By Lance Jennings
OCTOBER 5, 2021… This Saturday, October 9th, the “mighty midgets” of the USAC Western States and the Bay Cities Racing Association (BCRA) will clash at Keller Auto Speedway (Hanford, CA). Promoted by Peter Murphy, the “Morrie Williams Memorial / Kenny Takeuchi Tribute” will also feature the Kings of Thunder Winged 360 Sprint Cars and NARC King of the West 410 Winged Sprint Cars. The Front Gates open at 4:00pm, Hot Laps at 6:00pm, with Racing scheduled for 7:00pm at the Kings County Fairgrounds. For more event information, visit the track’s website at kellerautospeedway.com. For those that cannot travel to the races, floracing.com will broadcast a live stream of the night’s action over the internet.
NOTICE TO RACERS:
– NO ENTRY FEE IN 2021. ALL RACERS MUST PURCHASE THEIR USAC LICENSE / MEMBERSHIPS OR TEMPORARY PERMITS (TPs) ONLINE PRIOR TO THE EVENT AT USACRACING.COM OR USACLICENSE.COM. TPs are $25 and Memberships are $150.
– California state protocol calls for competitors, crews, officials, and anyone on the grounds to practice safe social distancing, proper sanitizing, and follow local regulations regarding the COVID-19 Coronavirus.
– 2021 APPROVED/LEGAL MUFFLERS: B&B: FRAC-0375-S w/side outlet, COAST FABRICATION: 300x625x17-2s, 350x625x17-2s, 400x625x17-2s, EXTREME: 3515-3030 (15″ Long 5″ round shell with 3″inlet & 3″ outlet), 3615-3030 (15″ Long 6″ round shell with 3″ inlet & 3″ outlet), 3515-3030-8 (15″ Long 5″ round shell with 3″inlet & 3″ outlet with turnout), 3615-3030-8 (15″ Long 6″ round shell with 3″ inlet & 3″ outlet with turnout), FLOWMASTER: (BCRA Approved) 13009130, 13509130, 13509135, SCHOENFELD: 14272535, 14272730-78 *Failure to comply with the muffler rule will risk disqualification from the event.
– FULL CONTAINMENT SEATS ARE MANDATORY.
– ONE WAY DRIVER RADIOS ARE MANDATORY.
– TRANSPONDERS ARE MANDATORY.
– The USAC Western States Midget Rule Book can be found online at usacracing.com.
After Placerville was forced to cancel Saturday’s “Prospector Pandemonium,” USAC Western States Midget Director Stephanie Odom was looking for options. After a few phone calls, a deal was reached with Peter Murphy and the midgets were added to the Hanford program.
Thanks to the series contingency sponsors, the Hanford heat races, lucky 13 award, and hard charger award will pay double certificates. In addition, $300 cash will be paid to the feature winner (Thanks to anonymous sponsors), the first heat race winner will earn $100 cash (Thanks to Walker Performance Filtration), the second heat race winner will earn $100 cash (Thanks to Superior Bearing & Supply), the third heat race winner will earn $100 cash (Thanks to drivewfx.com Trucking), a long haul award will pay $100 cash (Thanks to Wireless 101, “your authorized Cricket dealer.”) Walker Performance Filtration will also award a complete filtration system to a random driver that supports midget racing between now and November 16th. A special thank you to goes to everyone for supporting the event at Hanford.
Since June 6, 1986, the Kings County Fairgrounds has hosted 44 USAC Western States Midget races and thirty different drivers have claimed victory. Robby Flock scored the inaugural victory and Mitchel Moles topped the last visit on April 10th. Billy Boat leads all drivers with six Hanford triumphs and Ronnie Day set the 1-lap qualifying track record of 15.555 on October 3, 1998. The series win list at Hanford is at the end of this release.
Entering the eleventh point race, Blake Bower (Brentwood, CA) has a 45-point lead over the competition. Driving Tony Boscacci’s #9 Orland Public Auto Auction / Mountain Cascade Inc. Spike, Bower raced from fifth to third at Ventura on September 11th. To date, Blake has posted one Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Award, five heat race victories, nine top-10 finishes, and 22 feature laps led on the year. The rookie contender will be looking for his first USAC win this Saturday night.
Brody Fuson (Bakersfield, CA) is second in the chase for the championship. Racing Rusty Carlile’s #51 RacePa Motorsports / W.E. Spike, Fuson scored eighteenth at Ventura after an early exit. At press time, the rookie contender has one feature win, one Woodland Auto Display Top Qualifier Award, three heat race wins, seven top-10 finishes, and 26 feature laps led on the season. Brody will have his sights on adding a Hanford triumph to his resume.
Austin Liggett (Linden, CA) sits third in USAC Western Midget point standings. The pilot of the family owned #83 Excel Environmental Services / Liggett Trucking Spike skipped the night’s action at Ventura. To date, the 2018 USAC West Coast 360 Sprint Car Champion has two feature wins, two Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Awards, one heat race victory, seven top-10 finishes and 57 feature laps led in the campaign. With four career wins, Liggett is a threat to win on any given night.
C.J. Sarna (Brea, CA) ranks fourth in the championship point chase. Racing his #20 ZMAX / Final Final Clothing Spike, Sarna placed fifteenth at the Ventura County Fairgrounds. To date, the 2007 Co-Rookie of the Year has three heat race victories, three Rod End Supply Hard Charger Awards, and seven top-10 finishes to his credit. Sarna has one career victory and will have his sights winning at Keller Auto Speedway.
