Buckeye Nationals recap

Darland sweeps all 4 "Buckeye Nationals" Midget mains!

Two-time defending USAC National Midget Car Champion Dave Darland of Lincoln, Ind. recorded an unprecedented "clean sweep" in last week's 2nd Mopar "Buckeye Nationals" Midget Car races in Ohio and is one victory away from tying the record for consecutive USAC National Midget race wins. Rich Vogler set the mark at five in 1978.

Darland and his ASE/Ford Beast/Pink Ford led 89 of the 115 feature laps in races at Attica, Fremont, Lima and Rossburg, Ohio Wednesday through Saturday nights. The wins boosted him to sixth in the new National Series points going into the July 3-4 "Rocky Mountain Classic" at Pikes Peak International Raceway in Fountain, Colo.

In the Attica Raceway Park opener Wednesday, Darland caught Cory Kruseman on lap 21 and led the final 10 laps to beat Shane Cottle, J.J. Yeley, Bobby East and Jay Drake. The following night at The New Fremont Speedway found Darland leading the final 24 laps after passing Nick Lundgreen. East finished second ahead of Tracy Hines, Kruseman and Cottle.

Darland then proceeded to lead all 30 laps at Limaland Motorsports Park Friday night and all 25 laps at the Eldora Speedway Saturday night. At Lima, Hines finished second ahead of Ryan Scott, Yeley and East, who emerged as the point leader going into Eldora. East escaped injury in a jarring flip at Eldora, while Darland was trailed by Yeley, Hines, Drake and Tom Hessert.

Yeley's finishes enabled him to regain the point lead, but he holds only a slim two-point margin over Hines as the two drivers continue their battle for the final leg of their personal USAC "Triple Crowns."

Speed Channel will present Friday night's Lima race this Thursday night (June 26) at 9 pm ET. <pre> USAC NATIONAL MIDGET CAR SERIES STANDINGS

1.      J.J. Yeley      744
2.      Tracy Hines     742
3.      Bobby East      703
4.      A.J. Fike       598
5.      Jay Drake       576
6.      Dave Darland    474
7.      Teddy Beach     455
8.      Aaron Fike      408
9.      Tom Hessert     352
10.     Ryan Durst      320

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