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USAC: Wise, Hamilton take Madera Features; Tracy rained out

9 May 2000

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

TQs AT IRWINDALE, MIDGET CARS AT HANFORD SATURDAY

Davey Hamilton and Josh Wise scored USAC Western feature victories at Madera, Calif. Saturday night but rains forced cancellation of Sunday's scheduled USAC Western Sprint Car race at Altamont Raceway Park in Tracy, Calif.

The MCI WorldCom Western USAC Midget Car Series continues this Saturday night with a complete program of events at Kings Speedway in Hanford, Calif., while the MCI WorldCom USAC TQ Midget Cars compete Saturday night at the Irwindale (Calif.) Speedway. The Hanford Midget Car feature is a 30-lapper on the 3/8-mile dirt oval, while the TQs will race 20 laps at Irwindale's 1/3-mile pavement.

Hamilton, of Las Vegas, Nev., scored his fourth USAC Western Sprint Car victory of the season at Madera. He and his Consani Construction Special caught fast qualifier Rick Williams on the 13th lap and led the rest of the way to beat Williams, Jeff Gardner, Kevin Kierce and Tony Hunt.

Wise, of Riverside, Calif., scored his initial USAC MCI WorldCom Western Midget Car feature victory at Madera in the J.W. Mitchell Company Esslinger. He passed Wally Pankratz on lap five and led until a red flag waved after 24 laps when Chris Oddo's driveline broke. Oddo was taken to a local hospital for treatment of a foot injury. Pankratz finished second, followed by Steve Paden, Rick Hendrix and Marc DeBeaumont.

Paden emerged from the Madera event tied with Booby Boone for the MCI WorldCom Western Midget Car point lead going into this Saturday's race at Hanford, while Hamilton continues to lead the Western Sprint Car series, which is now idle until a June 10 race at Tucson, Ariz.

USAC WESTERN SPRINT CAR SERIES STANDINGS

1. Davey Hamilton 381
2. Todd Ellison 326
3. Jeff Gardner 303
4. Burney Lamar 278
5. Mike Boat 277
6. Tony Hunt 274
7. Kevin kierce 250
8. Amy Barnes 214
9. Rick Hendrix 161
10. Curtis Brown 142

USAC MCI WORLDCOM MIDGET CAR SERIES STANDINGS

1. Steve Paden 291
2. Bobby Boone 291
3. Danny Ebberts 269
4. Thomas Meseraull 257
5. Shane Scully 255
6. Rick Hendrix 250
7. Wally Pankratz 248
8. Kasey Kahne 233
9. Ryan Newman 217
10. Bryan Stanfill 197

USAC MCI WORLDCOM TQ MIDGET CAR SERIES STANDINGS

1. Greg Edenholm 250
2. Todd Hunsaker 211
3. J.J. Ercse 208
4. Walt Johnson 207
5. West Evans 201
6. Ron Wade 184
7. Ron Ahrendt 136
8. Gene Godepski 128
9. Steve Parke 124
10. Josh Lakatos 118

Text provided by Dick Jordan

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