By Dick Jordan
Shawn Buckley leads the USAC Western HPD Midgets to the Las Vegas (Nev.) Bullring this weekend for races Friday and Saturday. He leads the standings in the Western Pavement and Wester overall points after 10 “top-four” finishes, including a victory at LVMS August 31.
Dylan Nobile of Clovis, Calif. gave himself a great 21st birthday present Saturday night, winning the 30-lap USAC Western HPD Midget race at Madera Speedway. He passed Cody Jessop on lap 15 and led the final 16 laps to beat Toni Briedinger, Jessop, Tom Paterson and Courtney Crone.
Nikki Carroll of Andover, N.J. won Saturday night’s 35-lap “special event” USAC Eastern HPD Midget race at Orange County Speedway in Rougemont, N.C. He passed Chris Lamb with six laps remaining and led to the checkered flag to beat Lamb, Scott Hunter, Tyler Corriher and Matt Lundstrom. Steven Intravaia led the first 11 laps and Lamb the next 18 before yielding to Carroll.
Carroll now becomes the youngest driver at age 12 ever to win a professional USAC feature race.
Hunter leads the Eastern standings into their 2014 series finales October 31 and November 1 at Caraway Speedway in Sophia, N.C.
2014 HPD USAC Western Pavement Midget Standings: 1-Shawn Buckley-977, 2-Toni Briedinger-784, 3-Christine Breckenridge-671, 4-Annie Briedinger-621, 5-Joel Rayborne-608, 6-Tom Paterson-581, 7-Dylan Nobile-572, 8-Cody Jessop-523, 9-Jeff Kelley-392, 10-Ashley Hazelton-382.
2014 HPD USAC Western Midget Standings: 1-Shawn Buckley-1,391, 2-Ashley Hazelton-957, 3-Cody Jessop-852, 4-Toni Briedinger-784, 5-Christine Breckenridge-671, 6-Joel Rayborne-658, 7-Annie Brideinger-621, 8-Tom Paterson-681, 9-Dylan Nobile-572, 10-Marvin Mitchell-416.