CHAD BOAT SHINES IN VENTURA USAC WESTERN MIDGET FEATURE

By Lance Jennings

SEPTEMBER 19, 2017… Starting on the outside of the front row, Chad Boat (Phoenix, Arizona) led all 30-laps to claim last Saturday’s Light Up the World Beverages USAC Western States Midget main at Ventura Raceway. Primarily racing in the Midwest, Boat’s $1,200 triumph was the first Western series win of his career. Point leader Ronnie Gardner, Robert Dalby, David Prickett, and hard charger J.J. Ercse chased Boat to the checkered flags.

Making his fourth Western start of the year, Chad Boat qualified second out of nineteen racers and won the Brown & Miller Racing Solutions Heat Race #2. Now ranked fifteenth in points, the pilot of the #84 PristineAuction.com / K&C Drywall Spike has one feature win, three heat race victories, two top-10 finishes, and 30 feature laps led to his credit.

Starting sixth, Ronnie Gardner (Riverside, California) claimed second at the Ventura County Fairgrounds. Racing the Six8 Motorsports’ #68 PAC Springs / Wilwood Springs Stewart, Gardner was third quick in time trials and ran second to Matt Mitchell in his heat race. The four-time champion and current point leader has posted two feature wins, two Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Awards, three heat race victories, seven top-10 finishes, and 42 feature laps led on the year.

Robert Dalby (Anaheim, CA) had one of his best nights with a third place run from eighth at Ventura Raceway. Driving the family owned #4D R-D Spring & Stamping / Monster Seal Spike, Dalby qualified fifth overall and placed third in his heat race. The young driver heads to Bakersfield ranked sixth in the point chase with two heat race victories, one Esslinger Engineering Hard Charger Award, and five top-10 finishes.

David Prickett (Fresno, California) scored fifth at the Ventura checkered flags. Piloting the Neverlift Motorsports’ #22Q Crysalli Artesian Water / Mt. Rose Cocktails Spike, Prickett was eighth fast in time trials and ran second to Chad Boat in his heat race. The 2012 Dirt Series Champion is currently fourth in points with one heat race victory, one Esslinger Engineering Hard Charger Award, one Light Up The World Beverages Hard Luck Award, and five top-10 finishes to his credit.

J.J. Ercse (Orange, California) earned the night’s Esslinger Engineering Hard Charger / Best Passing Job honors with a fifth place run from thirteenth. Racing Sean Dodenhoff’s #9E Lightning Medical / Rocket Sports & Entertainment Spike, Ercse qualified thirteenth overall and took fifth in his heat race. In limited starts, the two-time USAC TQ Midget Champion is twenty-first in points with two top-10 finishes on the season.

Shannon McQueen (Bakersfield, California) earned the night’s Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Award over the nineteen car roster. Driving her #7 Simpson Racing Products / Lucas Oil Spike, McQueen ran second to Clayton Ruston in her heat race and placed sixth in the main event. The 2012 Champion is ninth in the point standings with four top-10 finishes in the campaign.

Rookie Clayton Ruston (Upland, California) raced to his first heat race victory in the Extreme Mufflers sponsored event. Piloting the CR Motorsports’ #7R S&J Service Incorporated / Alumin-Art Powder Coating Spike, Ruston was tenth fast in time trials and placed seventh in his heat race. The rookie contender left Ventura ranked nineteenth in points with on top-10 finish.

Matt Mitchell (Yorba Linda, California) won the night’s Keizer Aluminum Wheels / Saldana Racing Products Heat Race #3. Racing Wiley Miller’s #75 Roy Miller Freight Lines / Campbell Bros. Storage Spike, Mitchell qualified ninth overall and scored fifteenth in the main event. The 2014 USAC West Coast Sprint Champion left Ventura ranked twenty-ninth in points.

On Saturday, September 30th, the Light Up The World Beverages USAC Western States Midget Series will return to action to Bakersfield Speedway. Located at 5001 North Chester Extension in Bakersfield, California, the event will also showcase Hobby Stocks, American Stocks, Mini Stocks, and NMRA TQ Midgets. Advance tickets are on sale and for more event/ticket information, visit the track’s website at www.bakersfieldspeedway.com or call 661.393.3373.   

