By Dick Jordan
Bryan Clausonโs 25-point USAC National Drivers Championship point lead was unaffected by last weekโs AMSOIL USAC National Sprint race results in Indiana but this Saturdayโs JEGS Crown Midget Supernationals at the Columbus (Ohio) Motor Speedway provides another chance for runner-up Levi Jones to close the gap.
Clauson and Jones each advanced eight points as a results of last weekโs races at Putnamville and Terre Haute, Ind. Clauson finished third at Putnamville and fourth at Terre Haute, while Jones was second at Putnamville and eighth at Terre Haute.
Each driverโs โthrow-outโ stands at 34, which means a โtop-fiveโ finish for either at Columbus would advance their totals in the standings toward the $40,000 bonus awaiting the National Drivers Champion at seasonโs end.
Jerry Coons Jr. was unable to improve his NDC total over the weekend but Tracy Hines gained four points with his fourth-place Putnamville finish and now trails Coons by just four points in the new standings.
2010 USAC NATIONAL DRIVERS CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
1-Bryan Clauson-1,070, 2-Levi Jones-1,045, 3-Jerry Coons Jr.-998, 4-Tracy Hines-994, 5-Damion Gardner-962, 6-Dave Darland-955, 7-Shane Hmiel-878, 8-Chris Windom-847, 9-Bobby East-816, 10-Henry Clarke-795.