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Photo by http://www.JohnsRacingPhotos.com
Bud Kaeding scores pair of podium finishes at Tachi Invitational in Hanford on Saturday
By Gary Thomas
Hanford, CA – September 28, 2008…Competing in a pair of different racing divisions at the Kings Speedway this past weekend Campbell’s Bud Kaeding capped off the two-night show with a pair of podium finishes at the Tachi Open Wheel Invitational on Saturday evening.
The double-header weekend at the Hanford, CA based 3/8 mile clay oval saw drastically different track conditions over the two nights of racing as opening night saw a very choppy surface with Saturday bringing much drier, yet smoother conditions. For the weekend Kaeding was in action driving the BK Motorsports No. 29 Winged 410 Sprint Car as well as the No. 19 BCRA Midget owned by Mike Sala.
Opening night on Friday also marked the annual Cotton Classic, which is a race that Kaeding finished third in during the ’06 season and he kicked off the event this year by winning the second 410 heat race, before lining-up on the pole of the main event. The 28 year-old jumped into the lead at the waving of the green flag and was able to sit out front for 10 laps, until getting passed by Stephen Allard for the top spot on a mid-race restart.
Kaeding then tried to hang with Allard, but during the late stages of the main event would lose a pair of spots to father Brent and eventually Jonathan Allard to push him back to fourth, where he would finish at the checkered flag aboard the Alviso Rock, Kaeding Performance, MPD Racing Products No. 29. The midget portion of the night saw him time-in third quickest and bring home a third place finish in the main event following a good battle with Sala Racing teammate Brad Kuhn.
The track preparation crew then spent much of Saturday trying to smooth the track out and the work paid off, but an early after noon start time, coupled with high’s in the Mid-90’s, made for very dry and challenging conditions. By finishing in the top four during both of his main events on Friday night however, it gave Kaeding the opportunity to not qualify on Saturday and he was able to sit back and relax during the early portion of the night.
The BCRA Midget format placed Kaeding into the second of two heat races and the two-time defending USAC Silver Crown champ was able to get the jump at the start of the eight lap contest and pull away to pick up the victory aboard the Weldway Construction, Maxwell Industries, Kaeding Performance No. 19. He then started from the fourth row in the 30 lap BCRA main event and was running around the sixth position just before the midway point of the feature hit.
Kaeding was then able to get his elbows up and charge forward during the later stages of the main event as he moved into fifth on lap 15 and was up to third by the 24th circuit. The veteran driver then put heavy pressure on the driver running in second and was able to make the move with just a few laps left in the feature to put the Sala Racing machine into the runner-up spot. Kaeding then tried to run down the leader, but there wasn’t enough time and he had to settle for a second place finish, which was his third top five in three BCRA Midget starts this season driving for car owner Mike Sala.
The 410 portion of the Tachi Open Wheel Invitational finale saw Kaeding start fourth in the 35 lap main event and he would proceed to have a strong run as he diced it up right around and within the top five. The driver of the K & N Filters, High Five Pizza No. 29 machine was able to get up to as high as second, before coming to the white flag in the fourth position. Kaeding then got a great run down the backstretch and was able to slip underneath former World of Outlaw regular Shane Stewart to steal away the third spot at the checkered flag, capping off a great night of racing for the Campbell driver.
17th annual Pacific Sprint Fall Nationals up next:
Kaeding will resume action this coming Thursday night at the Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico where he will kick off the 17th annual Pacific Sprint Fall Nationals driving the Werbach Motorsports, Los Gatos Construction Company No. 20. Last season saw the team have a strong run at the event as Kaeding scored a fifth place finish on his prelim and then charged from 10th to fourth during the 40 lap finale on Saturday night.
This season has also seen Kaeding have much success in the No. 20 sprint car, winning two main events at the Ocean Speedway and finishing in a tie for fourth in the track standings, despite missing two events. Kaeding has also had some big moments in his career at the Pacific Sprint Fall Nationals as he captured wins at the event during his first two seasons behind the wheel of a sprint car in 1996 & ’97.
More information on Campbell, CA's Bud Kaeding can be found at http://www.budkaedingracing.com
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Bud Kaeding drove the Mike Sala Racing No. 19 Midget to a pair of podium finishes with the Bay Cities Racing Association during the Tachi Palace Open Wheel Invitational at the Kings Speedway in Hanford this past weekend. Photo by http://www.MMRacingPhotos.com
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