Ronnie Gardner of Norco, Calif. will try to protect two USAC point leads this Saturday when the USAC Western Midgets invade Santa Maria (Calif.) Speedway.
Gardner is two points ahead of Jake Swanson on both the dirt and overall Western points going into the race at the one-third-mile dirt oval. In last year’s two USAC Western Midget races at Santa Maria, Gardner and Swanson each posted a second-place finish.
Chad Nichols of Colma, Calif. led all 30 laps to win Saturday night’s “Vukovich Classic” USAC/BCRA Western Pavement Midget feature at Madera (Calif.) Speedway. Driving the Paul Eskesen Rescino Motors/Matco Tools Beast/Mopar, Nichols was trailed by Tanner Swanson, Scott Pierovich, Darrin Snider and Kevin Morris. Swanson was the fastest qualifier.
The USAC Western Pavement Midget calendar resumes June 8 at Madera.
2013 USAC WESTERN MIDGET PAVEMENT POINTS: 1-Frankie Guerrini-108, 2-Chad Nichols-101, 3-Dan Gundo-83, 4-Kenneth Nichols-74, 5-Kody Swanson-72, 6-Tanner Swanson-70, 7-Scott Pierovich-62, 8-J.R. Williams-61, 9-Nick Chivello-36.
2013 USAC WESTERN MIDGET DIRT POINTS: 1-Ronnie Gardner-217, 2-Jake Swanson-215, 3-David Prickett-177, 4-Bryan Clauson-143, 5-Kody Swanson-140, 6-Scott Pierovich-138, 7-Rico Abreu-128, 8-Christopher Bell-125, 9-Cody Swanson-98, 10-Shannon McQueen-91.
2013 USAC WESTERN MIDGET POINTS: 1-Ronnie Gardner-217, 2-Jake Swanson-215, 3-Kody Swanson-212; 4-Scott Pierovich-200, 5-David Prickett-177, 6-Bryan Clauson-143, 7-Rico Abreu-128, 8-Christopher Bell-125, 9-Frankie Guerrini-108, 10-Chad Nichols-101.