STIDHAM TAKES 63-POINT LEAD TO SANTA MARIA

USAC West Coast 360's

From Dick Jordan

Craig Stidham of Fresno, Calif. will take a 63-point lead in the USAC West Coast 360 Sprint Car Series into this Saturday night’s races at Santa Maria (Calif.) Speedway. Davey Pombo is currently second in the 2010 standings.

One of Stidham’s four victories so far this year came at Santa Maria in May, while Danny Sheridan won at Santa Maria in April. Pombo won earlier this year at Bakersfield.

Ricky Kirkbride of Bakersfield, Calif. led wire-to-wire to win Saturday night’s 30-lap West Coast 360 Sprint race at the Bakersfield Speedway. The win was Kirkbride’s first under USAC sanction and he was followed at the checkered flag by Stidham, Justyne Hamblin, T.J. Smith and Adam Frith-Smith. Pombo was the night’s fastest qualifier.

USAC WEST COAST 360 SPRINT SERIES POINT STANDINGS

1-Craig Stidham-650, 2-Davey Pombo-587, 3-T.J. Smith-534, 4-Justyne Hamblin-527, 5-Peter Murphy-503, 6-Rusty Carlile-473, 7-Danny Faria Jr.-440, 8-Chris Ennis-387, 9-Jace VanderWeerd-382, 10-Richard VanderWeerd-329.