Jpix by Jamie photo
By Robert Haugh
Hoping to improve from her Top 10 run last week at her hometown track of Bakersfield Speedway, Bakersfield’s Shannon McQueen had an up-and-down evening in the first round of the ARP “Battle of the Beach” USAC-Western States/VRA Midget event at the 1/5-mile Ventura Raceway on April 6.
Having started on the pole in Heat 2, McQueen battled what she described as a “more than terribly loose car” to finish a disappointing fifth.
Lining up 15th in the feature, McQueen was running the bottom groove where there was no track, passing cars on a track that saw most everyone running high. Charging up to as high as sixth, McQueen scored a solid Top 10 run, finishing seventh, earning the K&N Engineering Hard Charger award for passing the most cars in the feature.
“We redeemed ourselves somewhat from last week. Can’t thank my guys Ty Hindman, Jeremy Queener and my dad Duane McQueen enough,” stated McQueen, who has two straight Top 10 finishes.
Next up for McQueen will be the Bay Cities Racing Association event at the new Stockton 99 Dirt track on Saturday, April 27.
McQueen became the first woman to win a BCRA Midget championship in 2011 when she claimed the BCRA Dirt Midget crown, then claimed the 2012 USAC-Western States Midget championship, amassing four Heat race wins, nine Top 5 runs, three fast time awards and 13 Top 10s in 2012. McQueen also holds track records at Calistoga Speedway, Petaluma Speedway, Silver Dollar Speedway and Orange Show Speedway.
McQueen also recently accepted the prestigious Kara Hendrick Spirit award, one of the top awards for women in Motorsports. McQueen is also the first female owner to boast a win with a female driver when Oklahoma’s Michelle Decker won a USAC Western States Midget Feature in April 2012 at McQueen’s home track of Bakersfield Speedway at the helm of one of McQueen’s potent Spike/Esslinger entries.
McQueen Racing would like to thank all of our wonderful sponsors: Lucas Oil Products, Simpson Race Products, Eibach Springs, DMI, Rod End Supply, K&N Filters, Advanced Racing Suspensions, MPD, Ruth Engineering, Jet-Hot Performance Coatings, Butler Built Seating Systems, Schoenfeld Headers, American Fabrication, West Evans Motorsports, Western Open Wheel Racing News and Esslinger Racing Engines by Duane McQueen.
Visit www.shannonmcqueen.com for more information on McQueen Racing.