TOP AREA DRIVERS SET FOR LAKEPORT MIDGET CHALLENGE

The top Northern and Central California midget drivers are set to battle this Saturday night at the Lakeport Speedway in a full Bay Cities Racing Association program that includes the popular vintage midgets.

Looking to uphold last year's domination by local drivers will be Lakeport's Eric Mostin and Brian Gard of Kelseyville. Mostin won both features on the Lakeport quarter-mile paved oval last season and Gard was also a winner twice on the circuit. Mostin drives the Mike Mostin Gaerte-powered Beast while Gard chauffeurs the Mark Borghesani Gaerte Chevy powered Beast midget.

The local youngsters will have their hands full with such outstanding drivers as defending BCRA champion Thomas Meseraull of San Jose in the Bill Ferrari Esslinger/Beast and USAC sprint car champion Tony Hunt of Elk Grove in the Bob Rosen "Mr. Espresso Coffee" Esslinger/Beast.

From Bakersfield, Shannon McQueen has submitted her entry. One of the few women drivers, McQueen divides her time between BCRA and USAC where she currently rides fifth in the point standings. She will drive an Esslinger/Stealth.
Among the other top entries will be Ryan Kaplan of Chico, a recent USAC winner who established a new qualifying track record at the BCRA race in Carson City last weekend aboard his Fontana/Stealth.

John Sarale of Stockton, Scott Pierovich of Alamo, Garratt Boyden of Santa Cruz and Pete Davis of Pleasanton are among the entries.

Carson City winner Michael Hubert III, a third generation driver from Anderson, will be aboard his winning Gaerte Chevy/Beast.

The popular BCRA vintage division is expected to have nearly a dozen vintage midgets on hand for demonstration races. The cars from bygone eras include Kurtis and Benson machines powered by Ford V8-60, Chevy II, Offenhauser and a British Daimler V8.

The six-division program includes the NCRA modifieds, mini stocks and bombers, plus the L.A. cruisers. Gates open at 4 p.m. with qualifying at 5 and racing at 7.