This message was edited on
June 06, 2016 at
11:38:50 PM by ljennings
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
USAC Western States Midget Series
MICHAEL FACCINTO WINS BATTLE AT BAKERSFIELD
By Lance Jennings
JUNE 6, 2016… After temperatures reached over 100 degrees, Michael Faccinto (Hanford, California) earned his first USAC Western States Midget win of the year at Bakersfield Speedway. Leading all 30-laps, Faccinto scored the third series main event triumph of his career. Fast qualifier Ronnie Gardner, “The Hawk” Darren Hagen, Cory Elliott, and Tyler Dolacki rounded out the top-five drivers.
Racing the MF Motorsports’ owned #35F OZV / Lucas Oil Spike, Michael Faccinto faced heavy pressure from Gardner for the top spot as track conditions changed. Continuing to hit his marks on the Bakersfield clay, Faccinto took the checkered flags with Gardner right on his heels. Earlier in the program, Michael qualified fifth overall out of twenty racers and won the 8-lap DJ Safety Heat Race #2. The second generation driver left Bakersfield ranked second in points with one Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Award, one heat race victory, four top-10 finishes, and 57 feature laps led.
Ronnie Gardner (Corona, California) finished a very close second to Faccinto at Bakersfield Speedway. Piloting the Six8 Motorsports’ #68 Baldozier Racing / Esslinger Engineering Stewart, Gardner claimed his second Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Award and won the 8-lap Extreme Mufflers Heat Race #1. Heading to Hanford on June 25th, the three-time champion has a 30-point lead with three feature wins, four heat race victories, four top-10 finishes, and 52 feature laps led on the year.
“The Hawk” Darren Hagen (Riverside, California) scored third in the 30-lap main event. Driving Keith Ford’s #73X Berry Pack / Walker Filtration Systems TCR, Hagen was fourth quick in time trials and ran second to Gardner in his heat race. The former USAC National Midget Champion has climbed to ninth in the point standings with two heat race victories and one top-10 finish to his credit.
Cory Elliott (Bakersfield, California) placed fourth at this hometown racetrack. Racing the family owned #11E FK Indy / Oilwize Spike, Elliott qualified second overall and ran second to Faccinto in his heat race. The 2015 Rookie of the Year is currently sixth in the point chase with one heat race victory and two top-10 finishes on the season.
Tyler Dolacki (Fresno, California) raced to fifth at Bakersfield after starting ninth. Piloting the family owned #18 Cite Clean / Ultimate Oil Cleanup Beast, Dolacki was fifteenth fast in time trials and ran third in his heat race. The young driver heads to Hanford sitting fifth in points with one Competition Suspension Inc. / Rod End Supply Semi-Main win, two Keizer Aluminum Wheels / Rod End Supply Hard Charger Awards, and three top-10 finishes in the campaign.
Courtney Crone (Corona, California) earned the night’s Keizer Aluminum Wheels / Rod End Supply “Hard Charger / Best Passing Job” honors with a seventh place run from thirteenth. Driving Jerome Rodela’s #25 Trench Shoring / Ed Pink Racing Engines Breka, Crone qualified seventh overall and ran fifth in her heat race. To date, the rookie contender is eleventh in the point chase with one top-10 finish.
Sean Dodenhoff (Bakersfield, California) drive to victory in the Brown & Miller Racing Solutions Heat Race #3. Racing the family owned #9D Lightning Medical Pro / Torco Oil Spike, Dodenhoff was sixth quick in time trials and finished ninth in the main event. Sean left his “home track” placed third in the point standings with two heat race victories, three top-10 finishes, and 2 feature laps led.
On Saturday, June 25th, the USAC Western States Midgets will head to the Keller Auto Speedway at Kings Fairgrounds in Hanford, California. The event will also feature the USAC West Coast Sprint Cars, winged Western RaceSaver Sprint Cars, and IMCA Stock Cars. Located on the Kings County Fairgrounds at 801 South 10th Avenue, more event information can be found at www.racekingsspeedway.com or calling 559.651.1990.
The USAC Western States Midget Series thanks Hoosier Tire, Brown and Miller Racing Solutions, Competition Suspension Incorporated, DJ Safety, Diversified Machine Incorporated, Extreme Mufflers, Keizer Aluminum Wheels, Rod End Supply, Stand 21 Racer Goes Safer Foundation, Ultra Shield Race Products, and Woodland Auto Display for their support. If you or your company would like to become part of the series, email PR Director Lance Jennings at [email protected].
For more information on the series, visit the United States Auto Club (USAC) website at www.usacracing.com. You can also find exclusive content on the USAC Western States Midget Facebook and Twitter pages.
Loudpedal Productions has USAC Western States Midget DVDs and videos on demand available for purchase at www.loudpedal.tv and 805.407.7229.
