WS: Tucson race notes, Irwindale preview

East Goes West To Win "Old Pueblo Classic" Sprints
Hunt, Lewis Close Out Point Race at Irwindale Thursday

Bobby East of Brownsburg, Ind. became the 14th driver in USAC history to win both ends of a Sprint/Midget "doubleheader," capturing Saturday night's 40-lap "Old Pueblo Classic" 40-lappers at Tucson (Ariz.) Raceway Park.

East will put the cap on his 2004 USAC National Midget Championship season Thursday night when he competes in the 100-lap Mopar "Turkey Night Grand Prix" at the Irwindale (Calif.) Speedway. He'll have another opportunity at Irwindale to win Sprint and Midget races, with a 40-lap Western Sprint Car feature also part of the Thanksgiving night program.

Practice at Irwindale gets under way at 2 pm and qualifying starts at 4. An autograph session is scheduled for 5 and the first race begins at 6:30. The USAC California Ford Focus Midgets share the billing, with a 25-lapper on the track's 1/3-mile oval.

East passed Aaron Pierce on the fourth lap of Saturday's Tucson Sprint race, after leading all 40 laps of the preceding Midget feature. He paced the final 37 laps of the Sprint race in his Klatt Enterprises Power Stroke Diesel Beast/Ford to beat Tony Hunt, Pierce, Robert Beck and A.J. Fike. Brian McClish led the opening lap before yielding to Pierce.

Hunt's runner-up finish left him with a 44-point lead over defending Western Sprint Car Champion Michael Lewis going into Thursday's Irwindale finale.

USAC VALVOLINE WESTERN SPRINT CAR SERIES STANDINGS
1.-Tony Hunt-845
2.-Michael Lewis-801
3.-Brad Bumgarner-753
4.-Brian McClish-719
5.-Michael Trimble-606
6.-Bob Beck-601
7.-Mike Murgoitio-586
8.-Shauna Hogg-582
9.-Greg Anderson-544
10.-Tim Barber-539

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