SATURDAY AT SALT LAKE CITY


USAC’s Young Automotive Rocky Mountain Sprint Car Series concludes Saturday night at Rocky Mountain Raceways in Salt Lake City, Utah and Mike Murgoitio hopes to put a lid on the 2009 championship.


 


The Boise, Idaho driver has finished on the “podium” in all but one of the seven races to date and four of those ended with Murgoitio in victory lane.


 


Saturday he’ll have to fend off the challenge of Jim Waters, who trails by 31 points, but also faces USAC’s Western Sprint Car contingent as well, since the race offers points toward both series championships.


 


Tanner Swanson of Kingsburg, Calif. comes to Salt Lake City with the Western point lead, 43 ahead of Brian McClish and 49 ahead of JoJo Helberg. Tanner has won the last two USAC Western Sprint races and has three wins in 2009.


 


Murgoitio has shared the podium with Waters three times this year, Waters posting three second-places, two fourths and a sixth. Waters has also been the fastest qualifier twice. A title would be Mrugoitio’s first, while Waters won the inaugural championships in 2003 and 2004. Waters ranks second on the all-time series win list with 11, four behind Jimmy Wysong.