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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Honda USAC Western Midget Series
71K Kyle Larson in Calistoga victory lane. Photo by Steve Lafond / Tear-Off Heaven Fotos.
LARSON CLAIMS $10,000 USAC WESTERN MIDGET FEATURE AT CALISTOGA
by Lance Jennings
CALISTOGA, CA – SEPTEMBER 3, 2013... After racing in Atlanta the day before with the NASCAR Nationwide Series, Elk Grove’s Kyle Larson won both the USAC Midget and Sprint Car “Louie Vermeil Classic” Features at Calistoga. The $10,000 Honda USAC Western Midget victory was Larson’s second career win as he was followed by Rico Abreu, Bryan Clauson, Shane Golobic, and Ronnie Gardner.
Racing the #71K Kunz Motorsports / Curb-Agajanian Toyota TRD Bullet, Kyle Larson took the lead from pole sitter Shane Golobic on lap three and led the rest of the way to the checkered flags. Starting fourth in the 25-lap main event, Larson had qualified third out of the 23 cars and also won the program’s third heat race. Last year’s “Turkey Night Grand Prix Champion” later jumped in Keith Ford’s #73X sprint car and earned another $10,000 victory at Calistoga.
After winning the previous night, Rico Abreu of Rutherford claimed second in the “Louie Vermeil Classic” after starting fourth. Piloting the #67K Kunz Motorsports / Curb-Agajanian Toyota TRD Bullet, Abreu was second fast in time trials and won the night’s second heat race. In limited starts, Rico has four top-10 finishes in the campaign.
Noblesville, Indiana’s Bryan Clauson flew in after a USAC Sprint Car race at Terre Haute and claimed third at Calistoga. Driving Keith Ford’s #73 Berry Pack / King Racing Products Spike, the USAC National Sprint Car Champion qualified ninth overall and was second to Larson in his heat race. To date, Clauson has two feature wins, two heat race victories, three top-10 finishes, and 31 feature laps led to his credit.
“The Fremont Flyer” Shane Golobic led the opening two laps before scoring fourth at Calistoga Speedway. Racing Doug Bock’s #26 Carson R&D / Astro Titanium Spike, the World of Outlaw Sprint Car feature winner was sixth quick in time trials and placed third in his heat race. In limited starts, Golobic has one feature win, four top-10 finishes, and 60 feature laps led on the season.
Ronnie Gardner of Norco scored fifth in the Sunday finale of the “Louie Vermeil Classic.” Driving the Six8 Motorsports’ #68 Baldozier Racing / Esslinger Engineering Stewart, Gardner earned his third fast time award and ran second in his heat race. The overall and dirt series point leader left Calistoga with a
112 point lead with five main event wins, two heat race victories, twelve top-10 finishes, and 101 feature laps led.
McMinnville, Oregon’s Lance Hallmark earned the night’s “Hard Charger / Best Passing Job” honors with a sixteenth place run after starting twenty-third. Piloting his #8H The Analog / DRD Records Spike, Hallmark qualified twenty-third overall and claimed seventh in his heat race.
Tanner Thorson of Minden, Nevada raced to victory in the program’s first 8-lap heat race. Starting the heat race sweep for the three Keith Kunz entries, the driver of the #67X Kunz Motorsports / Curb-Agajanian Toyota TRD Bullet was fourth quick in time trials and seventh in the main event.
On Thursday, September 5th, the Honda USAC Western Midgets will battle at Chico’s Silver Dollar Speedway during the “60th Annual Gold Cup Race of Champions.” Co-sanctioned with the Bay Cities Racing Association (BCRA), the “Cavalcade of Gold Cup Memories” will also showcase the USAC Western Classic Sprint Cars, Dwarf Cars, and Vintage Cars. Located on the Silver Dollar Fairgrounds at 2357 Fair Street in Chico, reserved tickets are $30 and for more information, visit www.silverdollarspeedway.com or call (530) 350-7275.
The Honda USAC Western Midget Series would like to thank Amsoil, Hoosier Tire, Rugged Radios, and Western Performance Parts for their support. For more information on the series, visit www.usacracing.com or follow the series on Facebook (www.facebook.com/usacwsmidgets).
