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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
USAC West Coast 360 Sprint Car Series
#29 Bud Kaeding. Photo by Lance Jennings.
KAEDING TRIUMPHS IN BAKERSFIELD RETURN
By Lance Jennings
BAKERSFIELD, CA – MARCH 26, 2012... After a multi-car tangle claimed race leader Brody Roa, Campbell's Bud Kaeding led the final three laps to score the $1,500 win at Bakersfield Speedway. With the victory, Kaeding not only ties Peter Murphy as the leader in career USAC West Coast 360 triumphs, he is also tied for the point lead heading to Hanford on April 7th.
Officially opening the 2012 point season, the highly anticipated show marked the series return to the Bakersfield facility after a near two-year absence. With twenty-seven cars signed in the pit area and the intense main event that followed, race officials quickly declared the event a success.
By virtue of an eight pill drawn for the main event inversion, Brody Roa shared the front row with Markus Niemela. As the green flag dropped, it was a drag race for the top spot and Roa took command. Niemela settled into second, followed by Josh Ford, Bud Kaeding, and Peter Murphy.
Roa set a torrid pace on the speedway and reached the back markers on the sixth circuit. Kaeding, who had moved into second, gave chase and the leaders sliced their way through the heavy traffic. Bud charged within striking distance of the leader on several occasions, only to have Brody slip away. Drivers ran in close quarters throughout the field highlighted by a pack of eleven cars battling for position.
Action was halted on lap twenty-eight for a multi-car tangle in the third turn. Unfortunately for the leader, he tagged a stalled car and spun to a stop. The incident put an end to Roa's night and also claimed Austin DeBlauw and fast time qualifier Tracy Hines. Kaeding had made his way around the tangle and inherited the lead.
Going back to the previous lap for scoring, Kaeding set the pace followed by Matt Mitchell, Niemela, Ryan Bernal, and Ford. As the green flag waved, Bud quickly put some distance between himself and the pack. Bernal dropped Niemela to fourth and when the field sorted out, it was all Bud Kaeding at the checkered flags. Mitchell took second, Bernal claimed third, Niemela was fourth, and Ford rounded out the top five drivers.
Piloting Junior Bowman's #29 Buster & Ziggy Enterprises / Kaeding Performance Bullet, Bud Kaeding won his second main event of the season. The multi-time USAC Silver Crown Champion was seventh fast in qualifications, won the 10-lap DJ Safety Heat Race #3, and scored the feature victory from fourth. Kaeding leaves Bakersfield tied for the points lead with Matt Mitchell.
Yorba Linda's Matt Mitchell raced to second after starting sixth in the 30-lap feature. Driving Steve Watt's #18X Christian Stover Foundation / SWE Maxim, the USAC/CRA standout was fourth quick in time trials and won the SBI Fuel Systems / Integra Racing Shocks Heat Race #4. After his making first start with the USAC West Coast 360s, Mitchell is tied for the lead in the championship chase.
Ryan Bernal of Hollister earned the Ringers Gloves "Hard Charger / Best Passing Job" honors with a third place run after starting sixteenth. Piloting Keith Ford's #73 King Racing Products / A&A Precision Machine Spike, last year's Rookie of the Year was second fast on the night, sixth in his heat race, and also claimed the LRB Inc. Race Products award for finishing third in the feature. Sitting third in the hunt for the title, Bernal trails the leaders by six points.
Santa Barbara's Markus Niemela scored fourth in the Bakersfield feature after starting second. Driving Steve Watt's #81 Lost Reality / SWE Maxim, the Finland native qualified ninth quick and won the Extreme Mufflers Heat Race #1. Niemela currently sits fourth in the championship chase, nine points behind Kaeding and Mitchell.
Josh Ford of Camarillo claimed fifth in the 30-lap event after starting third. Piloting Keith Ford's #72 King Racing Products / A&A Precision Machine Ellis, the former USAC National Sprint Car Rookie of the Year was eighth fast on the night and finished second in his heat race. Ford is fifth in point standings as the group returns to Hanford on April 7th.
