Grant Picks Up Petaluma Paydirt

By Robert Haugh

Justin Grant and car owner Dave Thurston in victory lane after winning the BCRA midget main event at Petaluma Speedway

Justin Grant in victory lane after winning the BCRA Midget main event at Petaluma Speedway. He had a special tribute in memory of fallen Army Ranger Kristofer Douglas Scott Thomas on his hood. Visit www.racingforthetroops.com, it is a great thing they are doing to let us pay respect to our troops that have paid the ultimate price for our freedom. (MMRACINGPHOTOS.COM)

Justin Grant (17) get's around Jimmy Christian (16) en route to winning the BCRA midget Main event at Petaluma Speedway (M&M Racing Photos)

After overtaking seven-time BCRA champion “Ageless Wonder” Floyd Alvis on lap 11, reigning BCRA Midget champion “Recess Rocket” Justin Grant surged to victory in the 29-lap Bay Cities Racing Association Midget feature at Petaluma Speedway on Saturday, August 16.

Manning the Dave & Wendy Thurston #17 racingforthetroops.com Spike/Esslinger, Grant patiently awaited opportunity, methodically chasing down the seven-time BCRA champ, surpassing Alvis after a Lap 11 restart.

Following Grant to the checkers was Alvis aboard his “Yellow Chicken” #18 Stealth/Gaerte, David “The Love Cricket” Prickett aboard the Neverlift Motorsports #15 TCR/Van Dyne, Pete Davis aboard the Hothead Engine Heaters #00 Stealth/Esslinger, three-time BCRA champion Glenn Carson aboard Doug Bock’s #26 Spike/Esslinger, points leader Scott Nail aboard Stu Donaldson’s #8x Stealth/Pontiac, Cole Peard aboard the Peard Trucking #58 Twister F5/Fontana, Jimmy Christian aboard his #16 Stealth/Rilo Chevy, Danny Parker aboard Bob Roza’s #20 Beast/Esslinger and “Young Lion” Nick Foster, Jr. aboard Jim Fowler’s #24 Beast/Esslinger completing the Top ten.

Gunning to the lead from his outside pole starting position, Alvis vaulted ahead of the stellar 19-car Midget field, leading the first lap aboard his #18 “Yellow Chicken” Stealth/Gaerte ahead of Antioch (7/26) race Carson and two-time Midget Lite champion Doug Hunting aboard his #2 Spike/Esslinger. Dave Stoltz spun his #77 Pacific Flyer/Range Rover V6 bringing out the yellow on lap 2.

Alvis once again rocketed ahead of the field on the Lap 2 restart, distancing himself from the field in the hooked up 3/8-mile Petaluma Speedway.

Further stretching out to a commanding lead, Alvis continued blistering the track while sixth-starting Grant moved up to third on Lap six and Hunting moving into second. Grant surged past Hunting on Lap 7, now chasing down Alvis’ near straightaway lead.

Stoltz brought out the caution once again for a solo spin in Turn 4 on Lap 11, abating Alvis’ commanding lead. Stoltz was relegated to the infield due to the two-spin rule at this point.

Fast-timer 17-year-old Wes Gutierrez had methodically worked his way up to fourth with veteran like poise and patience aboard the Walker Racing-Bay Muffler #10 Stealth/Esslinger from his outside fifth-row starting spot, however, Gutierrez’ strong showing in his first-ever Midget appearance ended swiftly on the Lap 11 restart, pulling out with electrical gremlins --- Alvis, Grant, Hunting, Christian and Scott Pierovich now holding down the top five positions.

Grant wasted no time, picking off Alvis for the lead on Lap 12 while Pierovich overtook Christian and Hunting claiming the third spot.

With Pierovich and Christian strongly pressuring Alvis for second, Grant began pulling away from the field over the next several laps. With Alvis hitting his marks perfectly, Pierovich closely pursued Alvis, finally snagging second from the wryly veteran on Lap 16.

With Grant beginning to approach lapped traffic, Pierovich began slicing into Grant’s lead, catching Grant at lap 20, with Alvis and Christian also closing in. Pierovich, like his teammate Gutierrez, unfortunately, fell victim to mechanical gremlins aboard the Walker Racing-Bay Muffler #10x Stealth/Esslinger, pulling off the track on Lap 21 as Grant began picking of lapped cars, now pulling away once again.

Grant’s lead diminished on lap 22 when the caution flags unfurled as third-running Christian spun his #16 Stealth/Riolo Chevy.

Upon the restart, Grant soared to the lead again over Alvis, Prickett, Hunting, Pete Davis, Peard, Carson, Nail, Parker and Gray holding the Top ten spots.

Smoking heavily, Hunting retired his #2 Spike/Esslinger on Lap 25, with Grant continuing to lead over Alvis, Prickett, Davis and Carson, while Peard, Nail, Parker and Christian were dicing for position mid-pack.

Quickly approaching Alvis’ rear bumper, Prickett began seeking ways of getting by the Ageless Wonder on Lap 28 --- to no avail.

Coming across the checkers, Grant was shown dual yellow-checkers as Shasta Raceway Park promoter Rick Faeth spun Dave Thurston’s #17x TCR/Gaerte in Turn 3 coming to the checkers.

