PAVEMENT MIDGET FINALE AT COLUMBUS SATURDAY;

BELL GRABS $10,000 “GOLD CROWN NATIONALS” VICTORY

ABREU, CLAUSON TAKE TRI-CITY PRELIMS

Tracy Hines and Darren Hagen square off for the 2013 Honda USAC National Pavement championship Saturday at Columbus (Ohio) Motor Speedway, but they should keep an eye on challenger Bobby Santos in their quest for the title.

The series concludes in CMS’ Season Finale Fun Fest and Hines and Hagen are tied for the point lead entering the final race. Santos is just 24 points behind with 74 points available.

The Columbus program also includes the final race for the Honda USAC Midwest and Eastern Ignite Midget series.

Christopher Bell of Norman, Okla. won Sunday night’s 5th “Gold Crown Midget Nationals” championship and the $10,000 winner’s share for his Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian team at Tri-City Speedway in Pontoon Beach, Ill. He assumed the lead on lap 10 after passing Bryan Clauson, who eventually retired with oil line problems. Bell then led the final 41 laps of the 50-lap race in his Toyota TRD Bullet/Speedway Toyota. Danny Stratton took second in the finale, which was delayed from Saturday by rain. Rico Abreu rebounded from a flip on the 31st lap to end up third at the checkered flag ahead of Zach Daum and Alex Bright.

Abreu, of Rutherford, Calif., captured Thursday night’s “Gold Crown” prelim, leading all 25 laps in his Toyota TRD Bullet/Speedway Toyota to beat Clauson, Bell, Daum and Darren Hagen. On Friday night Clauson, of Noblesville, Ind., was the winner, leading the final 20 laps after passing Daum on lap six in his Corey Tucker/BCI/Curb-Agajanian/Mobil 1 Spike/Esslinger. Abreu was second, followed by Hines, Daum and Bell.

The “Gold Crown Midget Nationals” was co-sanctioned by USAC and POWRi.

Hines won at Columbus in 2010, while the last USAC National Midget race at CMS was won by Kyle Hamilton in 2011.