Bay Cities Racing Association schedules two midget races for the same day

Bay Cities Racing Association schedules two midget races for the same day!

In a highly unusual 2020 season, the Bay Cities Racing Association reached back into its history and has scheduled two races at two separate venues on the same day - October 3rd 2020. Such scheduling was common in the late nineteen forties when midget racing was at the zenith of its popularity. 

The opening round of the “West Coast Stock Car / Motorsports Hall of Fame Challenge Race” with the USAC Western States and the Bay Cities Racing Association (BCRA) dirt midgets will run at the Petaluma  Speedway, while 200 miles to the north in Anderson the pavement midgets will do battle at Shasta Speedway in a program co-sanctioned with the Washington Midget Racing Association (WMRA).     

“While it is unusual for BCRA to present two races at two separate venues on the same day, the 2020 racing season has been unusual due to COVID-19 and we have do what we can to have races for the racers,” according to BCRA Board Member Bob Roza.  

The October 3rd event will be the first of two “West Coast Stock Car / Motorsports Hall of Fame Challenge” races with the second event scheduled for October 24th at Petaluma Speedway.

“The Challenge” offers extra prize money will be up for grabs to the top-five drivers in points from the October 3rd and 24th events at Petaluma. The mini-series will pay $1,000-to-win, $700-for-2nd, $500-for-3rd, $350-for-4th, and $250-for-5th. To be eligible, racers must be members in good standing with either USAC or BCRA and enter and compete at both events.

The October 3rd event is the last scheduled racing program for 2020 at Shasta Speedway, located on the grounds of the Shasta District Fairgrounds. The track will host a Friday practice session on October 2^nd from 2 to 6 PM with practice pit passes priced at $30 each.  On Saturday October 3^rd, pit passes are $45 apiece and the gates will open at 10 AM and practice from 11 AM to 1 PM with the racing program set to start at 2 PM. 

Details for the Petaluma Speedway event can be found at https://www.petaluma-speedway.com/

 

 

West Coast Stock Car /Motorsport Hall of Fame Challenge announced for Petaluma

August 26th – Yesterday officials with the USAC (United States Auto Club) Western States series the Bay Cities Racing Association (BCRA) and the West Coast Stock Car/Motorsports Hall of Fame revealed the details of the West Coast Stock/Motorsports Hall of Fame Challenge for the two upcoming races at Rick Faeth’s Petaluma Speedway.

The West Coast Stock/Motorsports Hall of Fame Challenge will award prizes to the top five drivers with the best combined performances in the   USAC & BCRA co-sanctioned races at Petaluma Speedway September 6 and October 24 2020.

The prizes are as follows:

First place:                  $1000

Second place:             $700

Third place:                 $500

Fourth place:               $350

Fifth place:                  $250

 

To be eligible for the West Coast Stock/Motorsports Hall of Fame Challenge, drivers must be a member in good standing with either USAC or BCRA and be entered in, and race in, both the September 6 and 24 programs.  Points will be tallied following the USAC Western States championship point schedule.

In the case of ties, the tie will be broken based on the qualifying times posted for the October 24 program.  In the case of the cancellation of the second event for any reason, the Challenge prize money shall be halved with the prizes awarded based on points earned in the September 6 event with ties broken by September 6 qualifying results.

Created in 2002, the mission of the West Coast Stock Car/Motorsports Hall of Fame is to preserve the history and highlight the important role that west coast competitors have played in the sport’s development and continuation. The Hall recognizes through annual enshrinement, outstanding individuals and groups within the sport such as, but not limited to, designers, engineers, mechanics, drivers, race track owners, promoters, publicists and members of the motorsports media. The Hall’s future goal and mission is to share with the public displays of information about its enshrinees and various artifacts pertinent to the sport.

Jesse Love claimed the 2019 Gerhardt Classic

The POWRi Bay Cities Racing Association (BCRA) mighty midgets roared into Madera Speedway on Saturday night July 13 2019 for the 17^th annual Gerhardt Classic and after an intense 50-lap feature the 2018 POWRi BCRA champion, 14-year old Jesse Love came away with a hard-fought victory.

Love laid down the fastest lap in time trials with a blazing lap of 13.907 seconds around the paved 1/3-mile in the 51 Fifty Energy Drink sponsored Van Dyne Engineering midget to edge out  Jerome Rodela in his Trench Shoring-sponsored machine who posted a best lap of 13.997 seconds.

The speedy pair were followed in order by Dylan Nobile, Cody Gerhardt, David Goodwill, Annie Breidnger, David Prickett and JR Williams. Prickett was filling in for Adam Lemke in the experimental Chevrolet stock-block powered midget while Lemke ran a late model race back east.  Two midgets, the machines of Mark Maliepaard and current POWRi BCRA points leader Robert Carson were unable to make the call for qualifying.

Maliepaard and Carson were both able to affect repairs and joined the tail of the heat race line-up, but before the field could take the green flag to start the race, Ms. Bredinger’s #8 machine, scheduled to start on the pole position, encountered mechanical gremlins with its Honda engine and pulled off the track. Annie’s misfortune moved Cody Gerhardt to the pole position with Goodwill alongside for the start of the 8-lap heat race.

Cody led the first circuit, before Rodela passed him for the lead of lap two. Meanwhile, Love maneuvered into third place from his fifth starting position. On lap three, Love moved past Gerhardt into second place, but over the final laps, Jesse could not close the gap on the fleet Rodela machine.  The finishing order was Rodela, Love, Gerhardt, Goodwill, Nobile, Maliepaard, Prickett, Williams and Carson.

