Michael Pickens and Travis Buckley raced in 4 nights of racing to finish out the USAC National Midget Car Series with mixed results.
It’s long been a tradition for the USAC Midgets to finish their season long points battle in California at several tracks and this year was no different with the 1/3-Mile dirt Bakersfield Speedway in Bakersfield, California for their November Classic the first on the slate.
The 9-time NZ Midget champ Pickens, driving for Tulsa, Oklahoma based Dave Mac Dalby Motorsports, qualified fourth among 39 cars and claimed 2nd place in his heat giving him a start row 2 start in the 30-lap feature.
Recently announced to be heading to race in New Zealand over Christmas and New Year’s, one of the fastest females to strap into a Midget, Tayler Reimer lead the opening six laps until Thomas T-Mez Meseraull took the lead and was able to go on and win with Pickens sliding past Reimer on lap 12 to finish 2nd, matching his 2019 effort at the venue.
Buckley qualified 24th with a 6th placing in his heat race which put him in a competitive 12-Lap Semi-Feature race where the young driver finished in 12th position shy of a transfer spot to the Feature race.
After a two day break the next event was three nights of the Hangtown 100 at Placerville Speedway in Placerville, California with a 49-car field on hand at the banked ¼ -Mile dirt track.
Buckley Qualified 7th in his group with Pickens fastest in his group.
Buckley managed 4th in his heat and Pickens 6th from a 7th place start. The format utilising passing points saw Buckley conclude his night in the 7NZ Bullet by Spike Chassis and BB7 Esslinger engine combo 11th in the Semi-Feature.
Pickens started the 30-lap preliminary night from pole position and led the opening lap before being passed by race winner Tanner Carrick who broke the car owners win record for Keith Kunz, claiming win number 134 in the series. Pickens finishing 2nd for the 2nd night in a row but 6th overall in accumulated Hangtown points.
Night 2 at Placerville had Pickens quickest in his 8-Car group and finishing 5th from last his heat with Buckley managing 8th fastest in his group qualifying and 9th in his heat which once again ended with an 11th place Semi-Feature finish.
With and 8th place starting spot in the 30-Lap Feature Pickens, running 7th at the time ran into the inside berm and spinning himself out in front of Kaylee Bryson and Bakersfield winner Meseraull, sending all three to the tail of the field, eventually crossing under the chequered flag in 18th place. His qualifying and heat race results keeping him in the hunt in Hangtown points which determine starting spots for the 100 Lap race. Reigning champion Buddy Kofoid taking out the win.
On the final night heat race line ups were decided on points in lieu of qualifying. Buckley started 9th and finished 10th and ended his night in the C-Main in 10th position. Pickens managed to go from 7th to 4th in heat race action giving him a 9th place start in the one hundred lap Feature.
By the races half way point Pickens had faded back to 16th on a heavy track with heavy attrition through out the night and finished the night 19th. Kofoid, rumoured to be heading to New Zealand for the International Midget Care Series at Western Springs, Baypark & Waikaraka Park Speedways, winning the race from outside the front row with Chance Crum and Justin Gant rounding out the podium.
Merced Speedway in Merced California hosts two nights of back-to-back action before Pickens returns home to continue the local season in New Zealand with Buckley returning sometime after the USAC season closer at Ventura Raceway in Ventura, California for the 81st running of the Turkey Night Grand Prix.
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