SCHUTTE WINS PETALUMA’S “JACK LONDON HALL OF FAME RACE”
By Lance Jennings
JULY 25, 2018… Last Saturday night, Alex Schutte (Redding, California) earned his second Light Up The World USAC Western States Midgets presented by CBD Living Water victory of 2018 at the Petaluma Speedway. Racing the Schutte / McElwee #29 Proficio / Aircraft Electrical Components Spike, the point leader won the BCRA co-sanctioned “Jack London Hall of Fame Race” by four seconds over David Prickett, Michael Faccinto, Maria Cofer, and Frankie Guerrini. It was Schutte’s eighth series triumph of his career.
Front row starter David Prickett set the pace at the Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds for the first twelve laps. While the bottom groove was the preferred line, Schutte powered by Prickett to grab the lead from his fifth starting spot. Once out front, Schutte began to run away from the field and sailed to the checkered flags and the $1,200 victory.
Before claiming Petaluma’s 30-lap triumph, Alex Schutte began the night by qualifying second out of twenty-one racers and finished fourth in his heat race. To date, the 2010 Champion has posted three heat race victories, four top-10 finishes, and 36 feature laps led to his credit. Alex heads to Santa Maria’s “Bud Stanfield Memorial” on August 11th with a 33-point lead.
David Prickett (Fresno, California) led the first twelve laps and held off Michael Faccinto for second at Petaluma. Piloting the Neverlift Motorsports’ #24X Masters Design and Construction / Crysalli Artesian Water Spike, Prickett was fifth quick in time trials and ran third in his heat race. The 2012 Dirt Series Champion ranks seventh in the point chase with one heat race victory and two top-10 finishes in the campaign.
Michael Faccinto (Hanford, California) charged from ninth to third in the “Jack London Hall of Fame Race.” Driving the Dodenhoff Motorsports’ #9D Lightning Medical / Rocket Sports & Entertainment Spike, Faccinto qualified tenth overall and won the 8-lap Extreme Mufflers Heat Race #1. At press time, the 2016 Louie Vermeil Classic Winner ranks second in the standings with two feature wins, one Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Award, one heat race victory, three top-10 finishes, and 29 feature laps led on the year.
“Fireball” Maria Cofer (Macdoel, California) had a strong night a Petaluma with a fourth place run at Petaluma. Racing the family owned #57 Tule Vista Ranches / Edmunds Auto Research Spike, Cofer was third fast in time trials and took fourth in her heat race. Last year’s BCRA Champion left Petaluma ranked tenth in USAC points with two top-10 finishes on the season.
Frankie Guerrini (San Rafael, California) started seventh and placed fifth at the Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds. Piloting the family owned #63 F&F Racing / Davis Motorsports Spike, Guerrini qualified eighth overall and won the 8-lap Keizer Aluminum Wheels / Rod End Supply Heat Race #2. At press time, the 2015 BCRA Champion has climbed to fourth in the point standings with two heat race victories, three top-10 finishes, and 11 feature laps led in 2018.
Randi Pankratz (Atascadero, California) earned the night’s Saldana Racing Products / Racing Optics Hard Charger / Best Passing Job honors with an eighth place run from twenty-first. Driving the family owned #8 HASA Pool Products / Trench Shoring Edmunds, Pankratz was twenty-first quick in time trials and scored seventh in her heat race. The veteran driver is fourteenth in the point standings with two top-10 finishes in the campaign.
Clayton Ruston (Upland, California) earned his first career Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Award at Petaluma. Racing the CR Motorsports’ #7R S&J Service Incorporated / Alumin-Art Powder Coating Spike, Ruston took fourth in his heat race and scored fourteenth in the main event. At press time, the young driver is eighth in points with one heat race victory and two top-10 finishes.
Rookie contender Daniel Anderson raced to victory in the 8-lap Competition Suspension Incorporated / Rod End Supply Heat Race #3. Piloting the family owned #77 Aquatech Glassing / Anderson Surfboards Spike, Anderson qualified sixth overall and scored twelfth in the main event. After his second start of 2018, Daniel has risen to eighteenth in the point chase.
Everyone with the Light Up The World USAC Western States Midget Series presented by CBD Living Water wishes Rick Cook Jr. a speedy and full recovery. Cook, who was scheduled to start 16th in the main event flipped in the companion Micro 600 sprint feature and was transported to a local hospital for observation.
The Light Up The World USAC Western States Midget Series presented by CBD Living Water are back in action on Saturday, August 11th, at Santa Maria Raceway. The “Bud Stanfield Memorial” will also feature the USAC West Coast 360 Sprint Cars, Mini Stocks, IMCA Modifieds, Hobby Stocks, and Santa Maria Dwarf Cars. Santa Maria Raceway is located 1/4-mile north of the 101/166 interchange at 1900 Hutton Road in Nipomo, California. Advance tickets are on sale and visit the track’s website at www.santamariaraceway.com or call 805.922.2232 for more information.
The Light Up The World USAC Western States Midget Series presented by CBD Living Water thanks Hoosier Tire, ButlerBuilt Professional Seat Systems, Competition Suspension Incorporated, Extreme Mufflers, Five Star Grafix, Keizer Aluminum Wheels, Pyrotect Racing Cells, Racing Optics, Rod End Supply, Saldana Racing Products, Ultra Shield Race Products, 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 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
For more information on the series, visit the United States Auto Club (USAC) website at www.usacracing.com. You can also find exclusive content on the Light Up The World Beverages USAC Western States Midget Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages.
