WEST WINS AGAIN IN NMRA-TQ MIDGETS
By noderel:
Six-time NMRA-TQ Midget Series champion Chuck West, from Clovis, did it again Saturday night. In a multi-division night with local stock cars, the TQ series revisited its home track—the third-mile, clay Bakersfield Speedway. He drove his usual No. 38 West Motor-sports Spike/Bob Wirth 750cc Suzuki.
West started sixth and led all but the first two laps in a 20-lap main event. It was his seventh feature victory in the tenth race of the 14 event season. He increased his point lead from 53 to 62 points over his car owner/first cousin West Evans.
Scott Niven started fourth, led the first two laps, and finished second in the No. 59 Steve Parke Stewart/Clerc Honda. Leading 2017 rookie Jason Arnold started and finished third in Rick Poe's No. 2p. Evans started fifth and finished fourth in his sister car to the winning ride. The top four drivers completed all 20 laps.
TQ rookie and hobby stock car racer Don Brashier, in a third Ace Kale owned TQ, started last and completed 19 laps for fifth position. Non-finisher Kevin Kale completed 15 laps. Rookie Don Mosley and Ace Kale had mechanical problems and did not start.
A pair of eight-lap heat races went to fourth starter West and second starter Evans. The next NMRA Series event will be Saturday, August 19 at promoter Mike Kapmeyer's third-mile, banked clay Santa Maria Speedway.
Summary”
Heat 1 – Chuck West, Don Mosley, Scott Niven, Kevin Kale.
Heat 2 – West Evans, Jason Arnold, Don Brashier, Ace Kale.
Main – West, Niven, Arnold, Evans, Brashier, K. Kale, Mosley, A. Kale.
POINT STANDINGS:
Drivers
1 Chuck West 641 1 No. 38 Evans Motor-sports 609
2 West Evans 579 2 No. 59 Steve Parke 577
3 Scott Niven 547 3 No. 36 Evans Motor-sports 549
4 Ace Kale 458 4 No. 77 Ace Kale 488
5 Kevin Kale 416 5 No. 07 Ace Kale 444
6 Jason Arnold (r) 363 6 No. 2p Rick Poe 384
7 Scott Dobson 337 7 No. 18 Scott Dobson 355
8 Don Mosley (r) 284 8 No. 70 Ace Kale 353
9 Chris Thomas 255 9 No. 87 Doyle Mosley 305
10 Wes Cummings 186 10 No 40 Ed Thomas 270