CLAUSON-DARLAND BATTLE CONTINUES AT “4-CROWN NATIONALS;”

K.T. GRABS $10,000 “HAUBSTADT HUSTLER”

Saturday’s 32nd “4-Crown Nationals” at the Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio will feature the continuing battle for the 2013 AMSOIL USAC National Sprint Car championship. Three drivers are locked in a close race for the point lead entering Saturday’s race, part of a USAC “tripleheader” also featuring the TRAXXAS Silver Crown cars and Honda National Midgets.

Bryan Clauson, the winningest driver in 2013 USAC racing with 16 total feature wins in various series, has bolted back to the front in the standings following a ninth-place finish in last Saturday night’s “Haubstadt Hustler” at Tri-State Speedway in Haubstadt, Ind. He leads Dave Darland by just five points after Darland suffered mechanical problems, finishing 21st at Haubstadt.

Brady Bacon is third in the standings and is now just 56 points behind the leader after taking third at Haubstadt.

Kevin Thomas Jr. of Cullman, Ala. became the winningest AMSOIL National Sprint winner of 2013 with his seventh victory in Saturday’s $10,000-to-win race at Haubstadt. He trailed Brady Short until lap 27, then led the last 14 laps in his Mike Dutcher/RW/Tri-Star – Black Jack Oil Maxim/Fisher. Short took second ahead of Bacon, Jon Stanbrough and Kyle Cummins.

Tracy Hines, sixth in the latest points, is the defending three-time “4-Crown” Sprint champion, while former race winners Darland and Robert Ballou are also expected to be in Saturday’s field.