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Moorpark, CA. - NMRA-TQ Midget teams held their fifth annual
championship awards banquet of the 21st century Saturday night at
The Grinder Restaurant with 50 persons in attendance. Driving
champion Chuck West, of Clovis, and his cousin/car owner West Evans,
of Moorpark, were honored as the 2006 NMRA champions.
It was the second TQ Midget driving championship for 2002 driving
champion West and the first for car owner Evans. NMRA operated from
1957-1986 primarily in Southern California and reformed under Evans
after USAC, the 1987-2001 TQ Midget sanctioning-body, dropped TQ
racing in favor of Ford Focus Midget racing.
NMRA ran nine TQ Midget point-races during 2006 at five
speedways-four dirt tracks (Bakersfield, Santa Maria, Ventura and
Hanford) and one paved track (San Bernardino). Car counts ranged
from a low of ten to a high of 15 and averaged 13 cars. West won two
races, Evans won one feature in his second car, and a pair of
drivers-Chris Hedge and Bruce Hiroshima--won three races each. NMRA
also staged two non-point exhibition races during January 2006 in
conjunction with monster truck events in front of 40,000 spectators
at Angel Stadium in Anaheim and Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego. Kenny
Wiley won the inaugural Anaheim TQ 20-lap main event at a major
league baseball stadium. Following a pair of TQ heat races in San
Diego the 20-lap race was canceled by deteriorating track
conditions.
The NMRA roster lists 31 registered cars. Eighteen drivers and 17
car owners earned 2006 championship points. The 2007 TQ season
kicked of with two well-received non-point demonstration races at
Anaheim's Angel Stadium in front of 45,000+ fans of Amp'd Mobile
Monster Truck events. First-time TQ feature winners were 2006
rookies Scott Dobson and Jenna Bliffen, 24. The 2007 TQ season
currently lists 16 racing events at four dirt tracks from the
season-opener March 17 at Hanford through the season closer November
10 at Ventura. Santa Maria Speedway and Bakersfield Speedway also
booked NMRA TQ races during 2007.
BANQUET AWARDS: Driver Ron Ahrendt again served as banquet emcee.
Evans presented him the :"Super Turtle of the Year" award,
a teenage mutant turtle painted by JB Designs to match the flames on
Ahrendt's No. 87 Ellis TQ midget. Scott Dobson received the Racing
Optics rookie of the year award in memory of Curly and Cookie
Merrill. Richard Ortega, Jr accepted the Schroeder Racing Products
most improved driver award. Kenny Wiley earned the hard charger
award named for late NMRA official Randy Faust. Bob DeMello was the
third annual recipient of the Otto Family Sportsmanship of the Year
perpetual trophy.
A special appreciation went to Nasty Jacks Challenge for sponsoring
the Bakersfield Speedway races. Evans presented driving champion
West a half-tail tank with clock to match his championship car. The
top three drivers and car owners received tower-style lexan trophies
The drivers also received jackets. Fourth through tenth place
finishers received plaques to commemorate their top ten seasons.
Certificates went to the 11th through 18th place participants. NMRA
officials received lexan awards. Jerry Clerc of JC Performance, the
engine builder for many NMRA teams, was a special guest at the
banquet.
NMRA-TQ 2002-2006 HONOREES:
Year Champion Driver
Champion Car Owner
Rookie of the Year
2002 # 38 Chuck West
# 1 Guy Barber
# 21 Kenny Wiley
2003 # 55 Steve Lambert # 2 Greg
Edenholm
# 4
Jody Bandfield
2004 # 55 Steve Lambert
# 2 Greg Edenholm
#
70 Bruce Hiroshima
2005 # 4 Jody Bandfield
# 15 Robert & Cynthia Welcomer #
9
Richard Ortega, Jr
2006 # 38 Chuck West
# 38 West Evans
#
18 Scott Dobson
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