Miguel, Sawyer and Keifer Score Timmy Post Memorial Race Feature Victories At Merced Speedway


Merced, CA...July 2 ...There are a few races on every track's schedule that the drivers really want to win. Merced Speedway is lucky to have a few of those on their schedule, and one very important race was brought back this year. It was the Timmy Poat Memorial Race, which remembers a member of the racing family who died in a tragic car accident on graduation night in 1999. The drivers would flock to run this race through the years until it was discontinued at the end of the 2009 season.

Promoter Ed Parker returned this race to the Merced Speedway schedule with the blessing of Tmmy's family, and it was also a night of fireworks and free admission for the fans.


There was a 34 lap Main Event for Hobby Stocks held in Timmy's honor since he would have been 34 years old this year. Rookie Darren Miguel scored his first feature win of the season in that race. Miguel was last season's Mini Stock champion. Other winners on the night came from the Bakersfield area as Robby Sawyer won the IMCA Modified 25 lap feature and Levi Keifer picked up the win in the 25 lap IMCA Sport Modified Main Event.


Darren Miguel blistered the speedway last season in winning the Mini Stock championship and scoring about a dozen wins in the process. So far this year, the Hobby Stock rookie has struggled and had yet to earn a Top 5 feature finish until this big event. The night started off with the three heat race wins going to Garrett Corn, Kristie Shearer and point leader Michael Shearer. Miguel was stuck back in the ninth starting position and had to work his way to the front. When he got there, he had to battle with another driver who was hungry for victory. Robbie Loqauaci has been a Top 5 finisher this year on multiple occasions, but he really gave it a good run on this night. However, it was Miguel prevailing at the checkered flag with Loquaci a season best second. Enduro specialist Ken Winland made a surprise visit from Santa Clara and grabbed the final podium position in third. To do it, he had to charge from 14th starting, and he even managed to lead a couple laps before settling for third. Reigning track champion Kevin Joaquin grabbed his best finish of the year in fourth as speedway veteran Gary Hildebrand rounded out the Top 5. Young Cody Parker finished sixth ahead of John Hensley, Jeff Lacy in the Miami Dolphins Dan Marino tribute car, M. Shearer and his wife K. Shearer.


One of the more exciting drivers to watch in the IMCA Modified division at Bakersfield Speedway is Robbie Sawyer. It's never a boring race with the #198 car on the track. The IMCA Modified field had a solid 18 car turn out, and Sawyer was a heat race winner along with title contender Randy Brown and two time reigning Petaluma Speedway champion Nick DeCarlo. Sawyer started up near the front, and a good battle began between he, Randy Brown and third generation racer Darrell Hughes II. In the end, it was Sawyer grabbing the checkers for the feature win. Brown still finished a strong second with Hughes third ahead of fourth generation racer Ryan Porter and Harley Turner. It was not a good night for the point runners as leader Bill Egleston was a disappointing ninth and second ranked Ramie Stone ended up 14th, meaning Brown gained some points in the battle. Mike Villanueva in the Shearer Racing Team Modified drove to a sixth place finish ahead of DeCarlo, Alex Stanford, Egleston and Ricky Thatcher.


A big car count was again turned in by the IMCA Sport Modifieds with an amazing 24 cars in town to compete. The heat race wins went to reigning IMCA State champion Fred Ryland, Levi Keifer, Nick Tucker and his father Gary Tucker. Two time Street Stock champion Tim Ragdale found himself in the 12 lap B Main, but he rode the pole to victory ahead of Chase Thomas and Alex Odishoo. In the ride that had been driven by Rick Diaz to start the season, Bob Smith had a pole position start for the Main Event as G. Tucker and Levi Keifer battled early while Ryland came up from eighth starting. Keefer would get the lead as Ryland worked his way to second. As fast as Ryland is, Keifer was just a bit faster as he prevailed at the checkered flag. Ryland settled for second ahead of Gary Tucker in his best finish of the year. Losing his ride three weeks ago, Diaz has managed to secure another ride as he tries to win this championship in the name of his friend John Fore Jr., who passed away prior to the season. Diaz would finish fourth ahead of point leader Steve Stone as their close battle will continue. Tim Elias ended up sixth ahead of Bob Smith, Danny Roe, Mark Odgers and reigning champion Josh Hensley.


Racing will return next Saturday night with the IMCA Sport Modifieds holding headline status along with the Hobby Stocks and Mini Stocks. The track crew has cut a smaller track in the infield and plans to run a Box Stock Kart Racing program that evening as well. For further information, go to
www.racemerced.com.


IMCA Sport Modifieds, Hobby Stocks Headline ShowAt Merced Speedway Saturday night


As the warm days of summer begin, the action on the fast quarter-mile clay oval at Merced Speedway is even hotter. This Saturday night, IMCA Sport Modifieds return with a close championship battle in full swing. Hobby Stocks, Mini Stocks and a special Box Stock Kart race on the inside race track will also be on the card.


