By Dick Jordan
Levi Jones of Olney, Ill. made history Saturday night, leading all 30 laps to win “The Finals,” USAC’s AMSOIL National and USAC/CRA Sprint Car finale at Giant Chevrolet Kings Speedway in Hanford, Calif.
Taking the lead at the start from his outside front row starting spot in the Tony Stewart Racing GM Performance Parts Eagle/Chevy, Jones never looked back as he sped to victory over Keith Bloom Jr., Ryan Bernal, Jon Stanbrough and Tracy Hines. Jones becomes the first driver to win multiple USAC National Championships in successive years, claiming the Traxxas Silver Crown and AMSOIL Sprint titles the last two years. He is the first five-time AMSOIL USAC National Sprint Car Champion and only the fourth to own seven total USAC National titles. Mel Kenyon and Rich Vogler also won seven and A.J. Foyt won nine.
Mike Spencer, who finished 10th, becomes the first to win four AMSOIL USAC/CRA titles, winning four in a row! Car Owner championships went to Tony Stewart Racing (National) and Ron Chaffin Motorsports (USAC/CRA).
Bryan Clauson, with a 32-point lead over Chris Windom, has also mathematically locked up the 2011 USAC National Drivers Championship with only one race remaining.
Championship contenders Chris Windom and Nic Faas both got upside down during the evening. Windom, chasing Jones for the National title, flipped during the third heat and was scratched for the night. Faas, chasing Spencer for the USAC/CRA title, flipped on the opening lap of the feature. Bud Kaeding, the night’s fastest qualifier with a new track record, was one of three drivers to flip during feature. The others were Cody Williams and Faas. Cory Kruseman also flipped during the first heat.
FINAL AMSOIL USAC NATIONAL SPRINT CAR POINT STANDINGS
1-Levi Jones-1,668; 2-Chris Windom-1,569; 3-Jon Stanbrough-1,434; 4-Hunter Schuerenberg-1,408; 5-Tracy Hines-1,303; 6-Damion Gardner-1,296; 7-Robert Ballou-1,269; 8-Bryan Clauson-1,237; 9-Dave Darland-1,119; 10-Bobby East-1,028.
FINAL AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR POINT STANDINGS
1-Mike Spencer-1,253; 2-Nic Faas-1,178; 3-Matt Mitchell-1,073; 4-Austin Willams-741; 5-Greg Bragg-651; 6-Cody Williams-646; 7-Danny Sheridan-614; 8-Rip Williams-588; 9-Rickie Gaunt-520; 10-Damion Gardner-507.