By Dick Jordan
Christopher Bell has a 62-point lead over Bryan Clauson in the most recent Honda USAC National Dirt Midget standings, a reflection of his recent victories at Beloit and Belleville, Kans. The two will continue their battle for points this Sunday night when the series returns to Angell Park Speedway in Sun Prairie, Wisc.
Bell, of Norman, Okla., scored his initial Honda USAC National Pavement Midget victory Friday night in the “Battle on the Border 1” feature at Illiana Motor Speedway in Schererville, Ind. Bell led all 30 laps in the Kunz Motorsports/Curb-Agajanian Beast/Speedway Toyota to beat Darren Hagen, Kyle Hamilton, Dalton Armstrong and Kyle O’Gara. Hagen was the fastest qualifier. The race was co-sanctioned by STARS.
Hamilton, of Danville, Ind., won Saturday night’s “Battle on the Border 2” 30-lapper race at Grundy County Speedway in Morris, Ill. He took the lead in his Curtis Motor Sales/Hamilton Painting Spike/Esslinger from Jim Anderson on lap 11 and led the rest of the way in the race also co-sanctioned by STARS. Bobby Santos took second at the checkered flag ahead of Dalton Armstrong, Bell and Brad Greenup.
The Honda USAC National Pavement series concludes October 12 at the Columbus (Ohio) Motor Speedway and drivers Tracy Hines and Darren Hagen enter that event in a virtual tie, with 409 points each.
2013 HONDA USAC NATIONAL PAVEMENT MIDGET STANDINGS: 1-Tracy Hines-409, 2-Darren Hagen-409, 3-Bobby Santos-385, 4-Kyle O’Gara-361, 5-Kyle Hamilton-327, 6-Christopher Bell-309, 7-Dalton Armstrong-302, 8-Caleb Armstrong-264, 9-Tanner Swanson-220, 10-Taylor Ferns-184.
2013 HONDA USAC NATIONAL DIRT MIDGET STANDINGS: 1-Christopher Bell-626, 2-Bryan Clauson-564, 3-Tracy Hines-527, 4-Jerry Coons Jr.-506, 5-Darren Hagen-482, 6-Andrew Felker-480, 7-Rico Abreu-439.8-Zach Daum-438, 9-Brad Kuhn-374, 10-Tanner Thorson-370.