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WALT JOHNSON WINS TQ-MIDGET SEASON OPENER AT VENTURA
by Tim Kennedy

VENTURA, CA., Apr. 2 - Walt Johnson opened the fourth season in the modern-era of the decades-old NMRA-TQ Midget sanctioning body with a 25-lap triumph Saturday night at the fifth-mile clay Ventura Raceway. The race began a 14 race 2005 campaign at five tracks for the club. Johnson drove the Robert and Cynthia Welcomer Priestley-Honda, housed in a chassis built several years ago by the winning driver. He became the fourth race leader on lap 19 and paced the final seven laps. It was the second main event victory as owners for the Welcomers.

    Johnson, the 2001 USAC TQ Midget champion, took his third NMRA career feature victory and his third in as many years. He also drove the Welcomer No. 15 to victory last July 3 at Bakersfield Speedway. Johnson, the son of the late USAC Western States pit steward Walt Johnson, Sr and his wife Pat, a current USAC W/S registrar, timer-scorer, is a member of the NMRA board of directors.  His 65-points gave him the point lead by four points.

    Kenny Wiley finished second. Chuck West, NMRA's 2002 driving champion, was third. Ron Ahrendt took fourth and Bruce Hiroshima, the 2004 NMRA rookie of the year, was fifth. Rounding out the top ten were Michael Bliffen, 16-year old Cody Williams, Robert Ortega, Jr, Steve Lambert, the 2003-04 NMRA champion, and West Evans. Ortega and Williams made their initial TQ Midget starts. Williams, the oldest of three sons of 2004 USAC-CRA sprint car champion Rip Williams and his wife Becky, made his professional racing debut. He drove the orange No. 1 Greg Edenholm-owned, Dennis Hart chassis with a 760 cc Suzuki engine. He started 14th and passed his way to seventh place.

    Hiroshima led the first four laps. Jody Bandfield paced laps five through nine. Wiley, the 2002 NMRA rookie of the year, had the point from laps 10-18 until Johnson took charge. Lambert and Bandfield won the pair of eight-lap heat races. NMRA will return to action Saturday, April 23 at Santa Maria Speedway.

    The Summary: (pick up agate)

    Heat 1: Steve Lambert, West Evans, Bruce Hiroshima, Scott Hansen, Ron Ahrendt, Cody Williams, Steve Parke.

    Heat 2: Jody Bandfield, Walt Johnson, Kenny Wiley, Chuck West, Michael Bliffen, Robert Ortega, Jr, Linda Taylor.

    Main: Johnson, Wiley, West, Ahrendt, Hiroshima, Bliffen, Cody Williams, Robert Ortega, Jr, Lambert, Evans, Bandfield, Steve Parke, Hansen, Linda Taylor.

                                      

NMRA-TQ MIDGET POINT STANDINGS:
April 7, 2005

Drivers                             Owners

 1 Walt Johnson 65          1 R & C Welcomer    68
 2 Kenny Wiley      61          2 Paul Lopiccolo      64
 3 Chuck West       57          3 West Evans        60
 4 Bruce Hiroshima  52          4 Bruce Hiroshima   55
 5 Ron Ahrendt      51          5 Judy Ahrendt      54
 6 Michael Bliffen  45          6 Michael Bliffen   48
 7 Cody Williams    42          7 Greg Edenholm     45
 8 Steve Lambert    42          8 Dave Lambert      45
 9 Robert Ortega,Jr 39          9 Bruce Hiroshima   42
10 West Evans       38             10 West Evans          41

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