Honda USAC Midget Series point leaders Christopher Bell (National) and Ronnie Gardner (Western) will be out to protect their 2013 series point leads this weekend when the two series combine for part of Canyon Speedway Park’s 46th “Western World Championships” in Peoria, Ariz.
Bell, of Norman, Okla., is a National series rookie but has stormed to a 106-point lead over Bryan Clauson on the strength of five victories and five other podium finishes in 16 starts aboard the Kunz Motorsports/Curb-Agajanian entry. His wins include the “Belleville Midget Nationals,” the “Gold Crown Midget Nationals,” the “Chad McDaniel Memorial,” and the “Indiana Midget Week” title.
Gardner, of Norco, Calif., has sped to a 256-point cushion over Jake Swanson in the Western Overall and dirt standings with 15 podium finishes, including nine victories. He enters Peoria with a string of four consecutive wins in the SIX-EIGHT Racing entry.
Clauson will try to increase his 2013 USAC feature victory total in all series as he pursues an all-time single-season mark. He has 19 wins in National and regional competition so far, including four National and two Western Midgets. The two Western Midget wins came at Canyon in March!
This week’s Canyon events (Thursday, Friday and Saturday), include the USAC West Coast and Southwest Sprint cars. The Southwest Sprints will compete for points while the West Coast Sprint involvement is listed as a “special event.”
The Honda Western Midgets complete the 2013 campaign with events at Yuma, Ariz. Nov. 22-23 and Perris, Calif. Nov. 28. The Nov. 28 “Turkey Night Grand Prix” at Perris closes out the 2013 Honda National Midget series.
2013 HONDA USAC NATIONAL DIRT MIDGET STANDINGS: 1-Christopher Bell-899, 2-Bryan Clauson-793, 3-Tracy Hines-749, 4-Darren Hagen-718, 5-Jerry Coons Jr.-706, 6-Rico Abreu-653, 7-Zach Daum-644, 8-Andrew Felker-604, 9-Brad Kuhn-515, 10-Tanner Thorson-506.
2013 HONDA USAC WESTERN MIDGET STANDINGS: 1-Ronnie Gardner-1,094, 2-Jake Swanson-838, 3-David Prickett-733, 4-Scott Pierovich-693, 5-Shannon McQueen-533, 6-Randi Pankratz-498, 7-Cody Swanson-458, 8-Nick Chivello-450, 9-Terry Nichols-357, 10-Trey Marcham-348.
2013 HONDA USAC WESTERN DIRT MIDGET STANDINGS: 1-Ronnie Gardner-1,094, 2-Jake Swanson-838, 3-David Prickett-733, 4-Shannon McQueen-533, 5-Randi Pankratz-498, 6-Cody Swanson-458, 7-Scott Pierovich-400, 8-Terry Nichols-357, 9-Trey Marcham-348, 10-Johnathon Henry-301.