FUSON-LEWIS USAC WESTERN STATES MIDGET BATTLE HEADS TO PLACERVILLE
By Lance Jennings
JULY 4, 2023... The championship battle for the USAC Western States Midgets is heading to Placerville Speedway this Saturday, July 8th. Promoted by Scott Russell and Kami Arnold, the sixth point race and “Burgers & Brew Night” will pay $1,500-to-win and also features the Winged 360 Sprint Cars, Pure Stocks, and BCRA Wingless Lightning Sprints. Located on the El Dorado County Fairgrounds in Placerville, California at 100 Placerville Drive, the Pit Gates will open at 2:00PM, the Front Gates open at 3:00PM, with Racing scheduled at 6:30PM. For more information, visit the track’s website at placervillespeedway.com or call 530.344.7592.
For those that cannot travel to the races, calidirt.tv will broadcast a live stream of the night’s action.
NOTICE TO RACERS:
- MEMBERSHIPS / TEMPORARY PERMITS: All racers MUST PURCHASE their USAC license / membership or temporary permit (TP) online PRIOR TO THE EVENT at usaclicense.com. Season memberships come with extra insurance.
- ENTRY FEE: There is an entry fee due at registration / pill pick.
- TRANSPONDERS: Transponders ARE MANDATORY and will be available to rent.
- APPROVED/LEGAL MUFFLERS: B&B: FRAC-0375-S w/side outlet, COAST FABRICATION: 300x625x17-2s, 350x625x17-2s, 400x625x17-2s, EXTREME: 3515-3030 (15” Long 5” round shell with 3”inlet & 3” outlet), 3615-3030 (15” Long 6” round shell with 3” inlet & 3” outlet), 3515-3030-8 (15” Long 5” round shell with 3”inlet & 3” outlet with turnout), 3615-3030-8 (15” Long 6” round shell with 3” inlet & 3” outlet with turnout), FLOWMASTER: (BCRA Approved) 13009130, 13509130, 13509135, SCHOENFELD: 14272535, 14272730-78, RODELA FAB: 2557-01 *Failure to comply with the muffler rule will risk disqualification from the event.
- ONE WAY RADIOS / RACECEIVERS: One way radios ARE MANDATORY.
- FULL CONTAINMENT SEATS: Full containment seats ARE MANDATORY.
- RULE BOOK: The USAC Western States Midget Rule Book can be found online at usacracing.com.
- California state protocol calls for competitors, crews, officials, and anyone on the grounds to practice safe social distancing, proper sanitizing, and follow local regulations regarding the COVID-19 Coronavirus.
In addition to championship points, every event will award points for the season-long Woodland Auto Display Top Qualifier Standings and the unsponsored Passing Master Standings. Drivers that finish in the top-3 in Woodland points will take home $500-for-1st, $300-for-2nd, and $200-for-3rd. Last season, Michael Faccinto earned Top Qualifier honors and veteran driver Randi Pankratz passed the most cars in the main events.
Since October 11, 1996, the quarter-mile oval at the El Dorado County Fairgrounds has hosted ten USAC Western States Midget events. “The Professor” Jimmy Sills claimed the inaugural victory and “Sugar” Shane Golobic leads all drivers with two Placerville wins. When the series last visited the 1/4-mile oval on May 7, 2022, Michael Faccinto took the checkered flags on his way to the championship. Golobic established the 1-lap track record of 11.663 seconds on March 26, 2022 and the complete series Placerville win list is at the bottom of this release.
Entering Saturday’s event, Brody Fuson (Bakersfield, California) leads the competition by 26-points. Driving Rusty Carlile’s #51 RacePa Motorsports / Van Meter Motorsports Spike, Fuson led eight laps at Merced on June 24th before finishing third at the checkered flags. To date, the point leader has two main event wins, two Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Awards, two heat race victories, one Ebbco Offroad / Wireless 101 Hard Charger Award, five top-10 finishes, and 42 feature laps led on the season. Brody has six career wins and will be looking to continue his championship bid with a Placerville triumph.
Cade Lewis (Bakersfield, California) ranks second in the chase for the championship. Driving Dean “Kiwi” Alexander’s #5K Wireless 101 / Mobil 1 Spike, Lewis earned his first win of the year at Merced. At press time, the young driver has also posted one Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Award, two heat race victories, three Ebbco Offroad / Wireless 101 Hard Charger Awards, five top-10 finishes, and 16 feature laps led on the year. Cade has two career wins and will have his sights on gaining valuable points with the Saturday night victory.
Ben Worth (Coalinga, California) sits third in the USAC Western States Midget point standings. Piloting the Graunstadt Enterprises’ #14J T&T Trucking / Gary Silva Ranches Spike, Worth scored ninth at the Merced County Fairgrounds. To date, the 2019 Rookie of the Year has one feature win, four top-10 finishes, and 31 feature laps led in the campaign. Ben has four career wins and is looking for a ride to compete at Placerville.
