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MITCHELL WINS MIDGET MAIN AT VENTURA RACEWAY
by Lee Elder
VENTURA, Calif. (April 11, 2009) – Matt Mitchell outran Cody Swanson during a thrilling last lap duel and won the USAC Midget main event at Ventura Raceway.
The race marked the 120th time the USAC Midgets have raced at Ventura and none have been more exciting. The two young guns traded taking peaks at the lead over the final circuit of Ventura’s clay oval.
“I didn’t know if I had anything for him,” Mitchell said. “But in (turns) one and two I thought it either stuck in three and four or it wouldn’t, sort of a checkers or wreckers deal.”
It was checkers. Mitchell’s charge into the final corner paid off and he led as they streaked under the checkered flag. The winner, 22, took his first main event victory at Ventura.
“I just made a mistake,” Swanson said. “It was mine to lose and I lost it.” Swanson is 21.
The eight-class racing card drew 145 entries, the second-largest field of the season at Ventura. The other winners included Ojai’s Troy Rutherford (Sprint Cars), Willey Miller of Yorba Linda (Senior Sprints), Ray Estrada of Yucaipa (Pro Dwarf Cars), Ethan Quinn of Yucaipa (Junior Ford Focus Midgets), Ventura’s Nick Valenzuela (Junior Midgets), Zachery Gilmore of Woodland Hills (Mini Dwarfs – Pistons) and Ricky Lewis of Oxnard (Mini Dwarfs – Superchargers).
Rutherford and defending series champion Kevin Kierce swapped the lead on the last lap of the Sprint Car event. Only lead changes at the start-finish line count, so Rutherford was credited with leading every lap of the feature. Still, he was under heavy pressure from several drivers during the action-packed 30-lap event.
Ventura Raceway Race Results
VRA Sprint Cars: 1. Troy Rutherford, Ojai, 30 Laps; 2. Kevin Kierce, Reseda, 30 Laps; 3. Brian Camarillo, Camarillo, 30 Laps; 4. Blake Miller, Yorba Linda, 30 Laps; 5. Chris Wakim, Simi Valley, 30 Laps; 6. Josh Ford, Camarillo, 30 Laps; 7. Rick Hendrix, Palmdale, 30 Laps; 8. Richard McCormick, Aqua Dulce, 30 Laps; 9. Tyler Edwards, Ventura, 30 Laps; 10. Dennis Rodriguez, Camarillo, 30 Laps; 11. John Nock, Newhall, 30 Laps; 12. Ronnie Case, Camarillo, 30 Laps; 13. Austin Mero, Kingsburg, 30 Laps; 14. Brent Camarillo, Camarillo, 30 Laps; 15. Steve Conrad, Quartz Hill, 12 Laps; 16. Guy Woodward, Santa Clarita, 8 Laps; 17. Cody Kershaw, Oak Park, 7 Laps; 18. Henry Clarke, Villa Park, 4 Laps; 19. Greg Taylor, Ventura, 4 Laps; 20. Luis Espinoza, Castaic, 1 Lap.
Lap Leaders: Troy Rutherford (1-30).
Top 10 in points: 1. Kevin Kierce, 1140; 2. Brian Camarillo, 905; 3. Richard McCormick, 870; 4. Chris Wakim, 825; 5. Rick Hendrix, 790; 6. Greg Taylor, 780; 7. Steve Conrad, 760; 8. Troy Rutherford, 640; 9. Brent Camarillo, 635; 10. Greg Alexander, 630.
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VRA Senior Sprints: 1. Willey Miller, Yorba Linda, 20 Laps; 2. Ron Bach, Ventura, 20 Laps; 3. Bruce Douglass, Ventura, 20 Laps; 4. Bobby Michnowicz, Torrance, 20 Laps; 5. Bill Badger, Canyon Country, 20 Laps; 6. Rob Kershaw, Oak Park, 20 Laps; 7. Danny Miller, Yorba Linda, 20 Laps; 8. Cliff Warren, Camarillo, 20 Laps; 9. Jeff Culver, Lompoc, 20 Laps; 10. John Richards, Ventura, 20 Laps; 11. Bill Jones, Santa Maria, 20 Laps; 12. Russel Deblauw, Ventura, 20 Laps; 13. Victor Davis, Simi Valley, 20 Laps; 14. Bob Alderman, Calabasas, 20 Laps; 15. Tom Fish, Ventura, 20 Laps; 16. Ed Schwarz, Santa Fe Springs, 19 Laps; 17. Gil Mahoney, La Crescenta, 19 Laps; 18. Chris Meredith, Thousand Oaks, 19 Laps; 19. Mark Stover, Manhattan Beach, 19 Laps.
