PERRIS, California -- Saturday Night Thunder continues at Perris Auto Speedway this Saturday when the Southern California clay oval hosts a triple-header featuring the exciting USAC Western Midgets, USAC Ford Focus Midgets and the popular PASSCAR Super Stocks.
Fresh off a win at the quarter-mile Bakersfield Speedway last Saturday evening, Downey’s Steve Paden heads the list of entries for Saturday’s show. At Bakersfield, the 24-year old defending series champion only qualified sixteenth, but once the green flag dropped on the races he was undefeated winning both his heat and the main event. Driving for his grandfather Richard Ferrier, Paden took the lead from Stephen Graves on lap four and went on to his first win of the 2004 campaign.
Paden debuted on the USAC front in the 1990s in the now defunct three-quarter midget division. After a fifth place finish in the 2000 Western Midget Series, he relocated to Indiana to race in the USAC National Midget Series. He placed seventh in the 2001 points and tenth in 2002 standings before returning home to capture the 2003 Western Midget title. In addition to winning the 2003 crown, he finished third at the Turkey Night Grand Prix at the Irwindale Speedway and third in the prestigious Belleville Midget Nationals on the unforgiving Belleville high-banks in Kansas.
In order to make it two in a row, Paden will have his work cut out for him on Saturday night as the field is loaded with top west coast stars including series point leader Johnny Rodriguez of Elk Grove, El Monte’s Jerome Rodela who sits second in the standings, 2000 series champ Wally Pankratz of Orange, Ventura winner Garrett Hansen of Redondo Beach, Northern California’s Dallen McKenney, Norco’s Tyler Brown, four-time series champ Robby Flock of Murrieta and Fontana’s
Danny Stratton.
Seventeen-year old Bradley Galedrige, of Los Altos, holds a slim 5-point advantage over Chris Rahe, son of 1978 USRC Midget Champion John Rahe, as the USAC Ford Focus Midgets attack The PAS for the first time in 2004. Pasadena’s Josh Lakatos, the 2003 Northern California Ford Focus Midget Champion and Silver Medallist in Double Trap Shotgun Shooting at the 1996 Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta, is third in the standings just 24 points behind Galedrige. Another interesting entry is Brett Engstrom of Torrance. Engstrom grew up at Ascot Park where is parents, Jack and Gretchen, were employees. He finished seventh last Saturday at Bakersfield.
Fresh off his first ever PAS win on May 8th, former NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver Dennis Woolridge (Perris) will tangle with series point leader Mike Hixson (Murrieta), Colton’s Linny White, Ed Perry (Carpinteria), Hemet’s James Scott, Nuevo’s Eddie Lagor and at least 15 others in the PASSCAR Super Stocks on Saturday.
Spectator gates will open at 5:00 PM on Saturday.
Advance tickets are on sale now by calling 1-800-595-4849, (909) 940-0134 or on the Internet at www.tix.com or www.perrisautospeedway.com.
Perris Auto Speedway is conveniently located on the Lake Perris Fairgrounds, home of the Southern California Fair, approximately one hour east of Los Angeles. Take the 215 Freeway, exit at the Ramona Expressway and go east two and a half miles to the fairgrounds.
For more information on any Perris Auto Speedway events, please call (909) 940-0134.
1. Johnny Rodriguez – 387
2. Jerome Rodela – 325
3. Wally Pankratz – 308
4. Dallen McKenney – 252
5. Garrett Hansen – 246
6. Steve Paden – 225
7. Tyler Brown – 198
8. Josh Wise – 198
9. Robby Flock – 186
10. Michael Lewis – 181
1. Mike Hixson – 108
2. Ed Perry – 104
3. Linny White – 103
4. Terry Hershberger – 93
5. Eddie Lagor – 91
6. James Scott – 90
7. John Caley – 90
8. Everett Burns – 86
9. Carla Laney – 83
10. Mike Stapleton - 82
1. Bradley Galedrige – 357
2. Chris Rahe – 352
3. Josh Lakatos – 333
4. Chase Barber – 284
5. Bobby McGowan – 283
6. Nick Morago – 270
7. Audra Sassella – 261
8. Eric Pace – 245
9. Ryan Pace – 191
10. Bobby Michnowicz - 186
