West Coast Open Wheel Update

By Robert Haugh

Sure, it’s been a while – sometimes life catches up with us!

Before I continue this very belated update, be looking for an announcement soon about when the premiere issue of Western Open Wheel Racing Magazine will become available – it’s in the delayed planning stages right now, but expect the premiere issue to be launched in time for the 2013 Chili Bowl!

After getting through some early season jitters with Mother Nature, the West Coast Open Wheel scene is on fire, with some very competitive racing having taken place throughout the West Coast.

USAC-Western States Midgets

Bakersfield’s Shannon McQueen holds the overall series lead, having compiled three Top 5 runs and four Top 10 runs in five races, maintaining consistency against stellar competition. McQueen leads former BCRA driver champion and 2011 USAC-WS car owner champion David Prickett by 18 tallies, followed by Indiana’s Cole Carter, Prickett’s Neverlift Motorsports teammate Connor Kassik of Arizona and former USAC-WS champion Alex Schutte. McQueen chauffeurs the McQueen Racing #7 Spike/Esslinger on Dirt and the McQueen/Eskesen/Rescino Racing #7 Beast/Mopar on pavement.

Hollister Young Gun Ryan Bernal is making waves, having claimed feature wins at the season opener at Silver Dollar Speedway in March and also recently at King’s Speedway in Hanford, manning the Josh Ford Racing #73 Ellis/Fontana. Bernal also set fast time in Hanford. Bernal will be competing in a Keith Kunz Midget at the Hut 100 this weekend in Indiana. Bernal also sports a USAC-CRA Sprint Car win at Ocean Speedway.

Other USAC-WS wins on the year include McQueen Racing teammate Michelle Decker at Bakersfield, Chad Nichols in his #17 Orange Rocket Beast/Esslinger at Madera and Indiana’s Brad Kuhn at Santa Maria in Mason Cook’s #10. Carter has compiled two seconds and a third in Cook’s #10 mounts.

Prickett narrowly leads the Dirt points over McQueen, having garnered third, fourth, fifth and sixth place feature finishes, as well as two hard charger awards.

King of the West Sprint Cars

The King of the West 410 Sprint Cars have had an amazing season thus far, with several highlights, including Rutherford’s Rico Abreu picking up the win at the fabled ½-mile Calistoga Speedway on Memorial Day Weekend during the Tribute to Gary Patterson – the track is just five minutes from his hometown!

Through eight races (May 28), Jonathan Allard leads the KWS points over Tim Kaeding, Brent Kaeding, Evan Suggs and Bobby McMahan. Abreu also picked up a KWS win at Tulare on May 12 – his first-ever Wing 410 victory. Allard has compiled two wins (Marysville, Chico) while Tim Kaeding has amassed three wins (Antioch, Placerville and Calistoga) with Kyle Larson having a win at Tulare.

Civil War 360 Sprint Cars

After two early season rainouts, The CA Civil War series has finally started getting going. Through three races, Kyle Hirst leads the Civil War series standings over Colby Wiesz, reigning champion Andy Forsberg, Stephen Allard and Greg DeCaires. Hirst, Forsberg and Brett Rollag have wins on the season.

BCRA Midgets

Through three races, 7-time BCRA champion, “Ageless Wonder” Floyd Alvis of San Carlos leads the driver’s standings by eight markers over teammate Gary Conterno, followed closely by Vacaville’s Rick Holbrook and Lakeport brothers Darin and Michael Snider. BCRA winners thus far include Chico’s Robbie Whitchurch (Marysville), Tanner Swanson (Madera in Bob Rosen’s #4 Mr. Espresso Beast/Fontana) and Kevin Morris at Lakeport in his father Del’s #17 Beast/Esslinger. Peggy Holbrook leads the car owner’s standings over Alvis’ #83, Lauren Snider’s #2k and #6k mounts and Morris’ #17. On the Dirt side, after one race, Alvis leads Oregon’s Rob Lindsey, Conterno and Holbrook. On the pavement side, after two races, Michael Snider leads Morris, Darin Snider and Alvis.