Ben Worth (Coalinga, CA) is fifth in the Western Midget point standings. The driver of Dean Alexander’s #5K Walker Air Filtration / WFX Spike has missed some races to recover from back pain. At press time, the 2019 Rookie of the Year has posted one feature win, one Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Award, one heat race victory, four top-10 finishes, and 29 feature laps led. Ben has two career wins and everyone with the USAC Western States Midget Series wishes him a speedy recovery.
While Bower leads the chase for rookie honors, Fuson (Bakersfield, CA), Jarrett Soares (Gilroy, CA), Tony Gomes (Modesto, CA), Colby Johnson (Penngrove, CA), Jake Andreotti (Castro Valley, CA), and Colton Raudman (Redding, CA) are also in contention.
Among the other drivers expected to be in action are Shannon McQueen, Chase Johnson, Ron Hazelton, Kyle Mentch, Kyle Beilman, Colton Raudman, Alex Schutte, Jake Andreotti, and more.
Colby Johnson leads the BCRA point standings. Brody Fuson, David Prickett, Kyle Mentch, Robert Carson, Blake Bower, Floyd Alvis, Chase Johnson, Dylan Ito, and Shannon McQueen round out the top-10 drivers.
Keller Auto Speedway is located at the Kings County Fairgrounds at 801 South 10th Avenue in Hanford, California. General Admission Adult tickets are $20, General Admission Senior (62 and older), Active Military (ID Required), and General Admission Junior tickets (6 to 17) are $15. Kids tickets (5 and under) are FREE. For more event information, visit kellerautospeedway.com or the track’s social media.
The USAC Western States Midget Series thanks AMSOIL, Competition Suspension Incorporated, Extreme Mufflers, FloRacing, Hoosier Racing Tire, Loudpedal Productions, Rod End Supply, Saldana Racing Products, Ultra Shield Race Products, Wilwood Disc Brakes, 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 USAC Western States Midget Series, visit the United States Auto Club (USAC) website at 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.
FloRacing.com has live, flag-to-flag coverage of the USAC Western States Midget Series. You can catch the action by subscribing to FloRacing on a monthly or yearly basis to view their huge catalog of live and on-demand auto racing and sporting events.
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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-Ronnie Gardner, 2017-Ronnie Gardner, 2018-Michael Faccinto, 2019-Robert Dalby, 2020-NO AWARD.
HANFORD USAC WESTERN STATES MIDGET TRACK RECORD: Ronnie Day – 15.555 (10/3/98)
HANFORD USAC WESTERN STATES MIDGET WINS: 6-Billy Boat, 4- Robby Flock, 3-Jimmy Sills, 2-Ronnie Day, 2-Alex Harris, 2-Rusty Rasmussen, 2-Ron Shuman, 1-Tommy Astone, 1-Donnie Beechler, 1-Ryan Bernal, 1-Cory Elliott, 1-Mark DeBeaumont, 1-Danny Ebberts, 1-Nic Faas, 1-Joe Gaerte, 1-Ronnie Gardner, 1-Garrett Hansen, 1-Levi Jones, 1-Dallen McKenney, 1-Carson Macedo, 1-Andy Michner, 1-Mitchel Moles, 1-Alex Schutte, 1-Ricky Shelton, 1-Tony Stewart, 1-Danny Stratton, 1-Matt Streeter, 1-Sleepy Tripp, 1-Rich Vogler, 1-Josh Wise.
2021 USAC WESTERN STATES MIDGET WINS: 2-Chase Johnson, 2-Austin Liggett, 1-Maria Cofer, 1-Brody Fuson, 1-Colby Johnson, 1-Mitchel Moles, 1-Hayden Williams, 1-Ben Worth.
2021 USAC WESTERN STATES MIDGET POINT STANDINGS: 1. Blake Bower ®-663, 2. Brody Fuson ®-618, 3. Austin Liggett-549, 4. C.J. Sarna-542, 5. Ben Worth-351, 6. David Prickett-334, 7. Jarrett Soares ®-323, 8. Shannon McQueen-320, 9. Chase Johnson-304, 10. Maria Cofer-282, 11. Ron Hazelton-257, 12. Dylan Ito-226, 13. Colby Johnson ®-225, 14. Tony Gomes ®-212, 15. Mitchel Moles-205, 16. Randi Pankratz-181, 17. Terry Nichols-173, —. Kyle Mentch-173, 19. Kyle Beilman-133, —. Robby Josett-133, 21. Colton Raudman ®-116, 22. Alex Schutte-113, 23. Troy Rutherford-105, 24. Matt Mitchell-104, 25. Hayden Williams-80, 26. Jake Andreotti ®-77, 27. Shane Golobic-77, 28. Ryan Bernal-75, —. Travis Buckley-75, 30. Davey Ray-72, —. Mike Leach Jr.-72, 32. Michael Faccinto-68, 33. Max Adams ®-65, —. Caden Sarale-65, 35. Beau Lemire-58, 36. Floyd Alvis-56, 37. Ashlyn Rodriguez-55, 38. Thomas Esberg-53, 39. Troy Morris III-50, —. Sparky Howard-50, —. Ronnie Gardner-50, —. Robert Carson-50, 43. Ben Wiesz-49, —. Gage Rucker-49, 45. Kenny Welch-46, 46. Joey Bishop-44, 47. Dylan Bloomfield-41, 48. Kaleb Montgomery-36, 49. Jake Vermeer-27, 50. Michael Snider-13.