Concord "All-star Showdown" preview

4-MONTH NATIONAL MIDGET HIATUS ENDS SUNDAY IN CONCORD'S "MOPAR ALL-STAR SHOWDOWN"

It's been four months since the "Copper World Classic" at Phoenix (Ariz.) International Raceway and USAC's National Midget Series is ready for "throttle down" action as part of this Sunday night's "Mopar All-Star Showdown" at Concord (N.C.) Motorsports Park. The USAC National Sprint Cars share the billing on the 1/2-mile paved oval with 50-lap features on tap for both series.

Dave Steele of Tampa, Fla. won at Phoenix and leads the 2006 series standings. He and Dave Darland of Lincoln, Ind. are entered in team cars sporting Toyota powerplants which debuted at Phoenix.

Their challengers at Concord include defending series champion Josh Wise and teammate Levi Jones, piloting Tony Stewart Racing Mopar-powered entries, and teammate Kyle Nicholas. Stewart won USAC's last National Midget race in North Carolina, at Lowe's Motor Speedway in 1998.

Former USAC champions Tracy Hines and Jay Drake, plus 16-year-old Bryan Clauson, the youngest USAC Sprint and Midget race winner in history, are also entered, as well as lady driver Stephanie Mockler of Westfield, Ind., undefeated in her two 2006 USAC Regional Midget starts.

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