By Dick Jordan
USAC West Coast Sprint Car point leaders Bud Kaeding of Campbell, Calif. and Matt Mitchell of Yorba Linda, Calif. enter this Saturday’s race at Kings Speedway in Hanford, Calif. in a virtual tie for the lead.
Kaeding seeks to stay undefeated in 2012 after winning a non-points special event at Las Vegas and the subsequent series opener March 24 at Bakersfield, Calif.
Kaeding had a victory and three seconds in five West Coast Sprint starts at Kings Speedway last year. Mitchell did not compete in last year’s USAC/CRA finale at Kings in 2011.
Both need to keep an eye on third-ranking Ryan Bernal of Hollister, Calif. Bernal scored a pair of victories and a pair of seconds at the 3/8-mile dirt oval last year.
2012 USAC WEST COAST SPRINT CAR POINT STANDINGS
1-Bud Kaeding-68, 2-Matt Mitchell-68, 3-Ryan Bernal-62, 4-Markus Niemela-59, 5-Josh Ford-55, 6-Peter Murphy-52, 7-Danny Faria Jr.-50, 8-Kevin Barnes-49, 9-Don Gansen-41, 10-Chris Gansen-37.