By Robert Haugh
The Bay Cities Racing Association Midgets will open the pavement portion of its 67th season of racing this Saturday, April 3 when they roar into the gorgeous 3/8-mile Shasta Raceway Park in Anderson, CA.
Among the entries include Visalia’s Scott Nail, who is hoping to rebound from a disappointing season opener last week in Chowchilla where Nail led several laps in his #16 Stealth/Riolo Chevy before dropping out with engine woes. Joining Nail will be 2008 BCRA Midget champion “Young Lion” Nick Foster, Jr. of San Jose aboard the #1 Zero-Zero Motorsports Jim Fowler Beast/Esslinger, seven-time BCRA Midget champion “Ageless Wonder” Floyd Alvis of San Carlos aboard his Champion Automotive #18 Stealth/Esslinger, former BCRA Midget car owner champion Bill Lindsey of San Carlos aboard Stu Donaldson’s #8x Stealth/Pontiac, Legends of the Pacific racer Jeremy Wood of Tracy making his Midget debut piloting Rick Faeth’s SRP #3x Beast/V4, SRP promoter and longtime Midget owner/driver Rick Faeth aboard his SRP #3 Stealth/V4, Chico’s Dillon Silverman aboard the RAM Racing #12 Stealth/RRE Chevy EcoTec, Lonnie Alton aboard Lana Alton’s #5a Stealth/SCREAM SuperFocus and Vacaville’s Rick Holbrook fielding his own #00 A.R.T./Suzuki.
In addition to the BCRA contenders, Washington’s Snake Livernash will be making the long haul competing in his #55 Beast/Esslinger. Livernash, a pavement specialist primarily has been focusing on Sprint Car racing recently.
Of the expected entries, Foster has had the most success on the speedy and smooth 3/8-mile paved oval, where he has won two Heat races and a Dash, as well as garnishing a pair of top five Feature finishes, including a second-place run in March of last year.
With no past feature winners entered, race fans are almost guaranteed a first-time SRP Midget Feature victor, and possibly a first-time BCRA Midget feature victor, with only Foster, Alvis and Nail the only entrants having a BCRA victory to their credit.
Foster, like Nail, is hoping to rebound from what he feels was a disappointing season opener last week. Foster was the pole sitter in last week’s race, however, was involved in an opening lap incident with another car that sent him to the rear of the pack. Foster did recover to come home sixth-place in the BCRA Midget opener last week.
Joining the Midgets will be the Sonic Late Models, Legends of the Pacific, Les Schwab Bombers and the I-5 Tire Factory Hornets.
Pit gates will open at 1 p.m., with practice at 2 p.m., and Grandstands opening at 5 p.m., qualifying at 5:30 p.m. and racing at 6:30 pm.
Visit www.bcraracing.com for additional information on the BCRA Midgets and www.shastaracewaypark.net for more information on Shasta Raceway Park.