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/

 

Cody Gerhardt claims the 

Harvest Classic victory

The POWRi Bay Cities Racing Association (BCRA) midgets took part in the action-packed 47^th annual Harvest Classic at Madera Speedway on Saturday night September 14^th, 2019 for the series’ final 2019 visit to the Madera District Fairgrounds.   

David Goodwill was the fastest qualifier with a best lap of 14.000 seconds in his own #3g midget, which edged out Cody Gerhardt in the Lucas Oil-sponsored # 60 midget who posted a 14.100 second lap.  The third fastest qualifier was Cody Jessop in the #00 midget at 14.136 seconds with Blake Brannon fourth with his best time around the 1/3-mile Madera oval recorded at 14.202 seconds.

BCRA overall points leader Robert Carson was unable to complete his qualifying run in the Howard & Karen Segur #99, and BCRA stalwart JR Williams did not present his #74 Fontana-powered midget for qualifying. Unfortunately, shortly after time trials were completed, the Brannon #40 was withdrawn from the rest of the program with power steering issues. 

The pair of Cody’s’, Jessop and Gerhardt, shared the front row for the start of the 8-lap heat race and battled side-by-side for the entire first lap. As the pair entered turn one for the second time, Jessop forged ahead and held the advantage for the rest of the race with Gerhardt second, Goodwill third, Williams fourth and Carson fifth at the drop of the checkered flag.    

With the points totaled from the heat race finish using the POWRi system Jessop ad Gerhardt again shared the front row for the start of the 30-lap feature race for the POWRi BCRA midgets which was video-taped for later airing on the MAVTV network. At the drop of the green, Jessop leapt into the lead hounded by Gerhardt as Goodwill lurked close behind in third place. 

The race’s only caution flag flew on lap seven as Robert Carson coasted the #99 to a stop at the entrance to turn one. After Carson was pushed to safety into the infield, the race resumed after the initial restart was called back as the field was not aligned nose-to-tail at the start/finish line.

Once underway, Gerhardt looked high and low for a way past leader Jessop, and he got the #60 midget alongside Jessop’s #00 in the third and fourth turn on the twelfth lap and completed the pass with an outside move in turns one and two. 

Once in front, Gerhardt laid down some quick laps and pulled away with his 20^th lap his fastest at 13.898 seconds, faster than his qualifying time. Over the final few laps of the race, Goodwill made several attempts to pass Jessop but just could not get close enough to make a move.

At the drop of the checkered flag, Gerhardt held a 3.4 second advantage over Jessop with Goodwill in third close behind. JR Williams soldiered on for a fine fourth place finish two laps behind the winner, with non-finisher Robert Carson in fifth place.

As the POWRi/BCRA midgets continue their 80^th anniversary season, the next scheduled events are on October 12 for a rare split program  - the dirt cars will be at Keller Motor Speedway in Hanford, while the pavement cars will be in action the same day at Stockton 99 Speedway 

Photos by the author 

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.   

Alex Schutte goes wire-to-wire

in POWRi BCRA midgets at Petaluma

 

On a warm Saturday night June 8, the POWRi BCRA (Bay Cities Racing Association) midgets paid their first visit of the 2019 season to Rick Faeth’s Petaluma Speedway.  Time trials were exciting, with Alex Schutte in his Toyota-powered midget the fastest qualifier with a best lap of 14.888 seconds around the 3/8-mile dirt oval. Maria Cofer in her father’s #57 midget, now powered by a Stanton SR-11 engine, was just .001 of a second slower on her one and only qualifying lap, as a radius rod bolt broke as she started her second lap and she pulled into the infield.

Hawaii’s Larry Petersen powered Dave and Wendy Thurston’s #11 to third place with his lap of 15.997 seconds, followed by Floyd Alvis in the famed “Yellowbird” midget fourth fastest at 16.667 seconds. Rookie of the Year contender and current BCRA overall points leader Robert Carson in the Howard and Karen Segur #99 was fifth fastest at 17.305 seconds, and Beau Lemire in his family-owned Subaru powered midget posted a best lap of 17.730 seconds. Marvin Mitchell currently sixth in the BCRA dirt points, suffered ignition problems and his #78 machine did not post a time.

For the start of the 8-lap heat race, Lemire elected to move to the tail of the field, which put Petersen on the pole with Alvis alongside as Schutte and Cofer shared the second row. After a pair of aborted starts, the field took the green flag and Schutte led the field into turn one with Cofer in hot pursuit as Petersen settled into third place.

On lap three, the caution flag flew as Lemire spun for the second time in the race – the #14 race car appeared to have handling problems and officials pushed him back to the pit area. When the green flag flew again, Cofer stalked Schutte for a lap, then made her move on the low side down the back stretch and Maria powered into the lead which she never relinquished. At the checkered flag the finishing order was Cofer, Schutte, Petersen, Alvis, Mitchell and Carson.