The 17^th annual Gerhardt Classic was the final event of a full evening of racing, and the field took the green flag in row of two in lieu of the traditional three-wide start, with Rodela and Love on the front row with teammates Gerhardt and Nobile in the second row. Unfortunately, the field was only comprised of nine cars, as despite the valiant efforts by the crew led by her father, Annie Bredinger’s #8 could not make the starting call.

After the field was introduced to the crowd and the drivers and crew members threw frisbees to the grandstand crowd, the field rolled away and lined up for the start.  At the drop of the green flag, Rodela shot into the lead with Love close behind. By lap five, current points leader Carson retired to the infield, and a few laps later, Goodwill began to pressure Maliepaard for fifth place as the engine in Mark’s car went off-song. 

On lap 15, Goodwill completed the pass and Maliepaard retired his #51 Fit & Finish Hot Rod Interiors Special to the infield. Meanwhile Gerhardt continued to race in third place with Nobile never more than a car length behind him and constantly looking for a way past.

On lap 35 of the 50-lap feature, Love closed to the rear nerf bar of Rodela’s #25 and on lap 37 Jesse made a move underneath Jerome entering turn three but could not make the move stick. Three laps later, as the pair entered turn one, Love made a move to the low side, but the blue #5 slid sideways to a stop in the grass inside turn two which brought out the race’s first caution flag.  Once he restarted the Tres Van Dyne owned #5, Jesse rejoined the field in in fourth place.

When the green flag flew again, it was clear that Jerome Rodela’s car had a mechanical problem, as he was off the pace and dropped to third place as Nobile charged to the lead followed by Love in second place. On lap 44, Rodela rolled his immaculate Toyota-powered maroon #25 to a stop at the end of the front stretch which brought out another caution flag as the Madera track crew pushed Jerome to safety in the infield.

Photo by the author 

As the field rode under the caution flag, the running order was Nobile, Love, Gerhardt, Goodwill, Prickett and Williams. When the green flag re-emerged, Jesse Love hounded Nobile for the lead until he made the winning move on the inside of turns one and two on lap 46 and drove away to win by .459 seconds over Dylan Nobile, with Cody Gerhardt third. 

David Goodwill finished fourth one lap behind the leaders with David Prickett fifth two laps behind and JR Williams in sixth place.  Among the non-finishers the official order was Rodela, Maliepaard, and Carson, and Annie Breidnger who did not start the feature.

The POWRi BCRA midgets will be back in action on the pavement on Saturday August 3 at Evergreen Speedway located on the Evergreen State Fairgrounds in Monroe Washington for the Rory Price Memorial presented by Bardahl. 

The race co-sanctioned with the Washington Midget Racing Association (WMRA), held since 2006 honors the memory of Rory Price, who raced midgets and sprint cars with the WMRA, BCRA, USAC, and NSRA clubs. In addition to the POWRi BCRA and WMRA midgets, the program will feature late model stock cars, outlaw figure 8’s and the Hornets class. 

One week later, on August 10^th, the pavement midgets will be joined by the vintage division at the new Stockton 99 Speedway for the Tom Manning Memorial Race.  In addition to the POWRi BCRA midgets, the program will include the Gun Slingers Wing Sprint Car Series, Legends of Kearney Bowl, Focus Midgets, and the Mini Cup class.    

      

Guerrini III sweeps Lakeport (and Ukiah)  back to back 

The POWRi Bay Cities Racing Association (BCRA) midgets and the vintage division continued the celebration of the club's 80^th year of existence with a visit on July 5^th to the familiar confines of the ¼-mile Lakeport Speedway on the grounds of the Lake County fairgrounds.  

Mark Maliepaard winner earlier this season at Stockton 99 Speedway was unable to diagnosis and apparent ignition problem with the Esslinger engine in his Fit & Finish Hot Rod Interiors Special and withdrew before time trials. 

David Goodwill in his #3 DDS Racing machine edged out Frankie Guerrini in the Bob Rosen #4 midget by only .001 seconds as he posted the quick time of 12.253 seconds on his second timed lap around the Lakeport oval. 

Nine-time POWRi BCRA champion Floyd Alvis was the third fastest qualifier at 12.575 seconds, with JR Williams fourth at 13.725 seconds and current POWRi BCRA points leader and Rookie-of-the-Year contender Robert Carson fifth at 14.240 seconds.

Time trials proved to be the last time anyone topped Guerrini and the potent #4 Mr. Espresso wrenched by Frankie’s dad, Frank. Frankie captured the trophy dash as he executed a nifty outside pass in turn three of leader Alvis on lap two, and streaked to victory over Goodwill, Alvis and Williams.

The heat race featured a fully inverted start, and the drop of the green flag, front row starter JR Williams surged into the lead for the first lap until Guerrini and Goodwill got past JR in turn four on the second of ten laps. Frankie won the race by five car lengths over Goodwill trailed by Williams, Alvis and Carson. 

The starting field for the 30-lap feature was set as an invert of the heat race finish. The near capacity crowd watched as  Floyd Alvis charged into the lead on lap one as Guerrini and Goodwill maneuvered through the field. The speedy pair charged past the green #18 in turn four on the second lap, with Guerrini on the outside and Goodwill on the inside.

Frankie quickly built a five-car lead until he reached lapped traffic, and after he and Goodwill emerged free of the traffic, Guerrini held a ten-car length advantage. Goodwill steadily reeled in the leader over the last half of the race and closed to a five-car length deficit at the checkered flag.

