June 5 race at Irwindale. Steve Beitler led the first four laps of Saturday night's race but slipped to 11th at the checkered flag.

Wise, a 16-year-old rookie in the MCI WorldCom TQ Midget Cars, scored his first series triumph Saturday night on Irwindale's 1/3-mile paved oval, leading all but the first lap of the 20-lap main event. Greg Edenholm led lap one and finished second, ahead of lady driver Randi Pankratz, Ron Wade and Jim Styer. Wise's victory boosted him past Pankratz and he holds an eight-point lead over her going into the May 22 TQ Midget Car race at the Orange Show Speedway in San Bernardino, Calif.

Jimmy Sills' initial 1999 USAC victory came in Saturday night's 30-lap MCI WorldCom Western Midget Car feature at Kings Speedway in Hanford, Calif. He passed Bobby Boone on lap 20 and led the rest of the way in his MP Environmental Stealth Gaerte to beat Boone, who led 12 laps of the race.

Shane Scully, who led the first seven laps, was third, ahead of Rex Calderwood and fast qualifier Alex Harris.

Marc DeBeaumont failed to finish the Hanford race but continues to lead the MCI WorldCom Western Midget Car standings by five points over Scully going into this Saturday night's program at the Stockton 99 Speedway. A 30-lap feature is planned on the 1/4-mile pavement.

WESTERN SPRINT CAR STANDINGS

1. Bud Kaeding 265 6. Dave Fitzgerald 172
2. Bobby McMahan 237 7. Billy Felts, Jr. 158
3. Jeff Gardner 234 8. Mike Boat 157
4. Rick Williams 213 9. Curtis Brown 141
5. Rick Hendrix 182 10. Kevin Urton 133

MCI WORLDCOM WESTERN MIDGET CAR STANDINGS

1. Marc DeBeaumont 175 6. Clay Klepper 114
2. Shane Scully 170 7. John Starks 111
3. Jason Leffler 133 8. Rick Hendrix 99
4. Wally Pankratz 127 9. Bobby Boone 93
5. Alex Harris 123 10. Jay Drake 90

MCI WORLDCOM TQ MIDGET CAR STANDINGS

1. Joshua Wise 85 6. Todd Hunsaker 49
2. Randi Pankratz 77 7. Gene Godepski 48
3. Greg Edenholm 64 8. West Evans 43
4. Ron Wade 57 9. Ron Ahrendt 42
5. Walt Johnson 49 10. Kevin Wybenga 37

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