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USAC: Kahne returns to Indianapolis Raceway Park for encore

12 September 2000

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

Kasey Kahne of Enumclaw, Wash. appears headed for the 2000 MCI WorldCom National Midget Car Championship. Saturday night he returns to compete at the scene of one of his most important victories, Indianapolis Raceway Park.

Kahne won the annual "Night Before the 500" classic at IRP in May and has added four other feature wins since in lengthening his point lead over runner-up Jay Drake to 254 points. Teammate Jason Leffler won the August 23 "Mel Kenyon Classic" at IRP so the Steve Lewis team will be the ones to watch this Saturday, with Kahne and Dave Darland serving as drivers.

Saturday night's "doubleheader" at the .686-mile paved oval also include the Stoops Freightliner Sprint Cars, with 30-lap features for each series concluding the night's racing events. Drivers will be aiming at Chris Shultz' 1997 1-lap Midget Car track qualifying record of 121.219 mph, while Tracy Hines, who owns two IRP Sprint car wins this year, holds the 30-lap record of 110.978 mph, also set in 1997.

USAC MCI WORLDCOM NATIONAL MIDGET CAR SERIES STANDINGS

1. Kasey Kahne 957
2. Jay Drake 723
3. Dave Darland 678
4. Michael Lewis 658
5. Tracy Hines 562
6. A.J. Fike 542
7. Aaron Fike 531
8. Ed Carpenter 510
9. Clay Klepper 481
10. Ryan Scott 417

Text provided by Dick Jordan

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