Floyd Alvis finished strong in third place, as Guerrini only lapped the #18 on the race’s final circuit. Robert Carson is the Segur #99 finished fourth two laps behind the leader with JR Williams’ #74 fifth, only two car lengths behind Robert at the finish.

The POWRi BCRA midgets will be in action on July 13^th for Gerhardt Classic at Madera Speedway in a program that will be taped to air at a later date on the MAV television network. The racing program will also include a 100-lap race for the California Challenge Cup stock cars, Focus Midgets, NCMA Sprint cars, Legends of Kearney Bowl, and the CVMS Mini Stock Invasion.   

Author’s note: thanks to the efforts of Bob Roza, we also can share the results of the POWRi BCRA races at Ukiah Speedway on July 6. David Goodwill again topped Guerrini in qualifying, but Frankie once again swept the racing program as he won the trophy dash, the heat race and the feature. The Ukiah feature finish order was Guerrini, Goodwill, Floyd Alvis, JR Williams and Robert Carson.   

2018 BCRA Championship Awards Banquet

On a rainy Saturday night on February 2, 2019 the drivers, car owners, crews and officials of the Bay Cities Racing Association (BCRA) gathered at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #1051 in Ripon California to share the successes of the 2018 season.

Following the cocktail hour and a delicious dinner, after recognition of the 2018 Hall of Fame inductees and the 2018 BCRA Board of Directors members and track officials, the highlight of the evening was the awards ceremony hosted by Kevin Triplett to honored the series’ 2018 top performers.

For the BCRA midget lites division, Hunter Kinney captured the 2018 driver’s championship followed by Scott Kinney, Dakota Albright, Brad Dillard, and Terry Bergstrom in fifth place. Sixth through tenth place went to Brandon Leedy, Danika Jo Parker, Steve Brown, Gus Carcione, and Ric Johnson respectively.   

Scott Kinney captured both first and second place finishes in the 2018 BCRA Midget Lite owner’s championship, while Dakota Albright took third place ahead of Craig Dillard and Kenneth Bergstrom. Sixth through tenth place for the owners went to Brian Fonseca, Danika Jo Parker, Steve Brown, Gus Carcione, and Jim Riddell.

Among the special awards for the BCRA midget lites division, Dave LaManna was presented with the Tom Boune Midget Lite Sportsmanship Award, while Rod Browning earned the John & Gladys Soares Sr. Memorial Perseverance Award. Ken Bergstrom was the winner of the Morrie Caudle Midget Lite Mechanic of the Year award and Brandon Leedy was the recipient of the Tracy Taylor Most Improved Driver of the Year award. BCRA vintage division stalwart Bob Mastroleo won the Pete Baraldi Best Appearing Car Award for non-competition vehicles.

Turning to the BCRA midget division, Maria Cofer won the 2018 dirt series drivers’ championship followed by David Prickett with the ageless Marvin Mitchell in third place. Robert Dalby from Anaheim California was the fourth-place finisher in the dirt series, trailed by the always-smiling JR Williams in fifth place. Among the dirt series car owners, John Cofer captured the title followed by Neverlift Motorsports, Marvin Mitchell, J & J Associates and Robert Dalby.  John Cofer was awarded the prestigious Lloyd Nygren Sportsmanship Award for his tireless assistance to many competitors throughout the season.   

The 2018 BCRA pavement series championship was captured by driver Chad Nichols and Team 17, with Mark Maliepaard in second place as both the driver and car owner. Young phenom Jesse Love III scored third place in the drivers’ pavement championship and his car owner Tres Van Dyne nailed down third place in the pavement series.

Maria Cofer scored a solid fourth place for the pavement series for herself as the driver for her pavement car owners, the Arata’s Storcks Garage. Cody Jessop scored fifth place in the pavement drivers’ championship and scored the Johnny Baldwin Most Improved Driver award for the 2018 BCRA midget season. J & J Associates, owner of the #74 midget driven by JR Williams scored a fifth-place finish in the pavement owners championship.

With the 2018 BCRA overall midget driver’s champion Jesse Love III racing in Las Vegas, his mother Liz accepted his 2018 championship trophy and the Johnny Boyd Rookie of the Year trophy. Second through fifth in the overall drivers’ championship were in order Maria Cofer, Chad Nichols, and Mark Maliepaard as JR Williams rounded out the top five finishers.  

In addition to the 2018 overall BCRA Car Owner Championship Tres Van Dyne also copped the Pete Baraldi Best Appearing Car Award for competition vehicles and the Morrie Caudle Midget Mechanic of the Year. Team 17 garnered second place honors in the overall championship, trailed by Mark Maliepaard, J & J Associates and John Cofer to round out the top five overall owners.

The Bay Cities Racing Assocation offers our thanks to all our sponsors, fans, officials and competitors for their contributions to the club’s safe and successful 2018 season, and looks forward to our bright prospects for the 2019 season.     

   

The BCRA 2018 Season finale Doubleheader Weekend

2018 BCRA Champion Jesse Love

photo by the author

Jesse Love makes it three wins in a row at Stockton 99 on Saturday

The Bay Cities Racing Association (BCRA) mighty midgets raced on Saturday night October 27 as the first part of a special 2018 season-ending racing program at the lightning fast Stockton 99 Speedway.  and concluded a big two-day weekend show that also featured the Gunslingers winged Sprint Car series, the BCRA vintage division, USAC Western Speed2 midgets and the Legends of Kearny Bowl which featured an entry from six-time BCRA champion Gary Koster.   

