PEPSI/MT. DEW NATIONALS AT KNOXVILLE

 

"PEPSI/MT. DEW MIDGET NATIONALS" AT KNOXVILLE FRI./SAT. 


SANTOS TAKES 58TH "NIGHT BEFORE THE 500" CLASSIC


Bobby Santos III of Franklin, Mass. will aim for his third consecutive USAC National Midget victory this weekend as the series visits Knoxville (Iowa) Raceway for Saturday night's Pepsi/Mt. Dew Knoxville Midget Nationals" and Friday night's "King Doodlebug Classic."


The Knoxville classic coincides with the track's annual National Sprint Car Hall of Fame inductions and offers $3,350 to win Saturday's 25-lap main event. Friday's 20-lap victor will take home $1,650.


This weekend's event is the first for USAC's National Midget series at Knoxville in 37 years. Bob Tattersall won the 1969 race and ended up as that year's National Champion.


Entrants for the Knoxville classic already include nine who own USAC driving championships: Tracy Hines, Michael Lewis, Dave Darland, Johnny Rodriguez, Levi Jones, Jasiel Randolph, Brad Kuhn, Jay Drake and defending USAC National Midget Champ Josh Wise.


Santos, who won at Concord, N.C. May 21, led all but the first two laps of Saturday night's 61st "Coca Cola Night Before the 500" at Indianapolis Raceway Park in his Ford Racing/Clorox Beast/Esslinger Ford. He passed Wise on lap three and led the rest of the way to beat Ron Gregory, Stephanie Mockler, Michael Lewis and Jerry Coons Jr. Mockler's finish was her best to date in National competition.


USAC NATIONAL MIDGET CAR SERIES STANDINGS

 

      1.
     Dave Steele
     155
      
     6.
     Jay Drake
     121
     
      2.
     Michael Lewis
     149
      
     7.
     Dave Darland
     117
     
      3.
     Bobby Santos III
     147
      
     8.
     Billy Wease
     116
     
      4.
     Jerry Coons Jr.
     140
      
     9.
     Cole Carter
     104
     
      5.
     Ron Gregory
     134
      
     10.
     Stephanie Mockler
     98