Leffler Wins Turkey Night Midget Race

Pole-sitter Jason Leffler of Long Beach took the lead on the 53rd lap and kept it the rest of the race to win the U.S. Auto Club’s 50th annual Turkey Night Midget Grand Prix on Thursday night at Irwindale Speedway.

Leffler pulled away from runner-up Aaron Fike of Galesburg, Ill., after the final restart on the 92nd lap in the 100-lap race on the half-mile track. Fike finished 1.476 seconds behind.

Dave Steele of Tampa, Fla., the race’s winner in 2001 and 2003, led for the first 52 laps before he was forced to drop out because of engine troubles.

Wally Pankratz, 60, finished 20th in the 32-car field in his final Southland appearance in a midget car race after 35 years.

Leffler also won in 1999, the first time the race was held at Irwindale.

Fifth-place finisher Jerome Rodela passed four-time champion Robbie Flock to win the Western States championship. Flock finished 16th after starting 31st.

-- Steven Herbert