After scoring eighth at Merced, Ron Hazelton (Chatsworth, California) has climbed to fourth in the championship standings. At press time, the owner/driver of the #15 TRC Transmission / West Evans Motorsports Beast has three top-10 finishes in the campaign. The veteran driver will have his sights on his first career win at the El Dorado County Fairgrounds.
Steve Paden (Rossmoor, California) ranks fifth in the chase for the USAC Western States Midget point chase. The owner/driver of the #56 Signal Hill Construction / Maxim Crane Spike skipped Merced and has one heat race victory, one Wireless 101 Hard Charger Award, one High Tech Performance Lucky Pill Draw, and three top-10 finishes to his credit. The 2003 Champion has eight career victories and it is unknown if he will be in action at Placerville.
Leading rookie contender, Samuel May (Oxnard, California) ranks eighth in the point standings. Racing Steve Lambert’s #55 Employee Benefit Systems Incorporated / Josh Ford Motorsports Triple X, May has one Wilwood Disc Brakes Lucky 13 Award and two top-10 finishes on the year. The young driver will be looking the upset the field and claim the Saturday night win.
While Samuel May leads the chase for Rookie of the Year honors, he is followed by Garrett Twitty (Bakersfield, California), Ben Covich (Auckland, New Zealand), David Gasper (Goleta, California), Brandon Wiley (Santa Maria, California), Mitchel Moles (Raisin City, California), Kevin Gray (Yuba City, California), and Steve Hix (Ventura, California).
Among the other drivers expected to be in action are C.J. Sarna, Blake Bower, Randi Pankratz, Caden Sarale, Danika Jo Faccinto, “The Panda” Terry Nichols, Marvin Mitchell, and more.
Placerville Speedway is located on the El Dorado County Fairgrounds in Placerville, California at 100 Placerville Drive. Adult tickets are $20, Military/Senior tickets are $18, Junior Tickets (12-17) are $18, Kids tickets (6-11) are $7, and Children (5 & Under) are FREE. Advance tickets can be purchased online and for more event information, visit the track’s website at placervillespeedway.com or call 530.344.7592.
The USAC Western States Midget Series thanks BR Motorsports, Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, Competition Suspension Incorporated, Ebbco Offroad, Esslinger Engineering, Extreme Mufflers, FloRacing, Graunstadt Enterprises, Hoosier Racing Tire, Hot Head Competition Engine Heaters, Jordan Hanni Well Drilling, Rod End Supply, Saldana Racing Products, Steve Lafond / Tear-Off Heaven Fotos, Wilwood Disc Brakes, Wireless 101, and Woodland Auto Display for their support. If you or your company would like to become part of the series, email PR Director Lance Jennings at lwjennings@earthlink.net.
For more information on the USAC Western States Midget Series, visit the United States Auto Club (USAC) website at usacracing.com and the social media for USAC Racing. You can also find exclusive content on the USAC Western States Midget Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages.
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USAC WESTERN STATES MIDGET CHAMPIONS: 1982-Jeff Heywood, 1983-Sleepy Tripp, 1984-Tommy White, 1985-Sleepy Tripp, 1986-Robby Flock, 1987-Sleepy Tripp, 1988-Sleepy Tripp, 1989-Robby Flock, 1990-Sleepy Tripp, 1991-Sleepy Tripp, 1992-Sleepy Tripp, 1993-Robby Flock, 1994-Johnny Cofer, 1995-Billy Boat, 1996-Jay Drake, 1997-Ricky Shelton, 1998-Rick Hendrix, 1999-Marc DeBeaumont, 2000-Wally Pankratz, 2001-Danny Ebberts, 2002-Robby Flock, 2003-Steve Paden, 2004-Johnny Rodriguez, 2005-Jerome Rodela, 2006-Jerome Rodela, 2007-Johnny Rodriguez, 2008-Nic Faas, 2009-Garrett Hansen, 2010-Alex Schutte, 2011-Cory Kruseman, 2012-Shannon McQueen, 2013-Ronnie Gardner, 2014- Ronnie Gardner, 2015-Ronnie Gardner, 2016-Ronnie Gardner, 2017-Ronnie Gardner, 2018-Michael Faccinto, 2019-Robert Dalby, 2020-NO AWARD, 2021-Blake Bower, 2022-Michael Faccinto.
2023 USAC WESTERN STATES MIDGET WINS: 2-Brody Fuson, 1-Jake Andreotti, 1-Cade Lewis, 1-Ben Worth.
PLACERVILLE USAC WESTERN STATES MIDGET TRACK RECORD: Shane Golobic – 11.663 (03/26/22)
PLACERVILLE USAC WESTERN STATES MIDGET WINS: 2-Shane Golobic, 1-Jake Andreotti, 1-Michael Faccinto, 1-Scotty Farmer, 1-Ronnie Gardner, 1-Kyle Larson, 1-Austin Liggett, 1-Gio Scelzi, 1-Jimmy Sills.