Twelve BCRA midgets signed in at the pit gate and the entry list included Cody Jessop in Karl Hokanson’s beautiful #98 midget which suffered mechanical plumbing problems during practice and was withdrawn. Mark Maliepaard topped the charts in time trials with a quick 13.157 second lap to edge out Jesse Love who recorded a best lap of 13.221 seconds. David Goodwill and Cody Gerhardt were third and fourth fastest respectively, while Chad Nichols surprised many as he struggled and was the day’s fifth fastest qualifier. Rookie Dylan Nobile of Clovis in his BCRA debut in the #55 midget formerly owned by Gary Conterno was sixth fastest, trailed by Maria Cofer, Richard “Skeeter” Flake from Washington state, the affable JR Williams, nine-time BCRA champion Floyd Alvis and George Tuttle, who was doing double duty with the Speed2 midgets.

Chad Nichols in the Shanoian #17N Esslinger-powered midget started the first heat race from the pole position with Maria Cofer alongside, as five cars took the green flag after the engine in Tuttle’s beautiful black #98T car wouldn’t start. Nichols grabbed the lead into turn one ahead of Cofer, who was passed by Maliepaard who used a nifty inside move through turn three on the first lap to grab the position. A lap later, Goodwill dropped Maria to fourth place, and the running order remained static from then until the end of the eight-lap race with the finishing order Nichols, Maliepaard, Goodwill, Cofer and Williams.

Floyd Alvis led the five-car second heat race to the green flag, but outside front row starter “Skeeter” Flake beat the rest of the field into turn one with Cody Gerhardt in second place and Jesse Love in third place. Gerhardt looked high and low at both ends of the track but could not find his way around the Washington midget racing veteran, all while Cody repelled the efforts of the young charger Jesse Love to grab second place. The finish at the end of eight laps was Flake, Gerhardt, Love, Nobile and Alvis.

Later the four fastest qualifiers lined up for the four-lap trophy dash in a fully inverted start. Cody Gerhardt made the most of his pole position start and he held off Goodwill, Love and Maliepaard to claim a popular win in the #29 Eskelsen Motorsports Mopar-powered Beast and $100 donated by Race Director Bob Roza.   

After the heat races and the trophy dash were completed, the re-draw for the start of the feature was held. The fastest qualifier Mark Maliepaard drew the magic “zero” pill for a straight-up lineup with the fast qualifier in the coveted pole position. At the drop of the green flag, Mark and fellow front row starter Jesse Love raced side-by-side for the first lap around the ¼-mile high-banked oval before Love thrust into the lead, trailed by Maliepaard, Goodwill, Nichols and Gerhardt. On lap four, Nichols slipped past Goodwill and Chad had a front row seat as Mark and Jesse battled for the top spot. On lap 12, Nichols passed Mark Maliepaard, then two laps later. Goodwill dropped Mark’s #51 Fit & Finish Hot Rod Interiors Special into fourth place.

The caution flag flew on lap 14 after the black #81 machine of “Skeeter” Flake rolled to a stop in turn two and he was pushed into the pit area to join early retiree JR Williams who had experienced an engine oiling issue. The ensuing restart got jammed up and unfortunately, young Dylan Nobile was the innocent victim as his #55 ended up nosed into the outside retaining wall at the end of the front straightaway. The car was undamaged but Dylan headed to the pits, his night over early.  

The next restart was clean and over the next nine laps, the crowd at Stockton 99 Speedway was treated to an epic battle for the race lead between the young phenom Jesse Love and the wily veteran Chad Nichols. Nichols’ orange #17N was brutally fast on the straightaways, but Chad’s machine could not hold the low line through the turns. Lap after lap Chad got underneath Jesse as the pair entered the corner, then edged ahead mid-corner, but Nichols just couldn’t make the pass stick, as Love would diamond off the corner and power underneath to retain the race lead at the start-finish stripe. 

After lap 23, the exciting battle ended and Love began to pull clear of Nichols. Jesse cruised to his third consecutive BCRA midget pavement win over Nichols, Gerhardt, Goodwill, Maliepaard, Alvis, Cofer, Flake and JR Williams.   

Gerhardt wins Sunday Afternoon at Stockton 99 Speedway - Jesse Love 2018 BCRA series champion

By Bob Roza

A special Sunday afternoon Bay Cities Racing Association (BCRA) season-ending racing program closed out 2018 and concluded a big two-day weekend show at Stockton 99 Speedway that also featured the BCRA vintage division, the Gunslingers Sprint Cars, USAC Western Speed2 midgets and the Legends of Kearny Bowl. The afternoon opened with BCRA Midgets time trials with Chad Nichols setting fast time at 13:105 over Mark Maliepaard from nearby Ripon at 13:229 seconds Jesse Love who was aiming for his fourth straight BCRA win was third fastest at 13:354 seconds.    

After hot laps, car owner Karl Hokanson withdrew his immaculate #98 car from competition due to internal engine problems. Karl has had a tough time getting the bugs worked out of his beautiful #98 machine, as problems have surfaced after hot laps at each of the car’s last three outings at Madera and Stockton.

The first heat race was won by midget rookie driver Dylan Nobile from Fresno in the recently purchased Mopar powered Beast formerly owned by Gary Conterno.  Finishing behind Nobile were Love, Nichols, and Richard “Skeeter” Flake who made the long 12-hour tow from Washington state to race with the BCRA midgets.  The second heat race was won by Malipaard from his fourth-place starting position over Gerhardt, Floyd Alvis and Maria Cofer who failed to finish after her black #88 machine suffered front axle damage from contact with a spinning car.

