By Steven Blakesley
BAKERSFIELD, CALIFORNIA (September 22, 2024) – Delano’s Terry Nichols prevailed at his home Bakersfield Speedway on Saturday night with Western Midget Racing, earning his long sought first wins in both WMR and at Bakersfield. Nichols held off challenges from 2023 champion and current series points leader Bryant Bell of Oakley in the 25-lap contest.
Lodi’s Nate Wait and Oakley’s Bryant Bell split the heat race competition. Santa Clarita’s Adam Weisberg and Moorpark’s Todd Hawse made up a SoCal front-row for the feature.
Hawse drove around the outside of Weisberg to lead lap one. Nichols challenged Hawse for the lead while the potent trio of San Jose’s Anthony Bruno, Bell, and Santa Cruz’ Logan Mitchell jockeyed for third behind them. Mitchell tried to make the high side work and made his way to fourth.
The top-two accumulated a straightaway advantage over the battle for third which was nullified when Mitchell spun on lap eight.
Nichols worked to the inside on the restart and took the lead on lap nine. Hawse then slowed on lap 14 and retired from the race. Bruno had a slight hiccup when his machine slowed on lap 19 but he was able to keep going. The incident set up a six lap shootout between Bruno, Bell, and Mitchell. Michell tried to go two-for-one on the restart on the outside, passing Bell but not completing the pass on Nichols.
Nichols darted away for the win followed by Mitchell, Bell, a resurgent Bruno, and rookie driver Nathan Moore of Santa Cruz.
Saturday’s events set the stage for championship weekend for WMR with Bell leading Mitchell by 16 markers. Also serving as the final weekend of the 2024 Triple Crown, action will open on October 25 from Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway Dirt Track in Bakersfield. Saturday’s finale for the season will hit the Ventura Raceway on October 26.
For more information visit www.WesternMidgetRacing.com
RESULTS: Bakersfield Speedway September 21, 2024
A Feature 1 (25 Laps): 1. 2ND-Terry Nichols[3]; 2. 96X-Logan Mitchell[7]; 3. 09-Bryant Bell[5]; 4. 9-Anthony Bruno[4]; 5. 25JR-Nathan Moore[8]; 6. 68-Marvin Mitchell[10]; 7. 35W-Nate Wait[6]; 8. 15-Adam Weisberg[1]; 9. 35K-Teddy Bivert[9]; 10. 18-Todd Hawse[2]; 11. 1K-Jimmy Voitel[12]; 12. (DNS) 57-Ray Richards
Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 35W-Nate Wait[1]; 2. 9-Anthony Bruno[4]; 3. 18-Todd Hawse[3]; 4. 96X-Logan Mitchell[2]; 5. (DNS) 35K-Teddy Bivert; 6. (DNS) 57-Ray Richards
Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. 09-Bryant Bell[3]; 2. 2ND-Terry Nichols[4]; 3. 15-Adam Weisberg[2]; 4. 25JR-Nathan Moore[5]; 5. 68-Marvin Mitchell[6]; 6. (DNS) 1K-Jimmy Voitel