CHASE JOHNSON TAKES MERCED USAC MIDGET FEATURE

MERCED, CA – JULY 14, 2021… After temperatures reached triple digits, Chase Johnson (Penngrove, CA) won last Friday’s USAC Western States Midget feature at Merced Speedway. Driving Keith Ford’s #73 Naturipe / Sun Valley AG Transport Triple X, Johnson started fifth and powered by teammate Tony Gualda on lap thirteen on his way to his second win of the campaign. Rookie contender Brody Fuson, Blake Bower, C.J. Sarna, and hard charger Kyle Mentch rounded out the top-five drivers.

Point leader Austin Liggett began the night by claiming the Woodland Auto Display Fast Qualifier Award. Liggett posted a time of 13.607 over the 13-car field. 

Making his first USAC start of the year, Kyle Menth scored the night’s Rod End Supply Hard Charger Award / Best Passing Job honors with a fifth place run from twelfth.

By virtue of his thirteenth place finish, Matt Mitchell earned the Wilwood Disc Brakes Lucky 13 Award in his first start of 2021. The former USAC West Coast 360 Sprint Car Champion retired early after mechanical issues.

The 10-lap heat race victories went to Mitchell Moles (Extreme Mufflers First Heat), and Maria Cofer (Competition Suspension Incorporated / Rod End Supply Second Heat).

The USAC Western States Midget Series thanks AMSOIL, Competition Suspension Incorporated, Extreme Mufflers, FloRacing.com, Hoosier Racing Tire, Loudpedal Productions, Rod End Supply, Saldana Racing Products, Ultra Shield Race Products, and Woodland Auto Display for their support.  

For more information on the series, visit usacracing.com and the social media for USAC Racing. You can also find exclusive content on the USAC Western States Midget Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages.

FloRacing.com has live, flag-to-flag coverage of the USAC Western States Midget Series. You can catch the action by subscribing to FloRacing on a monthly or yearly basis to view their huge catalog of live and on-demand auto racing and sporting events.

USAC WESTERN STATES MIDGET SERIES RACE RESULTS: July 9, 2021 – Merced Speedway – Merced, California 

WOODLAND AUTO DISPLAY QUALIFICATONS: 1. Austin Liggett, 83, Liggett-13.607; 2. Chase Johnson, 73, Ford-13.681; 3. Blake Bower, 9, Boscacci-13.720; 4. Tony Gualda, 73X, Ford-13.756; 5. Brody Fuson, 51, Carlile-13.757; 6. C.J. Sarna, 20, Sarna-13.922; 7. Matt Mitchell, 75, Miller-13.944; 8. Ben Worth, 5K, Alexander-13.948; 9. Jarrett Soares, 12, Soares-14.181; 10. Maria Cofer, 57, Cofer-14.209; 11. Kyle Mentch, 35, Pierovich-14.298; 12. Ashlyn Rodriguez, 37M, Mitchell-14.870; 13. Mitchel Moles, 07W, Wood-NT.

EXTREME MUFFLERS FIRST HEAT: (10 laps) 1. Moles, 2. Liggett, 3. Bower, 4. Fuson, 5. Soares, 6. Mentch, 7. Mitchell. NT.

COMPETITION SUSPENSION INCORPORATED / ROD END SUPPLY SECOND HEAT: (10 laps) 1. Cofer, 2. Worth, 3. Johnson, 4. Gualda, 5. Sarna, 6. Rodriguez. NT.

FEATURE: (30 laps, With Starting Positions) 1. Chase Johnson (5), 2. Brody Fuson (2), 3. Blake Bower (4), 4. C.J. Sarna (9), 5. Kyle Mentch (12), 6. Jarrett Soares (11), 7. Ashlyn Rodriguez (13), 8. Mitchel Moles (8), 9. Tony Gualda (3), 10. Ben Worth (1), 11. Maria Cofer (7), 12. Austin Liggett (6), 13. Matt Mitchell (10). NT.
---------------------------- 
FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-3 Worth, Laps 4-12 Gualda, Laps 13-30 Johnson.
ROD END SUPPLY HARD CHARGER: Kyle Mentch (12th to 5th)
WILWOOD DISC BRAKES LUCKY 13 AWARD: Matt Mitchell