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Speedway stages first `Winners Clash' event WHITE CITY -- A first for the Southern Oregon Speedway will take place tonight as the featured "Winners Clash" race pits the top pro stock drivers against one another in a battle for bragging rights. All 1999 pro stock points race winners and the highest ranked drivers in that class will make up a 12-car field vying for a total purse of $1,500. It's the next-to-last day of racing at the track this season. "They're our most exciting and competitive class," says John Skinner, speedway promoter and owner. "I'm really looking forward to that race. It's going to be a neat deal. "They won't be holding back anything in that one. There's no points, just money." Racing begins at 6 p.m., with tonight's action also featuring the final points races of the season for the winged modified, pro stock, mini stock, super truck and dwarf car classes. The winners competing in the Winners Clash will be Gary Rotarius, Brian Poppa, Dan Thomas, Bob Dees, Jeremy Richey, Erik Ralph, Jamie McCleary and Butch Poppa. Tonight's pro stock main event winner will take the ninth spot, with the rest of the 12-car field coming from the season points standings. The winner of the 20-lap race will claim a trophy, which will be handed down each year, and a $500 first prize. Brian Poppa enters tonight with a five-point lead over Rotarius in the pro stock points standings. Thomas, Richey and Chris Charlton round out the top fives. Dan Estremado holds a comfortable margin over Mark Wauge for the points title in the winged modified class, 953 to 861. Tracy Bradley, with 1,038 points, leads Patrick Lanigan (979) for the mini stock title. John Wayne Cahill enters tonight with a 77-point edge over Lindsey Bryant in super trucks, while Jon DeBenedetti has a 59-point lead over Tom King in the dwarf car class. For more information, call 826-OVAL or go to website www.sospeedway.com Today's Sports Index Mail Tribune Copyright� The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, OR U.S.A.