By Dick Jordan
Races at Springfield, Ill. and Sun Prairie, Wisc. are expected to impact the 2012 USAC National Drivers Championship point race this week.
Saturday it’s the annual “Tony Bettenhausen 100” USAC Traxxas Silver Crown race at the Illinois State Fair. Sunday finds the Mopar USAC National Midgets at Angell Park Speedway in Sun Prairie.
Bryan Clauson, seeking a third consecutive NDC title, has a 52-point lead over Levi Jones entering this week’s events after both posted a pair of “top-10” finishes in last week’s events. Tracy Hines holds down the number three spot in the standings, 22 behind Jones.
Jones finished second in last year’s Springfield 100-miler, while Clauson won the only previous Midget race at Sun Prairie this year.
2012 USAC National Drivers Championship Standings
1-Bryan Clauson-1,012, 2-Levi Jones -960, 3-Tracy Hines-938, 4-Darren Hagen-927, 5-Jon Stanbrough-912, 6-Dave Darland-871, 7-Jerry Coons Jr.-846, 8-Bobby East-811, 9-Chris Windom-807, 10-Damion Gardner-704.