By Lance Jennings
BAKERSFIELD, CA – MAY 5, 2014… Taking the lead from Sean Dodenhoff on lap nineteen, Trey Marcham of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma earned the Saturday night victory at Bakersfield Speedway. The 30-lap triumph was Marcham’s first series win as he was followed Ronnie Gardner, Johnathon Henry, Dodenhoff, and Troy Rutherford.
Racing Keith Ford’s #73 Berry Pack / King Racing Products machine, Trey Marcham qualified fourth out of the fourteen cars in attendance and won the program’s second heat race. Last season’s Rookie of the Year left Bakersfield with the dirt series point lead and ranked second in the overall standings. To date, Marcham has one fast time award, one heat race victory, two top-10 finishes, and 12 feature laps led to his credit.
Norco’s Ronnie Gardner took second at the checkered flags. Piloting the Six8 Motorsports’ #68 Baldozier Racing / Esslinger Engineering Stewart, Gardner earned his first fast time award of the season and was fourth in his heat race. After the Bakersfield shootout, the defending champion has climbed to third in the dirt series and fifth in the overall standings. In addition, Ronnie has two top-10 finishes on the season.
After a torrid battle with Gardner, Johnathon Henry of Stockton claimed third at Bakersfield Speedway. Driving the Chad Nichols owned #17 “Team 17” machine, Henry was eleventh fast in time trials and won the night’s first 8-lap heat race. The versatile driver has risen to fifth in the dirt standings and ninth in the overall point chase.
After leading the first eighteen laps, Bakersfield’s Sean Dodenhoff scored fourth in the 30-lap feature. Racing his #9D Lightning Medical Pro / Torco Oil Spike, Dodenhoff qualified fifth overall and placed second in his heat race. Sean ended his night sixth in the dirt championship and tenth in the overall standings.
Troy Rutherford of Ojai claimed fifth in the 30-lap main event. Piloting Mike Sala’s #19 Sala Construction / Weldway Inc. Spike, Rutherford was seventh fast on the night and scored seventh in his heat race. The former VRA Sprint Car Champion sits thirteenth in the overall series and ninth in the dirt standings.
On Saturday, May 31st, the Honda USAC Western Midgets will travel to the Merle Stone Chevrolet Thunderbowl Raceway in Tulare, California. Located on the Tulare County Fairgrounds, the showcase will also feature the USAC West Coast Sprint Cars, IMCA Modifieds, and Racesaver Wing Sprints. For more information, visit www.tularethunderbowl.com or call 559.688.0909.
The Honda USAC Western Midget Series thanks 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:
May 3, 2014 – Bakersfield, California – Bakersfield Speedway
QUALIFICATIONS:
1. Ronnie Gardner, 68, Six8-13.264; 2. Shannon McQueen, 7, McQueen-13.273; 3. Alex Schutte, 28, Schutte/McElwee-13415; 4. Trey Marcham, 73, Ford-13.477; 5. Sean Dodenhoff, 9D, Dodenhoff-13.608; 6. Chris Ennis, 86, Ennis-13.807; 7. Troy Rutherford, 19, Sala-13.938; 8. Jarid Blondel, 98, Blondel-13.967; 9. Scott Pierovich, 35, Pierovich-14.014; 10. Steve Davis, 2, Davis-14.025; 11. Johnathon Henry, 17, Team 17-14.108; 12. Tyler Dolacki, 99, Dolacki-14.210; 13. Ricky Shelton, 71, Shelton-14.460; 14. Terry Nichols, 45, Nichols-14.560.
FIRST HEAT: (8 laps)
1. Johnathon Henry, 2. Sean Dodenhoff, 3. Alex Schutte, 4. Ronnie Gardner, 5. Ricky Shelton, 6. Pierovich, 7. Troy Rutherford. NT
SECOND HEAT: (8 laps)
1. Trey Marcham, 2. Chris Ennis, 3. Shannon McQueen, 4. Steve Davis, 5. Jarid Blondel, 6. Tyler Dolacki, 7. Terry Nichols. NT
FEATURE: (30 laps)
1. Trey Marcham, 2. Ronnie Gardner, 3. Johnathon Henry, 4. Sean Dodenhoff, 5. Troy Rutherford, 6. Steve Davis, 7. Alex Schutte, 8. Tyler Dolacki, 9. Scott Pierovich, 10. Chris Ennis, 11. Shannon McQueen, 12. Terry Nichols, 13. Ricky Shelton, 14. Jarid Blondel. NT
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FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-18 Sean Dodenhoff, Laps 19-30 Trey Marcham.
USAC WESTERN MIDGET DIRT POINT STANDINGS:
1. Trey Marcham-137, 2. Alex Schutte-119, 3. Ronnie Gardner-107, 4. Jarid Blondel-80, 5. Johnathon Henry-62, 6. Sean Dodenhoff-60, 7. Jake Swanson-59, 8. Terry Goodwin-53, 9. Troy Rutherford-50, –. Steve Davis-50, 11. Chad Nichols-46, 12. Shannon McQueen-42, –. Tyler Dolacki-42, 14. Chris Ennis-41, 15. Scott Pierovich-39, 16. Ricky Shelton-31, –. Terry Nichols-31.
USAC WESTERN MIDGET POINT STANDINGS:
1. Alex Schutte-172, 2. Trey Marcham-137, 3. Jarid Blondel-130, 4. Chad Nichols-116, 5. Ronnie Gardner-107, 6. Jake Swanson-102, 7. Scott Pierovich-78, 8. Darrin Snider-73, 9. Johnathon Henry-62, 10. Sean Dodenhoff-60, 11. Nick Chivello-58, 12. Terry Goodwin-53, 13. Troy Rutherford-50, –. Steve Davis-50, 15. Shannon McQueen-42, –. Tyler Dolacki-42, 17. Chris Ennis-41, 18. Ricky Shelton-31, –. Terry Nichols-31.