Kevin Swindell led Team Mopar's USAC National Midget Car Series efforts last week, as the 17-year-old scored his first series victory utilizing Mopar power. Swindell led from flag-to-flag at Toledo Speedway to score the victory. He had kicked off the week with a fifth-place finish at Columbus Motor Speedway on July 5.

Tony Stewart Racing Enterprises' Levi Jones and Josh Wise were able to build on their series points standings with solid performances in both events. Jones finished 12th at Columbus Motor Speedway, followed by Wise in 17th. The duo stepped up at Toledo Speedway on July 8, with Jones finishing in fourth place. Wise set quick time at both the Columbus and Toledo events, ending the weekend with a 17th-place finish after leading laps 26-29 at Toledo Speedway on Saturday. A blown engine retired Wise prematurely. Jones is currently ranked eighth in the series points race, followed by Wise in ninth.

Wilke-PAK Motorsports' Jerry Coons Jr., used the week's racing activity to extend his lead in the USAC National Midget Car Series point championship. Coons Jr., finished 13th at Columbus Motor Speedway and was scored in 18th at Toledo Speedway on Saturday. He continues to lead the series' points chase.

NASCAR standout Ryan Newman earned a third-place finish in a Mopar-powered midget at Columbus Motor Speedway on July 5. Brad Kuhn earned a second place finish at Columbus Motor Speedway under Mopar power. Kuhn is currently seventh in the series points race. Kyle Nicholas also competed for Tony Stewart Racing Enterprises in the Columbus and Toledo events.

The USAC National Midget Car Series will return to action on July 22 at The Milwaukee Mile. For more information regarding USAC Racing, log on to usacracing.com.

Team Mopar's USAC National Sprint Car Series contingent turned in solid performances last week, as the group combined for six Top-five finishes and 10 Top-10 finishes in series competition at Columbus Motor Speedway and Toledo Speedway. Hoffman Auto Racing's Tracy Hines kicked off the week's action with a victory at Columbus Motor Speedway on July 5. His teammate Marc Jessup kept the team in the front of the field as well, driving to a ninth-place finish at Toledo Speedway on July 8.

Tony Stewart Racing Enterprises' Josh Wise and Levi Jones also had solid runs, with Wise taking the checkers in fourth at Columbus Motor Speedway after leading the first 11 laps of the feature. Jones followed in eighth. The duo reversed roles at Toledo, with Jones crossing the line fifth, followed by Wise in sixth. Wise continues to lead the series' point chase, with Jones currently ranked in second place.

Ganassi Racing development driver Bryan Clauson kicked off his week with a second-place finish at Columbus Motor Speedway after leading laps 12-20 of the feature event. Clauson set the pace of the evening at Toledo Speedway, setting quick time in qualifying. The Keith Kunz Motorsports team ended the weekend with a fourth-place finish in the feature event. Clauson is currently ranked third in the USAC National Sprint Car Series points chase.

NASCAR star Ryan Newman returned to his open-wheel roots at Columbus Motor Speedway, earning third place in a Mopar-powered entry for Keith Kunz Motorsports. Darren Hagen piloted a Mopar-powered entry to a seventh-place finish at Toledo Speedway for Keith Kunz Motorsports. Hagen is currently ranked sixth in the series points chase. Cameron Dodson also competed under the Team Mopar banner at Toledo Speedway, earning a heat race win en route to a 14th-place finish in the No. 50M machine.

The USAC National Sprint Car Series returns to action this week on July 13 at Twin Cities Raceway Park, which kicks off the 2006 Indiana Sprint Week series. For more information regarding USAC Racing, log on to usacracing.com.

The Sonoma Formula D drift event Saturday was definitely one of survival for Team Mopar and Samuel Hubinette, as intense heat and competition in front of a large crowd ruled the day at Infineon Raceway.

After watching top qualifier Kazu Hayashida and three of the top five in season points get upended in initial Top 16 matches, Hubinette battled his Mopar Dodge Viper SRT10 into the Final Four round before losing a close contest with 16th qualifier Casper Canul. Hubinette defeated Ken Gushi and Hiro Sumida en route.

Another close drift contest with Kenji Yamanaka in the consolation final didn't go the "Crazy Swede's" way, as he ended the day in fourth place. It was enough for Hubinette to maintain a nine-point lead over Sonoma event winner Rhys Millen (373-364) atop the Formula D points as Team Mopar now sets its sights on the Round 5 August event at Evergreen Speedway near Seattle.

"There were some incredibly intense battles out there," Hubinette said. "With his performance this week, Casper really demonstated what I've been talking about all year. The level of talent on this circuit is just tremendous. All of the drivers put on a great show for the fans. And while Team Mopar never feels good about losing, we're happy to maintain our points lead as we get ready for Round 5."

Next up for Hubinette and Team Mopar is the Round 5 Formula D event, scheduled for August 20 at Evergreen Speedway in Monroe, Wash. For more info on Hubinette or Formula D, log on to samuelhubinette.com or formulad.com.

