USAC: Rain Forces 2nd Kokomo Postponement, Midgets set for 'Night Before the 500'

25 May 1999

Jason Leffler of Long Beach, Calif., hoping to become the first driver in 37 years to win three consecutive MCI WorldCom USAC National Midget Car Championships, is preparing for Thursday night's 1999 opening of the 16th Street Speedway and Saturday night's 53rd running of the Budweiser "Night Before the 500" Classic at Indianapolis Raceway Park.

Leffler would become the first driver to win three straight National Midget Car titles since Jimmy Davies did it in 1960-1961-1962.

Leffler leads Ryan Newman of South Bend, Ind. by 19 points going into Thursday's race at the 1/4-mile dirt 16th Street Speedway in Indianapolis. Newman, who won last Saturday night's "Coca-Cola 100" Coors Light Silver Bullet race at IRP, figures to be among favorites in this Saturday night's 50-lap Budweiser "Night Before the 500" at the .686-mile paved oval. Newman won the "Night Before the 500" Classic in 1997.

Practice at 16th Street Thursday night starts at 5 pm. Qualifying begins at 5:30 and racing starts at 7. A 40-lap main event is scheduled. At IRP practice commences at 4:30 pm, followed by qualifying at 5:30 and racing at 7:30. The feature is a 50-lapper.

Thursday night's race at 16th Street will be the first for the National series since February as rain as forced three postponements of events scheduled in the past month. The latest postponement involved Sunday night's events at the Kokomo (Ind.) Speedway. That race has not yet been rescheduled although track and USAC officials are hopeful of replacing the date.

Michael Lang of Indianapolis, Ind. is the defending champion of the 16th Street Midget Car Series, which also officially kicks off with Thursday night's events.

MCI WORLDCOM NATIONAL MIDGET CAR STANDINGS

1. Jason Leffler 61 6.. Jerry Coons, Jr. 27
2. Ryan Newman 42 7. Dave Steele 27
3. Brian Gerster 37 8. John Heydenreich 26
4. Ed Carpenter 35 9. Jimmy McCune 25
5. Ricky Shelton 30 10. Tony Ave 20

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