For the final racing event of the 2018 racing season quick qualifier Chad Nichols drew the zero pill, for a “straight up” starting field based on qualifying times, with Nichols on the pole position and Maliepaard on the outside.  When the initial green flag flew, Nichols bolted into the early lead over Love and Maliepaard, however Love’s blue #5 midget owned by Tres Van Dyne began to slow immediately.  Love’s engine popped and backfired as Jesse dove into the infield as caution flag was shown to the field. Once the car rolled to a stop, the crew quickly diagnosed the culprit as a bad magneto which meant that the young phenom was done for the night. 

When racing resumed, Nichols set a fast pace ahead of Maliepaard, Gerhardt and Nobile.  Several laps later Cofer pulled her ill-handling Arata Brothers Chevrolet-powered Spike chassis into the infield.  Her car owners, the Arata brothers, Jeff and Anthony, Maria’s father, John Cofer and Tim Grant, the father of the 2007 BCRA champion Justin Grant, all deserve praise for making the needed repairs after the heat race incident so Maria could start the main event.

With the race half over the racing continued with Maliepaard, Gerhardt, & Nobile in a spirited battle for second place behind Nichols until lap 18 when Maliepaard & Nobile spun together calling for a yellow flag. Both cars were restarted and rejoined the tail of the field.  When racing resumed Gerhardt closed in on Nichols rear bumper then made a clean pass on lap 20, and lengthened his lead as Chad’s handling issues worsened, eventually diagnosed as a bad steering box. Over the remaining laps, Cody was smooth and fast and he took the checkered flag in the Paul Eskelsen’s Mopar-powered Beast chassis over Nichols, Nobile and Malipaard with Skeeter Flake in the fifth position.

With the long season at a close, the BCRA racers gathered to celebrate the accomplishments of the 2018 champions – Maria Cofer emerged as the dirt driver champion, Chad Nichols repeated as the pavement driver champion, and Jesse Love is the 2018 BCRA overall series driver champion. Love will reign as the youngest-ever BCRA driver champion in the club’s long storied 79-year history.  Love’s car owner Tres Van Dyne is the series overall owner champion, while Team 17 captured the pavement owner’s title and John Cofer repeated as the BCRA dirt division owner champion.  

The Bay Cities Racing Association thanks all of the competitors who participated in our final weekend of racing for 2018, our valued sponsors and especially Business Manager Linda Manning. The club also extends our thanks to all the series’ fans, racers, promoters, and sponsors for their support throughout the 2018 season. 

 

       

Jesse Love claims the Harvest Classic

13-year old racer Jess Love of Menlo Park California made history Saturday night at Madera Speedway as he won the 46^th annual Harvest Classic and became the youngest winner in the storied 79-year history of the Bay Cities Racing Association.  

Love started his night by qualifying second in BCRA time trials, as he powered his Van Dyne-powered 51 Fifty energy drinks to a time of 14.089 seconds, just 13/1000 of a second slower than fast qualifier Mark Maliepaard in his Esslinger-powered Fit & Finish Hot Rod Interiors Special. Perennial Madera standout Chad Nichols timed in third fastest in the orange #17 Shanonian Esslinger, with David Goodwill fourth and Cody Jessop fifth overall.

2013 BCRA Hall of Fame inductee Jimmy Screeton made his return to racing in the #1N Shanonian entry and qualified sixth fastest with Cody Gerhardt seventh fastest as the team battled fuel delivery issues.

US Western Speed 2 midget standout Toni Breidinger, USAC’s winningest female driver joined the BCRA field in her family’s #26B Honda-powered midget with an eighth-place qualifying effort, and Joey Iest, currently second in USAC Western Speed 2 midget point standings, qualified ninth, with the ageless JR Williams tenth and Austin Carter in the second Jessop Western Speed2 racing entry rounded out the qualifying field in eleventh.  Frankie Guerrini was unable to make the qualifying call as his Bob Rosen-owned Mr. Espresso midget suffered an oil pump issue during practice and was withdrawn.         

Chad Nichols claimed the lead of the first heat race at the drop of the green flag, was never challenged, and brought home the win over Jessop, Maliepaard, Gerhardt and Austin Carter. Screeton proved that was just as fast as ever as he led the second heat for several laps before he surrendered the lead to Jesse Love on lap six and trailed Love to the finish line. Goodwill finished third, with Iest fourth and JR Williams in fifth place.

Late in the evening, after the 10-car BCRA feature pushed off as the last race of the night, Chad Nichols jumped into the lead in the first turn trailed by David Goodwill, Love, Maliepaard and Jessop. On lap three, BCRA stalwart JR Williams pulled his midget into the infield, and then on lap five Love maneuvered past Goodwill to take over second place, five car lengths behind Nichols, then three laps later Maliepaard dropped Goodwill to fourth place.

On lap 13, Love began to reel in the leader Nichols and an epic duel ensued as Jesse in the blue #5 Van Dyne looked first to the high side then the low side of Chad, all the while glued to the rear nerf bar of the orange #17. On lap 21 as the pair entered turn three of the fast Madera 1/3-mile oval, Love dove to the bottom and after wheel-to-wheel contact, emerged with the lead briefly before Nichols recaptured the point.

On lap 24, Love again tried the inside move into turn three and again the lead cars bumped and both bobbled, with Nichols was scored the leader at the start-finish line. Finally, on lap 28, Love moved past Nichols in turn three to take the lead for good and finished the 30-lap feature .391 seconds ahead of Nichols to score his historic first BCRA feature win.

