By Dick Jordan
Levi Jones of Olney, Ill. will lock up the 2010 AMSOIL USAC National Sprint Car title this Saturday when he competes in the 31st “Pacific Coast Nationals” at the Gropetti Automotive Thunderbowl Raceway at Tulare, Calif. It will be the fourth series title for Jones, who ties the record set by Steve Butler, also a four-time titlist.
Jones will be more interested in the battle for the 2010 USAC National Drivers Championship. He trails Bryan Clauson by nine points and needs a finish of third or better to improve his score. Clauson needs a finish of first or second to boost his point total as only the top 25 National scores during the season count toward winning the $40,000 season-end bonus.
Jones won last Thursday’s “Budweiser Oval Nationals” prelim at the Perris (CA) Auto Speedway but it was Chris Windom of Canton, Ill. who took home the Saturday night trophy at the PAS
Windom led all 40 laps to claim the 15th “Budweiser Oval Nationals” race at Perris. Trailing Windom’s Hoosier Tire/Jam It In Storage Maxim/Claxton were Damion Gardner, Bobby East, Mike Spencer and Jon Stanbrough.
Jones won Thursday’s 25-lapper at Perris and in the process sliced Clauson’s National Drivers Championship lead. Jones caught Bud Kaeding in lapped traffic on lap 23 and led the final three laps in his Tony Stewart Racing STP/Bass Pro Shops Maxim/Kistler Chevy. Kaeding finished second ahead of fast qualifier Matt Mitchell, Spencer and Blake Fitzpatrick. Danny Sheridan led the first three laps but eventually finished 14th. Kaeding then led the next 19 laps before yielding to Jones.
Gardner, of Concord, Calif., won Friday’s Perris 25-lapper, but not until he survived a late-race tangle with Levi. The two tangled while battling for the lead in turn two of the 23rd lap and Jones suffered a flat tire, relegating him to a 20th-place finish. Gardner sped on to victory in his Pace Lighting Eagle/Shaver. Pro Source fast qualifier East finished second ahead of Tracy Hines, Kaeding and Clauson. Jones led the first eight laps, Gardner led the next three and Jones led lap 12. Gardner then led for nine laps and Jones one before the two tangled. Darren Hagen flipped during the first heat race and was taken to a local hospital for treatment of a back injury.
Mike Spencer has an insurmountable lead in the AMSOIL USAC/CRA Sprint standings with the final series race slated November 27 at Perris.
Jon Stanbrough of Avon, Ind. is the defending champion of the “Pacific Coast Nationals,” having led all 40 laps at Tulare last year.
AMSOIL USAC NATIONAL SPRINT SERIES POINT STANDINGS
1-Levi Jones-2,029, 2-Damion Gardner-1,937, 3-Bryan Clauson-1,908, 4-Jerry Coons Jr.-1,705, 5-Tracy Hines-1,671, 6-Chris Windom-1,662, 7-Henry Clarke-1,285, 8-Dave Darland-1,277, 9-Shane Hmiel-1,080, 10-Jon Stanbrough-1,043.
AMSOIL USAC NATIONAL SPRINT SERIES DIRT POINT STANDINGS
1-Levi Jones-1,716, 2-Damion Gardner-1,577, 3-Bryan Clauson-1,538, 4-Chris Windom-1,406, 5-Jerry Coons Jr.-1,349, 6-Tracy Hines-1,311, 7-Dave Darland-1,277, 8-Jon Stanbrough-1,043, 9-Henry Clarke-955, 10-Robert Ballou-796.
AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT SERIES POINT STANDINGS
1-Mike Spencer-1,356, 2-Danny Sheridan-1,023, 3-Matt Mitchell-916, 4-Cory Kruseman-914, 5-Blake Miller-770, 6-Greg Bragg-621, 7-Tony Jones-610, 8-David Cardey-602, 9-Austin Williams-600, 10-Cody Williams-587.