Flock Hauls in Placerville BCRA Midget Gold
Tops 21-Car Midget Field

By Robert Haugh

Robby Flock and the Mike Sala lead crew in victory lane after winning the BCRA Midget main at Placerville Speedway (M&M Photo)

June 23, 2007, Placerville, CA: West Coast Midget Ace Robby Flock vaulted past reigning 2-time BCRA Midget champion John Sarale with three laps to go en route to capturing the 30-lap DMS Race Products BCRA Midget series race Saturday at John Padjen's 1/4-mile Placerville Speedway at the El Dorado County Fairgrounds.

Flock, the 4-time USAC-Western States and 1996 Belleville Midget Nationals champion squeezed the Mike Sala #19s Spike/Bob Wirth Mopar under Sarale after taking advantage of lapped traffic and a late-race caution to capture the BCRA Midget triumph.

Sarale quickly jumped into the lead in his #32 Sarale Farms Stealth/Riolo Chevy, overtaking polesitter Floyd Alvis on the first circuit.

As the field was crossing the start-finish line on the second lap, Sacramento’s Ralphie “The Racer” Cortez flipped violently on the frontstretch in the #31 Cortez-Walker Motorsports Stealth/Esslinger while trying to overtake 1999 BCRA champion Matt Streeter in his #14JR Spike/Ed Pink Ford. Although the #31 was mangled, Cortez was uninjured.

Sarale again jolted ahead of Alvis, BCRA points leader Justin Grant, rookie Kevin Morris, Flock and David Prickett on the restart. Sarale continued pulling away, but the battle for second through sixth intensified as Flock was looking for ways to pass.

Crossing the start-finish line on lap 6, Streeter viciously flipped down the frontstretch trying to overtake Pete Davis on the high side. Streeter was uninjured in the flip, however his #14JR was heavily damaged.

Sarale again picked up his torrid pace, hugging the bottom groove holding off Alvis, Grant and Flock. Flock looked high, to no avail, however, utilized his experience to slip under Morris and Grant on the bottom on Laps 14 and 16, respectively.

Slowly working through lapped cars, Sarale extended distance over his pursuers, creating a large lead. As Sarale’s torrid pace continued, Flock snagged second from Alvis on Lap 18.

As Sarale caught lapped traffic, Flock began chasing down the two-time reigning BCRA champion Sarale, steadily gaining, albeit trailing by about a straightaway.

After catching Sarale in traffic and pulling within a couple car lengths, Flock caught a break on Lap 25 when BCRA rookie Kevin Morris spun father Del’s #17K Spike/Esslinger in Turn 3.

Hoping to duplicate his 2006 jackpot in Placerville --- when Sarale held off Flock in an intense and exciting duel to the win, Sarale continued hugging the bottom groove.

Two laps after the single-file restart, Flock squeezed under Sarale on Lap 27, holding off Sarale the final three laps to claim the winner’s laurels.

“I knew he [Flock] wasn’t going to get me on the outside. There was nothing there,” said Sarale at the scales following the race. “I made one small bobble and he squeezed by for the pass,” added Sarale.

Following Flock nose-to-tail to the checkers was Sarale in his #32 Stealth/Riolo-Chevy, 7-time BCRA champion Floyd Alvis in his #18 Champion Automotive Stealth/Esslinger, 16-year-old local boy and current BCRA points leader Justin Grant of Ione in the #17 Thurston Spike/Esslinger and Veteran Pete Davis of Pleasanton aboard his #00 Beast/Esslinger. Only a few car lengths separated the Top Five at the finish.

Following the Top Five to the checkers was David Prickett in the #15 Neverlift Motorsports Stealth/Arias, Gary Dickenson aboard his #8 Stealth/Pontiac, Morris, Doug Lippincott in his #4L Stealth/Gaerte and Danny Parker of Oakdale driving the #20 Bob Roza Beast/Esslinger rounding out the Top Ten.

After hitting the frontstretch wall early in the race, former Silver Dollar Speedway Sprint Car track champion and several-time BCRA Midget feature winner Rick Haugh Jr. rebounded to finish eleventh aboard father Rich’s #51 Maxim/Gaerte. Oregon’s Steve Dickenson rounded out the finish in 12th aboard his #99S Edmunds/Pontiac.

Flock dominated Heat 1 over Todd Miller in Larry Mertl’s #9 Stealth/Esslinger, Grant, Lippincott and Alvis.

Sarale claimed Heat 2 over Streeter, Cortez, Morris and Prickett.

Davis triumphed in Heat 3 over Gary Dickenson, Parker, Jimmy Silva making his first Dirt Midget start in the #18a Floyd Alvis Stealth/Gaerte and 2002 BCRA car owner champion Bill Lindsey in the #87 Stu Donaldson Kane/Chevy II.

In absence of qualifying, lineups were determined through the points average system.

Travis Berryhill battled mechanical woes all evening, failing to start both the Heat and the main event. The Berryhill Racing #11 crew scrambled frantically all evening trying to debug the issues, but could not deviate the issues on time for the main event.

Former BCRA car owner champion Cameron Beard scratched his #19B Stealth/Fontana after breaking a rear end in hot laps.

Returning from a several-year hiatus, Auburn’s Dave Stoltz’ BCRA return was ended prematurely, scratching after Hot Lap in his #77 Pacific Flyer/Buick V6.

The 2007 DMS Race Products BCRA Midget season continues in two weeks with their second stop at the ¼-mile Lakeport Speedway on July 7. After the pavement race, BCRA joins the USAC-Western States Midgets at a co-sanctioned event at Santa Maria Speedway on July 14, beginning a five-race dirt swing.

BCRA returns to Placerville Speedway on August 11th for the Annual BCRA Jack London Bash Hall of Fame & Picnic featuring the BCRA Midgets, Midget Lites and Vintage Division.

Visit www.bcraracing.com for information on BCRA Midgets.

Summary
Main Event:
1. Robby Flock, 19s, Sala
2. John Sarale, 32, Sarale
3. Floyd Alvis, 18, Alvis
4. Justin Grant, 17, Thurston
5. Pete Davis, 00, Davis
6. David Prickett, 15, Neverlift Motorsports
7. Gary Dickenson, 8, Dickenson
8. Kevin Morris, 17k, Morris
9. Doug Lippincott, 4L, Lippincott
10. Danny Parker, 20, Bob Roza
11. Rick Haugh Jr., 51, Haugh Sr.
12. Steve Dickenson, 99s, Dickenson
13. Jimmy Silva, 18a, Alvis
14. Rick Faeth, 3, Faeth
15. Todd Miller, 9, Larry Mertl
16. Matt Streeter, 14jr, Streeter
17. Ralph Cortez, 31, Cortez-Walker Motorsports
18. Bill Lindsey, 87, Stu Donaldson, DNS
19. Travis Berryhill, 11, Berryhill - DNS
20. Cameron Beard, 19B, Beard - Scratch DNS
21. Dave Stoltz, 77, Stoltz - Scratch DNS

Heat 3:
1. Pete Davis
2. Gary Dickenson
3. Danny Parker
4. Jimmy Silva
5. Bill Lindsey
Beard, Stoltz, DNS

Heat 2:
1. John Sarale
2. Matt Streeter
3. Ralph Cortez
4. Kevin Morris
5. David Prickett
6. Steve Dickenson
Travis Berryhill, DNS

Heat 1:
1. Robby Flock
2. Todd Miller
3. Justin Grant
4. Doug Lippincott
5. Floyd Alvis
6. Rick Haugh Jr.
7. Rick Faeth