The battle for USAC’s 2012 National Drivers Championship continues this week at two Mopar National Midget races at Plymouth (Ind.) Speedway Friday and Saturday.

        Tracy Hines, with a fifth, 11th and 13th in three races last week, has a nine-point lead over Darren Hagen in the new standings. Hagen recorded a seventh and a ninth last week, while third-ranking Levi Jones, who trails Hines by 34 in the new standings, had a ninth in the Toledo, Ohio Silver Crown race.

        The National Drivers Championship will heat up July 13-21 as the AMSOIL National Sprint cars compete in seven races in nine nights, constituting “Indiana Sprint Week.”

2012 USAC National Drivers Championship Standings

1-Tracy Hines-823, 2-Darren Hagen-814, 3-Levi Jones-789, 4-Bryan Clauson-691, 5-Bobby East-671, 6-Jerry Coons Jr.-664, 7-Chris Windom-627, 8-Jon Stanbrough-459, 9-Dave Darland-449, 10-Caleb Armstrong-395.