Joey Saldana and the Mopar-powered No. 9 Kasey Kahne Racing team continued on its recent solid runs in World of Outlaws Sprint Series action, as Saldana drove to a second-place finish in the A-main event at Lawrenceburg Speedway on July 7. The red hot "Brownsburg Bullet" recently scored his fourth win of the year July 1 at Dodge City Raceway Park. Saldana then wrapped up his weekend with a solid sixth-place outing at I-55 Raceway on Saturday, helping the No. 9 team maintain its second-place spot in the World of Outlaws Sprint Series Championship.

Paul McMahan and the No. 20 Tony Stewart Motorsports team put together another momentum building weekend of National Sprint Tour Series action at the River Cities Speedway. McMahan kicked off the weekend's racing action with a 12th-place finish in Friday night's A-main preliminary event. The No. 20 team battled back on Saturday to earn a Top-10 finish, as McMahan drove to a ninth-place finish in the A-main event finale.

McMahan and the No. 20 team will return to National Sprint Tour Action on July 10 at the Cedar Lake Speedway and on July 12 at Hartford Speedway Park. The World of Outlaws Sprint Series will return to action on July 12 at the Limaland Motorsports Park. Both the No. 20 and No. 9 teams will head to Eldora Speedway on July 14-15 for the 23rd Annual King's Royal by Crown Royal.

For more information regarding McMahan, Saldana, the National Sprint Tour Series or the World of Outlaws Sprint Series, log on to paulmcmahanracing.com, joeysaldana.com, nationalsprinttour.com or theworldofoutlaws.com.

Josh Wise made his second start in the "New Generation" USAC Silver Crown Series at Chicagoland Speedway on July 7, earning a sixth-place finish. Driving the No. 14 machine for the legendary A.J. Foyt, Wise produced his second strong run in the new series. He made his series debut for the team at Richmond International Raceway in June.

Wise is currently ranked 10th in the USAC National Silver Crown Series points championship. He won his first series event of the season at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in May. Wise will return to USAC Silver Crown Series action on July 21-23 at the Milwaukee Mile in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

For more information regarding Wise or the USAC Silver Crown Series, log on to joshwiseracing.com or usacracing.com.

Steve Francis fought through a tough weekend of racing to maintain his position in the Top-five of the World of Outlaws Late Model Series Championship standings. The No. 15 team rolled into Sharon Speedway on July 8 and timed in at 12th quick on the night. Francis transferred from his heat race event to place himself in the A-main feature event field. "The Kentucky Colonel" held on for a 21st-place finish. The team finds themselves sitting in fourth place in the World of Outlaws Late Model Series points chase as the series takes a week-long break from action.

Francis has won six late model events thus far in the 2006 racing season. The No. 15 team is looking to win its first series championship after finishing as the runner-up in 2004 and 2005. Francis has earned 19 Top-five finishes and 29 Top-10 finishes.

Francis and the World of Outlaws Late Model Series will return to action on July 21-22 at KC Raceway in Ohio. For more information regarding Francis or the World of Outlaws Late Model Series, log on to stevefrancisracing.com or woolms.com.

By Judy Stropus

Multi-team owner Don Schumacher officially confirmed that Pro Stock driver Erica Enders has joined the Don Schumacher Racing and Team Mopar Pro Stock operation for the remainder of the 2006 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series and beyond.

Under a partnership agreement with Don Schumacher Racing, Enders will team up with DSR Pro Stock pilots Richie Stevens Jr. , who drives the Team Mopar/Valspar Dodge Stratus R/T, and Shaun Carlson, driver of the Team Mopar/SRT Dodge Stratus R/T, beginning at this weekend's Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals. The Dodge Stratus R/T Enders will drive will have a matching paint scheme to Carlson's car. A fourth DSR special-edition Pro Stock car, to be driven by Gene Wilson, will also be unveiled by Mopar at the Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals.

"The news that Erica Enders was joining DSR spread like wildfire around the sport," explained Schumacher, "and was reported as fact before we were able to make an official announcement. I am pleased to finally make it official and welcome Erica to Don Schumacher Racing. She is an outstanding driver, as she has already demonstrated, and her fan popularity, youth and driving talent will definitely be assets to our team and to Mopar."

Enders, 22, began competing in the Pro Stock class in 2005 following a stint in the Jr. Dragster class and has raced in Super Gas, Super Comp and Top Alcohol Funny Car. She was the subject of the Disney Channel's most successful original movie, "Right on Track." So far, in 2006, before joining DSR, she has qualified No. 1 once, was runner-up once, a semifinalist once and a quarterfinalist five times. Her career stats include two runner-up, three semifinal and six quarterfinal finishes. Her career-best elapsed time is 6.670 seconds (Chicago 2, 2005) and top speed of 207.56 mph (Englishtown, 2006).

For info on Enders, log on to shoeracing.com. Check back tomorrow for a special Mopar Speed preview edition of the 27th annual Mopar Mile-High Nationals.