By Lance Jennings
MAY 17, 2016… This Saturday, May 21st, the USAC Western States Midgets will return to Jim Naylor’s Ventura Raceway. Located on the Ventura County Fairgrounds, the third point race will also showcase Dwarf Cars, IMCA Modifieds, Hobby Stocks, Focus Midgets, and Go-Karts. The Pit Gates will open at Noon, the Front Gates will open at 3:00pm, with Racing scheduled for 5:30pm at “The Best Little Dirt Track in America.”
NOTICE TO RACERS: The USAC Western States Midget Series approved/legal mufflers are:
B&B: FRAC-0375-S w/side outlet,
Coast Fabrication: 300x625x17-2s, 350x625x17-2s, 400x625x17-2s
Extreme: 3512-3030 (with insert 2312-30), 3512-3030 SS (with insert 2312-30), 3515-3030, 4615-3035- 15″ long x 6″ diameter x 3″ inlet and 3.5 outlet w/internal cone
Flowmaster: (BCRA Approved) 13009130, 1509130, 13509135
Shoenfeld: 14272735-78, 14272535
*Failure to comply with the muffler rule will risk disqualification from the event.
Since May 24, 1986, Ventura Raceway has hosted 135 USAC Western States Midget races. Sleepy Tripp claimed the inaugural victory and leads all drivers with eighteen wins at the 1/5-mile oval. Tripp is followed by Billy Boat (13), Page Jones (8), Garrett Hansen (7), and Jimmy Sills (6). Johnny Cofer holds the 1-lap qualifying track record of 11.675, set on November 18, 1995 and a complete series Ventura win list is at the bottom of this release.
Heading into Saturday’s race, Ronnie Gardner (Corona, California) sits atop the standings with a twenty-two point advantage. Racing the Six8 Motorsports’ #68 Baldozier Racing / Esslinger Engineering Stewart, Gardner scored victories at Placerville and Bakersfield. To date, the 3-time champion has also posted two heat race victories and 22 feature laps led to his credit. Among his fifteen series wins, Ronnie won the last Ventura show on September 28, 2013 and will be looking to add another victory to his resume.
After running second at Bakersfield on April 30th, Michael Faccinto (Hanford, California) has climbed to second in the championship chase. Piloting the MF Motorsports’ #35F OSV / Lucas Oil Spike, Faccinto has one Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Award, two top-10 finishes, and 27 feature laps led on the year. Michael has two career USAC Western Midget wins and will have his sights on claiming Saturday’s 30-lap main event.
Sean Dodenhoff (Bakersfield, California) is third in the USAC Western Midget point chase. Driving his #9D Lightning Medical Pro / Torco Oil Spike, Dodenhoff placed seventh in the Bakersfield feature. Entering Saturday’s race, the veteran racer has one heat race victory, two top-10 finishes, and 2 feature laps led in the campaign. Sean will be looking to break through and earn his first triumph at Ventura Raceway.
Randi Pankratz (Atascadero, California) ranks fourth in the point standings. Racing the family owned #8 HASA Pool Products / Trench Shoring Edmunds, Pankratz scored eighth at Bakersfield on April 30th. With two top-10 finishes on the season, Randi will have her sights on winning at “The Best Little Dirt Track in America.”
“The Panda Express” Terry Nichols sits fifth in the Western Midget point chase. Piloting his #1P Johasee Rebar / Neverlift Motorsports Spike, Nichols had an impressive third place run at Bakersfield. To date, the 2009 West Coast Sprint Car Rookie of the Year has one top-10 finish to his credit. Terry will be looking to celebrate his first series win this Saturday night.
Currently ninth in points, Maria Cofer (Macdoel, California) leads the chase for Rookie of the Year honors. Courtney Crone (Corona, California), Robert Dalby (Anaheim, California), Dylan Ito (Ventura, California), and Ashley Hazelton (Chatsworth, California) are also in contention.
Among the other drivers expected to be in action are Tyler Dolacki, Cody Swanson, Frankie Guerrini, Alex Schutte, Cory Elliott, “The Kruser” Cory Kruseman, Nate Waite, Shannon McQueen, Troy Rutherford, Jeff Harrington, Robby Josett, Chris Dyson, and more.
Ventura Raceway is located on the Ventura County Fairgrounds at 10 West Harbor Blvd in Ventura, California. Adult tickets are $15, Seniors, Military, and Student tickets (with ID) are $11, and Children’s tickets (12 and under) are FREE. For more event information, visit the track’s website at www.venturaraceway.com or call (805) 648-RACE.
