Mike Griffith: Pombo can clean up at Speedway
| Wednesday, Jul 15 2009 07:48 PM
Last Updated Wednesday, Jul 15 2009 09:05 PM
By MIKE GRIFFITH
Caliornian staff writer
mgriffith@bakersfield.com
Sprint Cars return to Bakersfield Speedway for their final appearance of the season on Saturday night with Davey Pombo in position for a clean sweep.
Pombo, of Kerman, has won both previous races at the third-mile clay oval, besting a 32-car field in a Grand Slam event on April 25, then coming out on top of a 19-car field in a regular 360 Bandit race on May 9.
Those are the only wins this season for Pombo, who is the only multi-time winner through the first seven races. Jonathan Logan added his name to the list of winners with a victory Saturday night at Chowchilla.
Joining the non-winged Sprint Cars will be Hobby Stocks, Mini Stocks and Mini Dwarfs.
Kevin Johnson continues to lead the Hobby Stock points race in a division which has had eight winners through 10 races. Jacob Shepherd is atop the Mini Stock division.
Racing starts at 6. All fans will receive a coupon for a free Pepsi when entering the track.
Quick shifts
Bakersfield's Mike Williams had a near-perfect season en route to the D/Gas championship in the NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Racing Series. Williams started the season with a victory at the March Meet, won the next three races then completed the season with a runner-up finish last Saturday night at Sacramento. He won the title by more than 100 points.
Jason Bowles, who raced to victory at Irwindale on July 4, has the points lead in the Camping World West Series heading into Sunday's race race on Portland International Raceway's 1.98-mile road course. Eric Holmes is second, 24 points behind with Bakersfield's David Mayhew third, 87 points back.
M. K. Kanke of Frazier Park will be seeking his second straight win and fourth in five races as the Spears SRL Southwest Tour series heads to Toyota Speedway at Irwindale on Saturday night. Kanke won the first two races in the series, finished second in his next outing and returned to Victory Lane on July 4 at Madera Speedway. He leads Greg Voight by 42 points in the championship race.
Three Bakersfield drivers placed in the top five in Legends competition last Saturday night at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale. Brandon Toy was second, series points leader Ryan Reed was third, and rookie Dallas Montes placed fifth.
Mike Johnson of Lompoc won a Western Allstars Late Model race Saturday night at Chowchilla Speedway. John Lowrey of Bakersfield finished fourth. The series competes at Santa Maria Speedway on Saturday night.
The West Coast Hot Rod Association is holding a two-day race Friday and Saturday nights at Auto Club Famoso Raceway. Most of the action takes place under the lights, starting at 7 both nights, to avoid the blazing daytime heat.
