FOSTER CLAIMS BCRA MIDGET GOLD IN SIERRA GOLD COUNTRY

, Jr. (1) passes Pete Davis (00) to regain the lead en route to winning the Bay Cities Racing Association Midget feature on April 10, 2010 at Placerville Speedway in Placerville. Matt Sublett Photo

After fighting off numerous surges from several contenders, “Young Lion” Nick Foster, Jr. of San Jose claimed the 20-lap Bay Cities Racing Association Midget feature wheeling Jim Fowler’s Zero-Zero Motorsports’ #1 “Blue Bayoo” Windows Unlimited Beast/Esslinger to the checkered flag first at the fast, smooth and tacky 1/4-mile red clay Placerville Speedway on Saturday, April 10.

Following the 2008 BCRA Midget champion and current BCRA Midget points leader Foster to the checkers were 1999 BCRA Midget champion Matt Streeter of Lodi in his #14jr T&T Trucking-Delta Demolition Spike/Ed Pink Ford and Pleasanton’s Pete Davis aboard his #00 HotHead Engine Heaters Stealth/Esslinger.

“After getting concussions here twice [flipping hard], once on my birthday last year, I’m glad to finally get a win here at Placerville,” said a jubilant Foster following his first BCRA feature victory on Dirt. Foster scored his first BCRA Midget triumph in 2008 at Lakeport Speedway on pavement. “This is an awesome race track … we have wanted to win here, and knew that we could. It’s great to finally get the win here.”

Following the top three to the checkers were BCRA season opening race winner (Chowchilla March 28) Scott Pierovich in his #35 Good Guys Rod & Customs-Mid Coast Transportation Spike/Bob Wirth Mopar and thirteenth-starting Bill Lindsey of San Carlos in Stu Donaldson’s #8x Farajian Farms-Rite Way Wheels Stealth/Pontiac rounding out the top five.

After getting by outside polesitter Floyd Alvis on Lap 3, Foster began stretching his lead over the field. However, his leads were shunted quickly by a myriad of cautions from Laps 3 through 7.

After holding off a strong inside line surge from Davis, rim-riding Foster began pulling away from the field as the green lights stayed on. Upon approaching lapped traffic, Davis again caught Foster, with Foster smoothly running the outer brink of the smooth and tacky red clay oval, with Davis hugging the bottom groove, riding the slick low line.

With the laps winding down, then third-place Pierovich bobbled down the frontstretch, losing several positions, allowing Davis to be standalone in second, with a hard-charging Streeter now running third, chasing down Davis and Foster.

Weaving through lapped traffic, Davis was able to squeeze under Foster momentarily for the lead on Lap 17, however, Foster powered back by on the high side to lead the final three laps in the curfew-shortened 20-lap feature. Streeter made a last-lap pass on a nearly sideways loose Davis coming to the checkers to take second.

After rebounding from earlier race incidents, multiple time BCRA Midget feature winner Scott Nail of Visalia claimed sixth aboard his #16 Stealth/Riolo Chevy with Chico’s Dillon Silverman in the RAM Motorsports #12 Stealth/RRE Chevy EcoTec claiming seventh.

Rounding out the finishing order were Jimmy Christian aboard Dave LaMott’s #0 HotHead Engine Heaters Stealth/Bob Wirth Honda, Tom Doherty in the Chris Walker-Bay Muffler #10 Stealth/Esslinger and Angwin’s Britton Bock rounding out the top ten aboard his #67 TCR/Esslinger. Danny Parker claimed eleventh aboard the Bob Roza #28 Stealth/Esslinger with Robbie Whitchurch aboard his #82 Spike/Mopar claiming twelfth.

Casualties of early race incidents included open wheel racing legend and National Sprint Car Hall of Famer Jimmy Sills, who flipped lightly on Lap 2 -- relegated to the rear only to be involved in another incident on Lap 17 after moving up to as high as seventh. Fast-timer Ryan Kaplan was towed off on the hook after getting mixed up in one of the several Lap 2-4 cautions. 7-time BCRA Midget champion “Ageless Wonder” Floyd Alvis of San Carlos exited on Lap 4 after losing his muffler aboard his #18a Champion Automotive Stealth/Wesmar Gaerte.

Others involved in early race scuffles included Sean Dodenhoff in his #9d Spike/Fontana Rhino, Stockton’s Jonathan Henry aboard the Graunstadt Enterprises #88 Ellis/Fontana, Whitchurch, Kaplan aboard his #20 Spike/Mopar, Bock, Doherty, Rick Haugh and Streeter.

Sills claimed Heat 2 by nearly a full straightaway aboard Dave Thurston’s #17 Spike/Esslinger over Dodenhoff, Henry, Streeter, Foster, Davis, Whitchurch, Alvis, Former Silver Dollar Speedway 410 Sprint Car track champion and multiple time Sprint Car and Midget feature winner Rick Haugh, Jr. aboard father Rich’s #5h Maxim/Gaerte and Kaplan. Henry, who was actually second quick in qualifying, but was disqualified for being too loud, came from tenth to finish third in the Heat.

Lindsey claimed Heat 1 from the third row over Pierovich, Doherty, Silverman, Parker, Bock, Christian, Nail and Lonny Alton in Lana Alton’s #5a Stealth/SCREAM SuperFocus.

The BCRA Midgets continue their 67th season of racing next Saturday, April 17 at the 1/4-mile Marysville Raceway Park.

The race was the third of 21 total races and first of three BCRA Midget appearances at Placerville in 2010 (June 6, August 7). The race was the second of 13 Dirt races on the 2010 BCRA Midget schedule.

Visit www.bcraracing.com for information on the BCRA Midgets and www.placervillespeedway.com for additional information on Placerville Speedway. Please visit www.racingwest.com for racing results from throughout the West Coast.