FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Honda USAC Western Midget Series

RONNIE GARDNER STRIKES GOLD AT SILVER DOLLAR SPEEDWAY

by Lance Jennings
CHICO, CA (September 5) -  Taking the lead from Johnathon Henry on lap nine, Norco’s Ronnie Gardner roared his sixth Honda USAC Western Midget victory of 2013. The BCRA co-sanctioned “Cavalcade of Gold Cup Memories” was Gardner’s first triumph at Chico’s Silver Dollar Speedway. Jake Swanson, Scott Pierovich, Matt Streeter and Henry followed the USAC point leader to the checkered flags.
 
Racing the Six8 Motorsports’ #68 Baldozier Racing / Esslinger Engineering Stewart, Ronnie Gardner raced to victory after starting sixth in the 30-lap feature. The former USAC/CRA Most Improved Driver earned his third straight fast time award (4th overall) by out-qualifying the twenty car field. Scoring third in his heat race, Ronnie continues to lead the point chase with two heat race victories, thirteen top-10 finishes, and 123 feature laps led to his credit.
 
Jake Swanson of Anaheim placed second in Chico’s “Cavalcade of Gold Cup Memories.” Piloting the Van Dyne / Swanson #05 Ram Bull Racing / Goodwine Glass Edmunds, Swanson qualified third overall and claimed second in his heat race. The May 11th Santa Maria winner is currently second in points with one fast time award, four heat race victories, twelve top-10 finishes, and 43 feature laps led on the year.
 
Alamo’s Scott Pierovich raced the family owned #35 Mid-Coast Trans / Good Guys Spike to third in the main event. The veteran driver was second fast in time trials and claimed third in his 8-lap heat race. Pierovich left Chico sixth in the dirt series points with 28 feature laps led, nine top-10 finishes, and three heat race victories in 2013.
 
Matt Streeter of Galt claimed fourth in the Thursday night Gold Cup feature. Driving his #14JR T&T Trucking / Simpson Race Products Spike, Streeter timed in eighth quick and won the night’s second heat race. In limited starts, the former BCRA Midget Champion has two top-10 finishes in the campaign.
 
After leading the opening eight laps, Stockton’s Johnathon Henry ran fifth in the “Cavalcade of Gold Cup Memories.” Piloting Mike Sala’s #19W Weldway Incorporated / Sala Construction Spike, Henry qualified sixth and placed fifth in his heat race. The 2011 Louie Vermeil Classic winner sits eighth in the dirt standings with nine feature laps led and three top-10 finishes.
 
Tehachapi’s Shannon McQueen earned her third “Hard Charger / Best Passing Job” honors with an eighth place run after starting sixteenth. The driver of the #7 Lucas Oil / Simpson Race Products Spike was fifth fast in time trials and scored seventh in her heat race. As this writing goes to press, the defending champion is fourth in dirt points with one heat race victory, six top-10 finishes, and one fast time award.
 
“The Fremont Flyer” Shane Golobic won the night’s first heat race at Silver Dollar Speedway. Racing Doug Bock’s #26 Carson R&D / Astro Titanium Spike, Golobic qualified fourth and scored seventeenth in the main event after a crash ended his night. In limited starts, the World of Outlaw Sprint Car feature winner has four top-10 finishes, 60 feature laps led, and one main event win in 2013.
 
Greg Bragg of Visalia scored the victory in the night’s third heat race. Driving Dave Thurston’s #11 Bruce Thurston Enterprises Spike, Bragg was twelfth quick in time trials and took eleventh in the 30-lap main event. The multi-time California Lightning Sprint Champion has four top-10 finishes, one semi-main win, and two heat race victories on the season.

--
USAC HONDA WESTERN MIDGET CAR SERIES RACE RESULTS:
September 5, 2013 – Chico, California – Silver Dollar Speedway

QUALIFICATIONS: 1. Ronnie Gardner, 68, SIX-EIGHT-14.511; 2. Scott Pierovich, 35, Pierovich-14.585; 3. Jake Swanson, 05, Swanson-14.661; 4. Shane Golobic, 26, Bock-14.755; 5. Shannon McQueen, 7, McQueen-14.841; 6. Johnathon Henry, 19w, Sala-14.916; 7. Sean Becker, 19s, Sala-14.961; 8. Matt Streeter, 14jr, Streeter-15.088; 9. Taylor Simas, 62, Bock-15.090; 10. Alex Schutte, 28, Morris-15.249; 11. David Prickett, 15, Neverlift-15.312; 12. Gregg Bragg, 11, Thurston-15.327; 13. Trey Marcham, 37, McQueen-15.375; 14. Frankie Guerrini, 63, Guerrini-15.460; 15. Robbie Whitchurch, 82, Whitchurch-15.656; 16. Darin Snider, 6, Snider-16.086; 17. Gary Conterno, 55, Conterno-16.447; 18. J.R. Williams, 74, Williams-16.599; 19. Floyd Alvis, 11x, Alvis-17.049; 20. Rick Holbrook, 2, Holbrook-NT.

FIRST HEAT: (8 laps) 1. Golobic, 2. Marcham, 3. Gardner, 4. Schutte, 5. Becker, 6. Alvis, 7. Snider. NT

SECOND HEAT: (8 laps) 1. Streeter, 2. Guerrini, 3. Pierovich, 4. Prickett, 5. Conterno, 6. Holbrook, 7. McQueen. NT

THIRD HEAT: (8 laps) 1. Bragg, 2. J.Swanson, 3. Simas, 4. Whitchurch, 5. Henry, 6. Williams. NT

FEATURE: (30 laps) 1. Ronnie Gardner, 2. Jake Swanson, 3. Scott Pierovich, 4. Matt Streeter, 5. Johnathon Henry, 6. Sean Becker, 7. Alex Schutte, 8. Shannon McQueen, 9. Taylor Simas, 10. Greg Bragg, 11. David Prickett, 12. Trey Marcham, 13. Frankie Guerrini, 14. Darin Snider, 15. Robbie Whitchurch, 16. Floyd Alvis, 17. Shane Golobic, 18. Gary Conterno, 19. J.R. Williams, 20. Rick Holbrook. NT

FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-8 Henry, Laps 9-30 Gardner.

NEW HONDA WESTERN DIRT MIDGET POINTS: 1-Gardner-889, 2-J.Swanson-773, 3-Prickett-586, 4-McQueen-385, 5-Cody Swanson-383, 6-Pierovich-378, 7-Randi Pankratz-366, 8-Henry-301, 9-Kyle Edwards-295, 10-Rico Abreu-270.

NEXT HONDA USAC WESTERN MIDGET RACE: September 21 – Bakersfield (CA) Speedway