Further Info: Steve Post (704) 784-6554 or SPost68@aol.com (mailto:SPost68@aol.com)

SANTOS AND CLAUSON GET MOPAR ALL STAR SHOWDOWN WINS

CONCORD, N.C. – Bobby Santos III of Franklin, Mass. won the 50-lap USAC National Midgets feature and Bryan Clauson of Noblesville, Ind. won the 50-lap USAC Sprint Car feature on Sunday at the Mopar All Star Showdown at Concord Motorsport Park. For Santos, it was an impressive victory after a rough start to his evening. In qualifying, he wrecked his primary car and jumped aboard a car his sister Erica was slated to drive. The poor qualifying effort had him start 16th in the 24 car field.

Brad Loyet started on the pole and led at the drop of the green for the midget feature. He was never able to shake his competition as Tracy Hines, Josh Wise and Bradley Galedrige all took shots at the leader. Meanwhile Santos was picking his way forward moving into the top five on lap 19. One lap later he was in fourth and on lap 25 advanced into the third spot. On lap 37 Galedrige spun out of second moving Santos in to challenge Loyet for the lead.

On lap 47 Santos moved inside exiting the first turn and took the top spot away from Loyet into the dogleg portion of the track. He cruised to his first career national midget car victory, a win worth $3,000. Loyet finished second with Wise third. Clauson, one of eight drivers competing in both divisions, was fourth and Jay Drake completed the top five.

Ron Gregory jumped from the pole position into the top spot at the start of the sprint car feature. He fended off a steady challenge from Clauson, who started second, until the race was red-flagged for a multi-car crash on lap 15. Clauson quickly darted to the inside of Gregory on the restart and took the lead as they exited the first turn. He opened up a comfortable lead as Gregory, Dave Darland, and fast-qualifier Mike Murgoitio battled for the second spot.

Clauson survived a rash of late-race cautions to score the $5,500 win, his second of the 2006 season. Murguitio finished second with Darland third. Gregory was fourth with Darren Hagen completing the top five.

Heat winners in the midgets were: Stephanie Mockler, Teddy Beach, Santos, and Michael Lewis. Billy Wease won the midget semi main.
Sprint car heat winners were: Mario Marietta, Brian Gerster, and Daron Clayton.

The most serious accident of the night came on lap 15 of the sprint car feature when a number of cars crashed exiting the final corner. Kyle Nicholas, driving one of the Tony Stewart Racing entries, flipped over in the wreck. Nobody was injured in that or any accident throughout the night. A strong field of 39 USAC National Midgets entered the event with 25 USAC
Sprint Cars making the call. Further details are available at www.metrolinabrand.com.

Results of 50-lap USAC National Midget Feature:
1. Bobby Santos, Franklin, Mass.
2. Brad Loyet, Sunset Hills, Mo.
3. Josh Wise, Riverside, Calif.
4. Bryan Clauson, Noblesville, Ind.
5. Jay Drake, Brownsburg, Ind.
6. Dave Steele, Tampa, Fla.
7. Jerry Coons Jr., Tucson, Ariz.
8. Travis Miniea, Fort Luaderdale, Fla.
9. Stephanie Mockler, Westfield, Ind.
10. Dave Darland, Lincoln, Ind.
11. Darren Hagen, Riverside, Calif.
12. Michael Lewis, Noblesville, Ind.
13. A.J. Fike, Galesburg, Ill.
14. Ron Gregory, Noblesville, Ind.
15. Bradley Galedrige, Los Altos, Calif.
16. Tom Hessert III, Cherry Hill, N.J.
17. David Byrne, Shullsburg, Wisc.
18. Cole Carter, Brownsburg, Ind.
19. Teddy Beach, Donnelsville, Ohio
20. Billy Wease, Noblesville, Ind.
21. Ben Seitz, Monument Beach, Mass.
22. Aaron Fike, Galesburg, Ill.
23. Tracy Hines, New Castle, Ind.
24. Jason Leffler, Long Beach, Calif.

Results of 50-lap USAC National Sprint Car Series Feature:
1. Bryan Clauson, Noblesville, Ind.
2. Mike Murgoitio, Neridian, Idaho
3. Dave Darland, Lincoln, Ind.
4. Ron Gregory, Noblesville, Ind.
5. Darren Hagen, Riveside, Calif.
6. Tom Hessert III, Cherry Hill, N.J.
7. Josh Wise, Riverside, Calif.
8. Bud Kaeding, Campbell, Calif.
9. Jay Drake, Brownsburg, Ind.
10. Mat Neely, Robinson, Ill.
11. Levi Jones, Olney, Ill.
12. Brady Short, Bedford, Ind.
13. Marc Jessup, Camby, Ind.
14. Daron Clayton, Sikeston, Mo.
15. Shawn Norris, Dayton, Ohio
16. Brian Gerster, Noblesville, Ind.
17. Rex Norris, Knightstown, Ind.
18. Tracy Hines, New Castle, Ind.
19. Bobby Santos III, Franklin, Mass.
20. Eric Gordon, Greenfield, Ind.
21. Kody Swanson, Kingsburg, Calif.
22. Justin Barger, Montrose, N.Y.
23. Dave Steele, Tampa, Fla.
24. Mario Marietta, Clinton, Ind.
25. Kyle Nicholas, Naples, Fla.