RUSSELL SCORES NEVADA WIN - SARALE & MESERAULL BATTLE FOR CHAMPIONSHIP

FERNLEY, NV., AUGUST 27: Rob Russell scored his first feature win of the season in the Bay Cities Racing Association midget series at the Reno-Fernley Raceway in a classic power-slide charge from the seventh starting position. Russell, who won both races on the 3/8-mile clay oval last season in a different car, earned the win aboard the Dave Thurston Chevy V4 powered TCR, but nearly lost the race over the final two laps when he lost his brakes and the rear tires were oiled from an engine leak.

In the battle for the 2005 championship, Thomas Meseraull closed the gap only slightly with leader John Sarale by four points, 1209-1175, as the series enters the final two races of the season.

Meseraull and Sarale finished two-three on the finely groomed oval.

Gary Dickenson led off the feature, flashing past the front row starters from his third position down the back straight on the opening lap. Rookie Darrin Bolton, making his first start in BCRA, dropped his Stewart/Mopar from the pole position to hold second over fourth starting Glenn Carson in the Bock TCR/Esslinger. Visiting Oregon driver Dave Pugsley held fourth over Sarale.

Dickenson began stretching his lead with Pugsley dropping back and Sarale taking fourth, followed by Russell. Russell, executing classic power slides, moved past Sarale and Carson, then wrestled second from Bolton on the fifth round and began reeling in the leader. Matt Streeter, on the move from ninth, worked his way into the fifth slot on the fifth round.

On the sixth circuit Dickenson brought out the caution flag when he over-extended his near-lock slide as spun his Stealth/Pontiac, with the pressing Russell taking evasive action to gain the lead.

At the green it was Russell over Bolton with Streeter's TCR/Pink Chevy up to third over Carson, Sarale and fast qualifier Meseraull. Streeter made good his outside pass attempt on Bolton in the fourth turn, taking over second on round-seven.

Sarale and Meseraull displaced Carson on the next tour, dropping the three-time BCRA champion to sixth in front of three-time champ Terry Tarditi.

For the next ten laps the front-runners remained the same with Russell pulling away to extend his lead until Joe Lindsey spun in the fourth turn on lap 19 for the second caution. Sarale had made good an outside pass of Bolton for third on the 19th circuit, but had to return behind Bolton for the restart.

At the green Sarale again passed Bolton to secure third. On the next lap Meseraull dropped the youngster to fifth, then began to pressure Sarale. Entering the first turn on the 21 lap Sarale slid high enough for Meseraull to move under, taking over third at the exit of turn-two.

The final caution flag flew on the 23rd round as Tarditi's Walker Stealth/Esslinger slowed down the front chute with fuel starvation problems.

For the final run to the checkered flag, Streeter was pressured by Meseraull and fell to the defending champion's Bill Ferrari Stealth/Esslinger. Next it was Sarale's Sarale Farms Stealth Riolo Ford pressing Streeter, with Sarale taking the third position on the 25th lap. On lap 27 standout rookie Bolton put pressure to bear on Streeter and took over the fourth slot.

Meseraull was now chasing Russell, who was experiencing brake problems. Suddenly, with two laps remaining, oil was strewn on his rear tires. In the middle of turn-four Russell's power slide turned into the beginning of a spin. As his car slowed Meseraull moved high to miss the car. Russell regained control and managed to aim the car down the front straightaway as Meseraull lost momentum with his car failing to accelerate momentarily, giving Russell the upper hand and remaining in the lead.

Meseraull pulled out all the stops to pass the ailing Russell machine, charging high into the final turn on the outside of the leader, but coming up a bit short as Russell out-raced him to the checkered flag for an exciting finish.

Russell led Meseraull, Sarale, Bolton, Streeter, Carson, Rick Faeth, Travis Berryhill, Gary Dickenson and Steve Roza across the line with Steve Dickenson and Dave Pugsley finishing one lap down.

During the winner's celebration Russell dedicated his win to the late Sandy Davis.

Meseraull out-qualified the field at 17.27. A special trophy dash that included the two Oregon visitors was won by Faeth over Pugsley, Steve Dickenson and Bolton.

Faeth came back to nab the first heat over Pugsley and Lindsey with Sarale taking the second 10-lapper over Carson and Russell.

Two races remain on the BCRA midget schedule; Shasta Raceway Park on Sept. 24 (Fourth and final round of the Pacific Northwest Midget Championship Series co-sanctioned with WMRA), and the 3rd Annual Johnny Baldwin Classic at the Santa Maria Speedway on October 8. The previously scheduled race on Labor Day, Sept. 5 at the Altamont Raceway has been cancelled.

NOTES: Steve Roza lost brakes in hot laps and slammed into the turn-one wall. The extensive damage was repaired in time to line up at the rear of the main event.

Thomas Meseraull gained several point on point leader John Sarale with only two races remaining on the midget schedule.

Seven vintage midgets ran several exhibition races.

Darrin Bolton made his first BCRA appearance. The teenager has been racing in Arizona where he is in the top-five in points. He lives in Northern California in El Dorado Hills. He ran a 600 micro midget for a year-and-a-half. His first race was at Manzanita in Arizona, then to the Chili Bowl. He did a superb job at Reno-Fernley, repassing Matt Streeter late in the race to finish fourth.

SUMMARY:
QUAL.: 1/ Thomas Meseraull, #69 Ferrari 17.27; 2. Matt Streeter, #97 Streeter 17.40; 3. Travis Berryhill, #11 Berryhill 17.60; 4. Rob Russell, #17 Thurston 17.73; 5. John Sarale, #32 Sarale 17.82; 6. Terry Tarditi, #10 Walker 17.91; 7. Glenn Carson, #26 Bock 17.98; 8. Gary Dickenson, #8 G. Dickenson 18.03; 9. Dave Pugsley, #22 Pugsley 18.40; 10. Darrin Bolton, #XX Bolton 18.54; 11. Rick Faeth, #3 Faeth 18.74; 12. Steve Dickenson, #99 S. Dickenson 18.98; 13. Joe Lindsey, #23X Lindsey 18.99; 14. John Haugh, #54 A. Haugh 19.50; 15. Jimmy Christian, #10X Walker 20.69; 16. Steve Roza, #20 B. Roza NT.

Special Dash: Faeth, Pugsley, S. Dickenson, Bolton.

HEAT-1: Faeth, Pugsley, Lindsey, S. Dickenson, Haugh, Bolton, Christian, Roza.
HEAT-2: Sarale, Carson, Russell, Streeter, Berryhill, Tarditi, G. Dickenson, Meseraull.

MAIN (30-Laps): 1. Rob Russell, 2. Thomas Meseraull, 3. John Sarale, 4. Darrin Bolton, 5. Matt Streeter, 6. Glenn Carson, 7. Rick Faeth, 8. Travis Berryhill, 9. Steve Roza, 10. Steve Dickenson, 11. Dave Pugsley, 12. Terry Tarditi, 13. Joe Lindsey, 14. John Haugh, 15. Jimmy Christian NS.

LAP LEADERS: 1-5 #8, 6-30 #17.