After POWRi BCRA race director Don Thornburg tallied the passing points from the heat race finish to set the feature starting field, Maria Cofer paced the lineup for the 25-lap feature with Alex Schutte alongside. As the field pushed off and lined up for the feature start, the ignition problems in Marvin Mitchell’s #78 car resurfaced, and Mitchell rolled back to the pit area and did not take the green flag.

At the drop of the green flag, Schutte led the field into turn one followed by Cofer and Petersen. On lap two, Floyd Alvis pulled the #18 into the infield with fuel delivery problems, and on lap four Lemire spun for the second time in the race and was out for the rest of the event.  On lap seven, with Schutte still in the lead, Carson’s #99 rolled to stop on the front straightaway. Officials attempted to restart the Joyce Metal Works Special, but it would not re-fire and Robert retired to the pit area.

Schutte commanded the lap eight restart ahead of Cofer and Petersen, and Alex steadily built a lead while on lap 12, the Esslinger engine in the Thurston #11 machine began to backfire, and Larry pulled off the track. As the race continued, Cofer’s car appeared to pick up a push in the corners, which allowed Schutte’s Proficio-sponsored machine to pull away, and Alex had built up a six-car length lead on lap 20.  At the drop of the checkered flag, Alex Schutte won by 3.367 seconds over Maria Cofer. Larry Petersen finished third, trailed by Robert Carson in fourth.  Floyd Alvis finished fifth, Beau Lemire sixth, and Marvin Mitchell seventh.

The POWRi BCRA mighty midgets continue the club’s 80^th season of racing action when they return to action at the tight and exciting Lakeport Speedway on July 5^th, for the first night of a holiday weekend pavement doubleheader with Ukiah Speedway scheduled for the next night. Follow the last breaking news and updates at   http://www.bcraracing.com/

       

POWRi BCRA midgets return 

to Kern County Raceway Park

KCRP announcer Steve Hughes, left

 interviews feature winner Austin Liggett 

The POWRi Bay Cities Racing Association (BCRA) midget auto racing cars and stars returned for their second 2019 visit to the 1/3-mile dirt track at the Kern County Raceway Park (KCRP) on Friday night May 3, 2018, with eleven cars signed in at the pit gate. The POWRI BCRA midgets were the featured cars in a diverse program that also included the KCRP American Stocks, Pro Stocks, and 305 cubic inch winged sprint cars. 

Austin Liggett started his perfect night by setting quick time during time trials, as he toured the oval in 14.603 seconds in his SR11-powered midget to top Anaheim, California’s Robert Dalby’s Esslinger powered machine with a 14.692 best lap. Dalby narrowly edged out local favorite Shannon McQueen by .002 seconds who was third fastest in her #7 Esslinger powered Bullet chassis.

Fourth fastest qualifier was another local racer Cory Elliott in his family’s #11E midget, with Terry “Panda” Nichols fifth, and Kyle Beilman in his Dave.Com sponsored midget the sixth fastest racer in time trials. Seventh fastest was Ricky Lewis in the #1N, with CJ Sarna eighth, Troy Morris III in the #07 ninth, followed by the ageless Marvin Mitchell in his #78 tenth with the leading Rookie of the Year contender, fourth-generation racer Robert Carson eleventh fastest in the Howard and Karen Segur #99 entry.

Austin Liggett continued his successful night in the first eight-lap heat race as he shot into the lead in turn three of the first lap past early leader Terry Nichols. On lap two, Shannon McQueen spun to a stop in turn three as she battled Lewis for position. Shannon restarted at the tail of the field, and before a lap was completed Lewis spun to a stop himself on the high side of turn three. The field reformed for the lap two restart with Lewis at the tail, but because of a broken steering arm, Ricky’s #1N midget was unable to make it through the first turn and he slapped the outside wall hard, which damaged the car so badly that it ended his racing for the night.

When racing in the first heat race resumed with two laps completed, on lap four McQueen moved up to third place with a nifty move on the low side of turn three to pass Morris, then she moved past Nichols on the inside of turn one on lap six to claim second place. McQueen was unable to close on leader Liggett over the last two circuits and at the drop of the checkered flag, the heat race one finishing order was Liggett, McQueen, Nichols and Morris as Lewis did not finish.

CJ Sarna and Kyle Beilman shared the front row for the start of the second heat race, and the pair battled side-by-side until turn four when Beilman surged ahead into the lead. On lap three Elliott moved up from his third starting position into second place and Dalby got past Sarna to drop CJ into fourth place. Elliott closed the gap on leader Beilman and challenged for the lead on lap five but was unable to get past the Dave.Com machine, and at the finish the order was Beilman, Elliott, Dalby, Sarna, Mitchell and Carson. 

