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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Honda USAC Western Midget Series
#68 Ronnie Gardner – Bakersfield Main Event Winner. File Photo by Lance Jennings.
RONNIE GARDNER ADDS BAKERSFIELD TO WIN LIST
by Lance Jennings
BAKERSFIELD, CA – SEPTEMBER 23, 2013... Continuing his march to the championship, Honda USAC Western Midget point leader Ronnie Gardner of Norco won the Saturday night feature at Bakersfield Speedway. Taking the lead from David Prickett on lap twenty-four, Gardner was not to be denied as he claimed the special 40-lap main event. Earning his seventh series win of the campaign, Ronnie was followed by Prickett, Sean Dodenhoff, Trey Marcham, and Shannon McQueen.
Piloting the Six8 Motorsports’ #68 Baldozier Racing / Esslinger Engineering Stewart, Ronnie Gardner out-qualified the eleven car field and earned his fifth fast time award of 2013. Scoring second in his heat race, the former USAC/CRA Most Improved Driver left Bakersfield with a 189 point advantage with two heat race victories, fourteen top-10 finishes, and 140 feature laps led.
After leading the first 23 laps, Fresno’s David Prickett had to settle for second at Bakersfield. Racing the Neverlift Motorsports' #15 Crysalli Water / Mt. Rose Cocktail Mixes Spike, Prickett was fifth quick in time trials and placed fifth in his heat race. Currently, the veteran driver sits third in the dirt series point standings with five heat race victories, one semi-main win, and eight top-10 finishes on the season.
Sean Dodenhoff of Bakersfield had a solid run at Bakersfield with a third place finish. Driving his #9D Lightning Medical Pro / Torco Oil Spike, Dodenhoff qualified sixth quick and won his second heat race of the season. Racing a limited schedule, Sean has five top-10 finishes and 1 feature lap led to his credit
Rookie contender Trey Marcham of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma raced to fourth in the 40-lap main event. Piloting the McQueen Racing #37 Simpson Race Products / R.D. Marcham Energy Spike, Trey was third fast in time trials and scored third in his heat race. To date, Marcham is tenth in the dirt series with one heat race victory and three top-10 finishes on the year.
Scoring fifth at Bakersfield Speedway was Tehachapi’s Shannon McQueen. Driving the McQueen Racing #7 Lucas Oil / Simpson Race Products Spike, the defending champion qualified second and scored third in her het race. As this writing goes to press, Shannon is fourth in the dirt series points with one fast time awards, one heat race victory, three hard charger awards, and seven top-10 finishes.
“The Wild Child” Chris Ennis raced to victory in front of his hometown fans in the night’s first 8-lap heat race. Racing the family owned #86 Diamond Motorsports Auto Sales / Sidewaze Designs Spike, the 2011 Rookie of the Year was seventh quick in time trials and placed seventh in the main event.
This Saturday, September 28th, the Honda USAC Western Midgets will clash with the VRA Midgets for the final round of the “Battle at the Beach” at Ventura Raceway. The event at the “Best Little Dirt Track in America” will also feature IMCA Modifieds, Mod Lites, Focus Midgets, Sport Mods, Junior Midgets, and Mini Dwarfs. For more event and ticket information, visit www.venturaraceway.com or call 805.648.RACE.
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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HONDA USAC WESTERN MIDGET CAR SERIES RACE RESULTS:
September 21, 2013 – Bakersfield, California – Bakersfield Speedway
QUALIFICATIONS:
1. Ronnie Gardner, 68, Six8-13.210; 2. Shannon McQueen, 7, McQueen-13.412; 3. Trey Marcham, 37, McQueen-13.477; 4. Cody Swanson, 71, Swanson-13.507; 5. David Prickett, 15, Neverlift-13.576; 6. Sean Dodenhoff, 9D, Dodenhoff-13.605; 7. Chris Ennis, 86, Ennis-13.625; 8. Bobby Michnowicz, 21JR. Michnowicz-13.813; 9. Randi Pankratz, 8, Pankratz-13.816; 10. Dan Hillberg., 49, Hillberg-13.868; 11. Terry Nichols, 45, Neverlift-NT.
FIRST HEAT: (8 laps)
1. Chris Ennis, 2. Ronnie Gardner, 3. Trey Marcham, 4. Randi Pankratz, 5. David Prickett, 6. Terry Nichols. NT
SECOND HEAT: (8 laps)
1. Sean Dodenhoff, 2. Cody Swanson, 3. Shannon McQueen, 4. Dan Hillberg, 5. Bobby Michnowicz. NT
FEATURE: (40 laps)
1. Ronnie Gardner, 2. David Prickett, 3. Sean Dodenhoff, 4. Trey Marcham, 5. Shannon McQueen, 6. Terry Nichols, 7. Chris Ennis, 8. Randi Pankratz, 9. Bobby Michnowicz, 10. Dan Hillberg, 11. Cody Swanson. NT
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FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-23 David Prickett, Laps 24-40 Ronnie Gardner.
HONDA USAC WESTERN DIRT MIDGET POINT STANDINGS:
1-Ronnie Gardner-962, 2-Jake Swanson-773, 3-David Prickett-649, 4-Shannon McQueen-444, 5-Cody Swanson-424, 6-Randi Pankratz-410, 7-Scott Pierovich-378, 8-Terry Nichols-306, 9-Johnathon Henry-301, 10-Trey Marcham-297.
2013 HONDA USAC WESTERN MIDGET SERIES SCHEDULE
DATE - TRACK - LOCATION
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 USAC National Midget Series.
This schedule is subject to change.
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