BCRA Midgets Revving Into Sierra For Dirt Opener Saturday, April 12

By Robert Haugh

The famed Bay Cities Racing Association 2008 Midget series opens the Dirt portion of its 65th season of racing this Saturday, April 12 at the smooth and fast 1/4-mile Placerville Speedway in Placerville, CA at the gorgeous El Dorado County Fairgrounds.

The race will be the first of ten total dirt races, and first of four at John Padjen’s wonderful Placerville Speedway. The Midgets also compete at Placerville on May 31, June 21 and August 9.

Among the stellar entries will be 17-year-old reigning BCRA champion Justin Grant of Ione wheeling the #17 TNT Racesports Dave & Wendy Thurston Spike/Esslinger, 7-time BCRA champion Floyd Alvis, “The Ageless Wonder” piloting his #18 Champion Automotive Stealth/Esslinger “Green Beret,” two-time BCRA champion John Sarale of Stockton chauffeuring the Sarale Farms #32 Stealth/Riolo Chevy and 2007, three-time BCRA champion Glenn Carson manning Doug Bock’s #26 Spike/Esslinger, 2007 third-place driver David Prickett of Fresno campaigning the Neverlift Motorsports #15 Stealth/Arias, 2007 BCRA Johnny Boyd Rookie of the Year 20-year-old Kevin Morris driving father Del’s #17k Spike/Esslinger. Morris placed fourth in the 2007 BCRA championship and is vying to claim the championship honors in 2008.

Other entries include former BCRA car owner champion and multi-time Midget and Midget Lite feature winner Cameron Beard debuting Dave LaMott’s #0 Stealth/Honda, Scott Nail piloting Stu Donaldson’s #8x Stealth/Pontiac, 2006 Johnny Boyd BCRA co-rookie of the year Darrin Bolton manning the Bolton Racing #XX Stewart/Mopar, Todd Miller driving Larry Mertl’s #9 Stealth/Esslinger, American Canyon’s Travis Berryhill behind-the-wheel of the “Spirit of American Canyon” #11 Berryhill Racing Stealth/Esslinger, Nick Foster, Jr., 2007 BCRA Midget Mechanic-of-the-Year manning Jim Fowler’s #24 Beast/Esslinger, 15-year-old Cole Peard aboard his #58 Twister/Fontana, Danny parker aboard Bob Roza’s #20 Beast/Esslinger, Scott Pierovich aboard the Lance Pierovich #35 Spike/Mopar, Oregonian Steve Dickenson campaigning his #99s Edmunds/Pontiac and 15-year-old Britton Bock campaigning his own #62 TCR/Pontiac.

Other expected entries include three-time BCRA feature winner Chris Rahe aboard the Jon Rahe #3 Goodwin Farms Stealth/Fontana, Auburn’s Dave Stoltz in his #77 Pacific Flyer/Buick V6, 1997 Silver Dollar Speedway 410 Sprint Car track champion Rick Haugh aboard father Richards #5h Maxim/Gaerte, Pete Davis in his #00 Beast/Esslinger and Shannon McQueen aboard her #7 Spike/Esslinger.

Through two races in 2008, both pavement races, former NASCAR Nationwide series and Craftsman truck series driver Shane Hmiel leads the BCRA Midget points (221) entering the Placerville bout after winning the two most recent BCRA Midge races at Shasta and Madera. However, Hmiel is not entered this weekend, so second-place points man Scott Nail (177 points) will be the highest points runner competing on Saturday. Closely behind Nail in the points is Kevin Morris (167 points) in fourth with Nick Foster, Jr. sitting sixth with 161 points. Having fought mechanical gremlins early in the season, eight-time champion Floyd Alvis, “The Ageless Wonder” sits in tenth position with 112 points.

Joining the Midgets on Saturday will be the Midget Lites, Wingless Sprints, Pro Stocks and Pure Stocks.

Visit www.bcraracing.com for information on BCRA Midgets and www.johnpadjenmotorsports.com for additional information on Placerville Speedway.