By Dick Jordan
This Sundayโs 100-lap USAC Mopar National Midget race at the Anderson (Ind.) Speedway continues a rich tradition of USAC racing at the popular quarter-mile banked paved oval. A special practice session is scheduled from 11 am to 2 pm Saturday for participants to test and tune in preparation for Sundayโs event.
Brad Sweet carries a 31-point lead over Bobby East into Sundayโs race after posting โtop-fiveโ finishes in the first four races on the schedule, including two victories. East won at Perris, Calif. in February and has added a pair of seconds.
Darren Hagen is the only other driver to finish all four 2010 races in the โtop-10.โ His best finish so far was a fourth at Las Vegas, Nev. in February.
East won USACโs only National race at Anderson in 2009, the โGlen Niebel Classicโ Sprint race. He is tied with Tate Martz as the winningest drivers in USAC history at the storied oval, each with seven victories. Caleb Armstrong of New Castle, Ind. has six USAC wins at Anderson.
Tracy Hines of New Castle, Ind., currently third in the National standings, won the last USAC National Midget race at Anderson, a 100-lapper in 2008.
Drivers will be aiming at Jason Lefflerโs 1-lap track qualifying mark of 11.406 seconds, established in 1998.
USAC MOPAR NATIONAL MIDGET SERIES POINT STANDINGS
1-Brad Sweet-262; 2-Bobby East-231; 3-Tracy Hines-221; 4-Bryan Clauson-197; 5-Darren Hagen-191; 6-Jerry Coons Jr.-178; 7-Dave Darland-178; 8-Brad Loyet-155; 9-Chad Boat-139; 10-Brad Kuhn-134.