by Lance Jennings
SANTA MARIA, CA – JUNE 2, 2013… Starting third, Fremont’s Shane Golobic earned his third career Honda USAC Western Midget feature at Placerville Speedway. Golobic took the lead from pole sitter Sean Dodenhoff on the second lap and dominated the BCRA co-sanctioned event. Dodenhoff, point leader Ronnie Gardner, Matt Streeter, and Jake Swanson trailed Shane to the finish line.
Racing Doug Bock’s #26 Carson R&D / Astro Titanium Spike, Shane Golobic also claimed second in his heat race. After winning the 30-lap main event, Golobic ran second in the winged California Civil War Sprint Car feature.
After leading the first lap, Sean Dodenhoff of Bakersfield had to settle for second at Placerville. Driving his #9D Lightning Medical Pro / Torco Oil Spike, Dodenhoff scored third in his heat race. Sean left Saturday’s action with two top-10 finishes to his credit.
Norco’s Ronnie Gardner finished third in the 30-lap feature after starting fifth. Piloting the Six8 Motorsports’ #68 Baldozier Racing / Esslinger Engineering Stewart, Gardner was second in his heat race and currently holds a 23 point advantage over the competition. To date, Ronnie has two feature wins, one heat race victory, six top-10 finishes, and 47 feature laps led on the season.
Matt Streeter of Galt came home fourth in Placerville’s USAC-BCRA shootout. Racing his #14JR S&S Automotive Spike, the former BCRA Champion also ran second in his heat race. Currently, the veteran driver splits time between Midgets, Wingless Spec Sprints, and USAC Western Classic Sprint Cars.
Driving the #05 Van Dyne / Swanson Racing entry, Anaheim’s Jake Swanson was fifth in the main event and won the night’s third heat race. Last season’s USAC/CRA Rookie of the Year is currently second in points with one feature win, four heat race victories, six top-10 finishes, and 43 feature laps led.
Greg Bragg of Visalia earned the night’s “Hard Charger / Best Passing Job” honors with a sixth place run after starting seventeenth. Piloting the Dave Thurston owned #11 Spike, Bragg was fifth in his heat race and won the 12-lap semi-main event.
Visalia’s Richard Vander Weerd won the night’s first 8-lap heat race. Racing Mike Sala’s #19S Weldway Inc. / Vander Weerd Construction Spike, the former USAC West Coast Sprint Champion placed tenth in the feature. With two top-10 finishes, Vander Weerd will return to midgets when his Sprint Car schedule allows.
David Prickett of Fresno won the program’s second heat race. Driving the Neverlift Motorsports’ #15 Motorsports’ #15 Crysalli Water / Mt. Rose Cocktail Mixes Spike, Prickett ran ninth in the main event. Currently third in the point chase, David has four heat race victories, one semi-main win, and six top-10 finishes on the year.
Manteca’s Nick Chivello scored the victory in Placerville’s fourth 8-lap heat race. Piloting the family owned #27 Vic Hubbard’s Auto Parts / Red Top Electric Spike, Chivello placed sixteenth in the main event. In limited action, last season’s Rookie of the Year is currently twenty-fourth in the standings.
The USAC Western Midget Series will be back in action this Saturday, June 8th at Madera Speedway for the Pombo/Sargent Classic. Co-sanctioned with the BCRA Midget Series, the popular race will also feature the Pabst Blue Ribbon Winged World Series, NCMA Wingless Sprints, Vintage Hardtops, and Vintage Midgets. For more event and ticket information, visit www.racemadera.com or call 559-673-RACE.
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/
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HONDA USAC WESTERN MIDGET DIRT RACE RESULTS:
June 1, 2013 – Placerville, California – Placerville Speedway – Co-sanctioned by BCRA
FIRST HEAT: (8 laps)
1. Richard Vander Weerd (#19s Sala), 2. Matt Streeter (#14jr Streeter), 3. Shannon McQueen (#7 McQueen), 4. Pete Davis (#00 Davis), 5. Greg Bragg (#11 Thurston), 6. Brett Felkins (#35B Felkins), 7. Adam Kaeding (#27c Kaeding). NT
SECOND HEAT: (8 laps)
1. David Prickett (#15 Neverlift), 2. Ronnie Gardner (#68 SIX-EIGHT), 3. Sean Dodenhoff (#9D Dodenhoff), 4. Jonathan Grinell (#27B Blackwell), 5. Terry Nichols (#45 Neverlift), 6. Kevin Morris (#17k Morris). NT
THIRD HEAT: (8 laps)
1. Jake Swanson (#05 VanDyne/Swanson), 2. Randi Pankratz (#8x Pankratz), 3. Scott Pierovich (#35 Pierovich), 4. Taylor Simas (#62 Bock), 5. Nick Foster Jr. (#0 Foster), 6. Floyd Alvis (#11x Alvis), 7. J.R. Williams (#74 Williams). NT
FOURTH HEAT: (8 laps)
1. Nick Chivello (#27 Chivello), 2. Shane Golobic (#26 Bock), 3. Jace Vander Weerd (#8v Vander Weerd), 4. Gary Conterno (#55 Neverlift), 5. Bill Lindsey (#8 Lindsey). NT
ALSO AT THE TRACK: Frankie Guerrini (#63 Guerrini).
SEMI: (12 laps)
1. Greg Bragg, 2. Nick Foster Jr., 3. Brett Felkins, 4. Bill Lindsey, 5. Floyd Alvis, 6. Adam Kaeding, 7. J.R. Williams, 8. Terry Nichols, 9. Michael Donaldson. NT
FEATURE: (30 laps – With Staring Positions)
1. Shane Golobic (3rd), 2. Sean Dodenhoff (1st), 3. Ronnie Gardner (5th), 4. Matt Streeter (6th), 5. Jake Swanson (8th), 6. Greg Bragg (17th), 7. Taylor Simas (15th), 8. Gary Conterno (16th), 9. David Prickett (9th), 10. Richard Vander Weerd (10th), 11. Brett Felkins (19th), 12. Scott Pierovich (11th), 13. Nick Foster Jr. (18th), 14. Pete Davis (13th), 15. Bill Lindsey (20th), 16. Nick Chivello (7th), 17. Jonathan Grinell (14th), 18. Jace Vander Weerd (12th), 19. Randi Pankratz (4th), 20. Shannon McQueen (2nd), 21. Terry Nichols (21st). NT
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FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Lap 1 Sean Dodenhoff, Laps 2-30 Shane Golobic.
HARD CHARGER: Greg Bragg (17th to 6th)
HONDA USAC WESTERN MIDGET POINT STANDINGS:
1-Ronnie Gardner-413, 2-Jake Swanson-390, 3-David Prickett-338, 4-Scott Pierovich-235, 5-Cody Swanson-219, 6-Frankie Guerrini-213, 7-Kody Swanson-212, 8-Shannon McQueen-197, 9-Trey Marcham-169, 10-Randi Pankratz-152.
HONDA USAC WESTERN MIDGET DIRT POINT STANDINGS:
1-Ronnie Gardner-413, 2-Jake Swanson-390, 3-David Prickett-338, 4-Cody Swanson-219, 5-Shannon McQueen-197, 6-Scott Pierovich-173, 7-Trey Marcham-168, 8-Randi Pankratz-152, 9-Bryan Clauson-143, 10-Kody Swanson-140.