USAC Midget News 98-08-10

NATIONAL/16TH STREET/SPEEDROME MIDGET SERIES DRAKE, LEFFLER WIN, STAY 1-2; IRP'S "KENYON CLASSIC", NEW CASTLE UP NEXT SPEEDROME, 16TH STREET RESUME THURSDAY, SATURDAY AFTER RAINOUTS

Jay Drake and Jason Leffler continued their torrid duel for the USAC National Midget title with feature victories in weekend action in the Kansas City area. Drake leads Leffler by just three points going into this Wednesday night's "Mel Kenyon Classic" at Indianapolis Raceway Park and Sunday night's races at Mount Lawn Speedway in New Castle, Ind. A 40-lap feature caps the "Mel Kenyon Classic" activities, which begin with practice at 6 p.m. Qualifying is slated for 7 and racing gets under way at 8. Sunday's events at New Castle open with practice at 5 p.m., followed by qualifying at 6 and racing at 7. A 40-lapper is also on tap at the 3/10-mile paved New Castle oval. Drake won Friday night's 30-lap race at Lakeside Speedway in Kansas City, Kansas, leading all but the first lap in his Keco/Stealth Esslinger to beat Brian Gerster, Jerry Coons, Jr., Leffler and Ronnie Johncox. Leffler came back Saturday night to take the 30-lapper at I-70 Speedway in Odessa, Mo. in his Wynn's/PRI/ASE/Beast Pink Ford, trailed by Drake, Johncox, Tracy Hines and Coons. Sarah McCune, Hines and Coons all led before Leffler took over on lap 11. Ryan Newman won last year's "Mel Kenyon Classic" and Robby Flock won last year's Midget race at New Castle. Rains forced cancellation of both USAC "regional" Midget events in Indianapolis, Ind. last week. The Indianapolis Speedrome, which got wet Thursday night, resumes its weekly action this Thursday night, with a 50-lap feature on tap. The 16th Street Speedway, which suffered a Saturday night rainout, lights up again this Saturday night, with a 30-lapper scheduled. Michael Lang of Indianapolis leads both series standings.

National Midget Standings: 1-Jay Drake-611; 2-Jason Leffler-608; 3-Ricky Shelton-573; 4-Jerry Coons, Jr.-452; 5-Jimmy McCune-396; 6-Tracy Hines-316; 7-Ronnie Johncox-262; 8-Travis Welpott-225; 9-Dave Steele-204; 10-Robby Flock-180.

16th Street Midget Standings: 1-Michael Lang-198; 2-Critter Malone-165; 3-Andy Pierce-164; 4-Ron Smoker-154; 5-Jeff Hampton-142; 6-Roy Caruthers-139; 7-Rick Treadway-133; 8-Jay Drake-124; 9-Jerry Coons, Jr.-124; 10-Steve Knepper-122.

Speedrome Midget Standings: 1-Michael Lang-5,140; 2-John Sluss-4,050; 3-Dean Franklin-1,830; 4-Daryl Campbell-1,410; 5-Gregg Cory-1,400; 6-Brad Kuhn-1,385; 7-Robbie Parish-1,320; 8-Ron Hamm-1,320; 9-Norm Young-1,280; 10-John Mount-1,210.