The Light Up The World Beverages USAC Western States Midget Series thanks Hoosier Tire, Brown and Miller Racing Solutions, Competition Suspension Incorporated, Esslinger Engineering, Extreme Mufflers, Keizer Aluminum Wheels, Pyrotect Racing Cells, 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 BEVERAGES USAC WESTERN STATES MIDGET SERIES RACE RESULTS: September 16, 2017 – Ventura, California – Ventura Raceway

WOODLAND AUTO DISPLAY QUALIFICATIONS: 1. Shannon McQueen, 7, McQueen-12.337; 2. Chad Boat, 84, Tucker/Boat-12.382; 3. Ronnie Gardner, 68, Six8-12.435; 4. Frankie Guerrini, 63, Guerrini-12.531; 5. Robert Dalby, 4D, Dalby-12.548; 6. Cory Elliott, 11E, Elliott-12.571; 7. Robby Josett, 2, Josett-12.591; 8. David Prickett, 22Q, Neverlift-12.643; 9. Matt Mitchell, 75, Miller-12.647; 10. Clayton Ruston, 7R, CR-12.869; 11. Randi Pankratz, 8, Pankratz-12.980; 12. Jake Swanson, 73, Ford-12.992; 13. J.J. Ercse, 9E, Dodenhoff-13.015; 14. Brennan Rogers, 20X, Rogers-13.090; 15. C.J. Sarna, 20, Sarna-13.129; 16. Kyle Beilman, 31, Beilman-13.539; 17. Terry Nichols, 1P, Nichols-13.724; 18. Courtney Crone, 25, Rodela-NT; 19. Bryan Drollinger, 71, Drollinger-NT;

EXTREME MUFFLERS FIRST HEAT: (8 laps) 1. Ruston, 2. McQueen, 3. Josett, 4. Guerrini, 5. Ercse, 6. Beilman, 7. Drollinger. NT

BROWN & MILLER RACING SOLUTIONS SECOND HEAT: (8 laps) 1. Boat, 2. Prickett, 3. Dalby, 4. Pankratz, 5. Rogers, 6. Nichols. NT

KEIZER ALUMINUM WHEELS / SALDANA RACING PRODUCTS THIRD HEAT: (8 laps) 1. Mitchell, 2. Gardner, 3. Swanson, 4. Crone, 5. Sarna, 6. Elliott. NT

FEATURE: (30 laps – With Starting Positions) 1. Chad Boat (2nd), 2. Ronnie Gardner (6th), 3. Robert Dalby (8th), 4. David Prickett (5th), 5. J.J. Ercse (13th), 6. Shannon McQueen (4th), 7. Clayton Ruston (1st), 8. Kyle Beilman (16th), 9. C.J. Sarna (15th), 10. Frankie Guerrini (10th), 11. Robby Josett (7th), 12. Randi Pankratz (11th), 13. Terry Nichols (17th), 14. Brennan Rogers (14th), 15. Matt Mitchell (3rd), 16. Jake Swanson (9th), 17. Courtney Crone (12th). NT

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**Elliott flipped during the third heat. Pankratz flipped on lap 18 of the feature.

FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-30 Boat

ESSLINGER ENGINEERING HARD CHARGER: J.J. Ercse (13th to 5th)

LIGHT UP THE WORLD BEVERAGES USAC WESTERN STATES MIDGET POINT STANDINGS: 1. Ronnie Gardner-586, 2. Cory Elliott-514, 3. Frankie Guerrini-502, 4. David Prickett-461, 5. Courtney Crone-452, 6. Robert Dalby-436, 7. Randi Pankratz-404, 8. Michael Faccinto-374, 9. Shannon McQueen-332, 10. Maria Cofer-321, 11. Shane Golobic-286, 12. Mason Daniel-269, 13. Jake Swanson-269, 14. Terry Nichols-257, 15. Chad Boat-249, 16. Robby Josett-237, 17. Alex Schutte-216, 18. C.J. Sarna-204, 19. Clayton Ruston-178, 20. Spencer Bayston-150.

2017 LIGHT UP THE WORLD BEVERAGES USAC WESTERN STATES MIDGET SCHEDULE

DATE-TRACK-LOCATION

September 30: Bakersfield Speedway – Bakersfield, CA

October 14: Petaluma Speedway – Petaluma, CA

October 28: Ventura Raceway – Ventura, CA

November 18: #Bakersfield Speedway – Bakersfield, CA

November 23: #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.