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USAC: Coons 1st at 16th Street; 'Night before 500' to Newman

2 June 1999

MIDGET CARS RETURN TO 16TH STREET SATURDAY; WINCHESTER SUNDAY

Jason Leffler of Long Beach, Calif. and Jerry Coons, Jr. of Tucson, Ariz. lead respective point standings as two USAC Midget Car series resume this weekend.

Leffler commands an 18-point lead over Ricky Shelton in the MCI WorldCom National Series, while Coons is the early leader in the 16th Street Speedway Series. The MCI WorldCom Midget Cars return to the high-banked Winchester (Ind.) Speedway Sunday while 16th Street Speedway hosts the Midget Cars for a complete program of events on Saturday night. A 30-lap feature tops the National event at Winchester, while the 16th Street feature is also a 30-lapper.

Coons and Ryan Newman of South Bend, Ind. captured MCI WorldCom National events last week. Coons won Thursday night's 40-lapper at the 16th Street Speedway and Newman was victorious in Saturday night's 54th Budweiser "Night Before the 500" Classic at Indianapolis (Ind.) Raceway Park.

Coons passed Australia's Adam Clarke on the 17th lap at 16th Street and went on to lead the final 24 laps in his Custom Equipment Design/Stealth/McCreary/Foxco Ford. Ron Smoker finished a close second, ahead of Critter Malone, Steve Knepper and Shelton. Leffler, the fastest qualifier, recovered from a flip to take seventh in the 40-lap feature.

Newman caught early leader Dan Drinan on lap three and led the rest of the way to win the 50-lap Budwesier "Night Before the 500" feature at IRP over fast qualifier Tracy Hines, Shelton, John Heydenreich and Drinan. "It's really nice to win this race a second time," said Newman after the race.

"Not too many drivers can claim that they've done that." Newman also won the previous week's "Coca-Cola 100" USAC Coors Light Silver Bullet feature at IRP.

MCI WORLDCOM NATIONAL MIDGET CAR STANDINGS

1. Jason Leffler 99 6. John Heydenreich 47
2. Ricky Shelton 81 7. Clay Klepper 47
3. Ryan Newman 80 8. Brian Gerster 47
4. Tracy Hines 62 9. Dave Steele 40
5. Jerry Coons, Jr. 62 10. Ed Carpenter 37

16TH STREET SPEEDWAY MIDGET CAR STANDINGS

1. Jerry Coons, Jr. 31 6. Adam Clarke 21
2. Ron Smoker 29 7. Jason Leffler 20
3. Critter Malone 27 8. Travis Welpott 15
4. Ricky Shelton 23 9. Michael Lang 12
5. Steve Knepper 23 10. A.J. Felker 12

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