When the POWRi passing points were totaled from the heat race finishing orders, the two heat race winners shared the front row for the start of the 25-lap feature, with local racers McQueen and Elliott sharing the second row. 

At the drop of the green flag, Austin Liggett shot into the lead as Beilman moved to the high side of the track down the backstretch, but his #31 car flipped wildly end-over-end through turn three which brought out the red flag. Kyle crawled out his damaged race car uninjured, and the field restarted less the cars of Beilman and Nichols which moved Elliott up to the front row alongside Liggett for the start.

At the drop of the green, Austin steered his #83 straight to the point with Elliott in hot pursuit followed by Dalby in third and McQueen in fourth place. Liggett stretched his advantage into a 5-car length lead during the early laps, but by lap eleven, Cory closed in using the high line as Austin worked the low side. 

On lap 14, Robert Dalby began to challenge Elliott for second place and got past Cory and settled into second place on lap 20. The yellow caution flag flew on lap 23 as Troy Morris III spun as he battled Sarna and McQueen, but Troy restarted without any loss of position as Marvin Mitchell and Robert Carson were both a lap down to the rest of the field.

When the green flag flew with three laps to go, Dalby quickly closed in on Liggett but could not pass him, but back in the pack Morris passed both Sarna and McQueen to claim fourth place. Austin Liggett led every lap of the 25-lap feature to top Robert Dalby, Cory Elliott, Shannon McQueen, CJ Sarna, Marvin Mitchell and Robert Carson. Among the non-finishers Kyle Beilman was awarded ninth place and Terry Nichols a tenth-place finish. 

Austin made it a clean sweep with fast time, a heat race win and the feature win on an evening when he led every lap of every race in which he competed.  

The POWRi BCRA midget racers return to action on May 11 for a co-sanctioned race with the Washington Midget Racing Association on the paved Shasta Speedway ¼-mile track on Shasta County Fairgrounds in Anderson, California together with the BCRA vintage division. Also scheduled to be in action for a program that starts at 6 PM will be the Shasta late models, limited modifieds, bombers, legend cars, hornets and the pro-4 modified class.    

     

       

 

POWRi BCRA midgets visit 

Stockton 99 Speedway

On Saturday April 27, the Lucas Oil POWRi Bay Cities Racing Association (BCRA) midget series made their first 2019 visit to the historic Stockton 99 Speedway to help celebrate the club’s 80^th year of racing. The midgets raced as part of a program that also included the BCRA vintage division, the Gunslingers winged sprint cars, the North State Modifieds, and the Legends of Kearny Bowl.

Unfortunately, during practice, two POWRi BCRA midgets suffered mechanical problems and were forced to withdraw; Cody Jessop’s engine spun a bearing, and David Goodwill’s car broke a throttle shaft. 

Chad Nichols in the #17 Shanoian Esslinger was the first drvier out for time trials and Chad set the mark for others to try to match at 13.005 seconds. Mark Maliepaard in his #51 Fit & Finish Hot Rod Interiors Special was second fastest with his best lap of 13.228 seconds, followed by Frankie Guerrini in Bob Rosen’s #4 midget third fastest at 13.714 seconds. BCRA stalwart JR Williams in the J& J Racing #74 was fourth fastest and fourth-generation racer Robert Carson was the fifth fastest qualifier.

Guerrini and Maliepaard shared the front row for the start of the evening’s 20-lap feature race with quick qualifier Chad Nichols slotted into third place. Guerrini held the point for the first lap before Maliepaard slipped past in turn three into the race lead, then on the next lap Nichols dropped Guerrini to third place. Nichols gave chase to the leader but Maliepaard ran consistently fast laps and Nichols could never get close enough to make a move. 

By the end of the race #51 held a comfortable 4-car advantage over Nichols. Guerrini came home third with JR Williams fourth and rookie of the year contender Robert Carson in fifth place. The feature ran caution flag free and was completed in four minutes, 22 and 92/100 seconds.

The POWRi BCRA midget series kicks off the month of May with an action-packed doubleheader first weekend. The first race on Friday night May 3 at the Dirt Track at Kern County Raceway Park will have the mighty midgets in action along with the track’s Pro Stock and American Stocks series and the 305-cubic inch winged sprint cars. 

The following day, Saturday May 4 the POWRi BCRA midget series will visit the paved Madera Speedway along with the Legends of the Kearney Bowl, the California Hard Tops, the Western US Midgets, SWT (South West Tour) Trucks, Legends cars and the 100-lap California Challenge Cup for the track’s stock car division.

  

    

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.