Scoring went back to the last lap, with the “Recess Rocket” Grant picking up his second BCRA victory of the year over the “Ageless Wonder” Alvis, Prickett “the Love Crickett,” Davis, Carson, Nail, Peard, Christian, Parker and “Young Lion” Nick Foster, Jr. aboard Jim Fowler’s #24 Beast/Esslinger completing the Top ten.

Elk Grove’s Thomas Gray claimed eleventh in his first-ever BCRA Midget start aboard his #34 Spike/Esslinger with 17-year-old BCRA rookie Britton Bock claiming 12th in his own #62 TCR/Esslinger and Mike Gehringer claiming 13th aboard his #27 Jack Rich/Arias and former BCRA Midget car owner champion Bill Lindsey scored in 14th aboard Alvis’ #18 Champion Automotive “Green Beret” Stealth/Esslinger. Faeth was scored in 15th, the last car running at the finish.




Pismo Beach’s Mike Gehringer claimed the seven-lap Heat 1 aboard his #27 Jack Rich/Arias over “Young Lion” Nick Foster, Jr., Gray, Peard and Parker. The race ended under caution when Faeth spun on the final circuit.

Alvis claimed Heat 2 over Hunting, Grant, Davis and Christian.

San Martin’s Wes Gutierrez scored fast time honors manning one of three Walker Racing-Bay Muffler #10 Stealth/Esslingers. Gutierrez was making his inaugural Midget start. The 17-year-old high school student previously has driven Micro Sprints and a 360 Sprint Car.

Rob Russell, a multiple-time BCRA Midget feature winner was chauffeuring the third Walker Racing-Bay Muffler #10 Stealth/Esslinger, but experienced drive assembly gremlins during Heat 2, causing the #10b cast-iron block machine to be scratched for the remainder of the evening. The #10b mount sees a one-off Esslinger engine --- built with a cast-iron cylinder block. The three Walker Racing-Bay Muffler mounts claimed Fast-time (Gutierrez), third quick (Pierovich) and sixth-quick (Russell) honors, showcasing their potential. However, all three mounts experienced varying mechanical issues during the evening.

Visalia’s Scott Nail continues leading the points over “Young Lion” Nick Foster, Jr. and “Ageless Wonder” Floyd Alvis. Alvis has pulled to within 50 points of Nail’s points lead, just a few tallies behind second-place Foster.

The battle for the 2008 BCRA Midget title continues this Saturday, August 23 at King’s Speedway in Hanford, a co-sanctioned event with the USAC-Western States Midgets. Visit www.bcraracing.com for information on the BCRA Midgets.

Summary:
Feature 29 laps (start position): 1. Justin Grant (6), 2. Floyd Alvis (2), 3. David Prickett (7), 4. Pete Davis (9), 5. Glenn Carson (1), 6. Scott Nail (11), 7. Cole Peard (12), 8. Jimmy Christian (5), 9. Danny Parker (14), 10. Nick Foster, Jr., (16) 11. Thomas Gray (13), 12. Britton Bock (15), 13. Mike Gehringer (17), 14. Bill Lindsey (19), 15. Rick Faeth (18), 16. Doug Hunting (3), 17. Scott Pierovich (8), 18. Wes Gutierrez (10), 19. Dave Stoltz (4), 20. Rob Russell-DNS
Lap Leaders: Floyd Alvis 1-10, Justin Grant 11-29

Heat 1 (7 laps): 1. Mike Gehringer, 2. Nick Foster, Jr., 3. Thomas Gray, 4. Cole Peard, 5. Danny Parker, 6. Britton Bock, 7. Scott Nail, 8. Glenn Carson, 9. Bill Lindsey, 10. Rick Faeth

Heat 2 (8 laps): 1. Floyd Alvis, 2. Doug Hunting, 3. Justin Grant, 4. Pete Davis, 5. Jimmy Christian, 6. Wes Gutierrez, 7. Dave Stoltz, 8. David Prickett, 9. Rob Russell, 10. Scott Pierovich

Qualifications: 1. Wes Gutierrez, 10 Walker, 14.783, 2. Pete Davis, 00 Davis, 14.836, 3. Scott Pierovich, 10x Walker, 14.935, 4. David Prickett, 15 Neverlift Motorsports, 14.974, 5. Justin Grant, 17 Thurston, 15.051, 6. Rob Russell, 10b Walker, 15.060, 7. Jimmy Christian, 16 Christian, 15.153, 8. Dave Stoltz, 77 Stoltz, 15.246, 9. Doug Hunting, 2 Hunting, 15.360, 10. Floyd Alvis, 18 Alvis, 15.370, 11. Glenn Carson, 26 Bock, 15.380, 12. Scott Nail, 8x Donaldson, 15.503, 13. Cole Peard, 58 Peard, 15.531, 14. Thomas Gray, 34 Gray, 15.535, 15. Danny Parker, 20 Roza, 15.647, 16. Britton Bock, 62 Bock, 15.657, 17. Nick Foster, Jr., 24 Fowler, 15.660, 18. Mike Gehringer, 27 Gehringer, 15.754, 19. Rick Faeth, 17x Thurston, 15.863, 20. Bill Lindsey, 18a Alvis, 16.670