SCOTT DOBSON EARNS SECOND NMRA-TQ MIDGET MAIN

BAKERSFIELD, Ca — Scott Dobson and his car owner Guy Barber teamed for theiir second NMRA-TQ midget 25-lap feature victory Saturday at the banked, third-mile clay Bakersfield Speedway. They won the season opening race at the same track April 19. The No. 18 GB Electric Rick Stewart chassis with Honda power was the 2002 NMRA championship car.The 3/4-midget race was a preliminary event and the only open-wheel portion of a show with IMCA Modifieds and a touring dirt late model series.

Dobson, the 2006 NMRA rookie of the year trophy winner, started second in an 11-car field and led the first ten laps before losing the lead to fourth starter/point leader Chuck West on lap 11. He regained the point a lap later to lead the final 14 laps. Dobson cut West's point advantage from 74 to 59 points after nine of 11 scheduled races. The race had one caution flag for a spin in the fourth turn by 16-year old Dakota Schweitzer, who finished 24 laps. He drove Steve Parke's No. 59 Stewart/Honda in his TQ midget racing debut.

Rookie Jimmy Dodson drove his own No. 6 and started sixth in his ninth TQ race. He earned a career-best second place. Kenny Wiley, a three-time 2008 main event winner this year, started seventh and finished third in Paul Lopiccolo's No. 21. Bruce Hiroshima came from eighth spot on the grid to finish fourth. Rookie Anthonyt Lopiccolo started from the pole position and finished fifth. Dodson leads Lopiccolo by four points as the two drivers vie for the rookie of the year honor. Scott Niven, Chuck West, Ron Ahrendt, West Evans and newcomer Schweitzer completed the top ten. The top eight drivers completed all 25 laps.

Dobson won the first 8-lap heat race over Wiley and West captured the second 8-lapper over Lopiccolo. During time trials Wiley set the fastest qualifying lap of 15.399 on his second of two timed laps. Dodson was second fastest at 15.448.. The next NMRA-TQ race will be held Saturday, September 20 at Santa Maria Speedway, where Wiley and West have split the four prior TQ midget features this year at the banked, third-mile clay track.