From USAC
DuPont presents the 7th Annual “Gold Crown Midget Nationals” September 4-5 at Tri-City Speedway in Granite City, Ill. as the Honda USAC National Midget Series continues its 2015 campaign. The two-night event is expected to be critical in the drive for the championship as several drivers eye the top prize which will be celebrated at season’s end.
Rico Abreu of Rutherford, Calif. threw his hat in the ring last week with back-to-back victories in Pennsylvania, climbing to within 42 points of the top ranking.
Abreu won the first of three scheduled “Pennsylvania Swing” races on Tuesday night at Path Valley Speedway Park in Spring Run, leading the final 17 laps in his Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports Toyota TRD Bullet/Speedway Toyota. He passed teammate Tanner Thorson on lap 14 and led the rest of the way to beat teammates Christopher Bell and Kevin Thomas Jr. as Spencer Bayston and Jerry Coons Jr. rounded out the “top-three.”
On Wednesday night, Abreu came from behind to catch Bryan Clauson on the white-flag lap and won at Lincoln Speedway in New Oxford. Clauson was second ahead of Tracy Hines, Thomas and Alex Bright.
Thursday’s scheduled race at Susquehanna Speedway Park in Newberrytown was rained out.
Hines, with sixth and third-place finishes, emerged just 10 points behind Thomas in the new standings as he chases what would complete a USAC “Triple Crown Championship.” He already owns titles in the USAC Silver Crown and National Sprint Car series.
Coons led 23 of the first 25 laps at Lincoln Speedway before succumbing to Clauson, who eventually was passed by Abreu for the win.