By Dick Jordan
Bryant Dawson, USAC’s 2012 Las Vegas Ignite Midget champion, is again the man to beat in the 2013 USAC Western Ignite Pavement Midgets.
Dawson will carry a 16-point lead into a May 18 race at the Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway Bullring.
The Phoenix, Ariz. driver returned to the winner’s circle at the LVMS oval Saturday night, out-dueling Jarid Blondel in a 30-lap tussle. Six lead changes ended with Dawson leading the final three laps, with Blondel, Michael Fanelli, Christine Breckenridge and Shawn Buckley rounding out the “top-five.”
USAC’s Midwest Ignite Dirt Series debuts this week with Friday and Saturday night races as part of Kokomo (Ind.) Speedway’s inaugural “Kokomo Grand Prix,” which feature the USAC and Powri National Midgets. Ross Rankine earned USAC’s 2012 Midwest Ignite Dirt title.
2013 WESTERN IGNITE MIDGET POINTS: 1-Bryant Dawson-147, 2-Michael Fanelli-131; 3-Jarid Blondel-130, 4-Shawn Buckley-117, 5-Christine Breckenridge-113, 6-Marina Turner-92, 7-George Blacker-89, 8-Marc Jessop-53, 9-Ariel Biggs-47, 10-Tom Tombarello-40.
NEW WESTERN IGNITE (PAVEMENT) MIDGET POINTS: 1-Bryant Dawson-147, 2-Michael Fanelli-131; 3-Jarid Blondel-130, 4-Shawn Buckley-117, 5-Christine Breckenridge-113, 6-Marina Turner-92, 7-George Blacker-89, 8-Marc Jessop-53, 9-Ariel Biggs-47, 10-Tom Tombarello-40.