RAMOS GAINS GROUND ON HUNT IN USAC WESTERN ACTION AT UTAH

7/27/2010 - Series press release

USAC Amsoil Western Sprint Car Series rookie Luis Ramos finished third to lead all Western competitors in Saturday night’s showdown with the USAC Rocky Mountain Sprint Car Series at Rocky Mountain Raceways in Salt Lake City, UT.

Ramos gained points on points leader Tony Hunt in the championship standings as well.  Hunt ran in the top-three for the first half of the main event before faltering with overheating problems on his #56 Metal Works entry.

Hunt led Western entrants in qualifying with a fourth place run at 14.060 second lap around the three-eighths mile oval.  Ramos timed in fifth and Fresno’s Tim Skoglund was sixth fast.

The USAC Western Sprint Cars recorded sizzling speeds of 97 miles per hour average around the race track.

Ramos followed up with a heat race win in heat one with Hunt winning heat two.

For the first 18 laps of Saturday night’s feature, Ramos, Skoglund in the #15 Harvest Supply entry, and Hunt maintained the top-three positions. 

After Hunt dropped out, the flood gates opened for the Rocky Mountain competition, with Burdett passing Skoglund for second on lap 28.  With 15 to go in the 50 lap contest, Burdett took over the lead from Ramos.

On lap 47, Jim Waters passed Ramos for the second spot.  Meanwhile, Alamo’s Scott Pierovich drove the #14 Ken Pierson-owned entry into the top-five after starting night.

Skoglund continued to back peddle as he fell to eighth on the board.

At the finish, the top-five rundown was Burdett, Waters, Ramos, Kipp Posey, and Pierovich.  Hunt was credited with a 14^th place effort.

Hunt leaves Utah with a 45 point advantage over Ramos, with JoJo Helberg, Pierovich, and Shauna Hogg rounding out the top-five in the standings.

The series will next make its return to Madera on August 7.  Madera Speedway is a fast-paced one-third mile asphalt oval located north of Fresno, Calif.

The United States Auto Club is online at www.usacracing.com USAC Western Sprint Car Series can be followed on Facebook as well.