SPRINTS/MIDGETS AT COLUMBUS, TOLEDO

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                                                    JULY 3, 2006

Contact: DICK JORDAN/MICHAEL HARKER                                                                                                       06-167

 

 

WISE, COONS LEAD SPRINTS/MIDGETS TO COLUMBUS & TOLEDO

O.R.P. 30'S TO STEELE & SANTOS

 

 

            Josh Wise and Jerry Coons Jr. will try to protect USAC National point leads this week as the Sprint Cars and Midgets compete in a pair of Ohio "doubleheaders." Tuesday's "Salute to the Red, White & Blue Kroger USAC Sprint/Midget Doubleheader" at Columbus Motor Speedway will be followed by Saturday night's 7th Annual "Hemelgarn/Super Fitness Sprint./Midget Doubleheader" at Toledo Speedway.

 

            The Sprint cars will be making their first Columbus appearance since 1978 in the first USAC National "doubleheader" ever at the 1/3-mile paved oval. Bryan Clauson won last year's National Midget race at CMS, becoming the youngest National feature winner in USAC history.

 

            Wise and Michael Lewis were the winners in last year's twinbill at Toledo where race organizers will welcome and showcase former USAC participants in pre-race activities.

 

            Coming off recent feature victories will be Dave Steele of Tampa, Fla. and Bobby Santos III of Franklin, Mass. Steele won Saturday night's 30-lap Midget race at O'Reilly Raceway Park in Indianapolis, while Santos scored a spectacular victory in Saturday night's 30-lap Sprint feature at O.R.P.

 

            Steele led all 30 laps of the Toyota USAC Sprint/Midget Classic Midget race in his Toyota-powered Toyota/Oakley Beast to beat Santos, Clauson, Jay Drake and Ron Gregory. Eric Gordon led 29 laps in the Sprint finale before he and Santos tangled exiting turn four on the last lap and spun across the start/finish line together. Santos was credited as the winner in his Wirtgen America Beast/Gaerte, with Gordon second ahead of Steele, Wise and Brian Tyler. Tracy Hines (Sprints) and Wise (Midgets) were the fast qualifiers.

 

            Wise holds a 38-point lead over teammate Levi Jones in the Sprint standings, while Coons has a 46-point lead over Jay Drake in the Midget points going into Tuesday's Columbus event.

 

 

USAC NATIONAL SPRINT CAR SERIES STANDINGS

 

      1.
     Josh Wise
     742
      
     6.
     Darren Hagen
     611
     
      2.
     Levi Jones
     704
      
     7.
     Bud Kaeding
     570
     
      3.
     Mat Neely
     665
      
     8.
     Jay Drake
     498
     
      4.
     Dave Darland
     636
      
     9.
     Jerry Coons Jr.,
     482
     
      5.
     Bryan Clauson
     626
      
     10.
     Brady Short
     375
     

 

USAC NATIONAL MIDGET CAR SERIES STANDINGS

 

      1.
     Jerry Coons Jr.
     345
      
     6.
     Michael Lewis
     234
     
      2.
     Jay Drake
     299
      
     7.
     Josh Wise
     228
     
      3.
     Dave Darland
     298
      
     8.
     Dave Steele
     222
     
      4.
     Bryan Clauson
     281
      
     9.
     Darren Hagen
     217
     
      5.
     Brad Kuhn
     257
      
     10.
     Bobby Santos III
     216