HELBERG WINS 50-LAP SERIES OPENER AT MADERA


Kody Swanson of Kingsburg, Calif. is atop the new USAC Western Sprint Car Series standings as the series prepares for an April 18 outing at All American Speedway in Roseville, Calif. He leads 2008 USAC Rocky Mountain Sprint Car Champ JoJo Helberg by six points.


 


Helberg, of Rohnert Park, Calif., led all but the first lap of Saturday night’s 50-lap feature at Madera (Calif.) Speedway to beat Swanson, Brian McClish, Tanner Swanson and Eric Humphries to the checkered flag. Tony Hunt was the fastest qualifier at the opening event in the 2009 series.


 


Hunt won one of last year’s three USAC Sprint races at Roseville. The other winners there were Tanner Swanson and Shane Hmiel, who finished sixth in Saturday’s Madera opener.


 


Point leader Kody Swanson did not compete at Roseville last year, but Helberg posted a second behind Ryan Kaplan there in 2007.