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HammerDown Report
by Bobby Gerould 

Stratton bumps and runs to Hanford Midget win  

10/09/04 - Hanford, CA. …The United States Auto Club Western States Midgets co-sanctioned the Pacific Coast Open at Kings Speedway Saturday night with the Bay Cities Racing Association.  31 teams were in competition on a 65 degree night at the Kings County Fairgrounds. At the end of 30-laps Danny Stratton stood in the winners circle, with second place finisher Robby Flock, and third place runner Tyler Brown.

The 30-lap feature started in an ugly way for Jerome Rodela, and Wally Pankratz. The two executed a nasty double flip on the front straightaway coming to the green flag after one aborted start. The race was delayed for cleanup and both drivers were transported awake and alert to a local Hanford hospital. The 59 year-old Pankratz came into the evening ranked second in the point standings. (At press time, both drivers were treated and released).

When the race resumed Ryan Kaplan and Josh Wise lined up first and second in single file formation. The top ten qualifiers were inverted in the 23-car feature. Points leader Johnny Rodriguez joked, “I think Josh (Wise) sandbagged to start up front.” Wise passed Kaplan by diving underneath him in turn three on lap one to take the lead. He ran away until he entered turn three on lap eight and did a quick flip to bring put the red flag. That gave the lead back to Kaplan.

The crowd was buzzing watching 12th starting Stratton pick off cars on the high groove. The cushion pushing Stratton drove around 2003 series champion Steven Paden, and Garrett Hansen both on lap eight. He overtook Brown one lap later to leap into the top-five. On lap ten he powered past Rodriguez in turn two.

Intense racing ensued as Kaplan, Robby Flock, Jimmy Christian, and now the charging Stratton were tightly grouped. Stratton made more daring moves on lap13 when he passed Christian in turn one, and Flock in turn three. One lap later Stratton caught Kaplan and as the two raced off turn four Stratton’s #50 bumped the left rear of Kaplan’s #27. Kaplan suffered a flat left rear and dropped numerous positions.

The caution flag appeared on lap 17 for a stalled Ronnie Day who was using his local track knowledge in the second of two McKenney Racing entries. During that slow period, third place running Paden dropped out with mechanical trouble.

Flock made the race close on lap 20 but Stratton ultimately won comfortably. “I was sitting in eighth spot early in the race and I knew I had to get going”, said Stratton. “I got some momentum and just kept passing guys.” Of the contact with Kaplan, Stratton said, “It got real narrow in turn four. Racin’s racin’. I was just racing hard like the rest of the guys.”

Flock said of his runner-up run, “The racetrack was great. We didn’t win but they still knew we were here. Give credit to Stratton. He beat us.”

The third heat was the toughest heat of the 2004 season thus far. The top ten qualifiers were all in the special race. Wise won the heat over Christian. The top six in USAC Western States Midget points were all in the same heat! Meseraull and Stratton won the first two heats respectively. Paden had quick-time turning the sticky 3/8’s mile in 16.215 seconds.

Summary: USAC Western States Midgets – October 9, 2004

Car

Driver

Hometown

Quick Time

01

Steven Paden

Downey , CA .

16.215

25x

Jerome Rodela

El Monte , CA .

16.237

8

Wally Pankratz

Orange , CA .

16.253

70

Garrett Hansen

Manhattan Beach

16.283

34

Tyler Brown

Norco , CA .

16.300

30

Johnny Rodriguez

Elk Grove , CA .

16.421

16x

Jimmy Christian

Morgan Hill , CA .

16.423

19

Robby Flock

Murrieta , CA .

16.438

19x

Josh Wise

Riverside , CA .

16.522

27

Ryan Kaplan

Chico . CA.

16.578

69

Thomas Meseraull

Los Banos , CA .

16.598

57

Brain Gard

Kelseyville , CA .

16.707

37

Matt Mitchell

Yorba Linda , CA .

16.722

 

Rob Russell

Fremont , CA .

16.759

47

Greg Dennett

Livermore , CA .

16.773

7

Shannon McQueen

Bakersfield

16.791

88x

Ronnie Day

Salinas , CA .

16.805

50

Danny Stratton

Fontana , CA .

16.829

32

John Sarale

Stockton

16.912

88

Dallen McKenney

Clovis , CA .

16.921

10

Brad Kuhn

Speedway , IN.

16.935

97

Matt Streeter

Manteca , CA .

16.977

00

Pete Davis

Pleasanton , CA .

17.028

18

Floyd Alvis

San Carlos , CA .

17.131

35

Scott Pierovich

Alamo , CA .

17.303

56

Michael Hubert III

Anderson , CA .

17.385

14x

Jimmy Voitel

West Covina , CA .

17.590

99

Tim Joyce

San Francisco , CA .

17.632

23

Joe Lindsey

Danville , CA .

18.055

12

David Prickett

Fresno , CA .

18.762

First Heat: 1. Meseraull, 2. Mitchell, 3. Day, 4. Kuhn, 5. Sarale, 6. Dennett, 7. Davis, 8.

Second Heat: 1. Stratton, 2. Russell, 3. Gard, 4. McQueen, 5. McKenney, 6. Streeter, 7. Alvis, 8. Hubert III, 9. Joyce

Third Heat: 1. Wise, 2. Christian, 3. Brown, 4. Flock, 5. Rodriguez, 6. Pankratz, 7. Paden, 8. Hansen, 9. Rodela, 10. Kaplan.

Semi Main: 1. McKenney, 2. Streeter, 3. Davis, 4. Alvis, 5. Pierovich, 6. Hubert III, 7. Joyce

Main Event: 1. Danny Stratton, 2. Robby Flock, 3. Tyler Brown, 4. Rob Russell, 5. Johnny Rodriguez, 6. Dallen McKenney, 7. Greg Dennett, 8. Ronnie Day, 9. Brad Kuhn, 10. Ryan Kaplan, 11. Pete Davis, 12. Garrett Hansen, 13. John Sarale, 14. Brian Gard, 15. Steve Paden, 16. Jimmy Christian, 17. Thomas Meseraull, 18. Josh Wise, 19. Shannon McQueen, 20. Matt Streeter, 21. Wally Pankratz, 22. Jerome Rodela, 23. Matt Mitchell. NT

FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-7 Wise, Laps 8-13 Kaplan, Laps 14-30 Stratton.

NEW WESTERN MIDGET CAR POINTS: 1-Rodriguez-1,041; 2-Pankratz-915; 3-Rodela-853; 4-Paden-727; 5-Flock-709; 6-Hansen-684; 7-McKenney-673; 8-Mitchell-527; 9-Brown-496; 10-McQueen-484.

NEXT WESTERN MIDGET CAR RACE: 
October 16 – Las Vegas (NV) Motor Speedway “Bullring

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