BAKERSFIELD, California -- Mesa Marin Raceway will be presenting twin NASCAR Late Model main events this Saturday night, June 11th, at the Bakersfield based half mile paved oval. When the green flag falls on both races look for strong charges from Rich Pak Motorsports and their drivers Eric and Brian Richardson.
The Rich Pak drivers have two features wins apiece going into this Saturday night meaning they have won four of the seven events this year. Brian Richardson has been on a hot streak by winning the last two Late Model features in a row. The first was a special Thursday Night Thunder 50 lapper on May 19th followed by complete domination of a 100-lap feature, nine days later, on May 28th.
Richardson is currently 16th in the series points standings but that's only because he missed two events early in the year. With momentum on his side look for Brian Richardson, and the Rich Pak Chevrolet to launch a charge towards the top ten so he can compete in Mesa Marin's Chase For The Championship which begins during the final five races of the season with a format similar to the one introduced last year by the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series.
On the other end of Rich Pak Motorsports is Eric Richardson who currently sits on top of the points standings. Eric Richardson finished 3d on May 19th and was following his cousin, for a second place finish May 28th, when he was hit and spun by another car a mere matter of feet from the checkered flag. He had to settle for tenth in that race and he'll be looking for bigger and better things in both features when he rolls the Richland Chevrolet out onto the track this Saturday night.
Eric Richardson goes into Saturday night with 332 points, two wins, six top fives and seven top ten finishes. Roy Degeer is right behind him with two wins of his own this season along with 306 points, six top fives and six top tens. Rookie driver Cody Pruitt is currently third in the standings with four top fives and seven top tens. The twin main events Saturday night will be 40 laps each and is being presented by Melo's Gas and Gear.
The extremely popular Havoline Racing Revolution Sports Compacts will also see action Saturday night with a very special format: a two race challenge series with the Mini Stock teams from the neighboring Bakersfield Speedway. The rulebooks for the two series are virtually identical which made setting up the challenge series simple. The first of the two races is Saturday night and then, on September 3d, the Sports Compacts will visit the Bakersfield Speedway to race on their one-third mile clay oval. The driver with the best average finish will be declared the series champion. In the event of a tie, the driver with the best finish September 3d will be declared the winner.
Mesa Marin's motorcycle divisions will also see action this Saturday night featuring the Cal Spas Super Moto Series and MSR/Fred Cummings 50's series. The gates open at 6 pm with racing starting at 730 pm.
