SWS: El Centro preview

Lane Hopes To Move Up A Notch As Southwest Sprint Series Opens At El Centro

Brandon Lane of Mesa, Ariz. hopes to advance one position in the point standings this year as he prepares for Saturday night's opening USAC Southwest Sprint Car race at Imperial Valley Fairgrounds in El Centro, Calif.

Lane finished second in last year's points to series champion Rick Ziehl and won a race at Show Low, Ariz., but finished third in the El Centro opener a year ago.

Kent Rosevear won the El Centro race, beating Steve Stone and Land to the checkered flag, but it was Lane who picked up the title chase and gave Ziehl his closest competition for the championship.

Mike Boat of Phoenix, Ariz., who won the inaugural series title in 2002, is expected to return to the series for the El Centro opener. Also expected to compete are Ronnie Clark, winner of one of the "Hawaii Sprint Challenge" features near Honolulu last November, Beau Binder, who won a race at Aztec, N.M. in 2003, and Mike Martin, who won at Lubbock, Texas last year. Dave Burns, winner of last year's prestigious "Hank Arnold Award" is also among drivers expected to compete.

A 30-lap feature tops the racing program on the 3/8-mile dirt oval.

--USAC--