Merced, CA....Colby Johnson from Penngrove won the inaugural "Kevin Triplett Memorial" Bay Cities Racing Association/United States Auto Club Western States Midget co-sanctioned main event Saturday night at Merced Speedway. Johnson steadily moved up from his sixth starting spot to run second when race long leader Blake Bower blew a rear tire causing him to pit for a new one. Johnson held of all challengers the final laps driving the Del Morris owned #17k to win the $2,000 top prize. The night was held in memory of longtime motorsports journalist Kevin Triplett who passed away on May 5th after a months long battle with Covid-19. Mr. Triplett was inducted in the BCRA Hall of Fame on this night and was remembered fondly throughout the evening.
On the start of the main event polesitter Jarrett Soares' car bounced up causing him to spin in the first turn. On the restart David Prickett took over the top spot until Blake Bower passed him to take the lead. Last weeks USAC WS midget winner Brody Fuson took over the second spot and was trying everything he could to get by leader Bower. The two were racing for the lead as they approached long tow Kenny Welch from Boise, Idaho. Welch got squirrely and ended up flipping in turn three on lap 16 bringing out the red flag. After a scary moment when his car briefly caught fire he escaped uninjured but was done for the night. On the restart Bower continued to lead with Colby Johnson , Fuson and C.J. Sarna in tow. Johnson quickly caught a slowing Bower who was suffering a deflating left rear tire and a lap later it went flat causing Bower to stop on the front stretch and had to go the the pits for a new one. New Leader Johnson held off Fuson the final five laps to take his first Midget win. Fuson raced second with Sarna third. Bower recovered to race fourth and polesitter Soares rounded out the top five.
Ten lap heat races were won by Bower and Fuson. BCRA/USAC Midget driver Randi Pankratz and BCRA Lightning sprint driver Steve Roza did checkered flag laps in memory of Triplett. The ageless veteran Floyd Alvis raced 7th in an impressive effort for the 9 time BCRA Champion who made his first BCRA start at Antioch Speedway on June 21, 1968. The next scheduled race for the BCRA Midgets is Antioch Speedway August 21st.
Summary:
08-07-21 - BCRA/USAC Western States Midget - "Kevin Triplett Memorial" - Merced Speedway
A Feature 1 (30 Laps): 1. 17K-Colby Johnson[6]; 2. 51-Brody Fuson[4]; 3. 20-CJ Sarna[3]; 4. 9-Blake Bower[5]; 5. 12-Jarrett Soares[1]; 6. 15-Ron Hazelton[8]; 7. 18-Floyd Alvis[9]; 8. 8X-Thomas Esberg[11]; 9. 22Q-David Prickett[2]; 10. 22-Kenny Welch[10]; 11. 1X-Tony Gualda[14]; 12. 8-Randi Pankratz[7]; 13. 99-Robert Carson[13]; 14. (DNS) 6K-Michael Snider
Heat 1 (10 Laps): 1. 51-Brody Fuson[5]; 2. 22Q-David Prickett[4]; 3. 17K-Colby Johnson[6]; 4. 8-Randi Pankratz[3]; 5. 18-Floyd Alvis[2]; 6. 1X-Tony Gualda[7]; 7. (DNS) 6K-Michael Snider
Heat 2 (10 Laps): 1. 9-Blake Bower[6]; 2. 12-Jarrett Soares[4]; 3. 20-CJ Sarna[5]; 4. 15-Ron Hazelton[3]; 5. 8X-Thomas Esberg[7]; 6. 22-Kenny Welch[2]; 7. 99-Robert Carson[1]
Qualifying 1: 1. 17K-Colby Johnson, 00:12.808[3]; 2. 9-Blake Bower, 00:12.821[12]; 3. 51-Brody Fuson, 00:12.969[4]; 4. 20-CJ Sarna, 00:13.041[10]; 5. 22Q-David Prickett, 00:13.155[1]; 6. 12-Jarrett Soares, 00:13.220[6]; 7. 8-Randi Pankratz, 00:13.478[7]; 8. 15-Ron Hazelton, 00:13.839[8]; 9. 18-Floyd Alvis, 00:13.975[5]; 10. 22-Kenny Welch, 00:15.073[14]; 11. 6K-Michael Snider, 00:16.739[2]; 12. 99-Robert Carson, 00:27.157[9]; 13. (DNS) 1X-Tony Gualda, 00:27.157; 14. (DQ) 8X-Thomas Esberg, 00:15.202[11]
- Dakota Albright on Aug 10, 2021
- Article Date: 8/10/2021 by Mark Sublett