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USAC: Boone-Pankratz-Ebberts battle expected at Perris in Western Midgets

24 October 2000

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

The USAC MCI WorldCom Western Midget Car Championship continues this weekend at the Perris (Calif.) Auto Speedway and three drivers with title aspirations should make the Friday-Saturday events interesting.

Bobby Boone of Palmdale, Calif. leads Wally Pankratz of Orange, Calif. by 16 points and Danny Ebberts of Canyon Lake, Calif. by 35 with 72 available at the 1/2-mile dirt Perris oval. Races at Bakersfield and Irwindale, Calif. November 18 and 23 will wrap up this year's title chase.

A 30-lap feature concludes Saturday night's program after Friday preliminaries set the stage for Saturday's events. Friday's practice begins at 4:45 pm and qualifications, plus two 10-lap heats and an eight-lap "pre-qualified" heat are on tap. Following 7:30 pm practice Saturday are an eight-lap "last chance" race and the 30-lap feature.

Pankratz may have the edge going into the 2-night Perris program. He finished second and fifth in the two previous races there this year, while Boone had a second and Ebberts had a 13th and 17th. Boone was the fastest qualifier for the July 22 race at Perris but failed to make the feature.

None of the three title contenders have ever won a USAC championship, although Pankratz was second in the Western Midget Car points in 1992 and in the USAC Supermodifieds in 1985 and 1986. Boone was third in last year's Western Midget Car standings.

USAC MCI WORLDCOM WESTERN MDIGET CAR SERIES STANDINGS

1. Bobby Boone 941
2. Wally Pankratz 925
3. Danny Ebberts 906
4. Thomas Meseraull 826
5. Steve Paden 706
6. Shane Scully 703
7. Bryan Stanfill 661
8. Rick Hendrix 600
9. Josh Wise 583
10. Matt Streeter 567

Text Provided By Dick Jordan

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