The USAC Western States Midget Series thanks Hoosier Tire, Brown and Miller Racing Solutions, Competition Suspension Incorporated, DJ Safety, Diversified Machine Incorporated, Extreme Mufflers, Keizer Aluminum Wheels, Rod End Supply, Stand 21 Racer Goes Safer Foundation, Ultra Shield Race Products, and Woodland Auto Display for their support. If you or your company would like to become part of the series, email PR Director Lance Jennings at lwjennings@earthlink.net.
For more information on the series, visit the United States Auto Club (USAC) website at www.usacracing.com. You can also find exclusive content on the USAC Western States Midget Facebook and Twitter pages.
Loudpedal Productions has USAC Western States Midget DVDs and videos on demand available for purchase at www.loudpedal.tv and 805.407.7229.
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USAC WESTERN STATES MIDGET CHAMPIONS:
1982-*Jeff Heywood, 1983-Sleepy Tripp, 1984-Tommy White, 1985-Sleepy Tripp, 1986-Robby Flock, 1987-Sleepy Tripp, 1988-Sleepy Tripp, 1989-Robby Flock, 1990-Sleepy Tripp, 1991-Sleepy Tripp, 1992-Sleepy Tripp, 1993-Robby Flock, 1994-Johnny Cofer, 1995-Billy Boat, 1996-Jay Drake, 1997-Ricky Shelton, 1998-Rick Hendrix, 1999-Marc DeBeaumont, 2000-Wally Pankratz, 2001-Danny Ebberts, 2002-Robby Flock, 2003-Steve Paden, 2004-Johnny Rodriguez, 2005-Jerome Rodela, 2006-Jerome Rodela, 2007-Johnny Rodriguez, 2008-Nic Faas, 2009-Garrett Hansen, 2010-Alex Schutte, 2011-Cory Kruseman, 2012-Shannon McQueen, 2013-Ronnie Gardner, 2014- Ronnie Gardner, 2015-Ronnie Gardner.
2016 USAC WESTERN STATES MIDGET WINS:
2-Ronnie Gardner.
VENTURA USAC WESTERN STATES MIDGET WINS:
18-Sleepy Tripp, 13-Billy Boat, 8-Page Jones, 7-Garrett Hansen, 6-Jimmy Sills, 5-Johnny Cofer, 5-Robby Flock, 5-Cory Kruseman, 4-Robert Dolacki, 4- P.J. Jones, 3-Jay Drake, 3-Ronnie Gardner, 3-Chris Rahe, 3-Tony Stewart, 2-Tommy Astone, 2-Tyler Brown, 2-Josh Ford, 2-Dennis Hart, 2-Johnathon Henry, 2-Robby Josett, 2-Brad Kuhn, 2-Frank Pedregon, 2-Jerome Rodela, 2-Chuck West, 1-Mike Appio, 1-Wayne Bennet, 1-Bobby Boone, 1-Mario Bringetto Jr., 1-Hank Butcher, 1-Keith Chrisco, 1-Kevin Doty, 1-Tony Elliott, 1-Nic Faas, 1-Stan Fox, 1-Russ Gamester, 1-Chuck Gurney, 1-Daryl Haugh, 1-Rick Hendrix, 1-A.J. Johnson, 1-Ryan Kaplan, 1-Josh Lakatos, 1-Brad Loyet, 1-Lealand McSpadden, 1-Matt Mitchell, 1-Steve Paden, 1-Rusty Rasmussen, 1-Keith Rauch, 1-Troy Rutherford, 1-Shane Scully, 1-Ron Shuman, 1-Bryan Stanfill, 1-Tommy White.
USAC WESTERN STATES MIDGET POINT STANDINGS:
- Ronnie Gardner-161, 2. Michael Faccinto-143, 3. Sean Dodenhof-127, 4. Randi Pankratz-117, 5. Terry Nichols-113, 6. Tyler Dolacki-104, 7. Cody Swanson-101, 8. Frankie Guerrini-96, 9. Maria Cofer-82, 10. Shane Golobic-74, 11. Alex Schutte-68, 12. Courtney Crone-67, 13. Cory Elliott-65, 14. Robert Dalby-63, 15. Brady Bacon-60, 16. Cory Kruseman-59, 17. Nate Waite-55, 18. Britton Bock-54, 19. Shannon McQueen-49, –. Taylor Simas-49.