WESTERN HPD DIRT MIDGETS OPEN AT CHOWCHILLA

Hopefully the fourth time will be the charm as the one-third mile dirt Chowchilla (Calif.) Speedway hosts the USAC HPD Dirt Midgets this Sunday afternoon. Weather conspired to force cancellation of USAC events scheduled there in 2007, 2009 and 2012.

Sunday’s race opens the 2014 dirt calendar for the USAC HPD Midgets. Bakersfield (Calif.) driver Cory Elliott emerged as the 2013 series champion and is expected to compete at Chowchilla and defend his title.

Jarid Blondel, who finished sixth in last Friday’s Honda USAC Western Midget opener, won last year’s 2013 USAC HPD Midget overall championship.

Elliott won three races during the 2013 dirt campaign, which also included a trio of seconds, a fourth and a fifth.