Maria Cofer Tops Petaluma USAC/BCRA Challenge Feature

Maria Cofer (Serena Dalhamer photo)

From Lance Jennings

PETALUMCA, Ca. (October 17, 2020) — Powering past Brody Fuson on the eighth circuit, Maria Cofer (Macdoel, CA) led the rest of the way to claim the non-point USAC Western States and BCRA Midget win at Petaluma Speedway. Driving the family owned #57 Tule Vista Ranches / Bell Helmets Spike, Cofer’s “West Coast Stock Car / Motorsports Hall of Fame Challenge Race” victory was the second USAC triumph of her career. Frankie Guerrini, Scotty Farmer, Kyle Beilman, and Fuson rounded out the top-five drivers.

Blake Bower earned his first career Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Award with a time of 14.936 over the 14-car roster. The young driver ran third in his heat race and placed ninth in the feature after problems ended his night.

With her drive to victory from fourth, Cofer also took Petaluma’s Rod End Supply Hard Charger Award / Best Passing Job honors. The former BCRA Champion had qualified third overall and finished fourth in her heat race.

The 8-lap heat race victories were claimed by Scotty Farmer (Extreme Mufflers First Heat), and Frankie Guerrini (Competition Suspension Incorporated / Ultra Shield Race Products Second Heat). Farmer, who was victorious last Saturday at Placerville, was fifth quick in time trials and ran sixth in the feature.

Qualifying second overall, Guerrini had his best night of 2020 and left the Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds with a slim one point lead over Cofer in the West Coast Stock Car / Motorsports Hall of Fame Challenge point standings.

Next Saturday, October 24th, the “mighty midgets” of the USAC Western States and Bay Cities Racing Association will return to Petaluma Speedway for the non-point “West Coast Stock Car / Motorsports Hall of Fame Challenge Race #2. The race will be broadcast live at floracing.com.

The USAC Western States Midget Series thanks AMSOIL, Competition Suspension Incorporated, Extreme Mufflers, Five Star Grafix, Hoosier Racing Tire, Loudpedal Productions, Rod End Supply, Ultra Shield Race Products, and Woodland Auto Display for their support.
A special thanks goes to Ken Clapp and the West Coast Stock Car / Motorsports Hall of Fame for their support.

For more information on the series, visit usacracing.com and the social media for USAC Racing. You can also find exclusive content on the USAC Western States Midget Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages.

USAC WESTERN STATES MIDGET SERIES SPECIAL EVENT RACE RESULTS: October 17, 2020 – Petaluma Speedway – Petaluma, California – “West Coast Stock Car / Motorsports Hall of Fame Challenge Race #1” – co-sanctioned with BCRA

WOODLAND AUTO DISPLAY QUALIFYING: 1. Blake Bower, 10, Walker-14.936; 2. Frankie Guerrini, 63, Guerrini-14.984; 3. Maria Cofer, 57, Cofer-14.998; 4. Kyle Beilman, 31K, Beilman-15.044; 5. Scotty Farmer, 68, Six8-15.069; 6. Brody Fuson, 51, Carlile-15.317; 7. Britton Bock, 67, Bock-15.660; 8. C.J. Sarna, 20, Sarna-15.728; 9. David Prickett, 15DJ, Neverlift-15.760; 10. Randi Pankratz, 8, Pankratz-16.019; 11. Floyd Alvis, 18, Champion-16.145; 12. Sparky Howard, 17, Thurston-16.455; 13. Jarrett Soares, 12, Soares-NT; 14. Robert Carson, 99, Segur-NT.

EXTREME MUFFLERS FIRST HEAT: (8 laps) 1. Farmer, 2. Prickett, 3. Bower, 4. Cofer, 5. Alvis, 6. Bock. NT.

COMPETITION SUSPENSION INCORPORATED / ULTRA SHIELD RACE PRODUCTS SECOND HEAT: (8 laps) 1. Guerrini, 2. Fuson, 3. Pankratz, 4. Beilman, 5. Howard, 6. Sarna. NT.

FEATURE: (30 laps, with starting positions) 1. Maria Cofer (4), 2. Frankie Guerrini (5), 3. Scotty Farmer (2), 4. Kyle Beilman (3), 5. Brody Fuson (1), 6. Randi Pankratz (8), 7. Sparky Howard (10), 8. Floyd Alvis (9), 9. Blake Bower (6), 10. C.J. Sarna (11), 11. David Prickett (7), 12. Britton Bock (12). NT.

FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-2 Farmer, Laps 3-7 Fuson, Laps 8-30 Cofer.
ROD END SUPPLY HARD CHARGER: Maria Cofer (4th to 1st)

NEW WEST COAST STOCK CAR / MOTORSPORTS HALL OF FAME CHALLENGE POINTS: 1. Frankie Guerrini-80, 2. Maria Cofer-79, 3. Scotty Farmer-74, 4. Kyle Beilman-69, 5. Brody Fuson-66, 6. Randi Pankratz-61, 7. Blake Bower-58, 8. Sparky Howard-56, 9. Floyd Alvis-53, 10. David Prickett-48.

NEXT USAC WESTERN STATES MIDGET SPECIAL EVENT: October 24 – Petaluma Speedway – Petaluma, California – “West Coast Stock Car / Motorsports Hall of Fame Challenge Race #2” – co-sanctioned with BCRA