CLAUSON, BALLOU, JONES SCORE MIDDLE-AMERICA WINS


Levi Jones trails Jon Stanbrough by only four points in the latest tally as the AMSOIL USAC National Sprint Series enters four races in six nights. Jones is aiming for a record sixth series title, while Stanbrough is trying to nail down his first.


Southern Iowa Speedway in Oskaloosa, Iowa is the site of races Monday and Tuesday nights, while the series moves to Michigan for races Friday at I-96 Speedway in Lake Odessa and Saturday at Hartford Motor Speedway. The Oskaloosa races conclude with Tuesday night’s “Casey’s General Stores Ultimate Challenge.” Monday’s Oskaloosa event does not carry National points and Tuesday’s is a “special event,” offering appearance points only.


Jones, of Olney, Ill., found victory lane for the first time this season in the Tony Stewart/Curb-Agajanian Racing Chevy Performance Maxim/Kistler Sunday night at U.S. 36 Raceway in Cameron, Mo. He passed Kevin Thomas on the 28th lap and led the final three circuits for the win over Thomas, Chris Windom, Chase Stockon and Dave Darland. Darren Hagen led the first two laps.


Bryan Clauson of Noblesville, Ind. won Friday night’s 30-lap “Rumble in the Bullring” at Eagle (Neb.) Raceway in his CTR/BCI/Curb Agajanian Curb Records/R & B Truckers Maxim/Fisher. Dave Darland led the first 10 laps before Clauson took over. Thomas was second ahead of Stanbrough, Darland and Jones.


Saturday night’s 30-lapper at Valley Speedway in Grain Valley, Mo. went to Robert Ballou of Rocklin, Calif. in the MPHG Promotions Behaviour Consultants/J.C. Plew Triple X/Ott. He led 15 of the 30 laps but none more important than the last two after out-dueling Stanbrough, who finished second ahead of Clauson, Jones and Chad Boespflug. Boespflug led the first seven laps and Stanbrough led eight laps of the race.


This week’s Michigan races are the first on dirt for the AMSOIL USAC Sprints in the Wolverine State since Jay Drake’s victory at Hartford 12 years ago.