If Mother Nature gives up a reprieve this weekend will begin the 2009 dirt track season at both the Gas City I-69 Speedway as well as Tony Stewart’s new and improved Eldora Speedway.

At Eldora it will be the USAC National Sprint Car Series in its first race of the season away from the West Coast where the national series as well as the CRA (California Racing Association) co-sanctioned four events, two of which were claimed by Darren Hagen. Cole Whitt, a regular at both Kokomo and Gas City also has captured a win so far in the early going while Rickie Gaunt, a feature winner at Kokomo during the Kent Evans era, won the other.

Those fans making the trek over to Eldora will be in for many improvements that Stewart and his staff have worked on over the offseason not to mention what promises to be some great action on the track.

Robert Ballou has emerged as the odds-on favorite to be the driver to beat this weekend as he has taken a liking to the high-banked half-mile track. Tony Stewart Motorsports drivers Levi Jones and Tracy Hines are always among the favorites as is Lincoln’s Dave Darland.

It will be interesting to see how having almost a complete season under their belts will affect Darland and car owner Scott Benic. On paper the pairing is a “Dream Team” of sorts.

Darland is arguably one of the best and most popular non-wing drivers in USAC history, and Benic is one of the most successful car owners and crew chiefs in the sport. Since the two aligned near midseason in 2008, the results have been there.

Darland picked up wins in the T-N-T Series as well as the Bob Darland Memorial at the local track in honor of his late father. The duo finished third in the points battle last season and may well be the team to beat this season in the series as Darland chases his second national sprint car title and fifth championship overall (he’s won two midget series titles and one Silver Crown Series championship).

Though many of the big players will be at Eldora for racing both Friday and Saturday, there should still be quite a car count at Gas City to welcome in the Leroy Baettinger era.

Baettinger replaced legendary Jiggs Thomason over the winter months after Thomason announced he was stepping aside at the end of the 2008 season. A long-time pit steward, Baettinger should have no trouble making the transition to promoter. As he noted after taking over the new position, “I’ve always worried about the division I was over when it was on the track, now I’ll have to look after three others.”

In addition to the sprints, the regular weekly program consists of Street Stocks, Thunder Cars and U.M.P. Modifieds. The first race is slated to push off at 7:30 p.m.

Bland, Faas take checkers

Jeff Bland Jr. and Nick Faas each won feature events at North Vernon Speedway Saturday night.

Bland was victorious in the rain makeup of a week prior while Faas took the win in the regularly-scheduled event. The drive of the night was put on by Darland as he worked his way through the B-Main into the feature. Once there he charged to second from his 18th starting position. Casey Riggs took third while Casey Shuman and Scott Hampton rounded out the top five.

In the rain makeup feature, it was Jimmy Light and Faas chasing Bland to the checkered flag. Joss Moffatt and Brady Short were fourth and fifth, respectively.

USAC National Midgets

Darren Hagen, who cut his rookie teeth at the Kokomo Speedway, continued his torrid early season by capturing the feature event Saturday night at the Columbus (Ohio) Motor Speedway in a USAC Mopar National Midget Series event.

Hagen never trailed in the 40-lap feature to top runner-up Caleb Armstrong while Cole Whitt took third. Dakoda Armstrong and Jerry Coons Jr. completed the top five.

Sunday’s scheduled race at the Anderson Speedway was postponed due to inclement weather.

When the series returns to action May 23 at the O’Reilly Raceway Park, Hagen will hold a 39-point lead in the points battle over Bobby East (299-260). Coons is third with 257 markers.

Brett Bowman is the Tribune’s auto racing columnist. He can be reached through the sports department, or by e-mail at brettbowman29@aol.com