Weekend review 2000-08-14

Tony Elliott's Stoops Freightliner/USAC Sprint Car Series point lead has been sliced to just three points by Jay Drake going into August 25 and 26 events in Attica, Ohio and Lawrenceburg, Ind. respectively. Drake, of Val Verde, Calif., took a big chunk out of the lead with his victory at Hartford (Mich.) Speedway Park Friday night, then added a third-place finish in Saturday night's "Joe James/Pat O'Connor Classic" at the Salem (Ind.) Speedway. Elliott was 15th and 12th in the two races. Drake trailed Bud Kaeding for the first 14 laps before working his way to the front at Hartford's 1/2-mile dirt oval. He then led the remaining 16 laps in his KECO-Hoosier Tire Special to beat Derek Davidson, Kaeding, Jerry Coons, Jr. and Tracy Hines. The victory completed a "clean sweep" for Drake, who was also the Turbines, Ind. fast qualifier and won his heat race. Elliott suffered a flat tire during the 30-lap feature and failed to finish. Eric Gordon of Indianapolis, Ind. led all 50 laps to win Saturday's "Joe James/Pat O'Connor Classic" at the 1/2-mile paved Salem oval in his Arctic Cat machine. He was trailed by Ryan Newman, Drake, Billy Puterbaugh, Jr. and Dave Steele. Tracy Hines set a new Turbines, Inc. 1-lap track record during qualifying and Elliott was among heat race winners. Gordon also won the True Value semi.

<pre> USAC STOOPS FREIGHTLINER SPRINT CAR SERIES STANDINGS

1. Tony Elliott 1,043 2. Jay Drake 1,040 3. Tracy Hines 862 4. J.J. Yeley 847 5. Derek Davidson 842 6. Dave Darland 743 7. Bud Kaeding 733 8. Eric Gordon 660 9. Brian Tyler 616 10. Jack Hewitt 531