From Dick Jordan
USAC’s Honda National Midget Series pays tribute to two former drivers in the next 10 days as Christopher Bell leads Bryan Clauson by 26 points in the latest dirt standings and Darren Hagen holds a slim two-point lead over Bobby Santos and Caleb Armstrong on the pavement.
The “Rich Vogler Classic” unfolds Saturday at Lucas Oil Raceway in Indianapolis, Ind. as part of the event which culminates with the “J.D. Byrider 100” Traxxas Silver Crown race. Three nights later, on Tuesday, July 30, the “Chad McDaniel Memorial” will take place at Solomon Valley Raceway in Beloit, Kans. The Beloit race precedes by two nights the opening of the 2013 “Belleville Midget Nationals” in Belleville, Kans.
Saturday’s LORP event showcases four drivers separated by just six points in the battle for the Honda USAC National Pavement title. Tracy Hines, who has more USAC victories than anybody in LORP history (13) completes the point leading quartet going into Saturday’s race. Hagen, the pavement leader, won this year’s “Night Before the 500” classic at LORP.
The race at Beloit marks USAC’s debut at the Kansas oval, honoring the late driver who was such a fixture in the heartland.
2013 HONDA USAC NATIONAL PAVEMENT MIDGET STANDINGS: 1-Darren Hagen-239; 2-Bobby Santos-237; 3-Caleb Armstrong-239; 4-Tracy Hines-233; 5-Kyle O’Gara-205; 6-Dalton Armstrong-182; 7-Tanner Swanson-156; 8-David Byrne-180; 9-Taylor Ferns-137; 10-Kyle Hamilton-137.
2013 HONDA USAC NATIONAL DIRT MIDGET STANDINGS: 1-Christopher Bell-442; 2-Bryan Clauson-416; 3-A.J. Felker-372; 4-Jerry Coons Jr.-369; 5-Darren Hagen-365; 6-Tracy Hines-349; 7-Brad Kuhn-326; 8-Zach Daum-311; 9-Caleb Armstrong-271; 10-Rico Abreu-250.