Mark Maliepaard recorded the race’s fastest lap and scored a strong third place finish, with Cody Jessop in fourth place and Goodwill fifth.  Cody Gerhardt finished sixth, with Jimmy Screeton a lap behind the leaders in seventh, trailed by Toni Breidinger in eighth place and Austin Carter in ninth, two laps in arrears. JR Williams, with the only car that did not complete the race was placed tenth.

Jesse Love, left, and car owner Tres Van Dyne, right 

celebrate Love's historic BCRA feature victory

BCRA wishes to recognize and thank the USAC Western Speed2 midget car owners, mechanics and drivers that made the necessary changes to their cars and joined the regular BCRA racers to present a thrilling non-stop race for the fans.

The mighty midgets of the Bay Cities Racing Association return to action on September 29^th at the unique ¼-mile paved Lakeport Speedway on the grounds of the Lake County Fairgrounds.

Mark your calendars now for the big BCRA year-end doubleheader at the lightning-fast paved Stockton 99 Speedway on Saturday October 27th and Sunday October 28^th as part of the ‘Gun Slingers Sprint Car Series Championship’ weekend, with two complete shows that will also include the BCRA vintage division.                  

BCRA champion to race at Indy in "BC39"

Defending Bay Cities Racing Association (BCRA) series champion Maria Cofer a group of several BCRA  drivers entered for “The Driven2SaveLives BC39 presented by NOS Energy Drink” midget race set to take place next week on the new quarter-mile dirt oval located inside turn three of the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway 2 ½-mile oval.

Maria is scheduled to pilot the #97 Spike/Toyota entered by Keith Kunz Motorsports (KKM) as part of the nine-car KKM team. The race honors the memory of fallen racer Bryan Clauson who was born in Carmichael California and went on to capture three national midget championships.      

In addition to Ms.Cofer who hails from Macdoel, California regular BCRA competitors Robert Dalby from Anaheim, David Prickett from Fresno and Randi Pankratz who lives in Atascadero are all set to make the long tow east to the greatest race course in the world and take part is what is billed as the richest midget racing event in recent history, the event will feature a purse that totals more than $70,000 with incentives, topped by the $15,000 winner's purse. Also on the entry list for the “BC39” is 2007 BCRA champion Justin Grant, who now lives and races in Indiana.

The first night of racing action on Wednesday, September 5, will feature hot laps, heat races and a pursuit race. On Thursday, September 6, on-track action will begin with hot laps, as all cars will practice with their respective qualifying races, followed by qualifying races and the “alphabet races” as used at the Chili Bowl Nationals all which lead up to the 39-lap A-Main event.   

NBC Sports will the air event in a one-hour recap package on Friday, September 7 at 3 PM Pacific time with complete coverage of the two-day event.  

Maria Cofer wins

with a clean sweep

at Placerville Speedway

Maria Cofer, her father John, and crewman Bobby Boone should have brought a broom with them to Placerville Speedway for the Bay Cities Racing Association (BCRA) midget races Saturday night August 25.  Cofer, the defending BCRA series champion in the Tule Vista Ranches-sponsored Spike/Esslinger executed a “clean sweep,” as she posted the fastest qualifying time, won her preliminary heat race, and then topped off her night with a dominant victory in the 20-lap feature.

Off the trailer the Cofer #57 midget sported this trick visor,

built by John Cofer's Flying Farmer Fabrications

but it was replaced by a conventional visor by race time

The BCRA midgets at Placerville Speedway exhibited a remarkable variety of engines, as in addition to Esslinger and Fontana engines, Dr. Brad Dodenhoff debuted his new all-billet Chevrolet based engine for son Sean in the #9D, Robert Dalby’s #4D entry sported a new Van Dyne Engineering Mopar W9RP engine, while Beau Lemire’s #24 car featured a flat four-cylinder Subaru powerplant and Mike McCluney debuted his new #73 midget powered by a Ecotec 2.4-liter engine driven by Keoni Texeira.

As the first car out,  Dalby set the early pace in time trials and recorded a best lap of 12.136 seconds, which none of the other BCRA challengers that included David Prickett, Randi Pankratz, JR Williams, Sean Dodenhoff, Marvin Mitchell and Lemire could eclipse. As the next-to-last car out to qualify, Maria Cofer in her familiar black white and red #57 roared around the Placerville ¼-mile clay oval in just 12.080 seconds on her first lap then improved on her second lap with a run of 12.043 seconds to post the fast time for the evening.    

Following Cofer’s memorial lap that honored BCRA Hall of Fame member Howard Segur, Junior (see separate article), the BCRA midgets lined up for their 8-lap heat race with Marvin Mitchell and David Prickett on the front row and Dalby and Cofer deep in the field on the third row. At the drop of the green flag, Prickett jumped into the lead but on lap two Pankratz grabbed the point. On the third lap, Randi tried the high side of turn two but lost momentum which opened the door for Cofer to blast past into the lead which she never relinquished. Cofer was trailed across the finish line by Dodenhoff, Pankratz, Dalby, Prickett, Mitchell and JR Williams.

After the heat race was completed, the Dodenhoff #9D was withdrawn with an engine problem, as the all-new billet powerplant finished the race on just three cylinders, and McCluney also withdrew his #73 with an apparent fuel pump failure.  Maria Cofer drew the “0” pill in the redraw for the feature line-up which meant the evening’s fastest qualifier started the 20-lap feature from the coveted pole position with second fastest qualifier Robert Dalby on her outside.