Loudpedal Productions has USAC Western States Midget DVDs and videos on demand available for purchase at www.loudpedal.tv and 805.407.7229.
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LIGHT UP THE WORLD USAC WESTERN STATES MIDGET SERIES PRESENTED BY CBD LIVING WATER RACE RESULTS: July 21, 2018 – Petaluma California – Petaluma Speedway – “Jack London Hall of Fame Night” – co-sanctioned with BCRA
WOODLAND AUTO DISPLAY QUALIFICATIONS: 1. Clayton Ruston, 7R, CR-15.339; 2. Alex Schutte, 28, Schutte/McElwee-15.428; 3. Maria Cofer, 57, Cofer-15.539; 4. Shannon McQueen, 7, McQueen-15.549; 5. David Prickett, 24X, Neverlift-15.577; 6. Daniel Anderson, 77, Anderson-15.590; 7. Jackson Dukes, 2, Neverlift-15.772; 8. Frankie Guerrini, 63, Guerrini-15.834; 9. Geoff Ensign, 3F, Finkenbinder-15.857; 10. Michael Faccinto, 9D, Dodenhoff-15.890; 11. Robby Josett, 02, Josett-15.974; 12. Kyle Beilman, 31, Beilman-16.050; 13. C.J. Sarna, 20, Sarna-16.088; 14. Robert Dalby, 4D, Dalby-16.147; 15. Ashley Hazleton-Heredia, 15, Hazelton-16.455; 16. Rick Cook, 7X, Cook-16.479; 17. Matt Sargent, 11, Thurston-16.556; 18. Ariel Biggs, 1P, Nichols-16.567; 19. Marvin Mitchell, 78, Mitchell-16.919; 20. J.R. Williams, 74, Williams-17.378; 21. Randi Pankratz, 8, Pankratz-23.546.
EXTREME MUFFLERS FIRST HEAT: (8 laps) 1. Faccinto, 2. Sarna, 3. McQueen, 4. Ruston, 5. Cook, 6. Dukes, 7. Mitchell. NT
KEIZER ALUMINUM WHEELS / ROD END SUPPLY SECOND HEAT: (8 laps) 1. Guerrini, 2. Josett, 3. Prickett, 4. Schutte, 5. Sargent, 6. Dalby. NT
COMPETITION SUSPENSION INCORPORATED / ROD END SUPPLY THIRD HEAT: (8 laps) 1. Anderson, 2. Ensign, 3. Beilman, 4. Cofer, 5. Biggs, 6. Hazelton-Heredia, 7. Pankratz. NT
FEATURE: (30 laps – With Starting Positions) 1. Alex Schutte (5th), 2. David Prickett (2nd), 3. Michael Faccinto (9th), 4. Maria Cofer (4th), 5. Frankie Guerrini (7th), 6. Robby Josett (10th), 7. Geoff Ensign (8th), 8. Randi Pankratz (21st), 9. C.J. Sarna (12th), 10. Kyle Beilman (11th), 11. Marvin Mitchell (19th), 12. Daniel Anderson (1st), 13. Jackson Dukes (13th), 14. Clayton Ruston (6th), 15. Matt Sargent (17th), 16. Ashley Hazleton-Heredia (15th), 17. Shannon McQueen (3rd), 18. Ariel Biggs (18th), 19. Robert Dalby (14th), 20. J.R. Williams (20th). NT
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FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-12 Prickett, Laps 13-30 Schutte.
SALDANA RACING PRODUCTS / RACING OPTICS HARD CHARGER: Randi Pankratz (21st to 8th)
LIGHT UP THE WORLD USAC WESTERN STATES MIDGET PRESENTED BY CBD LIVING WATER POINT STANDINGS: 1. Alex Schutte-300, 2. Michael Faccinto-267, 3. Robby Josett-242, 4. Frankie Guerrini-234, 5. Shannon McQueen-225, 6. Robert Dalby-211, 7. David Prickett-208, 8. Clayton Ruston-204, 9. C.J. Sarna-193, 10. Maria Cofer-165, 11. Marvin Mitchell-160, 12. Kyle Beilman-158, 13. Ronnie Gardner-154, 14. Randi Pankratz-147, 15. Cory Elliott-146, 16. Dylan Ito-112, 17. Bryan Drollinger-93, 18. Daniel Anderson-86, 19. Austin Liggett-81, 20. Ryan Bernal-79.
2018 LIGHT UP THE WORLD USAC WESTERN STATES MIDGET PRESENTED BY CBD LIVING WATER SCHEDULE
DATE-TRACK-LOCATION
August 11: Santa Maria Raceway – Santa Maria, CA (Bud Stanfield Memorial)
September 1: Calistoga Speedway – Calistoga, CA (Louie Vermeil Classic)
September 2: Calistoga Speedway – Calistoga, CA (Louie Vermeil Classic)
September 15: Ventura Raceway – Ventura, CA
October 6: Santa Maria Raceway – Santa Maria, CA
October 27: Ventura Raceway – Ventura, CA
November 17: #Bakersfield Speedway – Bakersfield, CA (November Classic)
November 22: #Ventura Raceway – Ventura, CA (Turkey Night Grand Prix)
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# = Co-Sanctioned Event with USAC National Midgets.
This schedule is subject to change.