Winchester Review

HINES WINS SPRINT FINALE; DARLAND CROWNED CHAMPION

Tracy Hines of New Castle, Ind. and Dave Darland of Kokomo, Ind. both celebrated following Sunday's "Sammy Sessions Memorial" Sprint Car feature at the Winchester (Ind.) Speedway. Hines won the 33-lap series finale while Darland claimed the Stoops Freightliner season championship. Hines trailed Brian Tyler for the first 16 laps, then led the final 17 in his Agile Technologies/Mag, Inc./Turbines, Inc. Special. He was trailed at the checkered flag by Dave Steele, Turbines, Inc. fast qualifier Brian Gerster, Tyler and Billy Puterbaugh, Jr. The win was Hines' seventh this year and second at Winchester. Darland failed to finish Sunday's race but claimed his first Stoops Freightliner Sprint Car title to go with his 1997 USAC Coors Light Silver Bullet Championship. Ryan Newman, who had earlier won the 33-lap MCI WorldCom National Midget feature, failed to complete the opening lap of the Sprint car race due to fuel pump trouble.

STOOPS FREIGHTLINER SPRINT CAR STANDINGS

1.      Dave Darland    1,740   6.      Billy Puterbaugh, Jr.   861
2.      Tracy Hines     1,516   7.      Robbie Rice             850
3.      Tony Elliott    1,417   8.      Brian Gerster           780
4.      Brian Tyler     1,043   9.      Jason McCord            637
5.      Eric Gordon     904     10.     Rusty McClure           628