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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Honda USAC Western Midget Series
#67K Rico Abreu celebrates in Calistoga victory lane. Photo by MMRacingPhotos.com.
RICO ABREU WINS SATURDAY $10,000 CALISTOGA FEATURE
by Lance Jennings
CALISTOGA, CA – SEPTEMBER 3, 2013... After taking command from Shane Golobic on lap nine, Rico Abreu of Rutherford won the opening night of the “6th Annual Louie Vermeil Classic.” The $10,000 Honda USAC Western Midget victory at Calistoga Speedway was Rico’s second career series triumph. Ryan Bernal, point leader Ronnie Gardner, Shane Golobic, and Cody Swanson followed Abreu to the checkered flags.
Piloting the #67K Kunz Motorsports / Curb-Agajanian Toyota TRD Bullet, Rico Abreu qualified third out of the 27 entries and won the night’s third heat race. Starting fourth in the 25-lap main event, Abreu stayed within striking distance until making his move on lap nine. With car owner Keith Kunz turning the wrenches, last year’s “Louie Vermeil Classic” Champion also won the opening night of the Belleville Midget Nationals.
Hollister’s Ryan Bernal claimed second in the Saturday night feature after starting fifth. Racing Keith Ford’s #73 Berry Pack / King Racing Products Spike, the 2-time Santa Maria sprint car champion was second fast in time trials and placed second in his heat race. In limited appearances, Bernal has two top-10 finishes in the campaign.
Ronnie Gardner of Norco claimed third in the Calistoga main event after starting sixth. Driving the Six8 Motorsports’ #68 Baldozier Racing / Esslinger Engineering Stewart, Gardner earned his second fast time award of the year and was fourth in his heat race. To date, the overall and dirt series point leader had five main event wins, two heat race victories, eleven top-10 finishes, and 101 feature laps led to his credit.
“The Fremont Flyer” Shane Golobic scored fourth at the checkered flags. The pilot of Doug Bock’s #26 Carson R&D / Astro Titanium Spike grabbed the lead from Johnathon Henry on the second circuit before surrendering the lead to Abreu on lap nine. Earlier in the program, the World of Outlaw Sprint Car feature winner qualified sixth and ran second in his heat race. In limited starts, Shane has one feature win, three top-10 finishes, and 58 feature laps led in 2013.
Cody Swanson of Norco came home fifth in the main event after starting fifteenth. Racing the family owned #71 Edmunds Auto Research / K&N Filters Edmunds, the March 30th Bakersfield winner was eighteenth fast in time trials and ran third in his heat race. To date, Swanson has one heat race victory, five top-10 finishes, and 31 feature laps led on the year.
Atascadero’s Randi Pankratz earned her second “Hard Charger / Best Passing Job” honors with a seventh place run from eighteenth. Driving the Wally Pankratz owned #8 HASA Pool Products / Trench Shoring Edmunds, Randi qualified eleventh and ran sixth in her heat race. With five top-10 finishes, Pankratz also has 9 feature laps led on the season.
Alex Schutte of Rohnert Park raced to victory in the night’s first 8-lap heat race. Piloting the Morris Motorsports’ #28 Morris Insurance Agency / Bruce’s Body Shop Spike, the 2010 Champion was eighteenth quick in time trials and placed tenth in the main event. In limited appearances, Schutte has two top-10 finishes in the campaign.
Manteca’s Nick Chivello won the second heat race of the evening at Calistoga. Racing the family owned #27 Vic Hubbard’s Auto Parts / Red Top Electric Spike, Chivello qualified seventeenth and scored twenty-fourth in the feature after an early flip. With three pavement wins on the season, Nick also has three heat race victories, three top-10 finishes, and 108 feature laps led.
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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USAC HONDA WESTERN MIDGET CAR SERIES RACE RESULTS:
August 31, 2013 – Calistoga, California – Calistoga Speedway – “6th Louie Vermeil Classic”
QUALIFICATIONS:
1. Ronnie Gardner, 68, Six8-20.759; 2. Ryan Bernal, 73, Ford-21.013; 3. Rico Abreu, 67K, Kunz/Curb-Agajanian-21.035; 4. Johnathon Henry, 55, Neverlift-21.301; 5. Scott Pierovich, 35, Pierovich-21.305; 6. Shane Golobic, 26, Bock-21.328; 7. Tanner Thorson, 67X, Kunz/Curb-Agajanian-21.340; 8. Scott Buckley, 7NZ, Buckley-21.372; 9. Nic Faas, 25, Rodela-21.466; 10. David Prickett, 15, Neverlift-21.552; 11. Randi Pankratz, 8, Pankratz-21.616; 12. Britton Bock, 67, Bock-21.705; 13. Alex Schutte, 28, Morris-21.943; 14. Taylor Simas, 62, Bock-21.985; 15. Kyle Edwards, 39, Edwards-22.032; 16. Jake Swanson, 05, Van Dyne/Swanson-22.066; 17. Nick Chivello, 27, Chivello-22.118; 18. Cody Swanson, 71, Swanson-22.194; 19. Pete Davis, 00, Davis-22.311; 20. Mike Gehringer, 27X, Gehringer-22.818; 21. Scott Kinney, 27C, Blackwell-23.157; 22. Jim Christian, 0, LaMott-24.841; 23. Lance Hallmark, 8H, Hallmark-NT, 24. Terry Nichols, 45, Neverlift-NT, 25. Quintin Crye, 27B, Blackwell-NT, 26. Terry Nichols, 35X, Pierovich-NT.
FIRST HEAT: (8 laps)
1. Alex Schutte, 2. Jake Swanson, 3. Tanner Thorson, 4. Ronnie Gardner, 5. Johnathon Henry, 6. David Prickett, 7. Jim Christian, 8. Pete Davis. NT
SECOND HEAT: (8 laps)
1. Nick Chivello, 2. Ryan Bernal, 3. Scott Buckley, 4. Scott Pierovich, 5. Taylor Simas, 6. Randi Pankratz, 7. Mike Gehringer, 8. Lance Hallmark. NT
THIRD HEAT: (8 laps)
1. Rico Abreu, 2. Shane Golobic, 3. Cody Swanson, 4. Kyle Edwards, 5. Britton Bock, 6. Scott Kinney, 7. Nic Faas. NT
FEATURE: (25 laps – With Starting Positions)
1. Rico Abreu (4th), 2. Ryan Bernal (5th), 3. Ronnie Gardner (6th), 4. Shane Golobic (1st), 5. Cody Swanson (15th), 6. Scott Buckley (8th), 7. Randi Pankratz (18th), 8. Jake Swanson (13th), 9. Scott Pierovich (2nd), 10. Alex Schutte (10th), 11. Taylor Simas (11th), 12. Pete Davis (19th), 13. Jim Christian (22nd), 14. Kyle Edwards (12th), 15. Britton Bock (9th), 16. Scott Kinney (21st), 17. Mike Gehringer (20th), 18. Nic Faas (16th), 19. Johnathon Henry (3rd), 20. Lance Hallmark (23rd), 21. Terry Nichols (#35x – 24th), 22. Tanner Thorson (7th), 23. David Prickett (17th), 24. Nick Chivello (14th). NT
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**Nick Chivello, David Prickett, and Nic Faas flipped during the feature.
FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Lap 1 Jonathan Henry, Laps 2-8 Shane Golobic, 9-25 Rico Abreu.
HARD CHARGER: Randi Pankratz (18th to 7th)
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