WESTERN STATES MIDGETS RACE INTO GOLD CUP AT CHICO THURSDAY; THORSON, FACCINTO SPLIT CALISTOGA SPOTLIGHT
Michael Faccinto’s victory in Sunday’s 30-lap feature at the 9th “Louie Vermeil Classic” at Calistoga (Calif.) Speedway puts him 42 points behind series point leader and three-time champion Ronnie Gardner entering this Thursday’s “Gold Cup Race of Champions” event co-sanctioned by BCRA at Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico, Calif.
Faccinto, of Hanford, Calif., got by Tanner Thorson on a late restart and led the final three laps in his MF Motorsports OZV/Lucas Oil Spike/Chevy. Brady Bacon got by Thorson for second on the final lap, while Thorson, who won Saturday’s “Vermeil” feature, took third ahead of early race leader Gardner and Carson Macedo.
Thorson, of Minden, Nev., dominated Saturday’s “Vermeil” main event, leading the final 21 laps in his Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports TRD/JBL Audio Bullet/Speedway Toyota. USAC National Midget point leader Spencer Bayston took second ahead of Macedo, Gardner and Shane Golobic. Faccinto was seventh in Saturday’s race.
Bayston (Saturday) and Jake Swanson (Sunday) were the ProSource fast qualifiers while Britton Bock (Saturday) and Ashley Hazelton (Sunday) won Keizer Aluminum Wheels/Rod End Supply Hard Charger Awards.
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UPCOMING USAC WESTERN STATES MIDGET CHAMPIONSHIP EVENT:
DATE: Thursday, September 8, 2016
SERIES: USAC Western States Midget Championship
TRACK: Silver Dollar Speedway (Chico, California) – ¼-mile dirt oval
EVENT: 63rd Annual “Gold Cup Race of Champions” / 2nd Annual “California Sprint Week” featuring the USAC/CRA AMSOIL Sprint Car Championship and the USAC Western States Midget Championship (co-sanctioned by BCRA)
STARTING TIMES: Pit Gates Open: 2pm, Front Gates Open: 5pm, Racing: 7pm
TICKETS: $35 (Reserved Seating),$15 (Adult General Admission), Kids 11 and Under FREE!
TRACK ADDRESS: 2357 Fair St, Chico, CA 95928
TRACK PHONE: (530) 350-7275
TRACK WEBSITE: http://www.silverdollarspeedway.com/
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2016 USAC WESTERN STATES MIDGET CHAMPIONSHIP DRIVER POINT STANDINGS (TOP-10):
1. (626) Ronnie Gardner (Corona, CA)
2. (584) Michael Faccinto (Hanford, CA)
3. (447) Frankie Guerrini (San Rafael, CA)
4. (431) Cory Elliott (Bakersfield, CA)
5. (368) Courtney Crone (Corona, CA)
6. (354) Cody Swanson (Norco, CA)
7. (350) Randi Pankratz (Atascadero, CA)
8. (324) Maria Cofer (Macdoel, CA)
9. (323) Robert Dalby (Anaheim, CA)
10. (279) Tyler Dolacki (Fresno, CA)
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2016 USAC WESTERN STATES MIDGET CHAMPIONSHIP OWNER POINT STANDINGS (TOP-10):
1. (626) Six8 Motorsports #68
2. (584) MF Racing #35F
3. (431) Cory Elliott #11E
4. (401) Frankie Guerrini #63
5. (368) Jerome Rodela #25
6. (354) Kirk Swanson #71s
7. (350) Wally Pankratz #8
8. (324) Cofer Racing #57
9. (323) Robert Dalby #4D
10. (318) Keith Ford #71
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2016 USAC WESTERN STATES MIDGET CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE & RESULTS:
