Hogge Leads Wire-to-Wire For $3,000 at Nationals Finale at Santa Maria
Image Credit: Jon Paquet
Mike Johnson and Hogge led the field to the green flag for 40 laps of racing. Hogge got the jump when the green flag dropped with Johnson taking second and Bakersfield’s Rob Sanders in third. Tony Toste and Tucson, Arizona’s RC Whitwell battled for fourth until the action came to a stop on lap eight for series’ point’s leader Nick Bartels.
When racing resumed Johnson battled for second with Sanders and made contact with the backstretch wall bringing him to a stop in turn four. He visited the hot lane and rejoined the field, charging his way towards the front as soon as green flag conditions began. His progress forward came to a halt on lap 14 for previous night’s winner Brad Pounds. Whitwell visited the hot lane under caution and joined the back of the field.
Read the rest of this entry
Pounds Dominates Night One of The Nationals at Santa Maria
Image Credit: Jon Paquet
Known as “The Dominator” to many, Pounds started the night off strong qualifying first within his group and winning his heat race. He started the feature event second alongside defending West Coast Late Model Shootout Champion Clay Daly.
Pounds got the jump when the green flag dropped for thirty laps of action. Daly settled in to second while the battle was heated for third between Mike Johnson and Tucson, Arizona’s RC Whitwell. Johnson took the position with current series’ points leader Nick Bartels getting by Whitwell for fourth. The only caution came out on lap two for Dennis Souza and Carla Laney.
Read the rest of this entry
Bakersfield Speedway Adds West Coast Late Model Shootout Event to 2013 Schedule
Image Credit: KC Rooney
West Coast Late Model Shootout Promoter Chris Kearns has announced an additional race date to the 2013 event schedule that will be held at Bakersfield Speedway. The series will visit the third of a mile track on August 10th in addition to their date on August 31st.
“I really appreciate Scott offering to make his weekly Late Model race a West Coast Late Model Shootout event,” stated Kearns. With a rainout at Bakersfield Speedway in March and Calistoga Speedway cancelling their sanctioned event for August 3rd, Kearns was searching for an additional race to add to the schedule. “Scott always has been a great supporter of mine and of Late Model racing in California. It is great of him to increase his purse for that race and sanction the race.”
The event will pay $2,000 to win and $400 to start and will be a West Coast Late Model Shootout points race. For additional information you can visit http://www.BakersfieldSpeedway.com or http://www.WestCoastLateModels.com. Read the rest of this entry
Racing Care Packages Needed!
As you read this there are first responders that are searching through debris for survivors, families discovering that the house that they called home is no longer standing or that the loved one they saw Monday morning is no longer with them. Oklahoma experienced the worst tornado known to date in the small suburb of Moore outside of Oklahoma City, stretching a mile wide with wind gusts up to 200 miles per a hour flattening the town and Plaza Towers Elementary School. Two families within the dirt track community have been hit hard by this disaster along with countless fans and I-44 Riverside Speedway. Individuals have joined forces to create a care package unlike any other.
They are currently searching for any racing apparel or items that will be sent to Oklahoma and distributed to those families and fans affected by Monday’s tornado. If there are any drivers, race teams or tracks that have t-shirts, sweatshirts or hats that can be donated to this cause please contact Stephanie Odom at alldirtnation@gmail.com / (805) 268-1393 or TeeJay Crawford at TeeJayCrawford@gmail.com / (618) 407-2460.
They will provide you with an address to send your care package to POWRi Midget driver Christopher Bell’s mother Kathy who lives just a few miles away from the devastated area. Thank you in advance to any and all who help us with this cause and please forward this to your racing friends and family. The Oklahoma racing community is large and this is just one unique way that the racing community across the nation can show their support.
TeeJay and Stephanie are also collecting non-racing related items that can be sent to those in need. Contact them if you would like to donate that way as they both have created local donation centers that will be sending the collected items to relief centers.
Drake Wins West Coast Shootout Gary Jacob Memorial at Kings Speedway
HANFORD, CA (April 6) – San Luis Obispo’s Steve Drake led wire-to-wire en route to his sixth career West Coast Late Model Shootout victory at Kings Speedway on Saturday night. Twenty-one cars checked in to the event paying tribute to Gary Jacob. Jacob was a long time reporter dedicated to the motorsports community up until his passing in June of 2006. The win was Drake’s first with the West Coast Late Model Shootout since Calistoga Speedway on June 11, 2011 and puts him one win behind all-time career wins leader Bobby Hogge IV.