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USAC HONDA WESTERN MIDGET CAR SERIES RACE RESULTS:
September 1, 2013 – Calistoga, California – Calistoga Speedway – “6th Louie Vermeil Classic”
QUALIFICATIONS:
1. Ronnie Gardner, 68, Six8-20.759; 2. Rico Abreu, 67K, Kunz/Curb-Agajanian-21.070; 3. Kyle Larson, 71K, Kunz/Curb-Agajanian-21.125; 4. Tanner Thorson, 67X, Kunz/Curb-Agajanian-21.252; 5. Scott Pierovich, 35, Pierovich-21.293; 6. Shane Golobic, 26, Bock-21.466; 7. Johnathon Henry, 55, Neverlift-21.491; 8. Jake Swanson, 05, Van Dyne/Swanson-21.539; 9. Bryan Clauson, 73, Ford-21.607; 10. Alex Schutte, 28, Morris-21.640; 11. Cody Swanson, 71, Swanson-21.914; 12. Taylor Simas, 62, Bock-21.970; 13. Scott Buckley, 7NZ, Buckley-22.534; 14. Britton Bock, 67, Bock-22.627; 15. Randi Pankratz, 8, Pankratz-22.686; 16. David Prickett, 15, Prickett-22.800; 17. Kyle Edwards, 39, Edwards-22.892; 18. Scott Kinney, 27C, Blackwell-23.203; 19. Terry Nichols, 45, Neverlift-23.205; 20. Pete Davis, 00, Davis-23.324; 21. Jim Christian, 0, LaMott-23.644; 22. Mike Gehringer, 27X, Gehringer-23.833; 23. Lance Hallmark, 8H, Hallmark-24.271.
FIRST HEAT: (8 laps)
1. Tanner Thorson, 2. Ronnie Gardner, 3. Scott Buckley, 4. Johnathon Henry, 5. Alex Schutte, 6. David Prickett. NT
SECOND HEAT: (8 laps)
1. Rico Abreu, 2. Jake Swanson, 3. Scott Pierovich, 4. Cody Swanson, 5. Kyle Edwards, 6. Britton Bock, 7. Lance Hallmark. NT
THIRD HEAT: (8 laps)
1. Kyle Larson, 2. Bryan Clauson, 3. Shane Golobic, 4. Randi Pankratz, 5. Taylor Simas, 6. Scott Kinney, 7. Jim Christian. NT
FEATURE: (25 laps – With Starting Positions)
1. Kyle Larson (4th), 2. Rico Abreu (5th), 3. Bryan Clauson (9th), 4. Shane Golobic (1st), 5. Ronnie Gardner (6th), 6. Scott Pierovich (2nd), 7. Tanner Thorson (3rd), 8. Alex Schutte (10th), 9. Cody Swanson (11th), 10. Taylor Simas (12th), 11. Scott Buckley (13th), 12. Jake Swanson (8th), 13. David Prickett (17th), 14. Randi Pankratz (14th), 15. Scott Kinney (18th), 16. Lance Hallmark (23rd), 17. Johnathon Henry (7th), 18. Kyle Edwards (15th), 19. Jim Christian (21st), 20. Terry Nichols (19th), 21. Mike Gehringer (22nd), 22. Pete Davis (20th), 23. Britton Bock (16th). NT
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**Bock flipped during the feature.
FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-2 Shane Golobic, Laps 3-25 Kyle Larson.
HARD CHARGER: Lance Hallmark (23rd to 16th)
NEW HONDA WESTERN DIRT MIDGET POINT STANDINGS:
1-Ronnie Gardner-817, 2-Jake Swanson-705, 3-David Prickett-550, 4-Scott Pierovich-550, 5-Cody Swanson-383, 6-Nick Chivello-368, 7-Randi Pankratz-366, 8-Shannon McQueen-342, 9-Kyle Edwards-295, 10-Frankie Guerrini-273.
2013 HONDA USAC WESTERN MIDGET SCHEDULE
DATE - TRACK - LOCATION
September 5: **Silver Dollar Speedway - Chico, CA (Gold Cup Race of Champions)
September 14: **Madera Speedway - Madera, CA (Harvest Classic)
September 21: Bakersfield Speedway - Bakersfield, CA
September 28: *Ventura Raceway - Ventura, CA (Battle at the Beach)
October 5: **Petaluma Speedway - Petaluma, CA (Soares Classic)
November 14: ***Canyon Speedway Park - Peoria, AZ (Western World Championships)
November 15: ***Canyon Speedway Park - Peoria, AZ (Western World Championships)
November 16: ***Canyon Speedway Park - Peoria, AZ (Western World Championships)
November 22: Cocopah Speedway - Yuma, AZ
November 23: Cocopah Speedway - Yuma, AZ
November 28: ***Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (Turkey Night Grand Prix)
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* = Co-Sanctioned Event with VRA Midget Series.
** = Co-Sanctioned Event with BCRA Midget Series.
*** = Co-Sanctioned Event with Honda USAC National Midget Series.
This schedule is subject to change.
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