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USAC: Hamilton, Paden split Madera wins; TQ's at Irwindale Saturday

19 September 2000

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

Davey Hamilton of Las Vegas, Nev. and Steve Paden of Downey, Calif. captured USAC feature victories in Saturday night action at the Madera (Calif.) Speedway.

Hamilton passed former Western Sprint Car Champ Jeff Gardner on the 30th lap and led the final 11 laps to win the 40-lap Sprint car race in his Consani Construction machine. The win was his sixth of the year as he held off Gardner, Rick Williams, Burney Lamar and Kevin Kierce.

Todd Ellison, the night's fastest Sprint Car qualifier, emerged with a 45-point lead over Lamar in the series standings after finishing sixth. The series will conclude October 14 at the Irwindale (Calif.) Speedway.

Irwindale will play host to the USAC MCI WorldCom TQ Midget Cars this Saturday night, with a 20-lap feature scheduled on the 1/3-mile paved oval. Drivers J.J. Ercse, Walt Johnson and Greg Edenholm are separated by only 32 points in the battle for the 2000 championship.

Paden recorded his first MCI WorldCom Western Midget Car feature win of the year at Madera Saturday, passing Josh Wise on the third lap and leading the rest of the way to win the 30-lapper. Alex Harris, Tony Hunt, Thomas Meseraull and Wally Pankratz rounded out the "top-five," with Pankratz slicing Bobby Boone's series point lead to a single point in the process.

Boone, Pankratz and Danny Ebberts, who trails Boone by 30 points, will continue their torrid duel for the Western Midget Car crown on September 30 at Kings Speedway in Hanford, Calif. Ebberts finished 17th in Saturday night's Madera race.

USAC WESTERN SPRINT CAR SERIES STANDINGS

1. Todd Ellison 757
2. Burney Lamar 712
3. Tony Hunt 704
4. Davey Hamilton 690
5. Jeff Gardner 667
6. Mike Boat 648
7. Kevin Kierce 609
8. Rick Williams 510
9. Jimmy Sills 455
10. Shauna Hogg 401

USAC MCI WORLDCOM WESTERN MIDGET CAR SERIES STANDINGS

1. Bobby Boone 877
2. Wally Pankratz 876
3. Danny Ebberts 847
4. Thomas Meseraull 792
5. Steve Paden 683
6. Shane Scully 651
7. Bryan Stanfill 602
8. Rick Hendrix 600
9. Josh Wise 583
10. Matt Streeter 542

USAC MCI WORLDCOM TQ MIDGET CAR SERIES STANDINGS

1. J.J. Ercse 616
2. Walt Johnson 612
3. Greg Edenholm 584
4. West Evans 529
5. Todd Hunsaker 526
6. Ron Wade 392
7. Steve Parke 381
8. Gene Godepski 366
9. Ron Ahrendt 345
10. Steve Davis 327

Text Provided By Dick Jordan

Editors Note: To view hundreds of hot racing photos and art, visit The Racing Photo Museum and the Visions of Speed Art Gallery.