HERTA NAILED ROLE AS ANDRETTI TEAM FILL-IN.

Byline: TIM HADDOCK Motor Sports

Valencia's Bryan Herta, driving for Andretti Green Racing, added another top-five finish to his resume in the Indy Racing League season finale at Texas Motor Speedway.

Those resumes should be going out any day now.

Andretti Green Racing won't be bringing Herta back. The Hart High of Newhall graduate was hired midseason to drive for the injured Dario Franchiti, who has been recovering from a motorcycle accident.

Herta won the IRL race at Kansas Speedway in his third IRL start, and he finished with six top-five finishes in 11 races with the team.

``I am really pleased. It's difficult to come in midseason, but I think I exceeded the team's expectations,'' Herta said. ``We were really competitive. We were fighting for wins in several races. We were legitimately competitive. It's one of the things I am proud of.''

With Franchiti on schedule to return to the seat of the No. 27 Archipelago/Motorola Honda entry, Herta was left without a place on the team. The other drivers are Tony Kanaan, in the IRL championship hunt until the last race Sunday, and rookie of the year Dan Wheldon.

``I would have liked very much to have stayed,'' Herta said. ``But it was not going to be possible. They have three drivers and three cars. Dario is going to be healthy. With Dan and Tony, there was nowhere for me to go.''

If anything, Herta's time with Andretti Green Racing has shown he can be as competitive on ovals as he is on road courses. Before this season, his only other victories in a top open-wheel series have come at Laguna Seca Raceway in Monterey when he was driving in the CART Champ Car series.

In addition to his CART experience, Herta also has competed in the American Le Mans Series, driving for Panoz Motor Sports and Team Nasamax, and the NASCAR Winston West Series, in a car for Bill McAnally Racing.

Wherever he ends up next, Herta said he wants to race for a high-caliber team.

``I've had interest from teams inside and out of the IRL,'' Herta said. ``CART looks like it's going to be good next year. I wouldn't mind doing that again. I want to run for a top-line team. I got a little spoiled this year. Results are what this is all about. I really want to make sure I am with a top team, wherever I am.''

--Irwindale Speedway: Aaron Staudinger of Stevenson Ranch claimed the West Coast Pro Truck Series championship by winning the season finale at Irwindale Speedway last Saturday.

Staudinger won two of the last three races of the season to clinch the title, recorded six top-five finishes in eight races and was runner-up three times during the season.

In other races at Irwindale, Travis Thirkettle of Newhall finished fourth in his debut on the Ultra Wheel Super Truck Series debut. Ron Peterson of San Bernardino won the race.

Mike Duncan joined a strong contingent of NASCAR Featherlite Southwest Series drivers and won the Super Stock race. Dan O'Donnell of Castaic was 11th; Bob Lyon of Agua Dulce was 16th; Greg Pursley of Canyon Country was 17; and Rod Johnson of Canyon Country was 21st.

Racing continues tonight with the Mechanix Wear Speed Truck 100, NASCAR Super Stock 50, Grand American Modifieds, Mini Stocks and Legend Cars.

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