By Robert Haugh, Mark Sublett photo
After fighting off surges from several contenders, Scott Pierovich claimed the Bay Cities Racing Association Midget season opener by wheeling his #35 Good Guys Customs/Mid Coast Transportation Spike/Bob Wirth Mopar to the checkered flag first at the fast 1/3-mile Chowchilla Speedway on Sunday, March 28.
Fifth-starting Pierovich overtook Visalia’s Scott Nail on Lap 19, never looking back, holding off numerous challenges while leading the final 12 laps en route to claiming the BCRA feature victory.
Following Pierovich to the checkers were HotHead Engine Heaters teammates Greg Bragg of Visalia in the #0 Dave LaMott Stealth/Bob Wirth Honda followed by ninth-starting Pete Davis of Pleasanton in third in his #00 Stealth/Esslinger.
2009 BCRA champion “Mr. Excitement” David Prickett of Fresno claimed fourth in his #15 TCR/Van Dyne, followed by Bakersfield’s Sean Dodenhoff in his #9d Spike/Fontana Rhino rounding out the top five.
2008 BCRA champion “Young Lion” Nick Foster, Jr., of San Jose placed sixth aboard the Zero-Zero Motorsports Jim Fowler #1 Beast/Esslinger with 7-time BCRA champion “Ageless Wonder” Floyd Alvis of San Carlos claiming seventh aboard his #18 Champion Automotive Stealth/Esslinger.
The only caution flag unfurled during the Midget feature came on the opening lap in Turn 1 when pole sitter Foster tangled with Chico’s Dillon Silverman in the RAM Racing #12 Stealth/RRE Chevy EcoTec, causing a restart with Foster and Silverman going to the back.
Foster rallied back from the rear to finish sixth, while Silverman came back to finish eighth ahead of Lonnie Alton in Lana Alton’s #5a Stealth/SCREAM SuperFocus in ninth. Ryan Shupe claimed tenth in the Walker Racing-Bay Muffler #40 Stealth/Esslinger with former BCRA car owner champion Bill Lindsey in eleventh aboard Stu Donaldson’s #8x Stealth/Pontiac, Scott Nail in 12th in his #16 Stealth/Riolo Chevy and Tom Doherty rounding out the finish in 13th aboard the Walker Racing-Bay Muffler #10 Stealth/Esslinger.
Bragg claimed the Dash over Pierovich, Prickett and Nail.
Pierovich claimed Heat 2 over Bragg, Foster, Alvis, Alton, Shupe and Mike Donaldson.
Prickett claimed Heat 1 over Nail, Silverman, Dodenhoff, Davis, Lindsey and Doherty.
Mike Donaldson was the only red flag in Midget action when he flipped Stu Donaldson’s #8 Stealth/Gaerte coming out of Turn 4 on the second lap of Heat 2. The car was severely damaged, but Mike was okay after the impact.
The BCRA Midgets continue their 67th season of racing next Saturday, April 3, moving to pavement with a race at the gorgeous 3/8-mile Shasta Raceway Park in Anderson, CA.
The race was the first of 21 total races and first of four BCRA Midget appearances at Chowchilla in 2010. The Midgets return to Chowchilla on May 1, June 26 and October 30.
Visit www.bcraracing.com for information on the BCRA Midgets.
Summary: Feature: 1. Scott Pierovich (5), 2. Greg Bragg, (3) 3. Pete Davis (8), 4. David Prickett (6), 5. Sean Dodenhoff (7), 6. Nick Foster, Jr., (1) 7. Floyd Alvis (8), 8. Dillon Silverman (2), 9. Lonnie Alton (9), 10. Ryan Shupe (11), 11. Bill Lindsey (10), 12. Scott Nail (4), 13. Tom Doherty (12), 14. Mike Donaldson-DNS
Lap Leaders: 1 Nail, 2 Bragg, 3-18 Nail, 19-30 Pierovich
Heat 2: 1. Pierovich, 2. Bragg, 3. Foster, 4. Alvis, 5. Alton, 6. Shupe, 7. Donaldson
Heat 1: Prickett, 2. Nail, 3. Silverman, 4. Dodenhoff, 5. Davis, 6. Lindsey, 7. Doherty
Dash: 1. Bragg, 2. Pierovich, 3. Prickett, 4. Nail