Photo by: SCRAFAN.com
Written by: Lucas Halbert - Grassroots Racing News
Placerville, California (7/10/2021)... The 0.25 mile of Placerville Speedway produced another great night of USAC racing. This time it was USAC West Coast (360) Sprint Cars and the USAC Western States Midgets putting on the show. The West Coast Sprints showcased last lap drama while the Western States Midgets saw a driver capture their second win of the year and extend their points lead.
USAC West Coast Sprint Cars
From the inside of row two, Brody Fuson took the lead from the get-go. Fuson did not last long rolling the bottom, as Ryan Bernal (Hollister, CA) was riding the rim and went to the top spot on lap three.
But just a lap later, Bernal suffered a flat right rear tire, ending his reign on top. Brody Fuson was given the lead and went back to the bottom. Kaleb Montgomery (Templeton, CA) was making the high side work as he took the first just before the caution flag flew.
On the restart, the battle for the lead was hot between Fuson on the bottom, and Montgomery up high. Montgomery would prevail, he started to stretch his lead. But a caution came out once again, this time for Cody Smith.
After surviving a green flag run and another caution, Montgomery continued to navigate the tricky curb all the way around. Jake Morgan would sneak in down low and challenge for the lead with ten laps to go. Morgan would overtake Montgomery and begin to grow a lead of his own. Morgan battled his way to the lead and seemed to have the win in his sights until a caution with six to go.
Morgan held his own on the restart, but Kaleb Montgomery and Cody Fengley (Placerville, CA) were right there.
With the white flag in the air and entering turns three and four for the final time, Montgomery threw a slider. Montgomery and Morgan made contact, resulting Jake Morgan flipping and Montgomery crossing the finish line first. Montgomery would be punished though for rough driving, causing him to start at the tail end of the field. The gave the lead to Cody Fendley.
Fendley would have to survive a caution and two restarts to take his first career USAC West Coast Sprint Car win. Ryan Bernal and Kalib Henry (Sacramento, CA) made up the podium. Shane Hopkins (Placerville, CA) picks up the Rod End Supply Hard Charger Award for the second night in a row by gaining twelve spots to finish sixth.
Feature Results (30 Laps):
1. (73C) Cody Fendley, 2. (17W) Ryan Bernal, 3. (33K) Kalib Henry, 4. (12) Jarret Soares, 5. (6) Logan Calderwood, 6. (51x) Shane Hopkinds, 7. (4) Tuesday Calderwood, 8. (4X) Jake Hodges, 9. (5) Cody Smith, 10. (83) Austin Ligget, 11. (33) D.J. Johnson, 12. (2SB) Jake Morgan, 13. (3) Kaleb Mongomery, 14. (1) Nathan Schank, 15. (39) Kyle Edwards, 16. (99T) Tanner Boul, 17. (33H) Heath Holdsclaw, 18. (22JR) Braidon Moniz, 19. (33T) Jimmy Trulli, 20. (51) Brody Fuson, 21. (29T) Ryan Timmons DNS- Matt Streeter, Michael Faccinto, Jacob Tuttle
USAC Western States Midgets
Austin Liggtet (Tracy, CA) started on the pole and took an early lead as Chase Johnson (Penngrove, CA) set chase. While Ligget pulled away the battle for second was hot between Johnson, Maria Cofer (Macdoel, CA), and Shane Golobic (Fremont, CA). Chase Johnson would hold onto the spot for the moment.
Lap traffic gave Ligget troubles as halfway neared, which allowed Johnson to close in. Once Ligget cleared the first wave of lap traffic, he began to pull away.
At halfway, Johnson made contact with a lap car, and third-place running Shane Golobic began to challenge for the runner-up spot. After working Chase Johnson for several laps, Golobic was able to get underneath Johnson to move up to second place.
Shane Golobic ran out of time as Austin Ligget would go onto lead all thirty laps for his second USAC Western States Midget victory of the year. With the win, Ligget extended his USAC Western States Midget points lead over Shannon McQueen.
Shane Golobic and Chase Johnson held off Maria Cofer for podium finishes while C.J. Sarna (Palm Desert, CA) gained five positions to be the Hard Charger.
Feature Results (30 Laps):
1. (83) Austin Liggett, 2. (07W) Shane Golobic, 3. (73) Chase Johnson, 4. (57) Maria Cofer, 5. (7J) Michael Faccinto, 6. (51) Brody Fuson, 7. (9) Blake Bower, 8. (20) C.J. Sarna, 9. (21) Ben Wiesz, 10. (35) Kyle Mentch, 11. (12) Jarret Soares, 12. (5K) Ben Worth, 13. (8) Randi Pankratz, 14. (14JR) Dylan Bloomfield-DNF DNS- Tony Gualda, Beau Lemire-Rescue