Hoping to leave behind a recent stretch of bad luck, McQueen Racing had yet another strong performance on Saturday, May 11 at the USAC-Western States event at the 1/3-mile Santa Maria Speedway.
Team owner Shannon McQueen started the evening with the fourth fastest mark in qualifying. “Lightning” McQueen raced to third from fifth in her Heat in the opening laps, only to suffer a broken left front brake mount, locking up the wheel and settling for sixth.
Lining up 11th in the feature, McQueen earned her second Hard Charger award of the season, moving to seventh in her McQueen Racing #7 Lucas Oil/Simpson Race Products Spike/Esslinger by Duane McQueen, despite running with a broken master cylinder, locking the brakes and robbing the car of essential horsepower on the fast, slick 1/3-mile track.
Oklahoma young gun, 21-year-old Trey Marcham of Oklahoma City struggled to find his groove in his debut 1/3-mile Midget appearance, piloting the McQueen Racing #37 Spike/Esslinger by Duane McQueen entry. Though qualifying 13th, Marcham passed a few cars in the feature where he claimed tenth, continuing to lead the USAC-Western States Rookie-of-the-Year and Western National Midget Driver of the Year Rookie-of-the-year points.
Marcham has amassed six Championships at I-44 Riverside Speedway in Newcastle, Oklahoma, as well as having claimed both the A-Class and Non-wing A-Mains at the Inaugural Donnie Ray Crawford Memorial/Race4Life in Tulsa in 2012. Thus far in 2013, Marcham has compiled several wins and podium finishes, currently sitting atop the I-44 Riverside Speedway Non-Wing points. Marcham swept the events on April 20 at I-44, claiming the A-mains in both the Non-Wing and A Class. Marcham made his Midget racing debut for McQueen Racing in the 27th Annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Midget Nationals, where he showed poise beyond his years against some of the best racers in the World.
McQueen and Marcham will return to action this Saturday, May 18 at the 1/5-mile Ventura Raceway.
Though not committed to a full USAC-Western States schedule, McQueen sits ninth in the overall standings and seventh in the dirt series points, with one fast time award and three top-10 finishes.
McQueen became the first woman to win a BCRA Midget championship in 2011 when she claimed the BCRA Dirt Midget crown, then claimed the 2012 USAC-Western States Midget championship, amassing four Heat race wins, nine Top 5 runs, three fast time awards and 13 Top 10s in 2012. McQueen also holds five track records at the 99 Dirt Track in Stockton, Calistoga Speedway, Petaluma Speedway, Silver Dollar Speedway and Orange Show Speedway. McQueen also recently accepted the prestigious Kara Hendrick Spirit award, one of the top awards for women in Motorsports.
McQueen Racing has dedicated the entire 2013 season to Kenny Speck, a McQueen Racing team member who lost his life earlier this year.
McQueen is also the first female owner to boast a win with a female driver when Oklahoma’s Michelle Decker won a USAC Western States Midget Feature in April 2012 at McQueen’s home track of Bakersfield Speedway at the helm of one of McQueen’s potent Spike/Esslinger entries.
McQueen Racing would like to thank all of our wonderful sponsors: Lucas Oil Products, Simpson Race Products, Eibach Springs, DMI, Rod End Supply, K&N Filters, Advanced Racing Suspensions, MPD, Ruth Engineering, Jet-Hot Performance Coatings, Butler Built Seating Systems, Schoenfeld Headers, American Fabrication, West Evans Motorsports, Western Open Wheel Racing News and Esslinger Racing Engines by Duane McQueen.
Visit www.shannonmcqueen.com for more information on McQueen Racing.
Select Coatings, RD Marcham Energy, Inc., Simpson Racing Products, Pinnacle Energy Services, Best Western Tulsa Airport, Metals Supermarket Oklahoma City, J & B Digital Graphics and Mud-X support Marcham.
- Admin Account on Feb 26, 2014
- Article Date: 6/7/2013 by Robert Haugh