New Castle, Indiana's Tracy Hines earned the night's Sander Engineering / Rod End Supply Fast Time Award over the other twenty-six cars in attendance. Driving his #4 MP Environmental Services / Schoenfeld Headers DRC, Hines was second in his heat race and scored twenty-first in the main event after the late race tangle ended his night.
Buena Park's Brody Roa won the Saldana Racing Products / Keizer Wheels Heat Race #2. Driving the BR Performance #91R HD Industries / "Biker" Bruce Fischer Spike, Roa qualified tenth and led twenty-seven laps of the feature before the late race tangle. Officially scoring twentieth, the young driver will look to rebound at Hanford.
The USAC West Coast 360 Sprint Car Series will return to action on Saturday, April 7th, at Scott Woodhouse's Kings Speedway in Hanford. Located on the Kings County Fairgrounds at 801 South 10th Avenue, more event information can be found at www.kingsspeedway.net or calling (559) 584-RACE (7223).
The USAC West Coast 360 Sprint Car Series would like to thank Southwest Contractors, Hoosier Tire, Amsoil, ButlerBuilt, Competition Suspension Inc., Cory Kruseman's Sprint Car & Midget Driving School, Crow Enterprizes, DJ Safety, Diversified Machine Inc., Extreme Mufflers, Hilborn Fuel Injection, Hinchman-Indy Racing Uniforms, Integra Shocks, Kaeding Performance, Keizer Wheels, LRB Inc. Race Products, ParkerStore of Phoenix, Ringers Gloves, Rod End Supply, SBI Fuel Systems, Saferacer.com, Saldana Racing Products, and Sander Engineering for their support. If you or your company would like to become part of the series, please email PR Director Lance Jennings at [email protected].
For more information on the USAC West Coast 360 Sprint Car Series, please visit westcoastsprintcars.com, usacracing.com, racesantamariaspeedway.com, or follow the series on facebook.
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USAC WEST COAST 360 SPRINT RACE RESULTS:
March 24, 2012 - Bakersfield, California - Bakersfield Speedway
SANDER ENGINEERING / ROD END SUPPLY TIME TRIALS:
1. Tracy Hines, 4, Hines-13.012; 2. Ryan Bernal, 73, Ford-13.110; 3. Danny Faria Jr., 17V, Faria-13.138; 4. Matt Mitchell, 18X, Watt-13.268; 5. Rusty Carlile, 51, Carlile-13.291; 6. Peter Murphy, 11, Iturriria-13.324; 7. Bud Kaeding, 29, Bowman-13.361; 8. Josh Ford, 72, Ford-13.370; 9. Markus Niemela, 81, Watt-13.405; 10. Brody Roa, 91R, BR-13.461; 11. Greg Taylor, 7, Taylor-13.462; 12. Chris Ennis, 86, Ennis-13.502; 13. Steve Conrad, 56, Swaim-13.581; 14. Derek Buckley, 76, Buckley-13.603; 15. Don Gansen, 7G, Gansen-13.638; 16. Austin DeBlauw, 65, DeBlauw-13.779; 17. Chris Gansen, 4G, Gansen-13.792; 18. Kevin Barnes, 36B, Barnes-13.833; 19. Justyne Hamblin, 8, JH-13.845; 20. Jim Richardson, 8R, Richardson-14.081; 21. Ricky Kirkbride, 87, Van Meter-14.105; 22. Matt Day, 97, Day-14.205; 23. Terry Nichols, 33, Nichols-14.206; 24. Brian Baker, 5X, Swaim-14.321; 25. Andrew Murray, 21, Murray-14.453; 26. Tyler Dolacki, 18, Dolacki-14.658; 27. Ray Knight, 6K, Knight-15.710.