When 2014 IMCA Sport Modified champion Rick Diaz lost his ride in the number #9d car to speedway veteran Bobby Smith, there might have been some people writing him off. However, he came into this year intending to win a championship in honor of his fallen friend John Fore Jr., and he wasn't about to give up. Rick secured another ride to keep things going.


Last week, Diaz kept the pressure on incoming point leader Steve Stone as he finished fourth in the Main Event, but Stone was fifth. This has the makings of a championship battle that may go down to the final checkered flag of the season. Mike Drake debuted another ride in the most recent race, but unfortunately his luck didn't hold up very well. Saturday night will be an opportunity for him to turn things around.


There are several drivers in the Sport Modified division hoping to pick up their first wins, and just making the Main Event wasn't easy for everybody last week as 24 cars were there to try to qualify. To tell you how tough the competition was last week, two time Street Stock champion Tim Ragsdale had to win the B Main to get into the Main Event. Gary Tucker has driven Street Stocks and Sportsman cars at the track through the years, and he remains one of the top Sport Modified racers. After joining his son Nick Tucker as a heat race winner last time out, Gary had one of his best finishes of the year in third.


Fred Ryland might have been the driver people would have expected to win that race, but the reigning IMCA State champion settled for second behind Bakersfield visitor Levi Kiefer. The talent level is pretty deep in this division, and racers like Chris Falkenberg, reigning champion Josh Hensley, Dwayne Short, Top 5 ranked Tim Elias and Alex Odishoo are other top racers anticipated for the coming race.


Darren Miguel knew that he would have a challenge moving up from the Mini Stock division into the Hobby Stocks. He picked up a feature win last year in his limited starts, but he got his own ride this year and has found just getting a Top 5 finish a difficult task. In one of the bigger races of the year last week, The Timmy Post Memorial Race, Miguel made a charge to the front and won a three car battle for his first win of the season. He will be out to see if he can make it two in a row this week.


There is lots of buzz centered around the #70L car of Robbie Loquaci, who gave it a good run before finishing a season best second last week. People are talking about the past Chowchilla Speedway Mini Stock champion, and they're saying he is going to get a win before the season is up. Another driver you know will not likely be shut out of the win column this year is the reigning champion, Kevin Joaquin. Kevin had one of his best finishes of the year in fourth last week.


The battle in the points right now continues to be between the husband and wife team of Michael and Kristie Shearer. Unfortunately for both of them, last week was not a very good race for either of them. However, the two won heat races earlier that evening and served notice that they will continue to be major factors in the quest for victory.


The fact is, the talent pool is just as deep in the Hobby Stock division as it is in the Sport Modified division. You really do not know who will win on any given week, and other drivers who will be gunning for victory this week could include past Chowchilla Sport Modified champion Gary Hildebrand, Kodie Dean, Garrett Corn, Dexter Long, George Silva, Chris Williams and Austin Van Hoff. If the Corn name sounds familiar, it should. Garrett Corn is the son of past Chowchilla champion Nathan Corn, and his family has been racing at Merced Speedway going back to when it opened up in the 1950's.


Chris Corder continues to be the driver to beat in the Mini Stock division. Corder is the 2014 champion and only lost last year's title by a couple points to Darren Miguel. He will probably be the man to beat this week, but they are lining up behind them for that opportunity. Not the least of which are his own teammates, Joy Alger and his sister Jennifer Corder. Jennifer has won Main Events in the past in this division and is the 2014 point runner up.


Teammates James Stockton and Mike Germait are high on the list of drivers who could pick up a win this week. Other drivers to watch this week include the #13x car of Paul Lauretti, Curtis Thornhill, Tony Peffer and Jason Lewis, who is a feature winner this year. Rookie Destiny Caster is reportedly returning to action this week as well.


When it comes to getting drivers started in racing, many families choose the path of Outlaw Kart racing. Tracks near Merced for these Karts include Atwater and Chowchilla. Merced Speedway is beginning an experiment with a track cut in the infield for the Karts. California has seen some good drivers moving all the way up from the Beginners Box Stock division, including recent Wild West Series Speedweek champion Kellen Chadwick and two time reigning Petaluma Speedway champion Nick DeCarlo. We're not sure who will be showing up for this race, but they definitely have a good stage on which to perform on Saturday night.


So if you're looking for some great racing action, Merced Speedway will have you covered on Saturday night with the IMCA Sport Modifieds, Hobby Stocks, Mini Stocks and Box Stock Karts. For further information, go to www.racemerced.com


Merced Speedway


IMCA Modified

Bill Egleston     246

Randy Brown     241

Ramie Stone     240

Bruce Nelson     219

Ricky Thatcher     214


IMCA Sport Modified

Rick Diaz     256

Steve Stone     256

Josh Hensley     234

Mike Drake     232

Tim Elias     231


Hobby Stock

Michael Shearer 151

Kristie Shearer 126

Robbie Loquaci     117

Kevin Joaquin     116

Kodie Dean     112


Mini Stock

Chris Corder     89

Joy Alger     66

James Stockton     59

Paul Lauretti     59

Mike Germait     57