Bakersfield, CA – Danny Collins scored a victory at the Mesa Marin Season Opener, for the second straight year. Collins, who started outside of Shane Thompson on the front row had no easy run to the checkers in the fifty lap feature. Pressure was applied throughout the main to Collins, first by Thompson, then Jason Selvidge, and finally by defending series champ, Gene Fife. Fife glued the nose of his car to the rear of Collins for the twelve remaining laps. As they approach the white flag, Fife made hard contact with Collins sending him sideways up the banking of turn 4, then back down the track in front of Fife and the remaining top five. Everyone checked up to avoid Collins, Collins then gathered it back up and went on the win. Fife second, followed by Mike White, Travis Irving, Selvidge, Ron Danial and Brian Richardson. Richardson was top qualifier of the 25 car field.
In Ultra Wheels Super Truck Series competition, Jon Campbell continued his string of impressive runs at Mesa Marin. After a lap one altercation sent Campbell to the rear of the 27 truck field, he cameback to take the lead on lap 71 and led to the end of the 100 lapper. Jim McGill second, Dave Byrd, Pat Mintey and Brian Reed rounded out the top five.
Josh Robinson won his first Street Stocks feature. Robert Boardman score the 911 Race for Youth Series main event win, and Leonardo Bagnis from Argintinia won the Super TT Motorcycle Series Premier main event on his Honda 450CRF.
During pre-race ceremonies, Bakersfield Mayor Harvey Hall honored five of Mesa Marin’s past champions in celebration of Mesa Marin’s 25th Anniversary. 1978 champ - Bob Earnshaw, five–time champ - Jim Thirkettle, 1987 champ - Dave Byrd, 1994, ’95 and ’98 champ - Kevin Vernon, and 1999 champ – Mike Alsup were all presented with a commemorative framed “25 Years of Champions” poster and a Mesa Marin 25th Anniversary Season jacket.
Next race at Mesa Marin is the NASCAR Featherlite Southwest Series “Rialto Concrete Products 125” on Saturday, April 6th.
