West Coast Tuesday Chili Bowl Qualifiers

By Robert Haugh

Heading the list of Tuesday night qualifiers in the Chili Bowl Midget Nationals are multiple past Chili Bowl A-main event starters, including 13-time A-Main qualifier Jerry Coons, Jr. (Tuscon, AZ) in Danny Lendich's #3NZ Lucas Oil-Impact-Wendy's-Hoosier Tire Spike/Esslinger, 2004 BCRA Midget champion and three-time (2009-2011) A-main qualifier Thomas “T-Mez” Meseraull (San Jose, CA) in Mark Bush’s #2T EF-65 Hand Cleaner-markbushassociates.com Spike/Esslinger, three-time A-main qualifier Casey Shuman (Rattlesnake Bend, AZ) aboard Hans Lein’s #2H Lein Acres-Midstate Equipment-Blue River Ag Spike/Esslinger, Darren Hagen (Riverside, CA) in RFMS Racing’s #3 RFMS-Liberty Village-McGaladrey & Pullen Spike/Esslinger, 2010 King of the West Sprint Car champion and 2010 A-main qualifier Kyle Larson (Elk Grove, CA) in the Keith Kunz Motorsports’ #67 Advanced Racing-Kwik Change-IWX-Hoosier Bullet/TRD-Toyota and 2009 A-main qualifier Bobby Michonowicz (Lomita, CA) aboard Ron Bach’s #49JR Ron Bach Construction-T-Shirts by Timeless-Fabozzi Metal Works-Doug’s Auto Body-Drake Spike/Esslinger.

Of Tuesday’s West Coast entrants, only Coons, Jr. Meseraull made the A-Main in 2011.

Past champions competing in Tuesday’s qualifier include 2007 BCRA champion Justin Grant (Ione, CA) chauffeuring Larry Gardner’s #35 CB Fabrication-Ancient Element Massage Therapy-Ultra-Shield Seats-Hinchman Race Suits Stealth/Frampton Gaerte, 7-time BCRA champion “Ageless Wonder” Floyd Alvis (San Carlos, CA) manning his Champion Automotive #18 Stealth/Wesmar and multiple-time open wheel champion Jerry Coons, Jr. (Tuscon, AZ) in Danny Lendich’s #3NZ Lucal Oil-Impact-Wendy’s-Hoosier Tire Spike/Esslinger.

20111 race winners competing on Tuesday include Jonathan Henry (Stockton, CA) aboard Graunstadt Enterprises’ #88H Ellis/Fontana, Kody Swanson (Kingburg, CA) aboard Mountain View, CA car owner Cliff Blackwell’s #27 Stealth/Yates Ford,

Additional West Coast Tuesday entrants include Britton Bock (Angwin, CA) in his #67X McNamara Electric-Mike Bock Driveline Service of Santa Rosa-Pete’s Tractor Service Spike/Esslinger, Dalton Gabbard  (Peoria, AZ) aboard the Arizona Heat Trucking #77D BG Products-Grand Canyon Harley-Carquest-J&J Gabbard Ellis/Proflyer Ford, T.J. Smith (Fresno, CA) aboard the Neverlift Motorsports #15N Crysalli-Manitowoc-Fruitful Juice-Prickett’s Dist.-David Prickett Spike/Van Dyne Chevy, Sean Dodenhoff (Bakersfield, CA) aboard his #9D Bakersfield Sports Injury & Wellness-Steve Holloway Painting-Torco Oil-Arnold Johansen Spike/Fontana, Greg Edenholm (Malibu, CA) aboard Keith Ford’s #73F King racing Products-A&A Precision machine-Berry Pack-JFM-Pacific Coast Main. Spike/Bob Wirth, Bob Ream, Jr. (Glendale, AZ) in the 2B Racing #8B Gordon Beeding-Imagine Injection-Parker House Stores of Phoenix-Beal’s Auto Body F5/Fontana, Steve Newman (Steamboat Springs, CO) in the MHL #11XC F&M Machine-Whale’s Tail-Sideline Sports Bar BRE/D3 Ford, R.J. Johnson (Phoenix, AZ) aboard Bobby Martin’s #51J Weiler Farms-Fontana Engines-Pecon Builders-G.T. Trucking-BG Chemicals Spike/Fontana, Harris Brooks (Houston, TX) in Dodenhoff’s #9B EMC/Fontana and Brian Deegan (Omaha, NE) aboard the Kruseman Motorsports #38k Lucas Oil Spike/Esslinger.                    

Tuesday’s lone West Coast Chili Bowl rookie entry is Kyle Smith (Moorpark, CA) aboard his own #55 Agromin-Open Range Petroleum-Waste Management-Roy’s Towing-Unicor Spike/Chevy.

Visit www.chilibowl.com for more information on the 26^th Annual Chili Bowl Midget Nationals.