Buckeye Nationals recap

Hines, Stanbrough & Yeley (2) grab "Buckeye" features

J.J. Yeley continues to lead the USAC National Sprint Car Series standings going into the July 3-4 "Rocky Mountain Classic" at Pikes Peak International Raceway in Fountain, Colo. He enhanced his lead with two victories this past week on the way to the Mopar "Buckeye Nationals" Sprint Championship in Ohio.

Yeley, of Phoenix, Ariz., now leads Tracy Hines by 139 points after wins at Attica and Lima, Ohio Wednesday and Friday nights. Hines won Thursday night's race at Fremont and Jon Stanbrough captured Saturday night's "Buckeye Nationals" finale at Rossburg, Ohio.

The Attica and Lima victories were Yeley's 13th and 14th of the 2003 USAC season. At Attica Raceway Park he led all but four laps in his Tony Stewart Racing Twister/Mopar to beat Kevin Briscoe, Boston Reid, Dickie Gaines and Cory Kruseman. On Friday at Limaland Motorsports Park, J.J. led 19 of the 30 laps, including the last 15, to beat Jon Stanbrough, Briscoe, Jay Drake and Reid.

Hines, of New Castle, Ind., caught Bud Kaeding on the 13th lap at The New Fremont Speedway Thursday night and led the final 17 laps in his Kroger/Tide, Pringles/Bounty Twister/Gaerte. Yeley finished second ahead of Kaeding, Matt Westfall and Jac Haudenschild. Yeley led the first 26 laps of Saturday night's Eldora Speedway finale before Stanbrough, of Danville, Ind., put his Geiger Seamless Gutters Stealth/Kercher in front for the final four. Yeley again took second ahead of Kaeding, Levi Jones and Reid.

Rusty McClure of Ashland, Ohio suffered a broken left shoulder in a crash during a "qualifying race" at Fremont.

Friday night's race at Limaland Motorsports Park will be aired by the Speed Channel at 9 pm ET on Thursday night, June 26.

<pre> USAC NATIONAL SPRINT CAR SERIES STANDINGS 1. J.J. Yeley 894 2. Tracy Hines 755 3. Bud Kaeding 695 4. Jay Drake 693 5. Boston Reid 666 6. Cory Kruseman 515 7. Levi Jones 508 8. Brian Tyler 423 9. Matt Westfall 421 10. Dave Darland 411

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