CLAUSON ADDS 58th “HUT HUNDRED” TO USAC RESUME
Bobby East’s USAC Mopar National Midget Series point lead stands at 22 points over Bryan Clauson and Tracy Hines as the series prepares for the May 22 Casey’s General Stores USAC Triple Crown Pride of Iowa event at the Iowa Speedway in Newton, Iowa.
East failed to finish Saturday night’s “Hut Hundred” at Tri-State Speedway in Haubstadt, Ind., but Hines did likewise after both had been competitive.
Clauson, of Noblesville, Ind., fared much better, though. He passed defending USAC Mopar and POWRI Midget champion Brad Kuhn on lap 88 and led the final 13 laps to win the 58th “Hut Hundred,” set a new track record during qualifying and started on the pole in his Parker Stone/Esslinger Spike/Esslinger Ford. Kuhn led the opening lap and Clauson led the next three but Kuhn took over on lap five and led the next 83 laps.
Clauson finally tracked him down and Kuhn faded in the closing laps. Jerry Coons Jr. finished second ahead of Caleb Armstrong, Shane Hmiel and Zach Daum. The win gives Clauson a “sweep” of the Belleville Midget Nationals, Turkey Night Grand Prix and Hut Hundred in just 10 months!
Saturday night’s 100-lap race, co-sanctioned by POWRi, featured the traditional 33-car, three-abreast start!
USAC MOPAR NATIONAL MIDGET SERIES POINT STANDINGS
1-Bobby East-311, 2-Bryan Clauson-289, 3-Tracy Hines-289, 4-Dave Darland-278, 5-Jerry Coons Jr.-268, 6-Darren Hagen-267, 7-Brad Sweet-262, 8-Brad Kuhn-212, 9-Zach Daum-194, 10-Brad Loyet-191.