Late model drivers to pound LVMS dirt oval

Friday, June 27, 1997 | 11:17 a.m.

Drivers on the Western Dirt Late Model Tour will be looking for paydirt Saturday night at Las Vegas Motor Speedway's half-mile clay oval.

Rookie phenom Ryan Cole of Santa Maria, Calif., leads the point standings after nine races, having logged four wins. Mike Montes is the only Las Vegan entered here.

Former track champs from dirt facilities throughout California came together to form the new tour. The series, featuring 19 races on six tracks, offers a $10,000 season points fund in addition to a $1,200 winners take of the weekly purse.

Competition has been fierce and close. Eighty percent of the field qualified within .8 of a second of pole at a recent Bakersfield, Calif., race. And 10 cars were on the lead lap at the end of the 30-lap feature there.

Pit gates open at 3 p.m. Saturday. Qualifying is set for 6 p.m. followed by racing at 7.

Drag racing Saturday

Tim Arden will lead the pro division Saturday night when the third NHRA points race of the year is presented at Las Vegas Motor Speedway's drag strip.

Arden leads Paul Bledsoe, Doug Schneider and Ron Landrum by 16 points.

Other points leaders in the National Performance Center ET Bracket Series include Jerry Taylor (motorcycles), David Hironka (street) and Robin Harris (sportsman).

A test and tune will be held Friday, with gates opening at 5 p.m. and racing set for 6:30 p.m.

Gates open at 3 p.m. Saturday, with time trials set for 4:30 p.m. and eliminations slated for 8:30 p.m.

Cobb now fourth

Dick Cobb, who has won five of the 10 late model division races at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway short paved oval this season, has climbed to fourth in the NASCAR Winston Racing Series regional standings.

Other Las Vegans in the points are Ray Hooper Jr. (19), Jerry Spilsbury (30), Al Lake (40) and Bobby Pangonis (50).