[Jerry Shaw]

I was as disappointed as anybody when I heard that Levi and BC decided not to run. Anytime, before the start of a show, it's going to be a let down if you find out two of the headliners won't be appearing, tonight. But, disappointment was as far as it went. It didn't take long before the reality set in, that these were two drivers that didn't owe me a thing. I had gotten my money's worth out of Bryan Clauson and Levi Jones, much earlier in the season. Clauson was almost omnipresent this year. Winning Midget Week. Losing a close Sprint Week classic to Jones. Oskaloosa. Sprint Bandits TNT. USAC Eastern Sprint Swing. POWRI Midget races all across Illinois. USAC Midget win @ IRP. Local sprint shows at almost every Indiana track. And Levi is not only neck and neck with DD, in a battle for his third USAC National Sprint title. He also won one of the best Sprint Weeks ever. And was in the TSR, Walker and Crosno cars for his share of local shows, in addition to running the full USAC schedule. This wouldn't have been such a big deal, if we weren't talking about two drivers that are a "big deal". I saw more races than most people this year and in my eyes, these are two drivers that have at least earned the right to get the benefit of the doubt.

Jerry