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DeBenedetti zooms in on dwarf car crown By DON HUNT WHITE CITY -- Two years ago, Jon DeBenedetti was a one-man show in his dwarf car at the Southern Oregon Speedway. Promoter John Skinner allowed DeBenedetti to put on exhibitions in an attempt to build the dwarf class from scratch. Fans and drivers took a liking to the tiny but powerful cars. Their antique-like appearance, the high-pitched screams of their motorcycle engines and their ability to zip around the track at speeds of 80 mph made them such a favorite that the class has grown to 15 cars in just two years. Four times that many dwarf cars will be on the track tonight and Saturday during the West Coast Dwarf Car Nationals. DWARF CAR NATIONALS WHEN, WHERE : Tonight and Saturday at the Southern Oregon Speedway in White City. Gates open at 4 p.m. each day with racing scheduled for 6:30. ADMISSION PRICES : $8.50 for adults and $7 for seniors and children ages 7-12. ALSO ON THE TRACK : Mini stocks will run today and winged modifieds and pro stocks will run Saturday. Gates open at 4 p.m. each day with the racing scheduled for 6:30. Mini stocks will join the dwarfs on today's docket while pro stocks and modifieds will be part of Saturday's program. "These cars are becoming very popular all over the U.S. and particularly on the West Coast," DeBenedetti says. "I think fans like their vintage look and the speeds they can go." DeBenedetti is more than a promoter and cheerleader for the diminutive cars. The 25-year-old Rogue River resident has dominated the action in White City this summer, winning seven of 10 events and finishing second twice. Equally noteworthy, he leads the national points race after a second-place finish at Las Vegas and a first-place showing at San Diego in two earlier national races. This weekend marks the third stop on the national circuit with the fourth and final race Oct. 1-3 in Marysville, Calif. "I've gotten the hang of how to race these cars and I'm running a new car this season," DeBenedetti says in explaining his ascent to No. 1. Since drivers can throw out the results of one of the four national races, DeBenedetti can clinch the national championship with a first- or second-place finish Saturday. And he would like nothing better than to pilot his 1999 M&M chassis to victory in front of Rogue Valley fans. "With this being my home track, it's important for me to run well, not only for myself but also for my sponsors," DeBenedetti says. DeBenedetti ran into sour luck last year at the national event in White City. He got into a wreck on the first lap that flattened a tire and bent the front end, making his car difficult to steer. DeBenedetti managed to stay on the lead lap but was relegated to the back. He still managed to finish 10th. "People say you've got an advantage racing on your home track, but the drivers on this circuit are so good that just about any one of them could win," DeBenedetti says. "There are so many variables. One wrong move and you can be upside down or broke. You need some luck out there." DeBenedetti's only serious accident occurred on June 6, 1998, at Southern Oregon Speedway, when he bumped tires with Portland's Clint Petty along the back straightaway. DeBenedetti's car flipped six or seven times, but he escaped without a scratch. The top 10 finishers in today's main event will earn the top 10 starting spots in Saturday's race. The total purse for the dwarf cars is $10,175, with $1,250 going to Saturday's winner. Today's Sports Index Mail Tribune Copyright� The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, OR U.S.A.