Of note was the return of Sacramento’s Ralph Cortez in his #31 Beast/Sesco Mopar at Lakeport. Cortez wasn’t planning on competing, as he is trying to sell the #31 that has not seen a track in three years – after a little nagging by fellow competitors, Cortez wound up setting the fastest lap of the evening, finishing fourth in the feature, despite not seeing seat time in three years. Cortez plans on competing on June 23 at All-American Speedway in Roseville. For information on Cortez’ car, visit: http://bcraracing.com/classifieds/comments.php?DiscussionID=156&page=1#Item_0

Pleasant Hill’s Mike Donaldson took a wild ride at Madera Speedway, resulting in what many consider a miracle that he walked away with only severe bruises and a lot of pain. His car was completely thrashed, and word is the Stu Donaldson’s stable of Midgets are parked indefinitely after Mike’s hard impact.

BCRA Midget Lites

After three races and an early season rainout, Scott Kinney leads the standings in the Fonseca/Johnson Racing Red Hawk Casino #9 having gone three-for-three, winning all three Midget Lite features, leading over former Midget standout Craig Dillard in Wayne Albright’s #72s, Dakota Albright in father Wayne’s #35jr, Marshall Sexton in his #62 and the “Flyin’ Fisher” Rick Soto in his #30. Longtime Midget Lite supporters Hoover Racing have struggled with mechanical gremlins all season, fielding three cars for brothers Richie and Joey Hoover and Craig Holsted.

BCRA was well-represented in the first “Civil War Clash” against the California Lightning Sprints at Bakersfield Speedway on May 12, with BCRA contingent taking the Top 4 spots, with Kinney, Cameron Beard, Dakota Albright and Dillard taking the top spots. Kinney charged from ninth in the feature to take the win. Kinney’s other victories came at Placerville on May 5 and April 28.

Western Performance Parts Born

Fresno’s David Prickett has officially announced the formation of Western Performance Parts, an open wheel performance supplier that will carry a number of components, catering to Midget and Sprint Car teams and more. Western performance Parts is taking and cataloguing inventory and hopes to open in early June, with an expected “opening” no later than June 15. Some of the products they will carry include XRP, AutoMeter, Afco, K&N, Wilwood, Simpson, MPD, Winters, Barnes, Hoosier, Racing Optics, Aurora Rod Ends, Eibach and Schoenfeld. You can reach Western Performance Products at 559-485-7442. A Web site will soon follow.

ASCS Northwest Sprint Cars

After two races over Memorial Day weekend at Gray’s Harbor Raceway in Elma, WA, Roger Crockett is leading the series standings over Brock Lemley, Henry VanDam, Travis Rilat and Rick Fauver. Crockett and Lemley each scored a feature win. The series is idle until a June 22 event at Cottage Grove Speedway in Oregon.

ASCS Southwest Sprint Cars

Through five races, Rick Ziehl leads the standings over Dalten Gabbard, Lance Norick, Joshua Williams and J.T. Imperial. Ziehl, Tony Bruce, Jr., Jason Johnson, Dustin Morgan and Donny Wood each have a single win on the season.

WMRA Midgets

The WMRA Midgets have held two events, May 19 at South Sound Speedway and May 26 at Monroe Speedway. Evan Margeson swept both events, claiming feature wins, Heat wins and fast time awards. Margeson’s 13.014 was a new track record at South Sound.

RMMRA Midgets

Rain has delayed the Rocky Mountain Midget season, with their season opener now slated for June 8 at 1-76 Speedway in Fort Morgan, CO.

MISC.

Former BCRA Midget champion Matt Streeter leads the Antioch Speedway Wingless Sprint points, having claimed two feature wins. Three-time BCRA Midget champion Nick Foster, Jr. of San Jose scored his first Wingless Spec Sprint Car win at Chowchilla Speedway on memorial Day weekend, and also claimed second at Ocean Speedway on May 4.

BEYOND THE WEST

For longtime Western Open Wheel racing fans, you were certainly tuning in to the Indy 500, which saw California transplant Bryan Clauson competing – thought not the results expected, everyone that knows B.C. and his family is proud of his efforts, and here’s hoping Clauson is back at the 500 next year!

Though we attempt to include a large amount of information, we cannot cover every Open Wheel event on the West Coast on a regular basis. Please encourage your race organizations, tracks, sponsors and PR people to submit press releases and results to use at: wowracingnews@gmail.com