By Dick Jordan
Darren Hagen of Riverside, Calif. came from the back of the pack to annex last year’s “Sokola Shootout” USAC Mopar National/Western Midget race at the Perris (Calif.) Auto Speedway, He hopes he doesn’t have to work so hard to repeat in this year’s event, scheduled this Saturday night at the half-mile dirt California oval.
Hagen finished eighth in this year’s National/Western debut at Tucson, Ariz. Sunday and is competing in Thursday night’s “Las Vegas Super Sprint Classic” at the Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway dirt track before heading to Perris Saturday.
Saturday’s program, honoring the memory of former CRA President & USAC official Gary Sokola and his son Mark, begins with qualifying at 3 pm and racing gets under way at 5:45.
Brad Sweet of Grass Valley, Calif. leads the 2010 standings entering Thursday’s races at Las Vegas. He finished fourth in last year’s “Sokola Shootout” and is expected to pilot a Kasey Kahne entry in Saturday’s event.
Tracy Hines of New Castle, Ind., who flirted with victory in last year’s “Sokola Shootout,” losing the lead to Hagen on the white-flag lap, hopes to be among challengers again this year. Sunday at Tucson Hines nearly won, leading several laps late, only to slip to third in the closing laps behind Sweet and Bobby East.