Midgets at Bakersfield Saturday

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                                                  JUNE 19, 2006

Contact: DICK JORDAN/MICHAEL HARKER                                                                                                       06-148

 

 

MIDGETS AT BAKERSFIELD SATURDAY

KAPLAN TRIUMPHS AT ALTAMONT

 

 

            Jerome Rodela of El Monte, Calif. and Tyler Brown of Norco, Calif. continue their battle for the 2006 USAC Western Midget Championship this Saturday when the series returns to Bakersfield (Calif.) Speedway. Rodela and Brown finished fifth and seventh respectively in Saturday night's race at Altamont Motorsports Park in Tracy, Calif. won by Ryan Kaplan.

 

            Brown trails Rodela by 19 points with 74 available at Bakersfield. Brown won at the 1/3-mile dirt oval in March on a night when Kaplan flipped and Rodela did not compete.

 

            Kaplan passed Bradley Galedrige on the 25th lap at Tracy and led the final six laps to beat Chase Barber, Kody Swanson, Tony Hunt and Jerome Rodela. Swanson, USAC's 2006 Western Sprint Car Champion, was the fastest qualifier in his USAC Midget debut. Garratt Boyden (1-4) and Galedrige (5-24) were early lap leaders.

 

            Saturday's race at Bakersfield will be USAC's 83rd at the storied oval. Robby Flock of Murietta, Calif. has an opportunity, with a victory, to tie Sleepy Tripp's record total of eight feature wins there.

 

 

USAC WESTERN MIDGET CAR SERIES STANDINGS

 

      1.
     Jerome Rodela
     442
      
     6.
     Greg Bragg
     306
     
      2.
     Tyler Brown
     423
      
     7.
     Matt Mitchell
     303
     
      3.
     Chase Barber
     368
      
     8.
     Shannon McQueen
     247
     
      4.
     Garrett Hansen
     312
      
     9.
     Garratt Boyden
     237
     
      5.
     Chris Rahe
     308
      
     10.
     Scott Pierovich
     218