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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Honda USAC Western Midget Series
#68 Ronnie Gardner. Photo by Lance Jennings.
RONNIE GARDNER ENJOYS FIFTH VICTORY AT WATSONVILLE
by Lance Jennings
WATSONVILLE, CA – JULY 14, 2013... Enjoying his best season to date, Ronnie Gardner of Norco scored his fifth Honda USAC Western Midget win at Ocean Speedway in Watsonville. The point leader grabbed the lead from Randi Pankratz on lap ten and roared to the Friday night “Howard Kaeding Classic” victory. Johnathan Henry, Jake Swanson, Taylor Simas, and Shane Golobic followed Gardner to the checkered flags.
Piloting the Six8 Motorsports’ #68 Baldozier Racing / Esslinger Engineering Stewart, Ronnie Gardner was one of four drivers to qualify under Scott Pierovich’s 2012 track record. Officially second quick, Ronnie was third in his heat race and fought off Shane Golobic and Henry to claim the win. Gardner left Watsonville with a 59 point advantage, earning one fast time award, one heat race victory, nine top-10 finishes, and 91 feature laps led on the season.
Stockton’s Johnathon Henry pressured Gardner for the lead, but had to settle for second after starting eighth. Racing Mike Sala’s #19 Weldway Inc. / Sala Construction Spike, Henry was eleventh quick in time trials and claimed second in his heat race. Despite limited appearances in 2013, Johnathon made the most of the opportunity and gave it all he had in the 30-lap main event.
Jake Swanson of Anaheim ran third in the “Howard Kaeding Classic” after starting sixth. Driving the #05 Van Dyne / Swanson Racing Edmunds, Jake out-qualified the 20 car field and set a new track record. Taking third in his heat race, Swanson battled hard to stay up front in the Ocean Speedway feature. Last season’s USAC/CRA Sprint Car Rookie of the Year is second in the point chase with one feature win, four heat race victories, nine top-10 finishes, and 43 feature laps led.
After starting ninth, Orland’s Taylor Simas took fourth in the Watsonville main event. Piloting Doug Bock’s #62 Carson R&D / Astro Titanium Spike, Simas qualified twelfth and placed third in his heat race. In limited starts, the Wingless Spec Sprint graduate has three top-10 finishes in the campaign.
“The Fremont Flyer” Shane Golobic rebounded from a mid-race spin to score fifth in the “Howard Kaeding Classic.” Racing Doug Bock’s #26 Carson R&D / Astro Titanium Spike, Golobic pressured Gardner for the top spot until “bicycling” his machine and avoiding disaster. Earlier in the program, Shane was third fast in time trials and took fourth in his heat race. To date, Golobic has one feature win, two top-10 finishes, and 51 feature laps led in the campaign.
Fountain Valley’s Kyle Edwards earned the night’s “Hard Charger / Best Passing Job” honors with a sixth place run from seventeenth. Driving the family owned #39 Safehouse Security / Van Dyne Engineering Ellis, Edwards qualified ninth and scored sixth in his heat race. The Rookie of the Year candidate is eighth in the standings with two heat race victories and three top-10 finishes.
Trey Marcham of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma scored his first heat race victory of the year at Watsonville. Piloting the McQueen Racing #37 Simpson Race Products / R.D. Marcham Energy Spike was tenth quick overall and scored fifteenth in the main event. Battling for a top five spot, a hard crash put an end to Trey’s night and he was uninjured. Sitting ninth in points, Marcham has two top-10 finishes on the season.
Fresno’s David Prickett claimed his series leading fifth heat race victory at Ocean Speedway. Racing his Neverlift Motorsports’ #15 Crysalli Water / Mt. Rose Cocktail Mixes Spike, Prickett was fourteenth fast in time trials and thirteenth in the main event. Currently third in the standings, David has one semi-main win, and seven top-10 finishes in 2013.
Nick Chivello of Manteca won the program’s third heat race. Driving the family owned #27 Vic Hubbard’s Auto Parts / Red Top Electric Spike, Chivello qualified fifteenth and placed eleventh in the main event. The following night, Nick won the 100-lap “Gerhardt Classic” on the pavement at Madera Speedway.
On Saturday, July 20th, the Honda USAC Western Midget Series will clash with the VRA Midget Series at Jim Naylor’s Ventura Raceway. The co-sanctioned “Battle at the Beach” will also showcase Senior Sprints, Dwarf Cars, Hobby Stocks, Go Karts, Junior Midgets, and Mini-Dwarfs. For more event and ticket information, visit www.venturaraceway.com or call 805.648.RACE.
The Honda USAC Western Midget Series would like to thank Amsoil, Hoosier Tire, Rugged Radios, and Western Performance Parts for their support. For more information on the series, visit www.usacracing.com or follow the series on Facebook (www.facebook.com/usacwsmidgets).
