Sarale Marvels BCRA Field at Marysville
By Robert Haugh, Marysville, CA. April 18, 2009 - After catapulting to an early lead and battling throughout the race with several contenders, Stockton’s John Sarale outdueled a stellar field to claim the Bay Cities Racing Association Midget feature on Saturday, April 18 at the ¼-mile Marysville Raceway Park n Marysville, CA.
Jumping to lead on the green flag aboard the Sarale Farms #32 Stealth/Riolo Chevy, the two-time BCRA champion wasted no time blistering the surface of the finely manicured ¼-mile Dirt oval. In the early goings, three-time BCRA champion Glenn Carson, young gun Cole Peard and 2007 BCRA champion Justin Grant all made strong challenges for Sarale’s lead.
With the action hot and heavy up-front with all four cars battling for the top four positions, Sarale and Grant in the #17 TNT Racesports Dave & Wendy Thurston Racingforthetroops.com Spike/Esslinger tangled on Lap 13.
With Grant and Sarale moving to the rear, three-time BCRA champion Glenn Carson began looking for a repeat performance of his July 2008 BCRA triumph, rocketing ahead on the restart aboard Doug Bock’s #26 Spike/Esslinger. But before he could stretch his lead, Grant brought up a red flag in Turn 3 when he flipped. Though the car was only moderately damaged, Grant was forced to retire because of the two-spin rule, ending the young gun’s evening.
Carson continued leading the field for the next several laps, with heavy pressure coming from 2008 BCRA champion “Young Lion” Nick Foster, Jr. aboard Jim Fowler’s #1 Zero-Zero Motorsports Beast/Esslinger, Peard aboard his #58 Twister F5/Fontana and a quickly approaching Sarale.
The top five dicing for positions, the intense and fierce action was halted temporarily on lap 17 when Mike Donaldson spun Stu Donaldson’s #8x Stealth/Pontiac. Donaldson exited as this was his second spin --- he also unfurled the caution on Lap 2.
During the final 13 laps, Carson, Foster, Peard, Sarale and seven-time BCRA champion “Ageless Wonder” Floyd Alvis aboard his #18 Champions Automotive Stealth/Esslinger battled intensely, swapping positions around the track, with Sarale finally taking over the lead once again on Lap 27.
Sarale led the final four laps, taking the checkers over Carson, Peard, Alvis and Foster rounding the Top five.
“Nitro” Nick Chivello placed sixth in his first-ever BCRA Dirt Midget start aboard Bob Roza’s #20 TEAM F.A.S.T. (Fighting Against Steroids Together) Beast/Esslinger.
Chico’s Dillon Silverman finished sixth aboard the #99 Capital City Midgets Stealth/Ford Focus ahead of fellow CCM competitor Matt Land of Elk Grove aboard his #91 Stealth/Ford Focus. Silverman and Land were among a half-dozen Capital City Midget entries on the evening.
2008 BCRA pavement champion and Rookie-of-the-Year “Nitro” Nick Chivello spun during Heat 1. Mike Donaldson spun during Heat 1 also, while Fresno’s David “Love Cricket” Prickett exited Heat 1 prematurely with mechanical gremlins aboard the #15 Neverlift Motorsports TCR/Van Dyne.
Foster spun during Heat 2.
Grant claimed Heat 1 over Pleasanton’s Pete Davis aboard Dave LaMott’s #0 Stealth/Honda, Donaldson, Jackson’s Bill Lyons aboard his #5n and Prickett.
Sarale claimed Heat 2 over Peard, Alvis, Carson and Silverman.
Several mounts were plagued my mechanical gremlins all evening. American Canyon’s Troy Geilfuss failed to start Heat 1 and the feature aboard his #25. Roseburg, Oregon’s Josh Lakatos scratched after experiencing unknown gremlins in his #4. 1987 Silver Dollar Speedway 410 Sprint Car track champion Rick Haugh, Jr. of Butte Valley also was battling gremlins all evening, struggling with unknown woes aboard father Richard’s #5h Maxim/Gaerte. Atascadero’s Randi Pankratz was also a victim of mechanical gremlins aboard her #8 Autoresearch/Esslinger.
The BCRA Midgets now trek back to the pavement for the 100-lap Gerhardt Classic at the speedy 1/3-mile Madera Speedway on Saturday, April 25th, a co-sanctioned race with USAC-Western States.
Foster continues leading the BCRA point standings through three races.
Visit www.bcraracing.com for additional information of the BCRA Midgets and www.marysvilleracewaypark.com for additional information on Marysville Raceway Park.
Summary
Feature:
1. Sarale, 2. Carson, 3. Peard, 4. Alvis, 5. Foster, Jr., 6. Chivello, 7. Silverman, 8. Land, 9. Alton, 10. Donaldson, 11. Grant, 12. Davis, 13. Lyons, 14. Prickett, 15. Haugh, 16. Young, 17. Pankratz-DNS, 18. Geilfuss-DNS
Lap Leaders, Sarale 1-12, Carson 13-26, Sarale 27 - 30
Heat 1:
1. Grant, 2. Davis, 3. Donaldson, 4. Lyons, 5. Prickett, 6. Haugh, 7. Chivello, 8.Young, 9. Geilfuss-DNS, 9. Pankratz-DNS
Heat 2
1. Sarale, 2. Peard, 3. Alvis, 4. Carson, 5. Silverman, 6. Foster, 7. Land, 8. Alton, 9. Lakatos-DNS
By Robert Haugh, Marysville, CA. April 18, 2009 - After catapulting to an early lead and battling throughout the race with several contenders, Stockton’s John Sarale outdueled a stellar field to claim the Bay Cities Racing Association Midget feature on Saturday, April 18 at the ¼-mile Marysville Raceway Park n Marysville, CA.
