By Dick Jordan
Darren Hagen of Riverside, Calif. leads the Mopar USAC National Midget Series to Angell Park Speedway in Sun Prairie, Wisc. this Sunday night but he needs to keep an eye on third-ranking Bryan Clauson if he plans to find victory lane. Sunday’s race is part of the Firemen’s Angell Park “Cornfest” and is co-sanctioned by Badger and POWRi.
Clauson, the Noblesville, Ind. driver who is leading in a bid for a third consecutive USAC National Drivers Championship, won at Sun Prairie last month. Hagen finished fourth in that 30-lapper.
Tracy Hines of New Castle, Ind. also bears watching in Sunday’s race after finishing third at the Prairie in July.
Hagen holds a comfortable 143-point lead over Hines in the current standings in search of his first USAC National driving title. Hagen claimed a USAC Pavement Sprint title in 2011.
2012 MOPAR USAC NATIONAL MIDGET POINT STANDINGS
1-Darren Hagen-957, 2-Tracy Hines-814, 3-Bryan Clauson-729, 4-Caleb Armstrong-711, 5-Kyle Larson-607, 6-Mario Clouser-599, 7-Bobby East-593, 8-Rico Abreu-506, 9-Brad Kuhn-500, 10-Chris Windom-487.