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| WEST WINS THIRD 2008 NMRA-TQ MIDGET FEATURE - By Tim Kennedy |
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SANTA MARIA, CA., Jul. 12 - Two-time NMRA-TQ (3/4) Midget driving champion Chuck West, of Clovis, started eighth and won the NMRA-TQ Midget Series 25-lap feature Saturday at the 44-year old Santa Maria Speedway. The third-mile banked clay picturesque track is located in a ampitheatre-like setting just west of Highway 101 in central California. The 2002 and 2006 series champion was fourth by lap 5, third by lap 10, second at lap 15 and the leader on lap 18. Earlier he set fastest qualifying time of 15.445 in the 11 car field on his first of two laps during time trials. He drove the No. 38 Stealth/Kawasaki owned by his cousin and fellow driver West Evans. It was his 14th NMRA feature victory in 68 races since the TQ-sanctioning body was reorganized in 2002 after USAC dropped TQ midgets in favor of the then new Ford Focus midget class. Scott Dobson started first, led the first 17 laps and finished second in Guy Barber'sStewart/Honda. He won the point-season opener at Bakersfield.Speedway. Bruce Hiroshima, NMRA's 2004 rookie of the year,started and finished third in his own Stewart/Honda. Sixth starter Kenny Wiley, NMRA's 2002 rookie of the year, finished fourth. He drove Paul Lopiccolo's No. 21 Stewart/Honda in which he won the 2007 NMRA championship. Richard Ortega, Jr. started fourth and finished fifth. West Evans, in his Stealth/Suzuki, took sixth position. Rookies Anthony Lopiccolo and Jimmy Dobson were seventh and eighth. Scott Niven and Steve Parke.completed the top ten. Seven drivers completed all 25 laps. Second starter Ron Ahrendt was the only non-finisher after dropping out on lap 18. Pole starter S. Dobson won the first 8-lap heat race. Second starter Ahrendt won the second heat race. West increased his point lead from 33 to 36 points over S. Dobson (331-295). Hiroshima ranks third with 270 and 16 drivers have earned points after five of 11 scheduled races. In car owner points, Evans No. 38 car leads by 36 points (346-310) over Barber's No. 18. Lopiccolo's No. 21 is third with 297. Sixteen cars have earned series points. The next point race will be Saturday, July 19 at the third-mile, banked clay Bakersfield Speedway. USAC MIDGETS: Also part of the "All Open Wheel Tribute" at SMS Saturday was a USAC Western Midget Series program. Point leader Nic Faas, 18, drove the No. 40 Western Speed Equipment midget to the 30-lap main event victory. He led the final eight laps after passing 2007 USAC Western 360 Sprint Car Series champion Ryan Kaplan on lap 23. Kaplan, who is currently splitting his time between USAC Midget and Sprint car racing in California and the Midwest and NASCAR late model stock car racing at Irwindale, finished second. Early race leader C. J. Sarna was third. BCRA Midget 2007 champion Justin Grant took fourth and four-time USAC Western Midget champion Robby Flock was fifth. Shannon McQueen recorded fastest qualifying time of 13.962 in her own No. 7 midget. She finished seventh in the 15-car, 30-lap main event. BANDIT SPRINT CARS: The SMS regular Bandit sprint car series competed with 19 cars present. Albert Pombo set fast time of 14.308. Three sprint car heat followed. Danny Faria, Jr. (No. 17v) started fourth and won the 18-car. 30-lap feature over series point leader for former Australia resident Peter Murphy (No. 21). Greg Porte (No. 3g), Richard Vander Weerd (No. 10) and Rusty Carlile (No. 57) completed the top five. |
