USAC: Gardner, Figliomeni and Wade score Western feature wins
25 July 2000
Posted By Terry CallahanMotorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
Jeff Gardner of Fresno, Calif., Australian Mike Figliomeni and Ron Wade of Bellflower, Calif. recorded victories in USAC Western events this past weekend as two series welcomed brand-new point leaders.
Gardner drove his Pacific Boring Special to victory in Saturday night's 40-lap Sprint car race at Rocky Mountain Raceways in Salt Lake City, Utah, leading the final 20 laps after passing Rick Williams, who ended up second. Jimmy Sills, Tony Hunt and Davey Hamilton rounded out the "top-five" at the checkered flag. Hunt and Todd Ellison, who was eighth, emerged from the race in a virtual tie for the point lead going into a September 2 race at Tucson, Ariz.
Figliomeni, a three-time Australian Speedcar (Midget) Champion, scored his second MCI WorldCom Western Midget Car win of the season in Saturday night's 30-lapper at the Perris (Calif.) Auto Speedway. The race was halted after 26 laps due to curfew when Rick Hendrix flipped on the backstretch. Hendrix was not injured.
Wally Pankratz, who was second at Perris after yielding the lead to Figliomeni on lap 24, is the new series point leader going into the August 1 National/Western event at Eagle Raceway in Lincoln, Neb. Shane Scully finished third at Perris, followed by Bryan Stanfill and Robert Dolacki. Bobby Boone posted fast qualifying time but did not start the feature and slipped behind Pankratz in the new standings as a result.
Wade grabbed the lead from Dennis Hart one lap before the MCI WorldCom TQ Midget Car race at Perris was halted by Gene Godepski's flip. Godepski was not injured in the flip. Trailing Wade after the lap 16 red flag and finishing second was Hart, with J.J. Ercse third, Mike Cass fourth and Walt Johnson fifth. Ercse's finish enabled him top retain a 31-point lead over Johnson going into an August 5 race at the Irwindale (Calif.) Speedway.
USAC WESTERN SPRINT CAR SERIES STANDINGS
1. Tony Hunt 638
2. Todd Ellison 638
3. Davey Hamilton 624
4. Burney Lamar 590
5. Jeff Gardner 583
6. Mike Boat 556
7. Kevin Kierce 519
8. Rick Williams 398
9. Jimmy Sills 390
10. Amy Barnes 376
USAC MCI WORLDCOM WESTERN MIDGET CAR SERIES STANDINGS
1. Wally Pankratz 578
2. Bobby Boone 574
3. Danny Ebberts 569
4. Thomas Meseraull 523
5. Rick Hendrix 517
6. Shane Scully 513
7. Josh Wise 475
8. Steve Paden 434
9. Bryan Stanfill 400
10. Matt Streeter 350
USAC MCI WORLDCOM TQ MIDGET CAR SERIES STANDINGS
1. J.J. Ercse 457
2. Walt Johnson 426
3. Greg Edenholm 384
4. Ron Wade 383
5. Todd Hunsaker 373
6. West Evans 365
7. Steve Davis 271
8. Gene Godepski 267
9. Steve Parke 264
10. Ron Ahrendt 236
Text provided by Dick Jordan
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