Sprint Car Title Goes to Kaeding

Bud Kaeding led from start to finish, winning the 30-lap USAC Sprint Car race and clinching the championship in front of 5,490 at Irwindale Speedway Saturday night.

Kaeding, of Campbell, Calif., started on the pole and was able to get by Wally Pankratz on the initial lap. From then on, it was follow the leader. Jimmy Sills was hounding Kaeding for the first nine laps, but he soon was passed by Todd Ellison.

The victory was a little payback for what happened three weeks ago. Kaeding had won the first five sprint races at the speedway. But on Oct. 16, he lost air in his right-rear tire and finished eighth.

“We won the championship,” said Kaeding, 19, who won seven of 16 races. “It’s a major accomplishment for our team. It’s big and it means you’re consistent.”

Jason Lefler of Long Beach took the lead from Tracy Hines on lap 21 and won the USAC Western Midget race.

Troy Regier of Dinuba, Calif., took the lead on the backstretch of lap 11 and won the 18-lap WSMRA Super Modifieds race.

Regier, along with three others, raced the fastest laps on the half-mile track. Mark Ekberg of Reedley, Calif., set a track record with a lap of 15.199 seconds, surpassing Davey Hamilton’s opening-night time of 15.655. Unofficially, Regier has run the fastest lap ever. During the first heat race, he ran a lap of 14.781 seconds. Due to time constraints, the race was shortened to 18 laps.