2023 USAC WESTERN STATES MIDGET POINT STANDINGS: 1. Brody Fuson-390, 2. Cade Lewis-364, 3. Ben Worth-301, 4. Ron Hazelton-239, 5. Steve Paden-220, 6. C.J. Sarna-214, 7. Blake Bower-204, 8. Samuel May®-193, 9. Randi Pankratz-173, 10. Bryan Drollinger-168, 11. Robby Josett-143, 12. Caden Sarale-142, --. Garrett Twitty®-142, 14. Ben Covich®-127, 15. David Gasper®-120, 16. A.J. Bender-113, 17. Brandon Wiley®-96, 18. Jake Andreotti-84, 19. Mitchel Moles®-78, --. Chase Johnson-78, 21. Mike Leach Jr.-76, 22. Ryan Bernal-73, 23. Danika Jo Faccinto-61, 24. T.J. Smith-59, 25. Terry Nichols-42, 26. Kevin Gray®-39, 27. Steve Hix®-37, 28. Marvin Mitchell-25.
2023 WOODLAND AUTO DISPLAY TOP QUALFIER POINTS: 1. Brody Fuson-26, 2. Cade Lewis-14, 3. Caden Sarale-8, -. Ben Worth-8, 5. C.J. Sarna-7, -. Blake Bower-7, 7. Jake Andreotti-6, -. Robby Josett-6, 9. David Gasper®-5, 10. A.J. Bender-3, --. Mitchel Moles-3, --. Chase Johnson-3, --. Randi Pankratz-3, 14. T.J. Smith-2, --. Brandon Wiley®-2, 16. Ryan Bernal-1, --. Garrett Twitty®-1.
2023 SAMMY BAHR FEATURE POINTS: 1. Brody Fuson-329, 2. Cade Lewis-320, 3. Ben Worth-266, 4. Ron Hazelton-221, 5. Steve Paden-199, 6. C.J. Sarna-188, 7. Blake Bower-177, 8. Samuel May®-167, 9. Bryan Drollinger-157, 10. Randi Pankratz-154, 11. Garrett Twitty®-130, 12. Robby Josett-125, 13. Caden Sarale-122, 14. Ben Covich®-118, 15. David Gasper®-107, 16. A.J. Bender-99, 17. Brandon Wiley®-85, 18. Jake Andreotti-70, 19. Mitchel Moles-67, 20. Chase Johnson-67, 21. Mike Leach Jr.-64, 22. Ryan Bernal-64, 23. Danika Jo Faccinto-55, 24. T.J. Smith-49, 25. Kevin Gray®-39, 26. Terry Nichols-39, 27. Steve Hix®-33, 28. Marvin Mitchell-25.
2023 PASSING MASTER POINTS: 1. Cade Lewis-29, 2. Brody Fuson-15, 3. Ron Hazelton-14, 4. Steve Paden-7, -. David Gasper®-7, -. Robby Josett-7, 7. Ben Covich®-6, 8. Jake Andreotti-4, -. Bryan Drollinger-4, --. Garrett Twitty®-4, --. C.J. Sarna-4, 12. Brandon Wiley®-3, 13. Danika Jo Faccinto-2, 14. Chase Johnson-1, --. Blake Bower-1.
2023 USAC WESTERN STATES MIDGET SERIES SCHEDULE
March 18: Bakersfield Speedway – Bakersfield, CA (RAINED OUT)
March 25: Antioch Speedway – Antioch, CA (RAINED OUT)
April 15: Merced Speedway – Merced, CA (Winner: Ben Worth)
April 29: The Dirt Track at Kern County Raceway Park – Bakersfield, CA (Winner: Jake Andreotti)
May 6: Placerville Speedway – Placerville, CA (RAINED OUT)
May 27: Ventura Raceway – Ventura, CA (Winner: Brody Fuson)
June 10: Ventura Raceway – Ventura, CA (Winner: Brody Fuson)
June 24: Merced Speedway – Merced, CA Winner: Cade Lewis)
July 8: Placerville Speedway – Placerville, CA ($1,500-to-Win)
July 22: Petaluma Speedway – Petaluma, CA ($1,500-to-Win)
August 5: Antioch Speedway – Antioch, CA ($1,750-to-Win)
August 26: Santa Maria Raceway – Santa Maria, CA (With USAC West Coast Sprint Cars)
September 9: Ventura Raceway – Ventura, CA
September 30: Antioch Speedway – Antioch, CA ($1,750-to-Win)
October 7: The Dirt Track at Kern County Raceway Park – Bakersfield, CA (With USAC West Coast Sprint Cars / Championship Night / George Snider Classic / Awards Banquet)
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TBA = To Be Announced.
SE = Special Event / Non-Points.
This schedule is subject to change.
