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USAC FORD FOCUS MIDGETS, VRA JUNIOR FORD FOCUS MIDGETS, IMCA MODIFIEDS & DEMO DERBY ENTERTAIN AT VENTURA COUNTY FAIR
- By Tim Kennedy
Ventura, CA., Aug. 2 -Garrett Hansen, a 22-year old winner in USAC Western Midgets and USAC-CRA 410 sprint cars, returned to his roots and took his first ride this year in the USAC Ford Focus Midget dirt track series during the annual Ventura County Fairgrounds. The Manhattan Beach driver drove the No. 8 James Wells TCR chassis to victory Thursday night in the annual USAC FF Midget dirt series 20-lap feature at the fifth-mile clay Ventura Raceway. It was the debut for Wells' team with the car he bought from owner/driver Bobby Michnowicz, who won the Ventura Fair USAC feature last year in the same car. About 3,000 racing fans and fairgoers packed the Miller Lite Grandstand Arena across the street from the Pacific Ocean.
With 14 USAC cars present, Hansen started second and passed early leader/pole starter Robby Josett on lap 12 and led the final nine laps. Hansen won by ten yards over Josett, the initial VRA Junior Ford Focus Midget champion last year in Ventura promoter Jim Naylor's driver development series for driver age 13-16. Josett won the May 12 USAC FF Midget main event at Hanford and now ranks seventh in series points after eight races in the 12 race USAC FF dirt series.
Point leader Nic Faas, 17, started his dad Jerry's 2007 Beast chassis seventh and finished third, one-yard behind Josett. Faas, a four-time FF Midget winner this year (three on dirt and one on pavement) increased his point lead to 99-points over Dennis Howell, the July 21 feature winner at Ventura. In order the fourth through ninth place drivers (the only other finishers) were Thomas Gray, Jim "Jet" Davison, Caitlin Shaw, Howell, Walt Johnson and J. R. Williams.
Eight drivers in the 13-car field completed 20 laps. Five caution flags flew for minor spins during the 17-minute race. Faas and Howell led all eight laps of the two heat races that began competition at 6:00 p.m.
A 13-car field of VRA Junior Ford Focus Midget main event for drivers age 13-16 went to Austin Smith. He led all 20-laps from pole position. It was the eighth race of the series this season and there have been many different feature winners. Justin Kierce, son of sprint car driver Kevin Kierce and grandson of the 1963 CRA sprint car rookie of the year Jim Kierce, finished second. Driving Jake Hodges' ex-Klatt Racing Beast, Kierce trailed the winner by 40-yards. Austin Mero, Dakota Kershaw, Alex Bowman, Scott Oliver, Jr., Brent Owens, Harris Brooks, Kyle Shriver,, Charlie Butcher, David Perry, Jr. and Lance Butler finished in that order behind the leading duo. Jake Swanson lost a wheel while running sixth on lap 16 and was the only non-finisher. The 11-minute race had two cautions. Bowman and Butcher led all the way in a pair of seven-lap heat races.
The third racing series in action was the touring IMCA Modified Series. The regional point series had 41 cars in the pits and raced four ten-car, eight-lap qualifying heats and two 12-lap semi-mains. All six races advanced the first four finishers in each race to the 24-car, 20-lap main event. Paul Stone started tenth and became the third race leader on lap 10. He won by ten yards over Chad Daly, who came from ninth on the grid. Danny Lauer and Gary Dutton were third and fourth respectively. Bakersfield's Brad Pounds, 22, started 17th and finished fifth. Pole starter John Uccellini led the first eight laps and finished sixth. Lee Jensen, Jack Parker, Steve Smith and Jay Marks rounded out the top ten. Richard Denman was running second a lap from the finish when his car stalled and did not finish. Fifteen cars finished the 19-minute race that had only two cautions on laps 17 and 19.
The final event in the popular night two four-division motor sports nights at the fair presented by Jim Naylor was a nine-car demolition derby. Cody Harper, the Wednesday night and 2006 demo derby winner, also won Thursday in a fan-pleasing show from 9:03 to 9:21. The infield event had two red flags because of engine fires. Harper's shark-fin topped station wagon outlasted Charles Lowe's sedan. Travis Riley and Jason Jones finished third and fourth.
The next USAC Ford Focus Midget dirt track series races will be September 8 at Chowchilla and September 15 at Bakersfield Speedway. Ventura Raceway will host the final two USAC FF Midget dirt series races this year on September 29 and October 20.
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