STEELE VICTORIOUS IN USAC RETURN AT P.I.R.
Jerry Coons Jr. and Johnny Rodriguez are headed for second USAC driving championships Nov. 22 when the National and Western USAC Midget Series conclude their respective 2007 seasons in the 67th ?Turkey Night Grand Prix? at Irwindale (Calif.) Speedway.
Rodriguez was 20th and Coons 36th in Thursday night?s 25-mile ?Copper World Classic? Midget feature at Phoenix (Ariz.) International Raceway behind winner Dave Steele.
Steele, of Tampa, Fla., ended his five-month USAC hiatus with a stunning victory in Thursday?s Phoenix race. Driving the Toyota Oakley/Performance Racing Industry Beast/Pink Toyota, Steele caught Billy Wease on lap 20 and led the final six circuits of the one-mile paved oval to beat Bobby Santos III, Kody Swanson, Bobby East and Wease. Santos led the first two laps and Wease led the next 17.
Josh Wise was Thursday?s fastest qualifier in the 47-car field and finished seventh in the 25-mile feature.
USAC NATIONAL MIDGET CAR SERIES STANDINGS 1. Jerry Coons Jr. 1,212 2. Darren Hagen 1,129 3. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 1,070 4. Brad Kuhn 1,003 5. Dave Darland 992 6. Kevin Swindell 902 7. Levi Jones 862 8. Brady Bacon 756 9. Brad Loyet 680
10. Danny Stratton 633
USAC WESTERN MIDGET CAR SERIES STANDINGS 1. Johnny Rodriguez 937 2. Scott Pierovich 851 3. Matt Mitchell 703 4. Shannon McQueen 591 5. Chris Rahe 515 6. Robby Flock 470 7. C.J. Sarna 430 8. Quintin Crye 417 9. Jerome Rodela 394
10. Randi Pankratz 368
