Brea Lopez Sensational in BCRA Redwood Acres Win
by Steve Pados, GA Motorsports Media
19-year-old driving sensation Brea Lopez captured her first career
midget victory on Saturday at the Redwood Acres Raceway during the
running of a Bay Cities Racing Association scheduled event. Lopez
methodically drove her Dan Press Esslingler Beast midget from an
inversion 12th starting place towards the front with each passing lap of
the 30-lap main event. The Dan Press owned midget racer was dialed-in
perfectly as Lopez hustled the car around the lightning-fast 3/8 mile
paved oval, running consistent 15-second laps.
Lopez moved into second place on lap 23 and set her sights on the
leader Ralph Cortez from Sacramento. The first time Lopez attempted to
make her bid for the lead she came in a little too hard and brushed the
back of the right rear tire on the Cortez machine. Lopez lifted the
throttle a bit and the next time around made the winning pass and led
the final five laps of the BCRA feature event to win her first career
triumph.=20
In victory lane after the win, Lopez was an elated young lady. As she
climbed from the car she exclaimed, "This is great! We have been close
so many times, and to finally get that first one, wow, this is
incredible". She later added, "So many people have helped us on our
journey, we can't thank them enough for their loyalty and support to our
racing program. This win is for everyone who has played a part to get us
here to this day, the first victory. I hope we can add a few more wins
this year".
In the final rundown, current BCRA point leader Justin Grant finished
second with Ralph Cortez in third, Michael Faccinto was fourth in the
Gary Scelzi Mopar and Gary Dickenson was in for fifth completing the top
five of the nineteen car starting field. While the majority of the field
were regular BCRA competitors, five of the WMRA series stars came down
to do battle, among them Lopez, Funk, Dallas Melby, Skeeter Flake and
Snake Livernash.
Lopez qualified third fastest in time trials with Melby being the only
driver to crack the fourteen second barrier with a 14.977 clocking.
Livernash with a 15.071, and Lopez with a 15.081 were close. The Dash
was won by Travis Berryhill over Lopez. The two heats were won by
Cortez and Faccinto.
For Lopez, it was her second BCRA start this year. She began her racing
season at the Shasta Raceway and came away with a fine third
place finish. This is the third year Lopez has been driving the full
midgets.
Brea Lopez Motorsports will travel to the Wenatchee Valley Super Oval
for a WMRA sanctioned race on the 26th of May and will then be off until
the ninth of June when the WMRA will be sanctioning a race at the
Ephrata Raceway.
For more information regarding Brea Lopez, log on to her website at:
www.brealopez.com
Feature (30 laps): 1. *25 Brea Lopez*, 2. 30 Justin Grant, 3. 31 Ralph Cortez, 4. 41 Michael Faccinto, 5. 8 Gary Dickenson, 6. 12 Eric Mostin, 7. 3 Rick Faeth, 8. 61 Bill Lindsey, 9. *23 Evan Funk*, 10. 11 Travis Berryhill, 11. 18 Floyd Alvis, 12. *9 Dallas Melby*, 13. 15 David Prickett, 14. 26 Glenn Carson, 15. 17 Kevin Morris, 16. 63 Michael Binswanger, 17. *55 Snake Livernash*, DQ'd - 10 Shane Golobic, DNS - 87 Joe Lindsey