From Dick Jordan
Caleb Armstrong of New Castle, Ind. is the early leader in the 2013 USAC National Midget Pavement Series and will take a six-point lead over Bobby Santos into the May 25 “Night Before the 500” classic in Indianapolis, Ind.
Armstrong recorded sixth and third-place finishes in Sunday and Monday’s series openers at New Smyrna Speedway in New Smyrna Beach. Fla.
RW Motorsports teammates Kyle Larson of Elk Grove, Calif. and Bobby Santos of Franklin, Mass. emerged with feature wins in the two New Smyrna Beach races. Larson won Sunday’s 30-lap race in the Rotondo Weirich/Fontana Automotive Beast and Santos was Monday’s 30-lap winner in a similar car.
Larson passed Caleb Armstrong on lap 15 Sunday and led the final 15 laps to beat Darren Hagen, Tracy Hines, Tanner Swanson and Dalton Armstrong. Santos, who led the first five laps Sunday, led the final 26 laps Monday after passing Dave Steele on lap five. Kyle O’Gara took second ahead of Caleb Armstrong, Steele and Swanson.
The New Smyrna races were the first for USAC’s National Midget Series in Florida since 2005.
2013 USAC National Midget Point Standings: 1-Caleb Armstrong-124, 2-Bobby Santos-118, 3-Tanner Swanson-114, 4-Darren Hagen-112, 5-Kyle O’Gara-107, 6-Dalton Armstrong-107, 7-Tracy Hines-104, 8-Christopher-88, 9-Cole Carter-73, 10-David Byrne-62.