CHUCK WEST WINS BAKERSFIELD 2011 SEASON OPENING NMRA-TQ MIDGET MAIN
By noderel:
Bakersfield, Ca. April 9, 2011 – NMRA-TQ Midget teams finally launched the 2011 TQ point season in California Saturday at the banked, third-mile Bakersfield Speedway. A multi-division event at the historic track had been “weathered out” on March 26. Chuck West, from Clovis, won the 11-car, 25-lap TQ feature. He drove his usual No. 38 West Evans Motor-sports Stealth chassis with a Bob Wirth-built Suzuki for power. The three-time NMRA driving champion (2002, 06 and 08) started eighth and became the third race leader on lap 20. He led the final six laps.
Local driver Dakota Schweitzer started fourth and finished second in Steve Parke's No. 59 Stewart/Honda. The series 2009 rookie of the year led laps10-19 in pursuit of his third career main event triumph. Brian Baker, the 2010 NMRA rookie of the year and winner of the last NMRA feature at Bakersfield in October, continued to impress. The 21-year old from nearby Taft started second and led the first ten laps in his own Hart chassis with a Jerry Clerc-built 750cc Honda. Scott Dobson, from third grid position, finished fourth; 2010 NMRA driving and car owner champion West Evans came from seventh to place fifth.
Anthony Lopiccolo started and finished sixth. Ron Ahrendt, Bruce Hiroshima, Chris Thomas and pole starter Dave Lambert completed the top ten. All finishers logged 25 laps. Adam Baker, the twin brother of third place Brian, made his TQ midget debut in his own car. He hopes to follow his twin as series rookie of the year this season. He started and finished 11th after dropping out on lap 9.
Two eight-lap heat races went to Ahrendt and Schweitzer. West became the first 2011 point leader by two points (65-63) over Schweitzer. The next NMRA-TQ racing event will be Saturday, April 23 at Bakersfield Speedway, the new home track for NMRA. The Kern County track booked ten of the12 scheduled NMRA races this year.
Results:
Heat 1: Ron Ahrendt, Chuck West, Scott Dobson, Dave Lambert, Bruce Hiroshima, Chris Thomas.
Heat 2: Dakota Schweitzer, Anthony Lopiccolo, West Evans, Brian Baker, Adam Baker.
Main: West, Schweitzer, B. Baker, Dobson, Evans, Lopiccolo, Hiroshima, Thomas, Lambert, A. Baker.
POINT STANDINGS:
Driver | Car Owner | ||||||
1 Chuck West 2 Dakota Schweitzer 3 Brian Baker 4 Scott Dobson 5 West Evans 6 Anthony Lopiccolo 7 Ron Ahrendt 8 Bruce Hiroshima 9 Chris Thomas 10 Dave Lambert 11 Adam Baker |
65 |
|
68 |