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Ventura, CA., Oct. 15 - Chuck West, from
Fresno, won his second consecutive NMRA-TQ Midget Series 25-lap
feature victory Saturday night at Ventura Raceway. The seaside
fifth-mile track hosted a triple-header open-wheel racing card with
USAC Western Midget Series and VRA 360 cu. in. sprint cars. It was
the second appearance this season for NMRA at the scenic seaside
track and the tenth round of NMRA's 11-race season.
West, the 2002 NMRA driving champion, earned his
fourth NMRA career main event victory. He drove the No. 38
Stealth/Kawasaki owned by his cousin, West Evans. He took the lead
on lap 10 and won convincingly. Point leader Jody Bandfield, in his
own car, finished second, but he saw his point advantage slip from
15 to 11 points over West. The final race (October 22) will take
place at Orange Show Speedway in San Bernardino.
Kenny Wiley was third.West Evans and Bruce
Hiroshima completed the top five. Rookie Scott Dobson made his third
TQ Midget start and finished sixth for former NMRA car owner
champion Guy Barber. Rookie Jenna Bliffen earned seventh in her
first ride aboard Steve Parke's car. Walt Johnson, a three-time
winner this year, was eighth. Scott Hansen, who led the first nine
laps, took ninth and Ron Ahrendt was tenth.
With a field of 14 cars present, Hansen and
Robert Ortega, Jr won a pair of seven-car, eight-lap heat races.
West, one of five different winners in the ten 2005 races run so
far, will try to keep Bandfield for winning his first TQ Midget
championship Saturday when the TQ association makes its third
appearance this year at the Orange Show Fairgrounds oval, the only
paved track on the NMRA schedule. Hansen and West won the first two
races this year at the track. Bandfield finished fourth and second
in the two prior races at Orange Show
Summary: (pick-up agate)
First Heat - Scott Hansen, Chuck West, Kenny
Wiley, Walt Johnson, Ron Ahrendt, Scott Dobson, Michel Bliffen.
Second Heat - Robert Ortega, Jr, Bruce Hiroshima,
Jody Bandfield, Chris Hedge, Richard Marshall, West Evans, Steve
Parke.
Main - West, Bandfield, Wiley, West Evans,
Hiroshima, Scott Dobson, Jenna Bliffen, Johnson, Hansen, Ahrendt,
Marshall, Hedge, Ortega, Michael Bliffen.
POINT STANDINGS (as of Oct. 16)
Drivers
Car Owners
1 Jody Bandfield 581
1 Robert Welcomer # 15 644
2 Chuck West
570
2 West Evans # 38
603
3 Walt Johnson 546
3 Bruce Hiroshima # 70 572
4 Bruce Hiroshima 539
4 Jody Bandfield # 4
546
5 West Evans
481
5 West Evans # 36
514
6 Michael Bliffen 465
6 Michael Bliffen # 3
498
7Ron Ahrendt
337
7 Dave Lambert # 55
469
8 Steve Lambert 328
8 Steve parke # 59
374
9 Steve Parke
305
9 Judi Ahrendt # 87
370
10 Kenny Wiley
282
10 Paul Lopiccolo # 21 303
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