WILEY WINS NMRA-TQ BAKERSFIELD FEATURE MAY 2012
By noderel:
Bakersfield, CA., May 19 – Kenny Wiley, the 2007 NMRA-TQ Midget champion, started second and led all 20 laps of the NMRA-TQ feature Saturday in his own No 96 self-built chassis with a Honda 750cc providing the horsepower. It was his ninth career TQ main event triumph. The race on the third-mile clay Bakersfield Speedway was round two for the TQ midget group after the April 21 Santa Maria Speedway race was lost to inclement weather/soaked grounds.
Wiley, the 2002 NMRA-TQ rookie of the year, won his first TQ main event during his 2007 TQ championship season when he drove the No. 21 Paul Lopiccolo Rick Stewart chassis with Honda power. His 2007 triumphs came at Hanford and Santa Maria In 2008 Wiley won four TQ features—three at Santa Maria and one at Bakersfield. In 2009 he built his own TQ chassis and drove his new No. 96 Honda-powered car to three victories—two at Bakersfield and one at Ventura during the mid-week Ventura County Fair. He finished third in driver points and seventh in owner points in his new role as driver/owner.
Wiley has run a limited schedule during the last two seasons and has not recorded any victories. This year Kenny, now 50, has competed in both races to date. He was tied in points (63) with Chuck West after round one. His 65 points earned Saturday left him in sole possession of first place in driver points by five over West. Wiley's No. 96 car is atop owner points by five (134-129) over the West Evans Motor-sports No. 38.
Anthony Lopiccolo, the 2008 TQ co-rookie of the year, drove Wiley's former No. 21 ride, started fourth and finished second. Four-time NMRA driving champion Chuck West came from fifth grid position to earn third place in the Evans No. 38, a Stealth/750cc Suzuki. Adam Baker, 22-year old 2011 NMRA rookie of the year, came from sixth starting slot to earn fourth in Brian Baker's No. 17. West Evans, the 2010 TQ driving and four-time TQ car owner champion, was fifth in his No. 36 Spike/Bob Wirth Suzuki. Bruce Hiroshima and pole starter/second year TQ driver Mike Black finished sixth and seventh and also completed all 20 laps. Rookie Don Kiefer, the only other starter, placed eighth with nine laps completed. West won the only heat race after starting seventh and working through the field in an 8-lap event.
The next NMRA race will be Saturday, June 23 at NMRA's home track--Bakersfield Speedway--in a support race during the regular Saturday stock car racing program. In other news, NMRA and Ventura Raceway officials announced this week that the 8th annual Ron Otto Memorial TQ event at Santa Maria canceled by rain April 21 will be held Saturday, September 15 at the seaside track. Eleven drivers and 11 car owners have earned 2012 NMRA points.
Summary:
Heat Race, 8 L – Chuck West, Kenny Wiley, West Evans, Anthony Lopiccolo, Mike Black, Bruce Hiroshima, Adam Baker, Don Kiefer.
Main Event, 20 L – Wiley, Lopiccolo, West, Baker, Evans, Hiroshima, Black, Kiefer.
POINT STANDINGS:
Drivers Car Owners
1 Kenny Wiley 128 1 No. 96 Kenny Wiley 134
2 Chuck West 123 2 No. 38 West Evans 129
3 Anthony Lopiccolo 114 3 No. 21 Paul Lopiccolo 120
4 West Evans 110 4 No. 36 West Evans 116
5 Bruce Hiroshima 101 5 No. 20 Bruce Hiroshima 107
6 Adam Baker 98 6 No. 17 Brian Baker 104
7 Mike Black 93 7 No. 14 Brian Baker 99
8 Don Kiefer 78 8 No. 9 Don Kiefer 84
9 Dakota Schweitzer 36 9 No. 59 Steve Parke 39