Unfortunately, before the evening’s feature race began, the #14 of Beau Lemire came to a stop with terminal issues with the Subaru engine and was done for the night. When the green flag was shown, Cofer rocketed into the lead with Prickett in hot pursuit trailed by Pankratz and Dalby, who spun the black #4D to a stop in turn two on the eleventh lap for the race’s first caution period. After the restart, Cofer quickly rebuilt her lead to over five car lengths ahead of Prickett until the yellow caution flag flew again on lap 17, this time for Randi Pankratz’ yellow #8 stopped in turn three.

 Bobby Boone (Left) Maria Cofer, and John Cofer

celebrate their third BCRA victory of 2018

When the racing action resumed, over the final laps David Prickett was not able to get close enough to the flying Cofer to challenge for the lead and Cofer romped home to her third BCRA victory of the 2018 season with a two-car length victory over Prickett’s #24X. Robert Dalby overcame a throttle response issue to finish third ahead of Randi Pankratz who recovered from her earlier problem to finish fourth. Marvin Mitchell edged out JR Williams for fifth place, while Beau Lemire as awarded a seventh place ‘did not finish’ result.

Next up for the BCRA mighty midgets will be the 46th annual Harvest Classic at Madera Speedway, as the midgets will appear in the program together with the Western Winged Super Sprint Series, United States Auto Club (USAC) Western Midgets, Northern California Modified Association (NCMA) Sprints, California Supermodified Series (CSS) 360 Super Modifieds, the Legends of Kearney Bowl and the California Hard Tops, plus supercharged multi-engine pulling tractors.        

Schutte claims Jack London race victory

On Saturday night July 21 at the fast 3/8-mile Petaluma Speedway, the Bay Cities Racing Association (BCRA) joined forces with the United States Auto Club (USAC) ‘Light up the World Beverages presented by CBD Living Water’ Western States midgets to celebrate the Jack London Hall of Fame induction weekend.

Earlier in the day before the racing program began, members of the BCRA community gathered for the annual Jack London Bash and Hall of Fame induction on the grounds of the Sonoma County Fairgrounds. In addition to delicious luncheon, attendees saw the induction of drivers Don Meacham and Chuck Stevenson, midget and midget lite owner and driver Rick Holbrook, midget lite series official Peggy Holbrook, and long-time car owner and driver John Mosekian. 

In addition to honoring this year’s and previous years’ inductees and their families, there was a giant raffle of exciting prizes during the ceremony. A surprise inductee was former BCRA driver and Petaluma Speedway promoter Rick Faeth, who announced that earlier in the week he had signed a four-year extension of his lease of the Petaluma Speedway.

18-year old Clayton Ruston topped time trials with a best lap of 15.339 seconds followed by Alex Schutte, defending BCRA champion Maria Cofer, and Shannon McQueen as David Prickett rounded out the top five qualifiers. Sixth through tenth were Daniel Anderson, Jackson Dukes, Frankie Guerrini, Geoff Ensign, in the Finkenbinder 3F and tenth was Michael Faccinto in the Dodenhoff entry followed by Robby Josett, as all the top eleven cars recorded lap times in the 15-second range.

The twelfth fastest qualifier was Kyle Beilman, trailed by C.J. Sarna, Robert Dalby, Ashley Hazleton-Heredia, Rick Cook, Matt Sargent, Ariel Biggs, Marvin Mitchell, and J.R. Williams. Third-generation racer Randi Pankratz wound up 21^st fastest as she and her crew battled engine woes with her newly reassembled Edmunds AutoResearch #8 machine.

Pole position starter Faccinto reacted quickly and grabbed the lead at the drop of the green flag in the first of three heat races, then steadily built his lead and won by six car lengths over Sarna with McQueen third and Ruston in fourth place.   In the second heat race, front row starter Guerrini took the early lead and held on to win over Josett, Prickett and Schutte.  Victory in the final 8-lap heat race went to Daniel Anderson, whose #77 was trailed across the finish line by Ensign, Beilman and Cofer.

Unfortunately, Rick Cook who pulled double duty in a 600-cc micro sprint car was involved in a serious crash at the start of their feature event and was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment. The BCRA family extends best wishes to Rick for a speedy and complete recovery. 

After fast qualifier Ruston pulled the number six pill in the re-draw for the lineup for the feature race, Daniel Anderson and David Prickett shared the front row for the start followed by McQueen and Cofer in the all-female second row and Schutte and Ruston in row three. At the drop of the green flag for the start of the 30-lap race, there was a collision in the first turn that involved Dalby, Sarna, Mitchell and Pankratz.

Sarna’s midget suffered a left rear broken shock absorber in the collision but CJ elected to continue. On the complete restart, Prickett grabbed the lead before a flurry of activity during the race’s second lap. JR Williams retired his #74 to the pit area and McQueen her #7 pulled to the infield with a suspected broken rocker arm in the Esslinger engine before a mix-up occurred in the first turn on the third lap that claimed the cars of Hazelton-Heredia, Dalby and Biggs.    

When green flag action resumed, Prickett maintained his lead, as behind him Schutte moved into third place on lap 8 behind Anderson, then into second as Faccinto also got past Anderson and dropped the #77 machine into third place. After a restart for a stopped car on track, on lap 13, Schutte passed Prickett for the lead with Faccinto in third place.   

Schutte recorded a series of fast laps and built a five-car advantage which he extended to a full straightaway by the drop of the checkered flag. Alex was trailed across the line by Prickett, Faccinto, Cofer, Guerrini. Josett and Ensign. Randi Pankratz recovered from her mechanical gremlins to finish in eighth place, and for her outstanding run from the 21^st starting spot, Pankratz earned the race’s “hard charger” award.

