IGNITES AT PAINESVILLE & SANTA MARIA THIS SATURDAY;
CLOUSE (2), HEYDENREICH, BLONDEL, GOETZ ALL VICTORIOUS
USAC’s Honda Midwest Pavement series return to action this week, as does the Honda Western Dirt series. Lake County Speedway in Painesville, Ohio is the Midwest host Saturday, while the Western participants converge on Santa Maria (Calif.) Speedway Saturday. Cooper Clouse (Midwest) and Cory Elliott (Western) are the current point leaders.
Cooper Clouse, John Heydenreich, Jarid Blondel and Chase Goetz all scored victories in last week’s Honda Ignite Midget action.
Clouse, of Ohio City, Ohio, grabbed his fourth consecutive Honda USAC Midwest Ignite Midget victory Friday night at Gas City (Ind.) I-69 Speedway. Driving the Burtch Seed Hawk, Clouse led the final nine laps after passing Gage Walker on lap 17 of the 25-lap race. Patrick Bruns finished second of Gage Walker, who led 15 laps, Stratton Briggs and Katlynn Leer. Austin Nemire led the first lap of the race.
John Heydenreich and Gage Walker each scored 25-lap Honda USAC Midwest Ignite Dirt Midget feature wins Saturday night at Montpelier (Ind.) Motor Speedway. Heydenreich, of Bloomsburg, Pa., led the final four laps of the first 25-lapper in the John Givens Pit Stop Bar-B-Q & Grill Beast to beat Walker, Cooper Clouse, Austin Nemire and Stratton Briggs. Briggs led the first 11 laps and Walker the next 10 before yielding to Heydenreich. Walker, of Indianapolis, Ind., outduelled Toby Alfrey in the second 25-lapper, leading the final four laps in the Brian Walker Spike. Alfrey was second ahead of Nemire, Briggs and Sam McGhee.
Jarid Blondel of Orange, Calif. passed Dylan Noble on the 18th lap of Saturday’s 30-lap “Gerhardt Classic” Honda USAC Western Ignite Midget race at Madera (Calif.) Speedway and led the remaining 13 laps for the win. Bryant Dawson finished second ahead of Kyle Vanderpool, Cody Jessop and Christine Breckenridge.
Chase Goetz of Snohomish, Wash. now has eight feature wins in the Honda USAC Washington Ignite Midget Series this year after winning Saturday’s 20-lapper at Skagit Speedway. Goetz was trailed at the finish by Madison Hess, Garrett Thomas, Tristin Thomas and Ariel Biggs. Hess led the first 12 laps and Goetz the rest. Tristin Thomas was the NWSPRINTCARHISTORY.com Rookie of the Race and Robbie Price won the Elma Auto Racing Hall of Fame Fast Time Award.