--------------------------------------------------------------
USAC WESTERN STATES MIDGET SERIES RACE RESULTS:
June 4, 2016 – Bakersfield, California – Bakersfield Speedway
WOODLAND AUTO DISPLAY QUALIFICATIONS:
1. Ronnie Gardner, 68, Six8-14.386; 2. Cory Elliott, 11E, Elliott-14.825; 3. Frankie Guerrini, 63, Guerrini-14.883; 4. Darren Hagen, 73X, Ford-14.900; 5. Michael Faccinto, 35F, MF-15.023; 6. Sean Dodenhoff, 9D, Dodenhoff-15.048; 7. Courtney Crone, 25, Rodela-15.228; 8. Shannon McQueen, 7, McQueen-15.278; 9. Robert Dalby, 4D, Dalby-15.299; 10. Ashley Hazelton, 15, Hazelton-15.344; 11. Terry Nichols, 1P, Nichols-15.419; 12. Randi Pankratz, 8, Pankratz-15.490; 13. Dylan Ito, 73, Ford-15.588; 14. Michelle Decker, 7X, McQueen-15.606; 15. Tyler Dolacki, 18, Dolacki-15.749; 16. Maria Cofer, 57, Cofer-15.987; 17. Steve Davis, 2D, Davis-16.041; 18. Jeff Harrington, 9H, Dodenhoff-16.057; 19. Cody Swanson, 71S, Swanson-16.818; 20. Robby Josett, 2, Josett-NT.
EXTREME MUFFLERS FIRST HEAT: (8 laps)
1. Gardner, 2. Hagen, 3. Hazelton, 4. Swanson, 5. Crone, 6. Cofer, 7. Ito. NT
DJ SAFETY SECOND HEAT: (8 laps)
1. Faccinto, 2. Elliott, 3. McQueen, 4. Josett, 5. Nichols, 6. Davis, 7. Decker. NT
BROWN & MILLER RACING SOLUTIONS THIRD HEAT: (8 laps)
1. Dodenhoff, 2. Dalby, 3. Dolacki, 4. Guerrini, 5. Pankratz, 6. Harrington. NT
FEATURE: (30 laps – With Starting Positions)
1. Michael Faccinto (2nd), 2. Ronnie Gardner (1st), 3. Darren Hagen (4th), 4. Cory Elliott (5th), 5. Tyler Dolacki (9th), 6. Cody Swanson (10th), 7. Courtney Crone (13th), 8. Frankie Guerrini (12th), 9. Sean Dodenhoff (3rd), 10, Robby Josett (11th), 11. Ashley Hazelton (7th), 12. Robert Dalby (6th), 13. Jeff Harrington (18th), 14. Maria Cofer (16th), 15. Dylan Ito (19th), 16. Terry Nichols (14th), 17. Randi Pankratz (15th), 18. Steve Davis (17th), 19. Shannon McQueen (8th), 20. Michelle Decker (20th). NT
------------------------------------
FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-30 Faccinto.
KEIZER ALUMINUM WHEELS / ROD END SUPPLY HARD CHARGER: Courtney Crone (13th to 7th)
USAC WESTERN STATES MIDGET POINT STANDINGS:
1. Ronnie Gardner-326, 2. Michael Faccinto-296, 3. Sean Dodenhoff-228, 4. Frankie Guerrini-225, 5. Tyler Dolacki-224, 6. Cory Elliott-214, 7. Cody Swanson-193, 8. Randi Pankratz-188, 9. Darren Hagen-163, 10. Robert Dalby-161, 11. Courtney Crone-159, 12. Terry Nichols-158, 13. Maria Cofer-151, 14. Robby Josett-125, 15. Troy Rutherford-113, 16. Shannon McQueen-109, 17. Dylan Ito-98, 18. Jeff Harrington-88, 19. Shane Golobic-74, 20. Alex Schutte-68.
2016 USAC WESTERN STATES MIDGET SCHEDULE
DATE-TRACK-LOCATION
June 25: Keller Auto Speedway at Kings Fairgrounds - Hanford, CA
July 16: *Petaluma Speedway – Petaluma, CA (Jack London Hall of Fame Picnic Event)
September 3: Calistoga Speedway – Calistoga, CA (Louie Vermeil Classic)
September 4: Calistoga Speedway – Calistoga, CA (Louie Vermeil Classic)
September 8: *Silver Dollar Speedway – Chico, CA (Gold Cup Race of Champions)
September 17: Santa Maria Raceway – Santa Maria, CA
October 8: Merle Stone Chevrolet Thunderbowl Raceway - Tulare, CA
October 29: Ventura Raceway – Ventura, CA
November 19: Bakersfield Speedway – Bakersfield, CA
November 24: #Ventura Raceway – Ventura, CA (Turkey Night Grand Prix)
-----------------------------------------------
* = Co-Sanctioned Event with BCRA Midgets.
# = Co-Sanctioned Event with USAC National Midgets.
This schedule is subject to change.
|
