By Dick Jordan
Bud Kaeding continues to lead the USAC West Coast Sprint Car standings as the series now eyes a September 22 “special event” at Canyon Raceway Park in Peoria, Ariz.
Kaeding, of Campbell, Calif., recorded his third victory of the 2012 campaign Saturday night, winning the 30-lap “Jim Turner Memorial” at Kings Speedway in Hanford, Calif. He did it with a last-lap pass of series runner-up Ryan Bernal after Bernal had led the previous seven laps.
Bernal finished second behind Kaeding’s Buster & Ziggy Enterprises Bullet/Reitz, with Rusty Carlile third, Austin Liggett fourth and Justyne Hamblin fifth.
Markus Niemela led the first 17 laps of Saturday’s Hanford race before Kaeding led the next five. Bernal then took over, only to yield to Kaeding on the final circuit.
2012 USAC WEST COAST SPRINT CAR POINT STANDINGS
1-Bud Kaeding-615, 2-Ryan Bernal-490, 3-Markus Niemela-484, 4-Danny Faria Jr.-464, 5-Danny Sheridan-398, 6-Matt Mitchell-391, 7-Richard Vander Weerd-391, 8-Ricky Kirkbride-362, 9-Rusty Carlile-351, 10-Justyne Hamblin-319.