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San Bernardino, CA., May 14 - NMRA-TQ
Midget teams made their first visit to the banked, quarter-mile
paved Orange Show Speedway Saturday night. Walt Johnson came home
with the first paved track victory trophy for the association since
it was reincorporated in 2002. It was his second feature victory in
three completed NMRA events this season.
Johnson drove the Robert and Cynthia Welcomer
Johnson-built chassis with Honda power to his fourth NMRA-career
triumph in the 25-lap feature. He led the final four laps and
increased his series point lead from five to 21 points over 2002
NMRA champion Chuck West. Michael Bliffen led laps 16-21 and
finished a career-best second place in his own car. Veteran Midget
and sprint car driver Scott Hansen took Guy Barber's Honda TQ to
third place. Chuck West and Jody Bandfield rounded out the top five.
Steve Parke paced the first 15 circuits and
finished sixth. Steve Lambert, the 2003-04 NMRA champion, West
Evans, Ron Ahrendt and Bruce Hiroshima were seventh through tenth
respectively in a 12-car field. Jenna Bliffen, daughter of the
runner-up, made her TQ driving debut in her father's second car and
finished 11th. Former NMRA rookie of the year Kenny Wiley was unable
to start.
Parke and Johnson won the pair of eight lap heat
races. The next NMRA race will be held Saturday night, May 28 back
on dirt at Bakersfield Speedway.
The Summary: (pickup agate)
Heat 1: Steve Parke, Bruce Hiroshima, Chuck West,
Scott Hansen, West Evans, Kenny Wiley.
Heat 2: Walt Johnson, Michael Bliffen, Jodly
Bandfield, Ron Ahrendt, Steve Lambert, Jenna Bliffen.
Main: Johnson, M. Bliffen, Hansen, West,
Bandfield, Parke, Lambert, Evans, Ahrendt, Hiroshima, Jenna Bliffen,
-DNS-Kenny Wiley.
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POINT STANDINGS (as of May 16
Drivers
Car Owners
1 Walt Johnson 187
1 R & C Welcomer 15
199
2 Chuck West 166
2 West Evans 38
178
3 Jody Bandfield 159
3 Jody Bandfield 4
166
4 Bruce Hiroshima 153
4 Bruce Hiroshima 70
165
5 Michael Bliffen 136
5 Michael Bliffen 3
148
6 Steve Lambert 132
6 Dave Lambert 55
144
7 Steve Parke 130
7 Steve Parke 59
142
8 Ron Ahrendt 123
8 Judy Ahrendt 87
135
9 West Evans 113
9 West Evans 36
125
10 Kenny Wiley 112
10 Paul Lopiccolo 21 124
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