SET FOR TUESDAY, AUGUST 11 AT SOUTHERN IOWA SPEEDWAY


Dave Darland of Lincoln, Ind. enjoyed one of his biggest racing paydays last year when he won the Casey’s General Stores “Ultimate Challenge.” He returns on Tuesday night, August 11, for another shot at glory and the championship belt which goes with the winner’s laurels.


 


Darland already has victories this year at Gas City, Lawrenceburg and Boswell, Ind. under his belt and an Oskaloosa win would put him at the head of the class for 2009.


 


Going into next Sunday night’s race at Knoxville, Iowa, Darland trails Levi Jones by 50 points in search of a second USAC National Sprint Car title. He previously won in 1999 and he is one of only five Triple Crown Champions in USAC history.


 


Jones also has three wins so far this year, as does Cole Whitt, who ranks third in the current standings. Jones, the 2005 and 2007 champion, won the recent “Indiana Sprint Week” title, while Whitt won last year’s USAC National Midget title by a single point over Tracy Hines, Jones’ teammate at Tony Stewart Racing. Jones won at Oskaloosa in 2005.


 


Darland led all but three laps of last year’s 30-lap race, beating Kevin Swindell, Jerry Coons Jr. and Whitt to the checkered flag.


 


Coons will be trying to land yet another USAC victory for the winningest car owner in series history, Hoffman Auto Racing, who has 73 total wins going into Sunday’s race at Knoxville. Coons was the 2006 Oskaloosa “Ultimate Challenge” champion.


 


Another driver worth watching at Oskaloosa will be Bryan Clauson, the winner of last weekend’s “Belleville Midget Nationals.” He’s already won six USAC races this year in Sprints and Midgets and fell two points shy of the “Indiana Sprint Week” title after claiming the “Indiana Midget Week” championship.


 


A $15,000 winner’s check awaits the winner of the Casey’s General Stores “Ultimate Challenge.”