Jumping to lead on the green flag aboard the Sarale Farms #32 Stealth/Riolo Chevy, the two-time BCRA champion wasted no time blistering the surface of the finely manicured ¼-mile Dirt oval. In the early goings, three-time BCRA champion Glenn Carson, young gun Cole Peard and 2007 BCRA champion Justin Grant all made strong challenges for Sarale’s lead.
With the action hot and heavy up-front with all four cars battling for the top four positions, Sarale and Grant in the #17 TNT Racesports Dave & Wendy Thurston Racingforthetroops.com Spike/Esslinger tangled on Lap 13.
With Grant and Sarale moving to the rear, three-time BCRA champion Glenn Carson began looking for a repeat performance of his July 2008 BCRA triumph, rocketing ahead on the restart aboard Doug Bock’s #26 Spike/Esslinger. But before he could stretch his lead, Grant brought up a red flag in Turn 3 when he flipped. Though the car was only moderately damaged, Grant was forced to retire because of the two-spin rule, ending the young gun’s evening.
Carson continued leading the field for the next several laps, with heavy pressure coming from 2008 BCRA champion “Young Lion” Nick Foster, Jr. aboard Jim Fowler’s #1 Zero-Zero Motorsports Beast/Esslinger, Peard aboard his #58 Twister F5/Fontana and a quickly approaching Sarale.
The top five dicing for positions, the intense and fierce action was halted temporarily on lap 17 when Mike Donaldson spun Stu Donaldson’s #8x Stealth/Pontiac. Donaldson exited as this was his second spin --- he also unfurled the caution on Lap 2.
During the final 13 laps, Carson, Foster, Peard, Sarale and seven-time BCRA champion “Ageless Wonder” Floyd Alvis aboard his #18 Champions Automotive Stealth/Esslinger battled intensely, swapping positions around the track, with Sarale finally taking over the lead once again on Lap 27.
Sarale led the final four laps, taking the checkers over Carson, Peard, Alvis and Foster rounding the Top five.
“Nitro” Nick Chivello placed sixth in his first-ever BCRA Dirt Midget start aboard Bob Roza’s #20 TEAM F.A.S.T. (Fighting Against Steroids Together) Beast/Esslinger.
Chico’s Dillon Silverman finished sixth aboard the #99 Capital City Midgets Stealth/Ford Focus ahead of fellow CCM competitor Matt Land of Elk Grove aboard his #91 Stealth/Ford Focus. Silverman and Land were among a half-dozen Capital City Midget entries on the evening.
2008 BCRA pavement champion and Rookie-of-the-Year “Nitro” Nick Chivello spun during Heat 1. Mike Donaldson spun during Heat 1 also, while Fresno’s David “Love Cricket” Prickett exited Heat 1 prematurely with mechanical gremlins aboard the #15 Neverlift Motorsports TCR/Van Dyne.
Foster spun during Heat 2.
Grant claimed Heat 1 over Pleasanton’s Pete Davis aboard Dave LaMott’s #0 Stealth/Honda, Donaldson, Jackson’s Bill Lyons aboard his #5n and Prickett.
Sarale claimed Heat 2 over Peard, Alvis, Carson and Silverman.
Several mounts were plagued my mechanical gremlins all evening. American Canyon’s Troy Geilfuss failed to start Heat 1 and the feature aboard his #25. Roseburg, Oregon’s Josh Lakatos scratched after experiencing unknown gremlins in his #4. 1987 Silver Dollar Speedway 410 Sprint Car track champion Rick Haugh, Jr. of Butte Valley also was battling gremlins all evening, struggling with unknown woes aboard father Richard’s #5h Maxim/Gaerte. Atascadero’s Randi Pankratz was also a victim of mechanical gremlins aboard her #8 Autoresearch/Esslinger.
The BCRA Midgets now trek back to the pavement for the 100-lap Gerhardt Classic at the speedy 1/3-mile Madera Speedway on Saturday, April 25th, a co-sanctioned race with USAC-Western States.
Foster continues leading the BCRA point standings through three races.
Visit www.bcraracing.com for additional information of the BCRA Midgets and www.marysvilleracewaypark.com for additional information on Marysville Raceway Park.
Summary
Feature:
1. Sarale, 2. Carson, 3. Peard, 4. Alvis, 5. Foster, Jr., 6. Chivello, 7. Silverman, 8. Land, 9. Alton, 10. Donaldson, 11. Grant, 12. Davis, 13. Lyons, 14. Prickett, 15. Haugh, 16. Young, 17. Pankratz-DNS, 18. Geilfuss-DNS
Lap Leaders, Sarale 1-12, Carson 13-26, Sarale 27 - 30
Heat 1:
1. Grant, 2. Davis, 3. Donaldson, 4. Lyons, 5. Prickett, 6. Haugh, 7. Chivello, 8.Young, 9. Geilfuss-DNS, 9. Pankratz-DNS
Heat 2
1. Sarale, 2. Peard, 3. Alvis, 4. Carson, 5. Silverman, 6. Foster, 7. Land, 8. Alton, 9. Lakatos-DNS