By Dick Jordan
Arkansas hosts a pair of AMSOIL USAC National Sprint races this weekend as Dave Darland, Bryan Clauson and Brady Bacon continue to battle for the 2013 championship.
Fridayโs race is at I-30 Speedway in Little Rock, where rains interrupted last yearโs event. Saturdayโs race is at Riverside International Speedway in West Memphis, where Bacon triumphed last season.
Darland won last Friday nightโs 30-lapper at 34 Raceway in West Burlington, Iowa and leads Clauson by 30 points in the latest standings, with Bacon 87 back. A total of 148 points are up for grabs this weekend.
Darland, of Lincoln, Ind., took the lead at West Burlington on lap 14 after Baconโs engine expired, then led the last 17 laps in the Phillips Motorsports Racers Advantage DRC/Foxco. Chris Windom took second ahead of Clauson, Justin Grant and Robert Ballou.
Jerry Coons Jr. of Tucson, Ariz. led all 30 laps of Saturdayโs โTony Hulman/Jim Hurtubise Classicโ at the Terre Haute (Ind.) Action Track. The win was Coonsโ second in the Hulman race as he beat Bacon, Tracy Hines, Clauson and Darland to the checkered flag. Coons piloted the Crume-Evans Insurance/RG Enterprises Spike/Chevy.
2013 AMSOIL USAC National Sprint Car Point Standings: 1-Dave Darland-1,449, 2-Bryan Clauson-1,419, 3-Brady Bacon-1,362, 4-Chase Stockon-1,292, 5-Kevin Thomas Jr.-1,234. 6-Tracy Hines-1,143, 7-Robert Ballou-1,137, 8-Hunter Schuerenberg-1,000, 9-Chris Windom-980, 10-Shane Cottle-919.