By Dick Jordan
The USAC West Coast 360 Sprint Cars return to Hanford, Calif.’s Giant Chevrolet Speedway August 21. The track will be fresh in the minds of series drivers, who competed there last Saturday night.
Davey Pombo of Kerman, Calif. came home first in the 30-lapper. Driving the Junior Bowman Buster & Ziggy Bullet/Downing, Pombo passed Wes Gutierrez on lap 12 and led the rest of the way to beat Danny Faria Jr., fast qualifier T.J. Smith, Peter Murphy and Gutierrez, who led the first 11 laps of the race. Series point leader Craig Stidham finished sixth.
Pombo sliced Stidham’s point lead to 44 entering the August 21 race. Pombo has had a first, second and third in four Hanford starts this season, while Stidham had had a second, third and two sixths.
T.J. Smith, the third-ranking driver in the current series standings, paced all qualifiers at Hanford Saturday.
USAC WEST COAST 360 SPRINT SERIES POINT STANDINGS
1-Craig Stidham-895, 2-Davey Pombo-851, 3-T.J. Smith-747, 4-Justyne Hamblin-678, 5-Peter Murphy-665, 6-Danny Faria Jr.-607, 7-Rusty Carlile-593, 8-Jace VanderWeerd-562, 9-Richard VanderWeerd-534, 10-Chris Ennis-446.