Kody Swanson Bests Stellar BCRA/USAC-WS Field in 100-Lap Gerhardt Classic at Madera Speedway
By Robert Haugh
Kingburg’s Kody Swanson out dueled a myriad of top Midget racing competitors aboard the Western Speed Racing #60 Gerhardt/Ed Pink Toyota on Saturday, April 25th to claim the Bay Cities Racing Association/USAC-Western States co-sanctioned 100-lap Gerhardt Classic at the speedy 1/3-mile Madera Speedway.
Swanson crossed the finish line ahead of fast timer Bryan Clauson of Indiana aboard the DMS Race Products #11d Beast/Esslinger, teammate Billy Wease of Indiana aboard the Western Speed Racing #60 Gerhardt/Ed Pink Toyota, 2007 WMRA champion Evan Margeson aboard the #50 Atkinson Racing Beast/Esslinger and Brentwood’s Daniel Bedford aboard the Bedford Motorsports #03 Beast/Mopar.
Multiple-time USAC and BCRA feature winner Tony Hunt claimed sixth aboard BCRA Hall of Famer Bob Rosen’s #4 Mr. Espresso Beast/Fontana with youngster Alex Schutte in seventh aboard Corey Kruseman’s #12k Beast/Esslinger with former USAC champion Jerome Rodela claiming eighth aboard his #25 Beast/Esslinger.
2009 DMS Race Products driver challenge search winner, 16-year-old Alex Bowman of Arizona claimed ninth, one lap down aboard the DMS Race Products #21d Beast/Esslinger with 2008 WMRA champion Mark Atkinson rounding the Top Ten aboard the Atkinson racing #23 Beast/Esslinger.
Reigning BCRA champion “Young Lion” Nick Foster, Jr. claimed eleventh aboard Jim Fowler’s #1 Zero-Zero Motorsports Beast/Gaerte --- the highest-placing BCRA regular.
Tanner Swanson, chauffeuring Dallen McKenney’s #88 TCR/Goewens Mopar that piloted Swanson to the BCRA/USAC victory on April 4th, was en route to another convincing victory after overtaking early race leader Scott Pierovich. All was well for Swanson until a lap 58 caution unfurled, during which officials discovered Swanson’s mount was leaking oil, thus hw was forced to exit the race.
Foster continues leading the 2009 BCRA points. The BCRA Midgets take a two-week hiatus before returning to Madera Speedway on Saturday, May 9 for another BCRA/USAC-WS co-sanctioned event. Visit www.bcraracing.com for additional information on the BCRA Midgets.
| USAC/BCRA Midgets - Gerhardt Classic |
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| Feature (100 laps): 1. K. Swanson, 2. Clauson, 3. Wease, 4. Margeson, 5. Bedford, 6. Hunt, 7. Schutte, 8. Rodela, 9. Bowman (99 laps), 10. Atkinson, 11. Foster (97 laps), 12. Birkinbine, 13. Pierovich (78 laps), 14. Dickerson (76 laps), 15. Grewohl (72 laps), 16. DeGeorge (70 laps), 17. Prickett (66 laps), 18. T. Swanson (60 laps), 19. Nichols (57 laps), 20. Alvis (36 laps), 21. Parker (24 laps), 22. McQueen (22 laps) Lap leaders: 1-20 Pierovich, T. Swanson 21-59, Wease 60-71, K. Swanson 72-73, Wease 74-75, K. Swanson 76-100 Qualifications: 1. Bryan Clauson, 11d DMS, 13.860 2. Kody Swanson, 60 Western Speed, 13.892 3. Scott Pierovich, 35 Pierovich, 13.904 4. Bobby Grewohl, 10c, 13.938 5. Billy Wease, 40 Western Speed, 13.939 6. Tanner Swanson, 88 McKenney, 13.947 7. Kyle Dickerson, 11k Dickerson, 13.968 8. Evan Margeson, 50 Atkinson, 13.989 9. Tony Hunt, 4 Rosen, 14.069 10. Daniel Bedford, 03 Bedford, 14.098 11. Jerome Rodela, 25 Rodela, 14.159 12. Chad Nichols, 17 Nichols, 14.186 13. Alex Bowman, 21d DMS, 14.203 14. Mark Atkinson, 23 Atkinson, 14.264 15. David Prickett, 15 Neverlift Mtspts., 14.340 16. Shannon McQueen, 7 mcQueen, 14.378 17. Alex Schutte, 12k Kruseman, 14.382 18. Danny Parker, 20 Roza, 14.479 19. Marco DeGeorge, 78 DeGeorge, 14.494 20. Nick Foster, Jr., 1 Fowler, 14.513 21. Stuart Birkinbine, 2 Birkinbine, 14.524 22. Floyd Alvis, 18 Alvis, 15.190 |
