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USAC: Tripp, Johnson Annex Orange Show MCI WorlCom Features

25 May 1999

Sleepy Tripp of Costa Mesa, Calif. and Walt Johnson of Simi Valley, Calif. captured MCI WorldCom USAC "Western" races Saturday night at the Orange Show Speedway in San Bernardino, Calif. The victories were Tripp's 103rd in Western Midget Car competition and Johnson's sixth in the TQ Midget Cars, Tripp's win, his first in 1999, marked the 23rd season he has won at least one USAC feature race. That compares to Mel Kenyon's all-time career leading 32 victorious USAC seasons. Sleepy led all 35 laps around the 1/4-mile paved Orange Show oval in his DL Motorsports Gaerte to beat Billy Felts, Jr., 1998 series champion Rick Hendrix, 1998 MCI WorldCom TQ Midget Car Champ Alex Harris and 1999 MCI WorldCom Midget Car point leader Marc DeBeaumont.

Johnson, won also won the April 17 race at Irwindale, Calif., is now 2-for-3 in 1999 TQ Midget Car starts, leading all 20 laps of Saturday's race at San Bernardino. He was trailed at the checkered flag by series point leader Joshua Wise, fast qualifying lady driver Randi Pankratz, Tony Villelli and Todd Hunsaker.

The MCI WorldCom Western Midget Cars are idle until June 5 when they race at the Bakersfield (Calif.) Speedway. The TQ Midget Cars will resume their 1999 campaign on June 5 in concert with the USAC Western Sprint Car Series at the Irwindale (Calif.) Speedway.

MCI WORLDCOM WESTERN MIDGET CAR STANDINGS

1. Marc DeBeaumont 241 6. Rick Hendrix 126
2. Shane Scully 197 7. Bobby Boone 116
3. Wally Pankratz 171 8. Billy Felts, Jr. 115
4. Alex Harris 162 9. Clay Klepper 114
5. Jason Leffler 133 10. John Starks 111

MCI WORLDCOM TQ MIDGET CAR STANDINGS

1. Joshua Wise 118 6. Todd Hunsaker 70
2. Randi Pankratz 108 7. Gene Godepski 63
3. Ron Wade 86 8. West Evans 57
4. Greg Edenholm 81 9. Tony Villelli 56
5. Walt Johnson 80 10. Ron Ahrendt 52

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