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Los Angeles, CA. - The 2006 racing season is
the fifth consecutive year of current NMRA TQ Midget racing. The
long-time three-quarter midget racing sanctioning body ceased
operations in 1987 to allow nationally known USAC to sanction TQ-midget
racing. USAC dropped TQ racing in 2002 to begin sanctioning Ford
Focus Midget racing. The current 25+ TQ midget teams in California
reorganized under their former NMRA banner. NMRA TQ midget teams
have completed eight of the nine events on their 2006 schedule
through October 31.
The season began with non-point events in mid-January in front of
huge crowds for monster truck events at major league baseball and
football sites--Angels Stadium in Anaheim and Qualcom Stadium in San
Diego. The TQ midgets competed in heats and ran a main event on dirt
ovals laid out on coverings to protect the grass playing fields.
Four different tracks-three dirt and one paved-have hosted 2006
point races. Bakersfield Speedway, Santa Maria Speedway and Ventura
Raceway were the dirt track sites and Orange Show Speedway was the
paved site. The final race is slated for Kings Speedway in Hanford,
a new dirt track site for NMRA, on Saturday, November 11.
Four drivers and three car owners have visited victory lane in 2006
after the
usual 25-lap NMRA main events. Chris Hedge and Bruce Hiroshima won
three
features each. Solo victors were Chuck West and West Evans.
Seventeen drivers and
18 car owners have earned NMRA 2006 championship points. Point
leader is
consistent Chuck West by 58 points (494-436) over Hiroshima. Evans
leads in owner's
points by 38 points. The average car count per event has been 13
cars. TQ
chassis builders include Stealth, Dave Ellis, Dennis Hart, Rick
Stewart, the late
Bob Meli, Walt Johnson and Spike by John Godfrey. Motorcycle
700+--800+ cc
engines by Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki and Yamaha provide power for the
TQ midgets.
The 49 NMRA TQ midget races run since 2002 have had 17 different
feature
winners. Jimmy May leads with seven victories. Walt Johnson and
Chuck West each
have five triumphs. Chris Hedge, Scott Hansen and Jody Bandfield
have four each;
Todd Hunsaker and Bruce Hiroshima have three apiece; Steve Lambert,
Josh
Lakatos, Dennis Hart, Marc Hart and West Evans are two-time winners;
J. J. Ercse,
Shawn Kautz, A. J. Felker, and Richard McCormick are solo winners.
Nine
different tracks have hosted NMRA point races since its 2002
rebirth. They are
Visalia, Pahrump (NV), Santa Maria, Victorville, Ventura, Perris,
Bakersfield, San
Bernarnino and Tulare.
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