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Shannon McQueen Claims First BCRA Midget Victory at Lakeport
By Robert Haugh
After taking the lead on Lap 11, Shannon McQueen never looked back, bolting ahead of the pack and leading the final 19 laps of the Bay Cities Racing Association Midget feature at Lakeport Speedway on Saturday June 7 in her own #7 Stealth/Esslinger in claiming her first career BCRA Midget triumph.
After earlier wining Heat 1, McQueen blistered by youngster Kyle Dickerson in the #11k Harold Dickerson Beast/Esslinger on lap 11 en route to taking the checkers by over seven seconds over Dickerson and nearly a lap over Nick Foster, Jr. aboard Jim Fowler’s #24 Beast/Gaerte.
Midget Lite graduate “Nitro” Nick Chivello in the Daniel Chivello #27b Beast/Esslinger and seven-time BCRA champion “Ageless Wonder” Floyd Alvis aboard his #18 Champion Automotive “Green Beret” Stealth/Van Dyne rounded out the top five, both one lap down with Mike Donaldson aboard Stu Donaldson’s #8 Stealth/Gaerte scoring sixth, also one lap down.
While running in third on the last lap, Chivello spun, leading to a yellow-checkered finish.
Pulling to a coasting stop on the front straightaway on Lap eight, Points leader Scott Nail dropped out at Lap eight aboard Stu Donaldson’s #8x Stealth/Pontiac.
McQueen becomes the second female to claim victory in BCRA Midget competition. The triumph was the second Midget victory of her career, having won a USAC-Western States Midget race at Madera Speedway in 2007.
Ukiah (May 3) race winner Marco DeGeorge had motor problems during practice Friday evening aboard the #78 Mark DeGeorge Beast/Esslinger, sitting on the sidelines on Saturday. 16-year-old BCRA rookie Britton Bock suffered from mechanical problems on Saturday in his own #62 TCR/Pontiac.
McQueen claimed Heat 1 over Nail, Alvis, Foster and Chivello.
Dickerson claimed the winner’s laurels in the “A” Dash, while Alvis triumphed in the “B” Dash.
Blistering the speedy ¼-mile Lakeport Speedway oval with a time of 11.699, Nick Foster, Jr., set fast time while breaking the track record.
Through eight races, Nail leads the BCRA Midget points by 37 points over Foster heading in this Saturday’s race at Madera Speedway.
The BCRA Midgets return to pavement this Saturday, June 14 at Madera Speedway.
Visit www.bcraracing.com for additional information on the BCRA Midgets.
Summary:
Qualifying: 1. Nick Foster Jr., 24, Fowler – 11.699(New Track Record); 2. Shannon McQueen, 7, McQueen, 11.828; 3. Kyle Dickerson, 11k, Dickerson – 12.095; 4.Scott Nail, 8x, Donaldson – 12.097, 5. Nick Chivello, 27b, Chivello – 12.180; 6. Mike Donaldson, 8, Donaldson – 12.468; 7. Floyd Alvis, 18, Alvis – 12.630; 8. Britton Bock, 62, Bock, NT
“A” Dash (4 Laps): 1. Dickerson, 2. Nail, 3. McQueen, 4. Foster Jr. 48.38
“B” Dash (4 laps): 1. Alvis, 2. Donaldson, 3. Chivello 50.06
Heat 1 (10 laps): 1. McQueen, 2. Nail, 3. Alvis, 4. Foster Jr. 5. Chivello, 6. Donaldson, 7. Dickerson 2.02.28
Main Event 30 Laps (Start position) NT: 1. McQueen (3), 2. Dickerson (2), 3. Foster Jr. (4), 4. Chivello (5), 5. Alvis (7), 6. Donaldson (6), 7. Nail (1)
Lap Leaders Dickerson 1-10, McQueen 11- 30
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