Evans NMRA TQ Midget Victory Ties for Point Lead
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Bakersfield, CA., Sept. 12 – West Evans has led the NMRA-TQ Midget Series for the last 14 consecutive years from his home in Moorpark. The veteran super-modified driver and multi-time TQ-midget champion driver/car owner started third and won the TQ midget 20-lap feature Saturday at the third-mile clay Bakerasfield Speedway. His triumph in the penultimate 2015 race came aboard his No. 36 Spike/Bob Wirth-built Kawasaki. The victory moved him into a tie for first place at 858 in NMRA driver points after 14 of 15 scheduled races.
West made up a seven-point deficit (799-792) after the August 29 race at Santa Maria Speedway. He tied his first cousin Chuck West, of Clovis, for the point lead. West drives Evans' second TQ midget, a Stealth/Bob Wirth Kawasaki. Their friendly championship contest this season will be settled on Saturday, October 17 in the NMRA season finale at Santa Maria Speedway.
The 2015 season line for both point leaders follows:
Driver Races Top 5s Top 10s Feature Wins Heat Wins Aver. points
West 14 13 13 8 7 61.29
Evans 14 14 14 3 9 61.29
Third place point driver Bruce Hiroshima has raced only 12 times this season. He has two main event triumphs and a 61.92 points per race average. Anthony Lopiccolo won the other NMRA-TQ feature before he concentrated on racing John Springstead's No. 36 sprint car with USAC-CRA.
The latest Bakersfield race Saturday was part of the usual multi-division racing program at the track. Six TQ midgets participated in one eight-lap heat race and the 20-lap feature. Evans won both races after starting fourth in the heat race in which he beat fifth starter West.
In the 20-lap main event pole starter Doyle Mosley dropped out after six laps. Evans started third and beat fifth starter Hiroshima. West, from fourth, beat the rookie TQ drivers son/father duo Kevin and Ace Kale, the second and sixth starters respectively. All five finishers completed 20 laps.
POINT STANDINGS (after 14 of 15 events)
Drivers Car Owners
1 Chuck West 858 1 No. 36 West Evans 900
1 West Evans 858 2 No. 5 Bruce Hiroshima 779
3 Bruce Hiroshima 743 3 No. 18 Scott Dobson 720
4 Scott Dobson 684 4 No. 38 West Evans 709
5 Ace Kale ® 659 5 No. 77 Ace Kale 701
6 Kevin Kale ® 632 6 No. 07 Ace Kale 674
7 Dave Lambert 467 7 No. 55 Dave Lambert 497
8 Chris Thomas 326 8 No. 40 Chris Thomas 347
9 Ted Dann ® 311 9 No. 87 Doyle Mosley 285
10 Doyle Mosley 264 10 No. 7 Ace Kale 194