EXTREME MUFFLERS HEAT RACE 1: (10 laps)
1. Markus Niemela, 2. Tracy Hines, 3. Ricky Kirkbride, 4. Steve Conrad, 5. Chris Gansen, 6. Andrew Murray, 7. Rusty Carlile. NT
SALDANA RACING PRODUCTS / KEIZER WHEELS HEAT RACE 2: (10 laps)
1. Brody Roa, 2. Kevin Barnes, 3. Peter Murphy, 4. Tyler Dolacki, 5. Derek Buckley, 6. Ryan Bernal, 7. Matt Day. NT
DJ SAFETY HEAT RACE 3: (10 laps)
1. Bud Kaeding, 2. Danny Faria Jr., 3. Justyne Hamblin, 4. Don Gansen, 5. Terry Nichols, 6. Ray Knight, 7. Greg Taylor. NT
SBI FUEL SYSTEMS / INTEGRA RACING SHOCKS HEAT RACE 4: (10 laps)
1. Matt Mitchell, 2. Josh Ford, 3. Austin DeBlauw, 4. Jim Richardson, 5. Brian Baker, 6. Chris Ennis. NT
FEATURE: (30 laps - With Starting Positions)
1. Bud Kaeding (4th), 2. Matt Mitchell (6th), 3. Ryan Bernal (16th), 4. Markus Niemela (2nd), 5. Josh Ford (3rd), 6. Peter Murphy (5th), 7. Kevin Barnes (12th), 8. Danny Faria Jr. (7th), 9. Don Gansen (10th), 10. Chris Gansen (18th), 11. Chris Ennis (17th), 12. Steve Conrad (9th), 13. Justyne Hamblin (13th), 14. Ricky Kirkbride (15th), 15. Matt Day (19th), 16. Jim Richardson (14th), 17. Brian Baker (21st), 18. Terry Nichols (20th), 19. Ray Knight (22nd), 20. Brody Roa (1st), 21. Tracy Hines (8th), 22. Austin DeBlauw (11th). NT
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**Rusty Carlile and Andrew Murray flipped during the first heat.
**Greg Taylor flipped during the third heat.
**Chris Ennis flipped during the fourth heat.
FEATURE LAP LEADERS:
Laps 1-27 Brody Roa, Laps 28-30 Bud Kaeding.
RINGERS GLOVES HARD CHARGER: Ryan Bernal (16th to 3rd)
NEW USAC WEST COAST SPRINT STANDINGS:
1-Bud Kaeding-68, 2-Matt Mitchell-68, 3-Ryan Bernal-62, 4-Markus Niemela-59, 5-Josh Ford-55, 6-Peter Murphy-52, 7-Danny Faria Jr.-50, 8-Kevin Barnes-49, 9-Don Gansen-41, 10-Chris Gansen-37.
2012 USAC WEST COAST 360 SPRINT CAR SERIES SCHEDULE
DATE - TRACK - LOCATION
April 7: Kings Speedway - Hanford, CA
April 14: Tulare Thunderbowl Raceway - Tulare, CA (Chris & Brian Faria Memorial)
April 21: Santa Maria Speedway - Santa Maria, CA (Ron Otto Memorial)
May 5: Santa Maria Speedway - Santa Maria, CA
May 12: Tulare Thunderbowl Raceway - Tulare, CA
June 9: Kings Speedway - Hanford, CA
June 23: Santa Maria Speedway - Santa Maria, CA (Bud Stanfield Memorial)
July 7: *Santa Maria Speedway - Santa Maria, CA (War At The Shore / Doug Fort Memorial)
July 14: Tulare Thunderbowl Raceway - Tulare, CA (John Anthony Sharp Memorial)
August 4: Kings Speedway - Hanford, CA (Jim Evett Memorial)
September 8: Kings Speedway - Hanford, CA (Jim Turner Memorial)
September 22: *Canyon Speedway Park - Peoria, AZ (Brawl For It All / Non-Points)
September 29: Santa Maria Speedway - Santa Maria, CA (Billet Cup / John Jewett Memorial / Non-Points)
October 13: Kings Speedway - Hanford, CA (Cotton Classic)
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* = Co-Sanctioned Event With ASCS Canyon Region Sprints.
This schedule is subject to change.
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