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USAC: Wise claims Madera victory, Midget points race tightens

22 August 2000

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

TQ MIDGET CARS RETURN TO IRWINDALE SATURDAY NIGHT

Josh Wise of Riverside, Calif., USAC's 1999 MCI WorldCom TQ Midget Car Champion, scored his third victory of this year's MCI WorldCom Western Midget Car campaign Saturday night, leading all 30 laps at Madera (Calif.) Speedway. The win was his second at the 1/3-mile paved oval this season in the J.W. Mitchell Special.

Trailing Wise to the checkered flag were John Starks, fast qualifier Wally Pankratz, Davey Hamilton and Bobby Boone, as Pankratz cut into point leader Danny Ebberts' lead going into the September 3 race at Bakersfield (Calif.) Speedway. Pankratz ranks third in the standings, 46 behind Ebberts and 36 behind runner-up Boone. Ebberts finished 13th at Madera.

The MCI WorldCom TQ Midget Cars return to Irwindale (Calif.) Speedway this Saturday night for another 20-lap feature event on the 1/3-mile paved oval. J.J. Ercse of Bellflower, Calif., who owns April 22 and July 8 victories at Irwindale already this year, is the series point leader in quest of repeating his 1993 series championship. He leads Walt Johnson by 31 points going into Saturday night's program.

USAC MCI WORLDCOM WESTERN MIDGET CAR SERIES STANDINGS

1. Danny Ebberts 739
2. Bobby Boone 729
3. Wally Pankratz 693
4. Thomas Meseraull 626
5. Steve Paden 589
6. Rick Hendrix 563
7. Shane Scully 544
8. Kasey Kahne 540
9. Josh Wise 539
10. Matt Streeter 441

USAC MCI WORLDCOM TQ MIDGET CAR SERIES STANDINGS

1. J.J. Ercse 457
2. Walt Johnson 426
3. Greg Edenholm 384
4. Ron Wade 383
5. Todd Hunsaker 373
6. West Evans 365
7. Steve Davis 271
8. Gene Godepski 267
9. Steve Parke 264
10. Ron Ahrendt 236

Text provided by Dick Jordan

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