20-year-old BCRA Rookie Kevin Morris Wins Deake Lyndall Memorial Race at Lakeport Speedway July 7

By Robert Haugh

20-Year-old DMS Race Products BCRA Midget series rookie Kevin Morris became the fourth first-time BCRA Midget feature winner in 2007 by capturing the checkers at the Annual 4th of July weekend Deake Lyndall Memorial Race at Lakeport Speedway on Saturday, July 7.

Piloting father Del’s #17k Beast/Esslinger, Morris overtook Sacramento’s Ralphie “The Racer” Cortez aboard the #31 Shores-Cortez Special Beast/Sesco-Mopar on Lap five, leading all-the-way to the end, holding off two-time reigning BCRA champion John Sarale aboard the #32 Sarale Farms Beast/Riolo Chevy for the victory, joining 15-year-old Shane Golobic, 16-year-old Grant and 19-year-old Brea Lopez as first-time BCRA Midget feature victors thus far in 2007.

Having been relegated to the back of the field for changing a tire before the feature, Sarale swiftly maneuvered his way into the Top 5, reaching third behind Morris and Cortez by Lap 10, diligently working his way from the rear of the field gingerly overtaking his competitors. Prior to the start of the race, Sarale had a tire go flat and had to change the tire.

Sarale’s stellar run marked his second-consecutive runner up finish.

From lap 10 thru 17, Cortez, Sarale and Gary Dickenson were waging war for the runner-up spot as Morris stretched his lead.

Intensely pursuing Morris to the checkers after the 30-lap main event were Sarale, Dickenson in his #8 Stealth/Pontiac, 16-year-old BCRA points leader Justin Grant in his #30 Beast/Esslinger and Fresno’s David Prickett aboard the #15 Neverlift Motorsports Hawk/Van Dyne rounding out the Top Five.

Rounding out the Top 10 was 7-time BCRA champion Floyd Alvis in the #18 Champion Automotive Stealth/Van Dyne, Cortez who developed a flattening right rear tire around Lap 20, Travis Berryhill aboard the #11 Berryhill Racing Stealth/Esslinger, BCRA rookie Nick Foster, Jr., piloting the Rick Faeth #3 Stealth/Chevy V4 and 2002 BCRA car owner champion Bill Lindsey chauffeuring Jim Fowler’s #61 Beast/Esslinger.

Mike Donaldson rounded out the finishing order in 11th aboard Stu Donaldson’s #87 Stealth/Gaerte.

Grant claimed Heat 2 over Dickenson, Sarale and Prickett while Cortez won Heat 1 over Morris, Donaldson, Alvis and Davey Krohn in the #69.

Berryhill claimed the winner’s laurels in the Trophy Dash, claiming the win over fast qualifier Dickenson, Sarale and Prickett.

Dickenson claimed his first-ever Fast-time award, clocking in ahead of Sarale, Berryhill and Prickett with a lap of 12.257, just three hundredths ahead of Sarale.

The 2007 DMS Race Products BCRA Midgets Series continues this Saturday, July 14 at Santa Maria Speedway as part of a co-sanctioned race with the USAC-Western States Midgets. Visit www.bcraracing.com for additional information.

Summary:
30-Lap Feature
1. Kevin Morris
2. John Sarale
3. Gary Dickenson
4. Justin Grant
5. David Prickett
6. Floyd Alvis
7. Ralph Cortez
8. Travis Berryhill
9. Nick Foster, Jr.
10. Bill Lindsey
11. Mike Donaldson

Heat 2
1. Justin Grant
2. Gary Dickenson
3. John Sarale
4. David Prickett
5. Travis Berryhill
6. Bill Lindsey

Heat 1
1. Ralph Cortez
2. Kevin Morris
3. Mike Donaldson
4. Floyd Alvis
5. Davey Krohn
6. Nick Foster, Jr., DNS

Trophy Dash
1. Berryhill
2. Dickenson
3. Sarale
4. Prickett

Qualifying
1. 8, Gary Dickenson, 12.257
2. 32, John Sarale, 12.287
3. 11, Travis Berryhill, 12.616
4. 15, David Prickett, 12.671
5. 30, Justin Grant, 12.688
6. 61, Bill Lindsey, 12.767
7. 17k, Kevin Morris, 12.817
8. 87, Mike Donaldson, 12.818
9. 31, Ralph Cortez, 12.827
10. 18, Floyd Alvis, 13.013
11. 3, Nick Foster, Jr., 13.069
12. 69, Davey Krohn, 15.956