WESTERN MIDGETS GEAR UP FOR PETALUMA JULY 18;

GARDNER WINS “DOUG FORT MEMORIAL” AT SANTA MARIA

Petaluma (Calif.) Speedway hosts the next USAC Western Midget race on July 18 and defending series champion Ronnie Gardner will be gunning for the point lead. He closed to within just two points of Cody Swanson after winning last Friday’s “Doug Fort Memorial” at Santa Maria (Calif.) Raceway.

Gardner passed Richard Vander Weerd on lap three and led the final 23 laps in his Baldozier Racing/Esslinger Engineering Stewart/Esslinger to beat Trey Marcham, Shannon McQueen, Vander Weerd and Swanson.

McQueen now sits just 12 points behind Swanson in the new standings and Marcham is just 18 out of the lead in fourth. Terry Nichols, who finished sixth at Santa Maria, is fifth in the standings, just 26 back of the leader.