By Steven Blakesley
PETALUMA, CALIFORNIA (June 9, 2024) – Western Midget Racing has been home to many close championship battles and another is brewing in 2024, following Bryant Bell of Oakley sweeping the races on Friday and Saturday nights with wins at Ocean Speedway and Petaluma Speedway. Bell now trails Santa Cruz’s Logan Mitchell by only four markers after seven rounds of the 17 race championship.
Bell won an adventurous heat race that had a few different incidents. He then lined up fourth for the 20-lap feature after the invert.
Santa Rosa’s Sparky Howard drove around the outside of Las Vegas’ Kyle Hawse to lead lap one. Bell followed Howard on the outside line to advance into second.
Anthony Bruno of San Jose peeked underneath Bell for second and the teammates ran side-by-side briefly before Bell held the second spot.
The top-four competitors of Howard, Bell, Bruno, and Mitchell ran under a close blanket before Bell finally seized the lead on lap five.
Bell and Mitchell ran in lockstep the rest of the way. Mitchell tried to slide into the lead over Bell in turn three near the halfway point, but Bell crossed underneath him to hold the lead. Bell grabbed the narrow one-car length win followed by Mtichell, Bruno, Howard, and Adam Weisberg of Santa Clarita.
Western Midget Racing returns to action on June 22 at Ventura Raceway. For more information visit www.WesternMidgetRacing.com
RESULTS: Petaluma Speedway June 8, 2024
A Feature 1 (20 Laps): 1. 09 Bryant Bell, 2. 96x Logan Mitchell, 3. 9 Anthony Bruno, 4. 3 Sparky Howard, 5. 15 Adam Weisberg, 6. 20 Kyle Hawse, 7. 68 Marvin Mitchell, 8. 1K Terry Nichols, DNS: 35 Nate Wait