Mar 23: Placerville, CA - Placerville Speedway
WINNER: Ronnie Gardner
Apr 9: Tulare, CA - Thunderbowl Raceway
WINNER: Rained Out
Apr 30: Bakersfield, CA - Bakersfield Speedway
WINNER: Ronnie Gardner
May 21: Ventura, CA - Ventura Raceway
WINNER: Ronnie Gardner
Jun 4: Bakersfield, CA - Bakersfield Speedway
WINNER: Michael Faccinto
Jun 25: Hanford, CA - Keller Auto Speedway at Kings Fairgrounds
WINNER: Ronnie Gardner
Jul 16: Petaluma, CA - Petaluma Speedway
WINNER: Alex Schutte
Sep 3: Calistoga, CA - Calistoga Speedway
WINNER: Tanner Thorson
Sep 4: Calistoga, CA - Calistoga Speedway
WINNER: Michael Faccinto
Sep 8: Chico, CA - Silver Dollar Speedway
Sep 17: Santa Maria, CA - Santa Maria Raceway
Oct 8: Tulare, CA - Thunderbowl Raceway
Oct 29: Ventura, CA - Ventura Raceway
Nov 19: Bakersfield, CA - Bakersfield Speedway
Nov 24: ### Ventura, CA - Ventura Raceway
**Races noted with ### represent a race with the USAC National Midget Series.
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2016 USAC WESTERN STATES MIDGET CHAMPIONSHIP FEATURE WINS:
1. (4) Ronnie Gardner (Placerville Speedway on March 23, Bakersfield Speedway on April 30, Ventura Raceway on May 21 & Santa Maria Raceway on June 25)
2. (2) Michael Faccinto (Bakersfield Speedway on June 4 & Calistoga Speedway on Sept. 4)
3.(1) Alex Schutte (Petaluma Speedway on July 16)
(1) Tanner Thorson (Calistoga Speedway on Sept. 3)
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ALL-TIME USAC WESTERN STATES MIDGET CHAMPIONSHIP FEATURE WINS:
1. [104 wins] Sleepy Tripp
2. [52 wins] Robby Flock
3. [41 wins] Billy Boat
4. [19 wins] Wally Pankratz
5. [18 wins] Page Jones
6. [17 wins] Ronnie Gardner
7. [16 wins] P.J. Jones, Jason Leffler & Rusty Rasmussen
10. [14 wins] Garrett Hansen
11. [13 wins] Jimmy Sills & Tony Stewart
13. [12 wins] Jay Drake & Tommy White
15. [11 wins] Josh Wise
16. [10 wins] Johnny Cofer, Jerry Coons, Jr., Dave Darland, Cory Kruseman & Ron Shuman
21. [9 wins] Bobby East, Tracy Hines, Kasey Kahne & Rich Vogler
25. [8 wins] Stan Fox, Michael Lewis, Steve Paden, Dave Steele & Danny Stratton
30. [7 wins] Rick Hendrix, Chad Nichols & Kody Swanson
33. [6 wins] Rico Abreu, Bryan Clauson, Johnathon Henry, Ken Nichols, Brad Noffsinger & Dave Strickland Jr.
39. [5 wins] Tommy Astone, Christopher Bell, Bob Davison, Ronnie Day, Robert Dolacki, Davey Hamilton, Tony Hunt, Brad Kuhn & J.J. Yeley
48. [4 wins] Tyler Brown, Hank Butcher, Nick Chivello, Marc DeBeaumont, Nic Faas, Michael Faccinto, Josh Ford, Chuck Gurney, Darren Hagen, Jordan Hermansader, Ryan Kaplan, Thomas Meseraull, Frank Pedregon, Chris Rahe, Keith Rauch, Jerome Rodela, Johnny Rodriguez, Alex Schutte, Shane Scully, Ricky Shelton, Tanner Swanson, Brad Sweet & Billy Wease
71. [3 wins] Ryan Bernal, Bobby Boone, Mario Bringetto, Jr., Danny Ebberts, Shane Golobic, Jeff Gordon, Scott Hansen, Alex Harris, Robby Josett, Trey Marcham, Danny McKnight, Ryan Newman, Johnny Parsons, Scott Pierovich, Troy Rutherford & Chuck West
86. [2 wins] Floyd Alvis, Alex Bowman, Rick Bussell, Tony Elliott, Terry Farrar, Mike Figliomeni, Bobby Grewohl, Darryl Haugh, Dennis Hart, Jeff Heywood, Gary Howard, R.J. Johnson, Josh Lakatos, Kyle Larson, Evan Margeson, Matt Mitchell, Rory Price, Stevie Reeves, Bobby Santos, Darin Snider, Michael Snider, Bryan Stanfill & Tanner Thorson
110. [1 win] Mike Appio, Caleb Armstrong, Brady Bacon, Donnie Beechler, Wayne Bennet, Pat Bliss, Garratt Boyden, Greg Bragg, Larry Brown, Keith Chrisco, Michelle Decker, Larry Derwin, Kevin Doty, Dan Drinan, Dale Durbin Jr., Cory Elliott, Bob Ellis, Tommie Estes Jr., Duane Feduska, Billy Felts Jr., A.J. Fike, Joe Gaerte, Russ Gamester, Brian Gard, Damion Gardner, Cody Gerhardt, Rick Gerhardt, Frankie Guerrini, Jac Haudenschild, Lloyd Hemman, Nathan High, Rick Hood, Kenny Irwin Jr., A.J. Johnson, Jim Keene, Steve Knepper, Brad Loyet, Dallen McKenney, Shannon McQueen, Lealand McSpadden, Jeff Meyer, Andy Michner, Kevin Olson, Aaron Pollock, David Prickett, Davey Ray, C.J. Sarna, Zach Schiff, Ryan Scott, Jeremy Sherman, Graham Standring, John Starks, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Chase Stockon, Matt Streeter, Cody Swanson, Jake Swanson, Sammy Swindell, Richard Vander Weerd, Eric Wilkins, Rip Williams & Paul Zimmerly
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ALL-TIME 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 (Overall), Chad Nichols (Pave) & David Prickett (Dirt); 2013: Ronnie Gardner (Overall), Chad Nichols (Pave) & Ronnie Gardner (Dirt); 2014: Ronnie Gardner (Overall), Chad Nichols (Pavement), Ronnie Gardner (Dirt); 2015: Ronnie Gardner
**The 1982 Western Midget championship was derived from finishes posted in a number of “west coast” races held under National sanction. These events were NOT promoted, recognized or reported as “western” races and no series standings were generated.