Drake’s night started strong topping the qualifying charts with a 15.967 lap around the 3/8 of a mile clay oval and winning his heat race. Drake finished second to Hogge in the dash setting him up with an outside pole position for the thirty lap feature event. Read the rest of this entry
West Coast Late Model Shootout Eyes Kings Speedway for Gary Jacob Memorial
(HANFORD, Cali.) – The West Coast Late Model Shootout is set to make their only appearance of the season at Hanford’s Kings Speedway on Saturday, April 6th.
The event will pay tribute to Gary Jacob, a dedicated race reporter that spent his time traveling the West Coast and beyond providing numerous race reports up until his passing in June of 2006. Jacob covered nearly every form of motorsports, dirt or asphalt and put as many as 60,000 miles on his car per a year, all for the love of the sport. As a writer his main goal was to get as many drivers publicity as he could, maximizing the names and numbers in an article as he can. Read the rest of this entry
Thornton Jr Out Duels Kirby at The Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
The West Coast Late Model Shootout continued their opening swing on Wednesday night at The Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway with the World of Outlaws. Twenty-three cars were in attendance for the series’ second appearance at the half-mile track. Chandler, Arizona’s Ricky Thornton Jr. made a guest appearance in the #5M normally piloted by Anthony Madrid and found Victory Lane for a $3,000 pay day.
Winnipeg, Canada’s Mike Balcaen and Don Shaw led the field to the green flag. Shaw won the inaugural event last March and took the early lead with former West Coast Late Model Shootout Champion Mike Kirby moving into second place. Behind them Ricky Thornton Jr. and Mike Johnson of Lompoc, California ran side-by-side for third place.
Coming out of turn two, Kirby made the pass for the lead as Shaw could not get around lapped traffic. Thornton Jr. cleared Johnson and began his charge forward, passing Shaw for second. Coming out of turn four the 22 year-old made the pass for the lead and pulled away from the field. Read the rest of this entry
Shaw Wins West Coast Late Model Shootout Season Opener at Canyon Speedway Park
The West Coast Late Model Shootout kicked off their fifth season at Peoria, Arizona’s Canyon Speedway Park with night one of the Copper on Dirt. Nineteen cars checked in for the first night of competition and Don Shaw of Ham Lake, Minnesota topped them all rallying from his tenth place starting position to score his second career West Coast Late Model Shootout feature event victory.
Pismo Beach, California’s Tony Toste took the early lead from his pole position with Nick Bartels passing Garrett Alberson for second. Anthony Madrid and defending two-time series champion Clay Daly completed the top five until Shaw began moving forward. Running the high line, the WISSOTA regular climbed into the top five as a caution came out for David Deetz on lap 16. Six laps later Shaw overtook Toste for the lead and went uncontested, pulling away from the field winning the opening night of the Copper on Dirt. Read the rest of this entry
West Coast Late Model Shootout Boosts Championship Payout and More
As the West Coast Late Model Shootout prepares for their opening weekend, series promoter Chris Kearns has been hard at work securing season long and event sponsorship to make the 2013 season successful.
“This season is shaping up to be a really great one,” commented Kearns. “We have secured sponsorship that will pay out the top ten in points with the Series Champion receiving at least $2,000 as well as a custom engraved Champions Citizen Eco-Drive Watch from Taffera Jewelers and a drum of VP Race Fuel.”
This will be the first season of sponsorship for Taffera Jewelers. Located in Bakersfield, Taffera Jewelers specializes in custom design and creation of all American made jewelry. “If you can dream it, they can make it.” Taffera Jewelers can be reached at (661) 324-2248. Read the rest of this entry
West Coast Late Model Shootout Prepares for Four Race Opening Swing
The West Coast Late Model Shootout is set to embark on a four race opening swing to kick off their 2013 campaign. The action will take place in an eight day stretch beginning at Peoria, Arizona’s Canyon Speedway Park for the two day “Copper on Dirt” March 1st and 2nd. The series will travel to Las Vegas Motor Speedway, for a mid-week show with the World of Outlaw Sprint Car Series on Wednesday, March 6th and bring things to an end on March 9th in Bakersfield, California at Bakersfield Speedway.
“I’m excited to get the season underway,” stated series promoter Chris Kearns. “With as many races available in our season openers, it has attracted drivers to run with us. Fans will get to see the top drivers on the West Coast compete.” Read the rest of this entry
