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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
USAC Western States Midget Series
BRODY FUSON WINS “FARIA MEMORIAL” AT TULARE
By Lance Jennings
TULARE, CA – APRIL 3, 2022… Starting third, Brody Fuson (Bakersfield, CA) raced to victory at last Saturday’s BCRA co-sanctioned “Faria Memorial” at Thunderbowl Raceway (Tulare, California). Making his first start in Bobby Brown’s #14J T&T Trucking / Silva Ranches Spike, Fuson took command of the last eleven laps after the engine on fast qualifier Chase Johnson’s mount expired. From there, Brody sailed to his third career USAC Western States win over Blake Bower, Ben Worth, new point leader A.J. Bender, and Travis Buckley.
Outside front row starter Dylan Ito led the opening two circuits at the Tulare County Fairgrounds. Looking for his first win, Ito soon had to contend with Josh Ford Motorsports teammate Chase Johnson. Johnson, who found the outside groove to his liking sailed past the young driver and looked to run away from the field. Johnson had a big advantage until engine problems ended his night.
Brody Fuson opened his night by qualifying fourth overall and winning the 8-lap Ammonia Refrigeration Service Heat Race #2. The young driver heads to his hometown racetrack ranked ninth in the point standings.
Chase Johnson (Penngrove, CA) earned his first Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Award of the year by posting a time of 15.823 over the 12-car roster. The driver of Keith Ford’s #73X Naturipe / Sun Valley AG Transport Triple X placed third in his heat race and scored tenth in the 25-lap main event. Chase will run a limited USAC Western States Midget schedule and is sixteenth in the points.
A.J. Bender (San Diego, CA) raced to victory in the night’s 8-lap Jordan Hanni Well Drilling Heat Race #2. Piloting the LKK Racing #1X Josh Ford Motorsports / Rod End Supply Triple X, the leading rookie contender was ninth fast in time trials and fourth in the feature. Bender has taken over the point lead with a twelve point advantage heading to Bakersfield.
Blake Bower (Brentwood, CA) earned the night’s Rod End Supply Hard Charger Award with a second place run from eighth. Driving Tony Boscacci’s #9 Orland Public Auto Auction / Mountain Cascade Incorporated Spike, Bower qualified seventh overall and ran second to Bender in his heat race. The defending champion has climbed to fourth in the point standings.
The “mighty midgets” of the USAC Western States and Bay Cities Racing Association (BCRA) will return to action on Saturday, April 16th, at Bakersfield Speedway in Bakersfield, California.
The USAC Western States Midget Series thanks Ammonia Refrigeration Service, AMSOIL, Competition Suspension Incorporated, Extreme Mufflers, FloRacing.com, Jordan Hanni Well Drilling, Hoosier Racing Tire, Rod End Supply, Wilwood Disc Brakes, and Woodland Auto Display for their support.
For more information on the series, visit usacracing.com and the social media for USAC Racing. You can also find exclusive content on the USAC Western States Midget Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages.
USAC WESTERN STATES MIDGET SERIES RACE RESULTS: April 2, 2022 – Thunderbowl Raceway – Tulare, California – “Chris & Brian Faria Memorial” – Co-Sanctioned with BCRA
WOODLAND AUTO DISPLAY QUALIFICATONS: 1. Chase Johnson, 73X, Ford-15.823; 2. Ben Worth, 5X, Alexander-15.920; 3. Jake Andreotti, 00, Davis-16.190; 4. Brody Fuson, 14J, Brown-16.255; 5. Dylan Ito, 73, Ford-16.286; 6. Travis Buckley, 7NZ, Buckley-16.356; 7. Blake Bower, 9, Boscacci-16.404; 8. C.J. Sarna, 20, Sarna-16.458; 9. A.J. Bender, 1X, LKK-16.515; 10. Thomas Esberg, 8X, Esberg-17.891; 11. Michael Snider, 6K, Snider-18.314; 12. Anthony Esberg, 1K, Esberg-19.276.
JORDAN HANNI WELL DRILLING FIRST HEAT: (8 laps) 1. Bender, 2. Bower, 3. Johnson, 4. Snider, 5. Ito, 6. Andreotti. NT.
AMMONIA REFRIGERATION SERVICE SECOND HEAT: (8 laps) 1. Fuson, 2. Worth, 3. Sarna, 4. Buckley, 5. T.Esberg, 6. A.Esberg. 2:43.39.
FEATURE: (25 laps, With Starting Positions) 1. Brody Fuson (3), 2. Blake Bower (8), 3. Ben Worth (5), 4. A, J, Bender (7), 5. Travis Buckley (1), 6. Michael Snider (11), 7. Anthony Esberg (12), 8. Dylan Ito (2), 9. C.J. Sarna (9), 10. Chase Johnson (6), 11. Thomas Esberg (10), 12. Jake Andreotti (4). NT.
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**Sarna flipped on lap 17 of the feature. Ito flipped on lap 18 of the feature.
FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-2 Ito, Laps 3-14 Johnson, Laps 15-25 Fuson.
ROD END SUPPLY HARD CHARGER: Blake Bower (8th to 2nd)
NEW USAC WESTERN STATES MIDGET POINTS: 1-A.J. Bender-139, 2-Ben Worth-127, 3-Jake Andreotti-126, 4-Blake Bower-123, 5-Travis Buckley-114, 6-Michael Snider-98, 7-C.J. Sarna-94, 8-Anthony Esberg-83, 9-Brody Fuson-81, 10-Michael Faccinto-77.
TOP QUALIFIER POINTS: 1-Ben Worth-10, 2-Shane Golobic-6, --Jake Andreotti-6, --Chase Johnson-6, 5-Shannon McQueen-4, 6-Michael Faccinto-3, --Brody Fuson-3, 8-Dylan Ito-2, 9-Austin Liggett-1, --Travis Buckley-1.
PASSING MASTER POINTS: 1-A.J. Bender-7, --Michael Snider-7, 3-Blake Bower-6, 4-Randi Pankratz-5, --Danika Jo Parker-5, 7-Ben Wiesz-4, 8-Dylan Bloomfield-3.
NEXT USAC WESTERN STATES MIDGET RACE: April 16 – Bakersfield Speedway – Bakersfield, California – Co-Sanctioned with BCRA
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