Point Battles Spice Up Final Three Race Programs

POINT BATTLES SPICE FINAL 3 USAC RACE PROGRAMS

Tight point races highlight USAC's 1999 season finales, beginning with this Saturday night's "doubleheader" at Bakersfield (Calif.) Speedway. Californians Marc DeBeaumont of Clayton and Shane Scully of Encino square off for the 1999 USAC MCI WorldCom Western Midget Car title, while Josh Wise of Riverside and Greg Edenholm of Agouro are neck-and-neck in the fight for the 1999 USAC MCI WorldCom TQ Midget Car championship. On the National MCI WorldCom Midget Car scene, Ryan Newman of South Bend, Ind. and Jerry Coons, Jr. are headed for a showdown for the runner-up spot behind Jason Leffler of Long Beach, Calif., who has a virtual lock on his third consecutive crown. Saturday night's events at Bakersfield's 1/3-mile dirt track include a 20-lap TQ Midget Car feature and a 50-lap National/Western MCI WorldCom Midget Car main event. Both will be pivotal in determining 1999 USAC champions. The Midget Cars have races remaining at Irwindale, Calif. November 25 and Phoenix, Ariz. Nov. 27, while the TQs conclude their 1999 campaign at Irwindale on Thanksgiving night. Scully and Edenholm may have the edge in terms of previous Bakersfield accomplishment this season. Scully has a second and third in four starts there so far, while DeBeaumont flipped in practice for the September 5 race there but had a second, fourth and fifth previously. Edenholm has a second and third in two 1999 Bakersfield starts, while Wise has yet to crack the "top-5" in three starts. Newman and Coons will be making their 1999 Bakersfield debuts in Saturday night's events. Ron Wade of Bellflower, Calif. owns two Bakersfield TQ triumphs this year, while Walt Johnson of North Hollywood captured the September 5 race. Jay Drake, Jimmy Sills, Sleepy Tripp and Rip Williams have won the four Midget Car races there. Drake also won last year's "Turkey Night Grand Prix" at Bakersfield, while Tripp's July 31 victory was the 104th of his storied Western Midget Car career. The 1999 USAC season concludes with the 59th Home Depot "Turkey Night" classic November 25 at Irwindale, featuring both the TQs and Midget Cars, then the Midget Cars finish off the season at Manzanita Speedway in Phoenix November 27.

MCI WORLDCOM USAC NATIONAL MIDGET CAR STANDINGS (As of Nov. 15)

1. Jason Leffler        498             6.      Dave Darland    216
2. Ryan Newman          377             7.      Michael Lewis   209
3. Jerry Coons, Jr.     361             8.      Brian Gerster   202
4. Tracy Hines          242             9.      A.J. Fike       201
5. Jay Drake            235             10.     Clay Klepper    182

MCI WORLDCOM WESTERN MIDGET CAR STANDINGS (As of Nov. 15)

1.      Marc DeBeaumont 525             6.      Jason Leffler   292
2.      Shane Scully    485             7.      Steve Paden     272
3.      Bobby Boone     460             8.      Clay Klepper    216
4.      Alex Harris     397             9.      Rick Hendrix    202
5.      Wally Pankratz  325             10.     Sleepy Tripp    194

MCI WORLDCOM TQ MIDGET CAR STANDINGS (As of Nov. 15)

1.      Josh Wise       377             6.      Gene Godepski   245
2.      Greg Edenholm   367             7.      Todd Hunsaker   194
3.      Walt Johnson    303             8.      Jim Styer       179
4.      Randi Pankratz  302             9.      Steve Lambert   146
5.      West Evans      259             10.     Ron Ahrendt     140