Lap Leaders: Willey Miller (1-20).
Top 10 in points: 1. Ron Bach, 475; 2. Bruce Douglass, 470; 2. Willey Miller, 470; 4. Rob Kershaw, 380; 5. Jeff Culver, 370; 6. Danny Miller, 350; 7. Cliff Warren, 325; 8. Bob Alderman, 315; 9. Victor Davis, 305; 10. John Richards, 290.
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VRA Pro Dwarf Cars: 1. Ray Estrada, Yucaipa, 20 Laps; 2. Angel Figueroa, El Segundo, 20 Laps; 3. Jeff Fillingame, Santa Paula, 20 Laps; 4. Mike Lewis, Sunland, 20 Laps; 5. Bill Van Praag, Ventura, 20 Laps; 6. Michael Sweeney Jr, Whittier, 20 Laps; 7. Brian Saxton, Mentone, 20 Laps; 8. Curt Cook, Santa Paula, 20 Laps; 9. Kevin Alverson, Thousand Oaks, 20 Laps; 10. George Calvo, Agua Dulce, 20 Laps; 11. Chris Olson, Chino Hills, 20 Laps; 12. Mike Neal, Northridge, 20 Laps; 13. Marc Lippert, Granada Hills, 20 Laps; 14. Steven Benson, Valencia, 19 Laps; 15. Lee Majors, Simi Valley, 19 Laps; 16. Glen Benton, Thousand Oaks, 19 Laps; 17. Thomas Velasquez, Camarillo, 19 Laps; 18. Tom Stephens Jr, Ventura, 17 Laps; 19. George Sack Jr, Aqua Dulce, 1 Lap; 20. Linda Taylor, San Dimas, 1 Lap.
Lap Leaders: Mike Lewis (1-6), Ray Estrada (7-20).
Top 10 in points: 1. Ray Estrada, 700; 2. Angel Figueroa, 620; 3. Brian Saxton, 555; 3. Mike Lewis, 555; 5. Jeff Fillingame, 550; 6. Curt Cook, 540; 7. Chris Olson, 495; 7. Lee Majors, 495; 9. Michael Sweeney Jr, 490; 9. Marc Lippert, 490.
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USAC Midget: 1. Matt Mitchell, Yorba Linda, 30 Laps; 2. Kody Swanson, 30 Laps; 3. Cory Kruseman, Ventura, 30 Laps; 4. Garrett Hansen, Manhattan Beach, 30 Laps; 5. Shannon McQueen, Bakersfield, 30 Laps; 6. Rick Hendrix, Palmdale, 30 Laps; 7. Jerome Rodella, El Monte, 30 Laps; 8. David Prickett, Fresno, 30 Laps; 9. Chris Gansen, San Bernardino, 30 Laps; 10. Josh Ford, Camarillo, 30 Laps; 11. Bruce Douglass, Ventura, 30 Laps; 12. Wink Schweitzer, Bakersfield, 30 Laps; 13. Henry Clarke, Villa Park, 30 Laps; 14. Josh Lakatos, Pasadena, 26 Laps; 15. Alex Schutte, Redding, 26 Laps; 16. Brian Camarillo, Camarillo, 23 Laps; 17. Ernie Bartley III, El Cajon, 21 Laps; 18. Mike Gehringer, 20 Laps; 19. Scott Pierovich, Alamo, 10 Laps; 20. Randi Pankratz, Atascadero, 10 Laps; 21. Dennis Howell, Rencho Palos Verdes, 2 Laps; 22. Brent Camarillo, Camarillo, 0 Laps.
Lap Leaders: Josh Ford (1-23), Cory Kruseman (24), Kody Swanson (25-29), Matt Mitchell (30).
Ventura Raceway does not calculate points for this class.
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VRA Junior Focus Midgets: 1. Ethan Quinn, Santa Clarita, 15 Laps; 2. Kyle Edwards, Fountain Valley, 15 Laps; 3. Alex Jacobsen, San Jose, 15 Laps; 4. Tanner Kershaw, Oak Park, 15 Laps; 5. Jarid Blondel, Orange, 15 Laps; 6. Casey Martinez, Riverside, 15 Laps; 7. Andrew Murray, Temecula, 15 Laps; 8. Devan Myrick, Hesperia, 14 Laps; 9. Chasen Gaunt, Torrance, 11 Laps; 10. Winn Frazin, Fontana, 8 Laps; 11. Mavrick Gaunt, Torrance, 0 Laps.