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HONDA WESTERN MIDGET DIRT RACE RESULTS:
July 12, 2013 – Watsonville, California – Ocean Speedway – “Howard Kaeding Classic”
QUALIFICATIONS:
1. Jake Swanson, 05, VanDyne/Swanson-13.300; 2. Ronnie Gardner, 68, SIX-EIGHT-13.371; 3. Shane Golobic, 26, Bock-13.406; 4. Cody Swanson, 71, Swanson-13.409; 5. Pete Davis, 00, Davis-13.517; 6. Randi Pankratz, 8, Pankratz-13.574; 7. Scott Pierovich, 35, Pierovich-13.577; 8. Shannon McQueen, 7, McQueen-13.689; 9. Kyle Edwards, 39, Edwards-13.851; 10. Trey Marcham, 37, McQueen-13.994; 11. Johnathon Henry, 19, Sala-14.005; 12. Taylor Simas, 62, Bock-14.027; 13. Adam Kaeding, 27C, Blackwell-14.029; 14. David Prickett, 15, Neverlift-14.088; 15. Nick Chivello, 27N, Chivello-14.115; 16. Frankie Guerrini, 63, Guerrini-14.148; 17. Nick Foster Jr., 0, LaMott-14.156; 18. Quintin Crye, 27B, Blackwell-14.290; 19. Chris Ennis, 45E, Neverlift-14.345; 20. Terry Nichols, 45, Neverlift-14.865.
FIRST HEAT: (8 laps)
1. Trey Marcham, 2. Cody Swanson, 3. Jake Swanson, 4. Scott Pierovich, 5. Frankie Guerrini, 6. Chris Ennis, 7. Adam Kaeding. NT
SECOND HEAT: (8 laps)
1. David Prickett, 2. Johnathon Henry, 3. Ronnie Gardner, 4. Nick Foster Jr., 5. Shannon McQueen, 6. Pete Davis, 7. Terry Nichols. NT
THIRD HEAT: (8 laps)
1. Nick Chivello, 2. Quintin Crye, 3. Taylor Simas, 4. Shane Golobic, 5. Randi Pankratz, 6. Kyle Edwards. NT
FEATURE: (30 laps)
1. Ronnie Gardner (5th), 2. Johnathon Henry (8th), 3. Jake Swanson (6th), 4. Taylor Simas (9th), 5. Shane Golobic (4th), 6. Kyle Edwards (17th), 7. Randi Pankratz (2nd), 8. Pete Davis (16th), 9. Quintin Crye (15th), 10. Adam Kaeding (18th), 11. Nick Chivello (12th), 12. Frankie Guerrini (13th), 13. David Prickett (11th), 14. Nick Foster Jr. (14th), 15. Trey Marcham (7th), 16. Terry Nichols (20th), 17. Cody Swanson (3rd), 18. Shannon McQueen (10th), 19. Chris Ennis (19th), 20. Scott Pierovich (1st). NT
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FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-9 Randi Pankratz, Laps 10-30 Ronnie Gardner.
HARD CHARGER: Kyle Edwards (17th to 6th)
NEW HONDA USAC WESTERN MIDGET DIRT POINTS:
1-Ronnie Gardner-626, 2-Jake Swanson-567, 3-David Prickett-474, 4-Shannon McQueen-306, 5-Cody Swanson-248, 6-Randi Pankratz-244, 7-Scott Pierovich-217, 8-Kyle Edwards-204, 9-Trey Marcham-200, 10-Terry Nichols-199.
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2013 HONDA USAC WESTERN MIDGET SERIES SCHEDULE
DATE - TRACK - LOCATION
July 20: *Ventura Raceway - Ventura, CA (Battle at the Beach)
August 1: ***Belleville High Banks - Belleville, KS (Belleville Midget Nationals / Non-Points)
August 3: ***Belleville High Banks - Belleville, KS (Belleville Midget Nationals / Non-Points)
August 10: Madera Speedway - Madera, CA
August 31: Calistoga Speedway - Calistoga, CA (Louie Vermeil Classic)
September 1: Calistoga Speedway - Calistoga, CA (Louie Vermeil Classic)
September 5: **Silver Dollar Speedway - Chico, CA (Gold Cup Race of Champions)
September 14: **Madera Speedway - Madera, CA (Harvest Classic)
September 21: Bakersfield Speedway - Bakersfield, CA
September 28: *Ventura Raceway - Ventura, CA (Battle at the Beach)
October 5: **Petaluma Speedway - Petaluma, CA (Soares Classic)
November 14: ***Canyon Speedway Park - Peoria, AZ (Western World Championships)
November 15: ***Canyon Speedway Park - Peoria, AZ (Western World Championships)
November 16: ***Canyon Speedway Park - Peoria, AZ (Western World Championships)
November 22: Cocopah Speedway - Yuma, AZ
November 23: Cocopah Speedway - Yuma, AZ
November 28: ***Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (Turkey Night Grand Prix)
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* = Co-Sanctioned Event with VRA Midget Series.
** = Co-Sanctioned Event with BCRA Midget Series.
*** = Co-Sanctioned Event with USAC National Midget Series.
This schedule is subject to change.
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