By Robert Haugh
Having become the first female to win a major Midget championship by winning the Bay Cities Racing Association Dirt championship in 2011– Shannon McQueen is hoping to pick up 2012 where 2011 left off.
Shannon will be chauffeuring the McQueen Racing #7 Spike/Esslinger on Dirt and Paul Eskesen’s #10c Beast/Mopar on pavement in over 20 events during the 2012 racing season, contending for the USAC-Western States Midget championship, as well as running select Bay Cities Racing Association events.
McQueen racing’s 2012 racing season kicks off this weekend, when Shannon returns to the fabled ¼-mile Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico on March 23-24 as part of the Mini Gold Cup. McQueen holds the track record at this track and is vying to enter winner’s circle there.
Highlights on the racing schedule include two visits to McQueen’s home track, Bakersfield Speedway on April 7 and September 22, plus her return to the ½-mile Calistoga Speedway, another track she holds the track record at on September 1-2 for the Louie Vermeil Classic.
On Dirt, McQueen will compete at Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico (March 23-24) Bakersfield Speedway (April 7 and September 22), Chowchilla Speedway (October 27), Santa Maria Speedway (May 12 and August 4), Giant Chevrolet King’s Speedway in Hanford (May 19), Ocean Speedway in Watsonville (Friday, July 6), Antioch Speedway (July 21), Petaluma Speedway (August 11) and Calistoga Speedway (September 1-2). On pavement, McQueen will compete five times at the newly revamped 1/3-mile Madera Speedway (March 31, May 5, June 9, July 14 and September 15) plus appearances at All-American Speedway in Roseville (June 23), Ukiah Speedway (July 28) and Lakeport Speedway (October 20).
McQueen is also slated to run two races with tracks yet to be announced, with race dates of August 18 and November 22.
In 21 races in 2011 McQueen compiled a feature victory, six seconds, 12 Top 5s and 19 Top 10s, clinching the Bay Cities Racing Association Dirt championship prior to the final BCRA Dirt race. McQueen also amassed seven Heat race wins, two Dash wins and two fast time awards, including a track record at Silver Dollar Speedway.
In addition to decisively claiming the 2011 BCRA Dirt driver and Dirt car owner’s titles, McQueen claimed fourth overall in BCRA driver’s points and sixth overall in BCRA owner’s points, as well as receiving the best appearing car award.
McQueen Racing would like to thank all of our wonderful sponsors: Lucas Oil Products, K&N Filters, Simpson Race Products, JE Piston Company, Rod End Supply, Advanced Racing Suspensions, Eibach Springs, Ruth Engineering, Jet-Hot Performance Coatings, Butler Built Seating Systems, Schoenfeld Headers, American Fabrication, West Evans Motorsports and Esslinger Racing Engines by Duane McQueen.
Visit www.shannonmcqueen.com for more information on McQueen Racing. McQueen Racing will kick off their 2012 campaign on March 23-24 in USAC-Western States Midget action at Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico, CA as part of the Mini Gold Cup featuring the World of Outlaws.