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 INDIANAPOLIS,
IN (September 27) -- Galesburg, Illinois' Aaron Fike won the first leg
of the USAC Series annual "Mopar Twin 25's" at Indianapolis
Raceway Park on Saturday, but came up short in the final segment in
his bid to win the $50,000 prize. After winning the first of two
25-lap features, Fike started the second 25-lapper in the rear of the
24-car field. Fike charged from the rear of the field in the second
special event race finishing in sixth place before time ran out on the
20-year-old driver. The USAC National Midget Car Series uses only
Hoosier tires when the series competes on dirt and on pavement.
The $50,000 prize drew 38 hopefuls to IRP where 36
posted times in qualifying. Tracy Hines set fast time of the night
with a 20.992 second lap around the .686-mile oval. Bobby East was
second in qualifying followed by A.J. Fike, Ron Gregory and J.J.
Yeley.
The 8-lap Dash had J.J. Yeley taking the win followed
by Aaron Fike, Tracy Hines, Ron Gregory, A.J. Fike, Dave Steele, Cole
Carter and Bobby East. The finish set the first four rows for the
night's first 25-lap race which was also a USAC points race.
In the first feature, J.J. Yeley led the first 11 laps
before giving way to the hard charging Aaron Fike. Fike, who qualified
sixth, led the final 14 circuits en route to the win placing him as
the only driver with a chance at the $50,000 special prize.
In the second feature, Cole Carter led the first lap
before Teddy Beach moved into the lead. Beach remained out front for
four laps before he too relinquished the lead. This time, it was
Carter moving back out front. But this would last just two laps before
the young Carter gave way to last year's $50,000 winner Dave Steele.
Steele led the rest of the way to capture the win in the non-points
special event race with Tracy Hines and Cole Carter finishing second
and third, respectively. Bobby East and J.J. Yeley rounded out the top
five. Aaron Fike finished in sixth place falling just short of the
$50,000 prize after starting the second feature from the rear of the
field.
J.J. Yeley extended his lead in the USAC National
Midget Car Series to 75 points over Tracy Hines with just five events
left on the 2003 schedule.
The series takes a few weeks off before returning to
action, October 18, at South Boston (VA) Speedway.
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