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Kuhn & Coons Remain Close In Battle For NMDOTY Honors
Esslinger Ford clinches Manufacturers Championship
Phoenix, Ariz., Oct. 22--Defending champion Brad Kuhn and Jerry Coons Jr.
continued their quest for the 2006 Weld Racing/National Midget Driver of the
Year Championship this past weekend at Manzanita Speedway.
Coons won his third feature of the season on the 1/3-mile track on Friday. The
following night Kuhn inherited the lead in the final laps on the 1/2-mile
track, when Coons retired while leading with a flat tire. Kuhn and Coons both
have scored 12 midget feature victories during the season, which has seen 202
events run nationwide this season.
Kuhn now leads Coons by 100 points as the pair have distanced themselves
from the field of 546 drivers competing for the title. The pair are excepted
to continue their battle on Nov.18 the opening night of the two-day USAC
Western/AMRA co-sanctioned event at USA Race Park (Tucson, Ariz.). Both
drivers competed in the March 4 event earlier this year at the track with
Coons claiming runner-up honors, while Kuhn finished seventh.
Danny Stratton, Brady Bacon, Bobby Santos III, Brad Loyet runner-up at
Manzantia to Kuhn, Jay Drake, Bryan Clauson, Josh Wise and Mike Hess complete
the top ten.
For the second straight year Esslinger Ford has clinched the National Midget
Manufacturers championship for engine manufactures. Stealth currently holds a
guarded 35 point margin over Beast in the Chassis manufacturers championship
with six events remaining, before the Nov.23 season finale Turkey Night Grand
Prix at Irwindale (Calif.) Speedway.
Former USAC Ford Focus Midget Champion Chase Barber holds a 35-point lead over
Stephanie Mockler in the Design 500 Racewear National Midget Rookie of the
Year point battle.
POINTS
Driver
1. Brad Kuhn 1446; 2. Jerry Coons Jr. 1346; 3. Danny Stratton 1003; 4. Brady
Bacon 856; 5.Bobby Santos III 798; 6. Brad Loyet 759; 7. Jay Drake 758; 8.
Bryan Clauson 756; 9. Josh Wise 749; 10. Mike Hess 732; 11. Davey Ray 686; 12.
Dave Darland 627; 13. Aaron Fiscus 561; 14. Rik Forbes 551; 15. Dave Steele
540.
Manufacturers
Engine
1.Esslinger Ford 487; 2. Mopar 315; 3. Gaerte 270.
Chassis
1. Stealth 505; 2. Beast 469; 3. Spike 259.
Rookie of the Year
1. Chase Barber 322; 2. Stephanie Mockler 287; 3. Gregg Bragg 243; 4. Brandon
Wagner 185; 5.. Tim McCreadie 178.
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