SCHUTTE TOPS TULARE USAC WESTERN STATES MIDGET FEATURE
By Lance Jennings
APRIL 18, 2018… Taking command after mechanical woes sidelined Ryan Bernal, Alex Schutte (Redding, California) scored last Saturday’s victory at Tulare’s Merle Stone Chevrolet Thunderbowl Raceway. With the $1,200 Light Up the World USAC Western States Midget presented by CBD Living Water win, the 2010 Champion leads to point chase heading to Santa Maria. Hard charger Austin Liggett, Cory Elliott, fast qualifier Shannon McQueen, and Robert Dalby followed Schutte to the checkered flags.
Before capturing the seventh win of his career, Alex Schutte qualified fourth out of twenty entries and won the 8-lap Competition Suspension Incorporated / Rod End Supply Heat Race #3. Starting seventh, the pilot of the Schutte/McElwee #28 Proficio / Aircraft Electrical Components Spike inherited the lead on the ninth lap. From there, Alex held off all challengers as several caution flags and attrition forced officials to shorten the main event.
Austin Liggett (Tracy, California) earned the night’s Saldana Racing Products / Racing Optics Hard Charger / Best Passing Job honors with a second place run from thirteenth. Driving Ted Finkenbinder’s #3F Western Industrial X-Ray Bullet, Liggett was thirteenth fast in time trials and placed fifth in his heat race. The former USAC West Coast 360 Champion would later win the companion USAC/CRA feature and left Tulare ranked fourth in midget points.
Cory Elliott (Bakersfield, California) debuted a new chassis at Tulare and finished third after starting ninth. Racing the family owned #11E Capital E Trucking / FK Indy CS9, Elliott qualified seventh overall and won the night’s 8-lap Extreme Mufflers Heat Race #1. The 2015 Rookie of the Year is third in the point chase heading to Santa Maria.
Shannon McQueen (Bakersfield, California) placed fourth at the Tulare County Fairgrounds after starting sixth. Piloting the McQueen Racing #7 Simpson Race Products / Lucas Oil Boss, Shannon earned the night’s Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Award and ran second to Cory Elliott in her heat race. At press time, the 2012 Champion is second in the point standings.
Robert Dalby (Anaheim, California) had a solid night at Tulare and finished fifth in the 25-lap main event. Driving the family owned #4D R-D Spring & Stamping / Monster Seal Spike, Dalby was eleventh quick in time trials and ran second to Clayton Ruston in his heat race. Entering the second point race, Robert is currently fifth in the chase for the championship.
Clayton Ruston (Upland, California) won the night’s Keizer Aluminum Wheels / Rod End Supply Heat Race #2. Racing the CR Motorsports #7R S&J Service Incorporated / Alumin-Art Powder Coating Spike, Ruston qualified eighth overall and finished eighth in the main event. The young driver left the Tulare County Fairgrounds sitting eighth in points.
The Light Up The World USAC Western States Midget Series presented by CBD Living Water are back in action on Saturday, April 28th, at Santa Maria Raceway. The second point race will also feature the USAC West Coast 360 Sprint Cars, Sport Mods, Hobby Stocks, Mini Stocks, QRC Outlaw Karts, and Junior Midgets. 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: April 14, 2018 – Tulare, California – Merle Stone Chevrolet Thunderbowl Raceway
WOODLAND AUTO DISPLAY QUALIFICATIONS: 1. Shannon McQueen, 7, McQueen-16.091; 2. Michael Faccinto, 9D, Dodenhoff-16.294; 3. Ryan Bernal, 73X, Ford-16.371; 4. Frankie Guerrini, 63, Guerrini-16.430; 5. Matt Mitchell, 75, Miller-16.516; 6. Alex Schutte, 28, Schutte/McElwee-16.688; 7. Cory Elliott, 11E, Elliott-16.701; 8. Clayton Ruston, 7R, CR-16.731; 9. Ronnie Gardner, 19, Sala-16.734; 10. Robby Josett, 2, Josett-16.839; 11. Robert Dalby, 4D, Dalby-16.904; 12. David Prickett, 22Q, Neverlift-16.905; 13. Austin Liggett, 3F, Finkenbinder-16.959; 14. C.J. Sarna, 20, Sarna-17.021; 15. Maria Cofer, 57, Cofer-17.135; 16. Bryan Drollinger, 71, Drollinger-17.268; 17. Kyle Beilman, 31, Beilman-17.340; 18. Ron Hazleton, 15, Hazelton-17.954; 19. Dylan Ito, 73, Ford-17.954; 20. Marvin Mitchell, 68, Mitchell-NT.
