By Dick Jordan
Levi Jones of Olney, Ill. will try to hang onto his USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car lead this weekend as the series makes stops at two western Indiana dirt ovals.
Friday night’s race is the “Billy Marvel Classic” at Lincoln Park Speedway in Putnamville, while Saturday night’s race is the “Jim Hurtubise Classic” at the Terre Haute Action Track.
Dickie Gaines won at Putnamville in July, while Jon Stanbrough and Jerry Coons Jr. have won races at Terre Haute this season. Jones was second at Terre Haute in May and third at Putnamville in July.
Damion Gardner trails Jones by only 72 points in the National standings but finds himself 117 back in the Sprint car dirt-track points for the year.
Significant prizes for preliminary race winners and feature lap leaders have been raised for Friday’s “Billy Marvel Classic” and numerous door prizes also await race fans at Putnamville. The race honors the late USAC Sprint driver who lost his life in a racing accident at Putnamville in 1983.
Saturday’s “Jim Hurtubise Classic” at Terre Haute pays tribute to one of USAC’s all-time greatest Sprint Car pilots. Hurtubise, who passed away in 1989, won 18 USAC Sprint car races, including an incredible string of five in a row at Terre Haute! He also competed in 10 Indianapolis 500s and won a NASCAR race at Atlanta, Ga.
USAC AMSOIL NATIONAL SPRINT SERIES POINT STANDINGS
1-Levi Jones-1,717, 2-Damion Gardner-1,645, 3-Bryan Clauson-1,615, 4-Jerry Coons Jr.-1,485, 5-Tracy Hines-1,448, 6-Chris Windom-1,425, 7-Henry Clarke-1,158, 8-Dave Darland-1,086, 9-Shane Hmiel-1,059, 10-Jon Stanbrough-773.
USAC NATIONAL SPRINT DIRT POINT STANDINGS
1-Levi Jones-1,404, 2-Damion Gardner-1,287, 3-Bryan Clauson-1,246, 4-Chris Windom-1,169, 5-Jerry Coons Jr.-1,129, 6-Tracy Hines-1,089, 7-Dave Darland-1,086, 8-Henry Clarke-828, 9-Jon Stanbrough-773, 10-Robert Ballou-666.