OneDirt

Image Credit: Ray McCann

After a successful season throughout the Midwest, Galena, Missouri’s Jesse Stovall made the trip West to pilot Larry Brown’s #36 Victory Circle Chassis at Bakersfield Speedway for the 27th annual Budweiser Nationals. Stovall was successful the first night out breaking the track record with a lap time of 12.840.

Stovall battled with California’s Bobby Hogge IV for the top spot in the feature event as the duo ran side by side for multiple laps before Stovall made a final succesful slide job securing the top spot in route to his first victory at the third of a mile in his first attempt. The race went caution free with Hogge, John Lowrey, Ricky Thornton Jr and Clay Daly completing the top five.

Saturday’s action was not as strong for Stovall as he was involved in a heat race accident that ended his weekend. Bakersfield’s own “Dominator” Brad Pounds won last year’s Budweiser Nationals and started the night off well setting the fastest time in qualifying. He started the feature event from fourth place and hugged the bottom line moving by Salem, Oregon’s Jeremy Shank for the top spot and went uncontested in a green-white-checkered forty lap feature event. Shank, Andy Obertello, Ricky Thornton Jr., and Jason Papich completed the top five.

Friday Night Results:

1 Jesse Stovall Republic, MO 2 Bobby Hogge Salinas, CA 3 John Lowrey Bakersfield, CA 4 Ricky Thornton Jr Chandler, AZ 5 Clay Daly Hollister, CA 6 Tony Toste Pismo Beach, CA 7 Trevor Glaser Tangent, OR 8 Jeremy Shank Salem, OR 9 Richard Papenhausen Chico, CA 10 Andy Obertello Hollister, CA 11 Jason Papich Santa Maria, CA 12 Brad Pounds Bakersfield, CA 13 Rob Sanders Bakersfield, CA 14 Tommy Malcolm Corona, CA 15 Steve Drake San Luis Obispo, CA 16 Ron Bartels El Segundo, CA 17 Mike Johnson Lompoc, CA 18 Nick Bartels El Segundo, CA 19 Mike Kirby Torrance, CA 20 Jason Selvidge Buttonwillow, CA 21 Chad Richenbach Bakersfield, CA 22 Larry Childress Bakersfield, CA

Saturday Night Results:

1 Brad Pounds Bakersfield, CA 2 Jeremy Shank Salem, OR 3 Andy Obertello Hollister, CA 4 Ricky Thornton Jr Chandler, AZ 5 Jason Papich Santa Maria, CA 6 Mike Johnson Lompoc, CA 7 Clay Daly Watsonville, CA 8 Nick Bartels El Segundo, CA 9 Tommy Malcolm Corona, CA 10 Bobby Hogge Salinas, CA 11 John Lowrey Bakersfield, CA 12 Tony Toste Pismo Beach, CA 13 Richard Papenhausen Chico, CA 14 Trevor Glaser Tangent, OR 15 Greg Walters Portland, OR 16 Ron Bartels El Segundo, CA 17 Cody Barnett Hesperia, CA 18 Larry Childress Bakersfield, CA 19 Steve Drake San Luis Obispo, CA 20 Dino Napier Corona, CA 21 Devin Crockett Arroyo Grande, CA 22 Mike Kirby Torrance, CA