From Dick Jordan
“Speed Fest 2009” unfolds at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway Bullring Saturday, featuring the USAC Western Midget Series in concert with SRL Late Models, Legends, SMRA Supermodifieds and Bombers.
The Halloween night program also includes a mandatory autograph session for all drivers plus trick or treating for the kids, beginning at 5:30 pm. Racing will commence at 6:40.
Garrett Hansen of Manhattan Beach, Calif. continues to lead the USAC Western Midget Series standings, although his point lead has shrunk to 97 points entering the final four races on the 2009 calendar. Saturday’s race at Las Vegas will be followed by the November 12 race at Phoenix, Ariz. and races November 21 and 26 at Ventura and Irwindale, Calif.
Jerome Rodela of El Monte, Calif. ranks second in the latest series points and hopes to erase that deficit in search of his third series championship. Rodela did not compete at LVMS last year, a race won by Midwesterner Zach Schiff.
Drivers to watch Saturday might include Evan Margeson of Tacoma, Wash., who was second at LVMS last year, and Brad Loyet, the Sunset Hills, Mo. driver who was fourth at LVMS a year ago and won this year’s USAC/SMRS Great Plains title.
While trying to catch Hansen in the standings, Rodela must also keep an eye over his shoulder for Alex Schutte, the Redding, Calif. driver who trails him by just a single point in the latest standings. Schutte has posted recent victories at Bakersfield and Hanford, Calif.
USAC WESTERN MIDGET CAR SERIES POINT STANDINGS
1-Garrett Hansen-974, 2-Jerome Rodela-877, 3-Alex Schutte-876, 4-Tanner Swanson-706, 5-David Prickett-678, 6-Scott Pierovich-591, 7-Shannon McQueen-540, 8-Josh Ford-494, 9-Randi Pankratz-405, 10-Alex Bowman-381.