The hot delta wind greeted the BCRA Midget Lites to the pits of Antioch Speedway,
and the racers were anxious to get back on the quarter mile, after a change of pace at Lemoore.
Fourteen cars checked into the pits prior to going racing. I connected with John Myers to announce the Lites in the announcing booth, when the 21 of Tim Manning popped on the track to be our fifteenth competitor.
Tim Jr said that they were working on the chain all day to get the car ready, and ran late. All racers know what it is like to run late getting ready for the races.
Under the professional skills of Peggy Holbrook, the line up for the heat races were posted.
Joey Hoover in the #76 M&M Photo mount, started on the pole of the first heat,
looking for his second main event win of 09. His hope was short lived as he encountered mechanical problems and took it to the pits on lap 7.
The #9 Red Hawk Casino sponsored car of Chris Glass took a commanding lead on lap one, remembering his previous win at Antioch on June 6th. Point’s leader #1, Doug Nunes, who has not won since the first race of the season, was on Glass’s rear nerf, trying every move, low or high to get to the lead, in his CAPS Powder Coating machine.
The 11x of Jason Sneep was on the move also from his fifth starting position, sponsored by Lucky Buck Card Club.
Rick Holbrook, driving his #6 G Flow Wing sponsored car, started on the pole of the second heat race and breezed to the win. Cory Green #53c, in the Green Motorsports entry, started on the outside pole and ran second until lap 7 when he flipped in turn two. Cory exited the car with no injuries, but his pride is still of a competitive racer. There was a lot of wrenching required in the pits before the main. #10 Brian Corso in his Construction Specialties, ART/Kawasaki shadowed the leaders and finished second.
Eleven cars took the green flag in the main with #75 Richie Hoover in the Bill Hopper painting, ART/Suzuki, on the pole and leading the pack into turn one. Hoover was strong as he kept the 11x of Jason Sneep, and the #1 of Doug Nunes at bay. Hoovers car was set up like his brothers car (Joey) when he won at Placerville on May 9th, being able to drive anywhere on the track.
The red flag came out on lap 7 when the #10 Concrete Construction car of Brian Corso, and the #11 R&D works car of Scott Kinney got together on the back stretch. Corso tagged the wall coming out of turn two and lost his chain. He kept the car straight, slowing down the back stretch. Kinney was on Corso’s bumper when the chain came off, moved to the outside to pass, not knowing what the problem was, and ran out of room entering turn 3, and the two got together, ending both of their nights, in a competitive mode. Corso returned to the race later minus his top and from wings to gain points.
On the restart R Hoover led lap 8, but his fuel pump started going bad and #11x, of Jason Sneep made the pass and never looked back.
#1 Doug Nunes was all over Sneep as the laps ticked down. A back marker at the finish slowed Sneep a little and Nunes attempted to steal the win, but to no avail. #9 Glass finished third followed by #35 Dakota Albright, in the Wayne Albright Special.
Heat 1: Glass, Nunes, Sneep, R. Hoover, Albright, Manning, J. Hoover
Heat 2: Holbrook, Corso, Kinney, Parker, Green, Paulson, Beard
Main: Sneep, Nunes, Glass, Albright, Beard, Parker, Corso, Holbrook, Manning, R. Hoover, Kinney, (76 and 53c did not start)
Notes of interest: Zack Beard finished 5th in his #77 “Pump Up Concrete Pumping Service” car, for his best finish of the year and his Lite career. His crew chief (Cameron, his dad) was happy with the results.
The second Wayne Albright car has changed the number to 83 from 35 (thank goodness for scoring) and Danny Parker was in the car for the night.
New driver Tim Manning and his dad are struggling with their car for set up, but are getting advice from other racers. Brian Corso’s crew chief Dave has been helping them as well as Larry Lavattiata, crew chief on the 11x of race winner Jason Sneep. All new racers receive support from all the Lite teams.
The Corso/Kinney incident happened at the feet of my video partner, Dennis Parker, as he video’d from the stand on the back straight. He did not capture it, since he was moving out of the way.
Rick Holbrook lost his muffler in the main, but it did not sound like Chris Glass’s did at Marysville, but still took the black flag.
Interviews of racers and teams followed the races and were captured.
The three race push is on now, with two coming up at Placerville on the 1st and the 8th, and then a swing to my back yard in Petaluma. Teams will have to keep their gear in top shape for this push, with no two week breaks.
All info can be found at www.bcraracing.com and clicking on the Midget Lite selection.
