BAKERSFIELD HOSTS WESTERN MIDGETS SATURDAY

By Dick Jordan

The USAC Mopar Western Midgets return to the Bakersfield (Calif.) Speedway Saturday night and the series standings will certainly undergo a transformation.

USAC National drivers occupy the top spots at present following the National/Western races which opened the 2010 season in February.

Alex Schutte of Redding, Calif., last year’s third-place finisher in the series points, won the last Bakersfield Midget race, last August. Defending series champion Garrett Hansen also won at Bakersfield last March.

Jonathan Henry of Stockton, Calif. scored a surprise victory in USAC’s last Western Midget outing, at Ventura Raceway April 3. He could be challenged at Bakersfield by Matt Mitchell, who was second at Ventura.

USAC WESTERN MIDGET SERIES POINT STANDINGS

1-Brad Sweet-207; 2-Bobby East-169; 3-Brad Loyet-155; 4-Darren Hagen-155; 5-Tracy Hines-155; 6-Bryan Clauson-149; 7-Dave Darland-148; 8-Chad Boat-139; 9-Jerry Coons Jr.-136; 10-Cory Kruseman-124.