By Steven Blakesley
WATSONVILLE, CALIFORNIA (August 11, 2024) – Santa Cruz’ Logan Mitchell won his fifth Western Midget Racing feature of the season on Saturday night at Ocean Speedway, closing in on the championship battle with 2023 champion Bryant Bell of Oakley in the process. The 25-lap win during the 64th Johnny Key Classic paid $1200 as part of the WMR Triple Crown Series.
“I just wanted to win so bad. We’ve been podiuming every race and been in the hunt, just needed that one difference of starting first.” Mitchell said.
Mitchell won the fast heat race among Friday’s top-six drivers, earning the pole position for the feature. Idaho’s Teddy Bivert topped Arizona’s Drake Edwards to win the second heat race to set the fourth row starting positions as well.
Friday winner Anthony Bruno of San Jose leapt ahead of Mitchell at the start of the feature from the outside pole. Last-place starter Bell and eighth-place starter Edwards drove into third and fourth respectively. Bell’s bid for a podium finish ended when he stopped in turn one with just two laps to go. He would ultimately be scored ninth.
Mitchell followed Bruno closely. He tried the outside on the backstretch on lap 13 but couldn’t complete a pass. Bruno swung wide exiting turn two on the next lap, allowing Mitchell to cross over from the top to the bottom to take the lead. Mitchell led the final 11 circuits for the win followed by Bruno, Edwards, Adrianna DeMartini of Brentwood, and Nichols.
The 2024 Western Midget Racing Triple Crown is brought to you by Sunland Wood Products, Mead Performance, Extreme Mufflers, Pasillas Tire, West Evans Motorsports, Lance Pierovich, and Hoosier Tire West.
Western Midget Racing continues its 2024 season on September 21 at Bakersfield Speedway. For more information visit www.WesternMidgetRacing.com
RESULTS: Ocean Speedway Johnny Key Classic August 10, 2024
A Feature 1 (25 Laps): 1. 96X-Logan Mitchell[1]; 2. 9-Anthony Bruno[2]; 3. 35-Drake Edwards[8]; 4. ONE9-Adrianna DeMartini[3]; 5. 2ND-Terry Nichols[4]; 6. 18-Todd Hawse[6]; 7. 31-Adam Weisberg[10]; 8. 57-Kinser Claridge[9]; 9. 09-Bryant Bell[13]; 10. 68-Daniel Martinez[11]; 11. 25JR-Nathan Moore[5]; 12. 11-Teddy Bivert[7]; 13. 1T-Koen Shaw[12]
Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 96X-Logan Mitchell[1]; 2. 9-Anthony Bruno[2]; 3. ONE9-Adrianna DeMartini[3]; 4. 2ND-Terry Nichols[4]; 5. 25JR-Nathan Moore[6]; 6. 18-Todd Hawse[5]
Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. 11-Teddy Bivert[4]; 2. 35-Drake Edwards[5]; 3. 57-Kinser Claridge[1]; 4. 31-Adam Weisberg[3]; 5. 68-Daniel Martinez[6]; 6. 1T-Koen Shaw[2]; 7. 09-Bryant Bell[7]