Weekend review 2002-05-27

Steele takes Anderson 50-lapper.
Yeley climbs fence after "Branson/Larson" triumph!

Dave Steele and J.J. Yeley triumphed in Stoops Freightliner Sprint Car races Wednesday and Sunday nights but Tracy Hines continues to lead the series standings after finishes of sixth and second respectively.

Steele led all 50 laps of Wednesday night's race at the Anderson (Ind.) Speedway in his Northside Propane/Eagle Jet International Gaerte/Beast. Derek Davidson, Bobby East, Eric Gordon and Jason McCord trailed at the finish.

Yeley, of Phoenix, Ariz., was Wednesday night's Turbines, Inc. fast qualifier but was even more spectacular on Sunday night in winning the 30-lap "Don Branson/Jud Larson Classic" at the Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio. He passed Tony Elliott on the 24th lap and led the rest of the way in his ABC Sand & Rock/Red Line Oil RPM/Twister to beat Hines, Elliott, Dave Darland and Bill Rose to the flag.

Yeley capped the Eldora victory with a Helio Castroneves-type fence climbing as his victory propelled the defending series champion into third place in the new standings going into a June 8 race at Indianapolis Raceway Park.

Boston Reid posted the Turbines, Inc. fast qualifying time at Eldora and finished sixth in the 30-lap feature. Driver Steve Wilmot of Middletown, Ohio was taken to Coldwater (Ohio) Hospital for precautionary scans after flipping during qualifying.

USAC STOOPS FREIGHTLINER SPRINT CAR SERIES STANDINGS
1. Tracy Hines 498
2. Derek Davidson 408
3. J.J. Yeley 351
4. Jay Drake 325
5. Dave Darland 286
6. A.J. Fike 267
7. Tony Elliott 233
8. Jason McCord 224
9. Levi Jones 220
10. Eric Gordon 210

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