APRIL 27, 2009 --- Brian McClish and JoJo Helberg top the latest standings in the USAC Western Sprint Car series, which headlines this Saturday's USAC "tripleheader" at the Stockton (Calif.) 99 Speedway. The Santa Rosa, Calif. (McClish) and Rohnert Park, Calif. (Helberg) drivers are virtually tied for the point lead going into the first USAC race at the Northern California oval in nearly three years.
The USAC Western Midgets and California Pavement Ford Focus Midgets share Saturday's program at the quarter-mile paved oval. The track has hosted one previous USAC "tripleheader," in September of 2005.
McClish won a USAC Sprint race at Stockton in 2004, but he'll have to contend with Helberg, who won last year's USAC Young Automotive Rocky Mountain Sprint title, as well as three-time Western Sprint champion Tony Hunt, who won the last three USAC races at Stockton, including both 2007 Western Sprint features.
The Stockton oval has a rich USAC history, beginning with Cliff Spalding's 100-lap Midget win in 1959. Subsequent USAC races there have been won by drivers like Kasey Kahne, Davey Hamilton, J.J. Yeley, Josh Wise and female driver Audra Sasselli.
USAC WESTERN SPRINT CAR SERIES POINT STANDINGS
1-Brian McClish-125, 2-JoJo Helberg-125, 3-Tanner Swanson-119, 4-Kody Swanson-110, 5-Eric Humphries-103, 6-Nick Green-97, 7-Shauna Hogg-81, 8-Tony Hunt-81, 9-Jimmy Riddell-74, 10-Audra Sasselli-Thornburg-58.
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