USAC: Joliet debut Thursday, '50th Hut 100' Saturday at Lincoln Park
Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
August 28, 2001The WorldCom National Midget Car Series makes its first appearance at the Route 66 Raceway in Joliet, Ill. Thursday night, then unveils its 50th Hoosier Lottery USAC "Hut 100" - A Tribute to Don Smith - on Saturday night at Lincoln Park Speedway in Putnamville, Ind.
Rains forced cancellation of last weekend's "Bob Wente Classic" at the Tri-City Speedway in Granite City, Ill., so Dave Darland's 146-point lead over A.J. Fike was not affected. He will try to continue his drive to the championship in this Thursday and Saturday's events, which offer a total of 138 points. The "Hut 100" will also offer points toward this year's USAC Dirt-Track Regional Midget Car championship.
Practice at Joliet's 1/2-mile dirt track gets under way at 6:30 pm, followed by qualifying at 7 and racing at 8. A 30-lap feature event caps the program, which will be followed by Friday night's Stoops Freightliner Sprint Car program at Route 66 Raceway.
Saturday night's 50th Hoosier Lottery USAC "Hut 100" at Lincoln Park Speedway celebrates not only the Golden Anniversary of one of America's most classic motorsports events, but also salutes Terre Haute, Ind. race organizer Don Smith, whose guidance helped build the tradition of this storied race.
Saturday's timetable has practice starting at 5:30 pm, with qualifying at 6:30 and racing at 7:30. Twelve-lap "qualifying races" will precede the 100-lap finale on the 5/16-mile dirt track.
Jay Drake won last year's "Hut 100" and will utilize Mopar power for this year's classic. His victory marked the seventh different winner in seven years! Shane Hollingsworth of Indianapolis, Ind. is also expected to be among contenders at Putnamville, leading the USAC Dirt-Track Regional Midget Car standings and having won at Putnamville in May.
USAC WORLDCOM NATIONAL MIDGET CAR SERIES STANDINGS
1. Dave Darland 808
2. A.J. Fike 662
3. Jay Drake 646
4. Tracy Hines 553
5. Aaron Fike 545
6. J.J. Yeley 494
7. Jerry Coons, Jr., 461
8. Kasey Kahne 420
9. Steve Paden 357
10. Michael Lewis 353
USAC DIRT-TRACK REGIONAL MIDGET CAR SERIES STANDINGS
1. Shane Hollingsworth 238
2. John Wolfe 203
3. Matt Sandy 174
4. Tony Elliott 158
5. Jon Foster 148
6. Clay Klepper 139
7. Chris Coers 129
8. Joe Roush 119
9. Ron Gregory 119
10. Michael Bridges 114
Text provided by Dick Jordan
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