EXTREME MUFFLERS FIRST HEAT: (8 laps) 1. Elliott, 2. McQueen, 3. Josett, 4. Guerrini, 5. Liggett, 6. Drollinger, 7. Ito. NT
KEIZER ALUMINUM WHEELS / ROD END SUPPLY SECOND HEAT: (8 laps) 1. Ruston, 2. Dalby, 3. Matt.Mitchell, 4. Sarna, 5. Faccinto, 6. Beilman. NT
COMPETITION SUSPENSION INCORPORATED / ROD END SUPPLY THIRD HEAT: (8 laps) 1. Schutte, 2. Bernal, 3. Prickett, 4. Gardner, 5. Cofer, 6. Hazelton. NT
FEATURE: (25 laps – With Starting Positions) 1. Alex Schutte (7th), 2. Austin Liggett (13th), 3. Cory Elliott (9th), 4. Shannon McQueen (6th), 5. Robert Dalby (5th), 6. Ronnie Gardner (12th), 7. Frankie Guerrini (10th), 8. Clayton Ruston (8th), 9. Marvin Mitchell (20th), 10. Dylan Ito (19th), 11. C.J. Sarna (11th), 12. Maria Cofer (15th), 13. Ron Hazelton (18th), 14. Matt Mitchell (2nd), 15. Robby Josett (3rd), 16. Ryan Bernal (4th), 17. Bryan Drollinger (16th), 18. Kyle Beilman (17th), 19. David Prickett (1st), 20. Michael Faccinto (14th). NT
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**Faccinto flipped during qualifications. Drollinger flipped on lap 4 of the feature.
FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-8 Bernal, Laps 9-25 Schutte.
SALDANA RACING PRODUCTS / RACING OPTICS HARD CHARGER: Austin Liggett (13th to 2nd)
LIGHT UP THE WORLD USAC WESTERN STATES MIDGET PRESENTED BY CBD LIVING WATER POINT STANDINGS: 1. Alex Schutte-79, 2. Shannon McQueen-74, 3. Cory Elliott-72, 4. Austin Liggett-71, 5. Robert Dalby-65, 6. Ronnie Gardner-60, -. Frankie Guerrini-60, 8. Clayton Ruston-57, 9. Marvin Mitchell-46, --. C.J. Sarna-46, 11. Dylan Ito-45, 12. Maria Cofer-43, --. Matt Mitchell-43, 14. Ryan Bernal-42, 15. Ron Hazelton-40, 16. Robby Josett-39, 17. Bryan Drollinger-32, --. Michael Faccinto-32, 19. David Prickett-31, 20. Kyle Beilman-30
2018 LIGHT UP THE WORLD USAC WESTERN STATES MIDGET PRESENTED BY CBD LIVING WATER SCHEDULE
DATE-TRACK-LOCATION
April 28: Santa Maria Raceway – Santa Maria, CA
June 16: Bakersfield Speedway – Bakersfield, CA
July 21: *Petaluma Speedway – Petaluma, CA (Jack London Hall of Fame Picnic Event)
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 BCRA Midgets.
# = Co-Sanctioned Event with USAC National Midgets.
This schedule is subject to change.