Ninth place went to Sarna who ran the entire race with a broken shock absorber, with the finish rounded out by Beilman and Marvin Mitchell. Among the non-finishers, the official order was Anderson, Dukes, Ruston, Sargent, Hazelton-Heredia, McQueen, Biggs, Dalby and Williams.

The BCRA midgets will make their furthest visit north in the 2018 season for their next race at Ukiah Speedway in an event on Saturday August 18^th co-sanctioned with the Washington Midget Racing Association.  

 

Chad Nichols wins again

at Stockton 99 Speedway

 

The Bay Cities Racing Association (BCRA) midgets took to the high-banked paved Stockton 99 Speedway on Saturday July 14^th for a program that also included the BCRA vintage division as well as the Gunslinger and the Northern California Modified Association (NCMA) sprint car divisions.

Chad Nichols set quick time in time in qualifying as the familiar #17N Shanonian Esslinger flirted with the magic 12-second speed barrier with a best lap of 13.018 seconds. Rookie Jesse Love in the 51 Fifty/Van Dyne Engineering #5 was just a tad slower and took second fastest honors with his 13.088 second lap. The third fastest qualifier was Mark Maliepaard in the #51 Fit & Finish Hot Rod Interiors/Bob Roza Motorsports Esslinger at 13.139 seconds, with David Goodwill in the DDS Racing #3G fourth at 13.197 seconds.

Ominously, however Goodwill’s engine began misfiring during his cool-down lap and when his car returned to the pits his crew was assisted by fellow competitors Tres Van Dyne and Cody Jessop to diagnose the malady. Cody Jessop qualified fifth in his family-owned Jessop Trucking #00, with Frankie Guerrini III in Bob Rosen’s Mr. Espresso sixth fastest, JR Williams in the J&J Fontana powered #74 seventh and nine-time BCRA champion Floyd Alvis, victimized by a flattening right rear tire on his familiar green #18 midget, was the eighth fastest qualifier.

Unfortunately, Goodwill’s car continued to experience electrical problems as David was pushed off for the start of the first heat race, which left the race to the three cars of Love, Guerrini and Alvis. Jesse jumped into the lead at the start then he fought off Frankie’s early attempts to pass on the low side through turns three and four before he sped away. On his sixth lap Love recorded a flying lap of 13.21 seconds on his way to a dominant victory ahead of Guerrini and Alvis.    

The start of the second heat race featured Jessop and Maliepaard on the front row and after one aborted start attempt, Mark seized the advantage with Jessop in hot pursuit. On lap two, Nichols took the low road through turns three and four to take over second place from Cody, and the trio completed the eight-lap sprint in that order after JR Williams retired his #74 to the pit area on the fifth lap.

Chad Nichols drew the number four pill to set up a four-car invert for the lineup of the feature with David Goodwill scheduled for the pole position with Mark Maliepaard alongside and Love and Nichols in the second row. Unfortunately, Goodwill’s #3G continued to experience electrical problems and David exited the track before the green flag flew, and Jesse Love moved his blue #5 to the pole position. At the drop of the green flag, Maliepaard and Love raced side by side for the first lap before Maliepaard gained the advantage.

Unfortunately, amid the torrid action at the front of the field, Cody Jessop rolled his #00 midget into the infield after just one lap with an unknown mechanical failure. Nichols swept past Love to grab second place as JR Williams took his #74 to the pit area on the seventh lap which left Love in third place, Guerrini in fourth and Alvis in fifth place.  That running order remained static past the halfway point of the 30-lap feature until on lap 19, Maliepaard left the bottom side open through turns 3 and 4 and Nichols motored past into the lead.

Once in the lead Nichols quickly built up a substantial lead as Alvis pulled into the infield on lap 22. Chad held a 10-car advantage over Maliepaard at the drop of the checkered flag with Love in third and Guerrini in fourth place. Among the non-finishers, Alvis placed fifth, Williams sixth, Jessop seventh and the unfortunate schedule pole-sitter Goodwill in eighth position.

Following his BCRA feature win, Nichols jumped behind the wheel of Ted Finkenbinder’s #3F Gunslinger sprint car and edged out Jerry Kozba at the finish line to claim second place behind winner AJ Russell.  

Saturday July 21^st is the Jack London Bash Picnic and Hall of Fame induction ceremony at the Sonoma Marin Fairgrounds in Petaluma California. The Bash starts at 10 AM with lunch catered by Lombardi’s BBQ served at noon and the induction ceremony set to begin at 1:30 PM. There is still time to make your reservations for $30 apiece by contacting thmlmm@comcast.net. Join us as we honor this year’s inductees – drivers Don Meacham and Chuck Stevenson, owner/drivers Rick Holbrook and John Mosekian and Midget Lite official Peggy Holbrook.    

After the bash ends at 3 PM, the action moves to the adjacent Petaluma Speedway for the Jack London Hall of Fame racing program co-sanctioned with the United States Auto Club (USAC) Western States Division. The dirt racing program is set to start with time trials at 6 PM followed by racing at 7 PM.

Mark your calendars for August 18 as the BCRA pavement midgets travel north to Ukiah Speedway for a race con-sanctioned with the Washington Midget Racing Association (WMRA). Early reports from our northern neighbors point to a large car count for an exciting race on the quarter-mile paved oval at the Redwood Empire Fairgrounds.