USAC: Eldora features to point leaders Drake and Darland
Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
June 26, 2001USAC WorldCom National Midget Car Series point leaders Jay Drake and Dave Darland scored victories in last weekend's Eldora Speedway "Oldtimers Weekend" events at the Rossburg, Ohio 1/2-mile dirt oval.
Drake assumed the series point lead with his initial 2000 USAC feature win Friday. He passed Darland on the 19th lap and led the final seven laps to win the 25-lapper in his WorldBestBuy.com/KECO Coatings/Hoosier Tire Gaerte/Stealth to beat Darland, Tony Elliott, Jerry Coons, Jr. and Tracy Hines. Darland led the first 18 laps of the race before yielding to Drake.
Darland came back on Saturday night to lead all but one lap of the 25-lap feature in his Ford/ASE/Beast/Performance Racing Industry Pink Ford/Beast. Teammate J.J. Yeley led the 21st lap before Darland regained the lead for good. Yeley finished second ahead of Drake, Hines and Aaron Fike in the 2,000th USAC National Midget Car race since USAC's inception in 1956.
A.J. Felker and Michael Lewis escaped serious injury in separate weekend flips. Felker flipped during Friday's second heat race and Lewis flipped during Saturday's feature but both drivers were treated and released from Coldwater Community Hospital.
Drake posted the fastest qualifying time for both nights of racing and emerged with a six-point lead over Darland in the new series standings going into similar back-to-back races at Lakeside Speedway in Kansas City, Kans. July 6-7.
USAC WORLDCOM NATIONAL MIDGET CAR SERIES STANDINGS
1. Jay Drake 311
2. Dave Darland 305
3. Jerry Coons, Jr. 263
4. J.J. Yeley 258
5. A.J. Fike 255
6. Aaron Fike 253
7. Tracy Hines 209
8. Michael Lewis 208
9. Kasey Kahne 171
10. Aaron Pollock 142
Text provided by Dick Jordan
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