WM: Irwindale Turkey Night preview

FLOCK, RODELA TITLE FIGHT HEADLINES "TURKEY NIGHT" MIDGET STORY LINES

Robby Flock and Jerome Rodela have stolen the spotlight in this Thursday night's 64th "Turkey Night Grand Prix" USAC National/Western Midget race at the Irwindale (Calif.) Speedway. Flock leads Rodela by only seven points in their battle for the 2005 USAC Western Midget Championship, which concludes Thursday.

Flock, of Murrieta, Calif., is seeking his fifth series title, while Rodela, of El Monte, Calif., eyes his first after finishing third, third and second the last three years. Rodela finished fifth in last year's 100-lapper.

Josh Wise of Riverside, Calif. has already clinched the 2005 USAC National Midget title and leads a contingent of drivers from across the country into the 50th "Turkey Night" race organized by the famed Agajanian family.

Defending race champion Bobby East is one of four former race champions in Thursday night's field. The others are two-time winner Dave Steele (2001 and 2003), 2002 winner Michael Lewis and 1998 winner Jay Drake. Steele holds the 1-lap track qualifying record of 108.722 mph, set in 2003. Steele also holds the 100-lap race record of 84.678 mph., also set in 2003.

Other entered drivers include USAC Triple Crown Champions J.J. Yeley and Dave Darland, 2005 USAC/CRA Sprint Car Champ Damion Gardner, 2005 USAC Midget points runner-up Jerry Coons Jr., former USAC Champion Tracy Hines, 2004 "Turkey Night" fast qualifier Tony Hunt and Bryan Clauson, USAC's youngest-ever National feature winner.

Wally Pankratz, USAC's 2000 Western Midget Champion is also slated to make the final appearance of his lengthy USAC career in Thursday's event. Wally has amassed an amazing 453 total starts in USAC's Western Midget series since its 1983 debut.

<pre> USAC NATIONAL MIDGET CAR SERIES STANDINGS 1. Josh Wise 1,000 2. Jerry Coons, Jr. 822 3. Brad Kuhn 687 4. Ron Gregory 640 5. Tom Hessert III 612 6. Teddy Beach 591 7. Cole Carter 570 8. Darren Hagen 563 9. Bobby East 475 10. Jay Drake 449

USAC WESTERN MIDGET CAR SERIES STANDINGS 1. Robby Flock 767 2. Jerome Rodela 760 3. Tyler Brown 650 4. Ryan Kaplan 556 5. Scott Pierovich 475 6. Stephen Graves 469 7. Garrett Hansen 459 8. Brad Galedrige 432 9. Dallen McKenney 428 10. Shannon McQueen 387

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