Lap Leaders: Ethan Quinn (1-15).
Top 10 in points: 1. Ethan Quinn, 135; 2. Kyle Edwards, 121; 3. Alex Jacobsen, 117; 4. Tanner Kershaw, 110; 5. Mavrick Gaunt, 96; 6. Chasen Gaunt, 88; 7. Winn Frazin, 77; 8. Taylor Ferns, 61; 9. Andrew Murray, 54; 10. Jarid Blondel, 53.
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VRA Junior Midgets: 1. Nick Valenzuela, Ventura, 15 Laps; 2. Austin Figueroa, El Segundo, 15 Laps; 3. Cameron Dougan, Camarillo, 15 Laps; 4. Cody Majors, Simi Valley, 15 Laps; 5. Luke Boles, Goleta, 15 Laps; 6. Brennan Rogers, Camarillo, 15 Laps; 7. Devin McCree, Ventura, 15 Laps; 8. Mark Garrett, Oxnard, 15 Laps; 9. Amanda Poertner, Fullerton, 15 Laps; 10. Tyler Jerman, Palmdale, 15 Laps; 11. Chase Lippert, Granada Hills, 15 Laps; 12. Kayle Brazel, Granada Hills, 14 Laps; 13. Ricky Lewis, Oxnard, 14 Laps; 14. Nathaniel Simo, Santa Clarita, 14 Laps; 15. Riley Helland, Ventura, 3 Laps.
Lap Leaders: Nick Valenzuela (1-15).
Top 10 in points: 1. Austin Figueroa, 695; 2. Nick Valenzuela, 680; 3. Luke Boles, 640; 4. Tyler Jerman, 600; 5. Brennan Rogers, 580; 6. Cameron Dougan, 525; 7. Riley Helland, 515; 8. Cody Majors, 510; 9. Devin McCree, 500; 10. Chase Lippert, 430.
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VRA Mini Dwarf – Pistons: 1. Zachery Gilmore, Woodland Hills, 12 Laps; 2. Kyle Peterson, Santa Clarita, 12 Laps; 3. Joe Snyder, Westlake, 12 Laps; 4. Nick Velasquez, Camarillo, 12 Laps; 5. JP Cardillo, Somis, 11 Laps; 6. Destyn Garcia, Oxnard, 11 Laps; 7. Cody Arthur, Camarillo, 11 Laps; 8. Lauren Velasquez, 10 Laps; 9. Devin Pierson, Piersoonville, 8 Laps; 10. Cole Wakim, Simi Valley, 1 Lap; 11. Ryann Butcher, Ventura, Did not show.
Lap Leaders: Joe Snyder (1-5), Zachery Gilmore (6-12).
Top 10 in points: 1. Zachery Gilmore, 770; 2. Joe Snyder, 675; 3. Nick Velasquez, 650; 4. Kyle Peterson, 620; 5. JP Cardillo, 560; 6. Cody Arthur, 530; 7. Cole Wakim, 515; 8. Connor Wakim, 340; 9. Destyn Garcia, 315; 10. Ryann Butcher, 295.
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VRA Mini Dwarf – Superchargers: 1. Ricky Lewis, Oxnard, 12 Laps; 2. Cameron McCauley, Westlake, 12 Laps; 3. Joseph Magana, Port Hueneme, 12 Laps; 4. Joey Freshour, Ventura, 12 Laps; 5. Oliver Blades, Moorpark, 6 Laps; 6. Alexis Mann, Simi Valley, 5 Laps; 7. Miles Hedrick, Simi Valley, 2 Laps; 8. Tommy Velasquez III, Camarillo, 0 Laps.
Lap Leaders: Oliver Blades (1-3), Ricky Lewis (4-7), Cameron McCauley (8), Ricky Lewis (9-12).
Top 10 in points: 1. Oliver Blades, 690; 2. Cameron McCauley, 625; 2. Ricky Lewis, 625; 4. Tommy Velasquez III, 620; 5. Joseph Magana, 615; 6. Joey Freshour, 590; 7. Miles Hedrick, 565; 8. Alexis Mann, 510; 9. Olivia Redman, 325.
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