By Robert Haugh
Concluding the season in the McQueen Racing #7 Lucas Oil/Simpson Race Products Spike/Esslinger by Duane McQueen, Bakersfield’s Shannon “Lightning” McQueen settled for a disappointing DNF in 73rd Annual Turkey Night Midget Grand Prix at the half-mile Perris Auto Speedway on November 28.
After starting fourth in her qualifying race, McQueen claimed second in the race, in which the winner was consistently setting lap times near the track record. “We were fast … I made the call to tighten the car up to qualify and that was not the right decision so we were a little too tight when we qualified,” stated McQueen, who timed 22nd of nearly 50 entries. “I was very disappointed with our qualifying run.”
Starting 18th in the feature, McQueen felt she had a great car, running 14th on a red flag around Lap 75. Knowing her tires were fine, the plan was to hang tough through Lap 80, then race hard over the final 20 laps on tires better than most others who had raced away their tires. However, unfortunately for McQueen, on that restart, the O-ring pushed out of the oil filter, ending her night. “My team gave me a great car and we were fast all week.”
Oklahoma young gun Trey Marcham battled forward in the McQueen Racing #37 Spike/Esslinger by Duane McQueen after starting in the rear of the field (32nd) after suffering a broken brake hub in the first qualifying race. Marcham worked his way from a provisional starting position into the top 15 before retiring as the engine began overheating with five laps remaining.
Though competing in a partial schedule, McQueen fourth the USAC-Western States Midget and fifth in the USAC-Western States Midget Dirt standings. McQueen compiled ten Top 10s, six Top fives, two podium finishes, plus two Heat race wins and three fast times, including a track record at Stockton 99 Dirt track.
Marcham claimed the USAC-Western States Midget Rookie-of-the-Year laurels, though running a partial schedule. Marcham claimed five Top 10s, three Top fives, one main event win and one Heat race win in his debut Midget season. Marcham claimed ninth in the USAC-WS Midget standings and tenth in the USAC-WS Dirt standings.
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 multiple track records, including those at the 99 Dirt Track in Stockton, Calistoga Speedway, Silver Dollar Speedway and Orange Show Speedway.
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.
McQueen Racing dedicated the entire 2013 season to Kenny Speck, a McQueen Racing team member who lost his life earlier this year.
Visit www.shannonmcqueen.com for more information on McQueen Racing.
Marcham, a senior Engineering student at Oklahoma University, with experience in Micro Sprints, Ford Focus Midgets, 360 Non-Wing Sprint Cars and asphalt Late Models, has shown amazing poise and talent in limited Midget starts in the McQueen Racing entry earlier this year. Marcham has been seen passing drivers with thousands more laps and experience than he in a Midget. Marcham has amassed six Championships at I-44 Riverside Speedway in Newcastle, Oklahoma, as well as having claimed both the A-Class and Non-wing A-Mains at the Inaugural Donnie Ray Crawford Memorial/Race4Life in Tulsa in 2012. Marcham has compiled several wins and podium finishes in 2013.
Select Coatings, RD Marcham Energy, Inc., Simpson Racing Products, Pinnacle Energy Services, Best Western Tulsa Airport, Metals Supermarket Oklahoma City, J & B Digital Graphics and Mud-X support Marcham.
Visit http://marchamracing.com/ for more information on Trey Marcham.