Pounds wins 6th feature at Bakersfield Speedway
BY STEPHEN LYNCH Special to The Californian
They don’t call Brad Pounds “The Dominator” for no reason. Pounds once again lived up to his lofty nickname Saturday night at Bakersfield Speedway, dominating the 25-lap IMCA Modified feature. Pounds powered around the outside of Rick Childress Jr. for the lead with 19 laps remaining and then pulled away for his sixth main event victory of the year. “The car the was great,” Pounds said. “I’d like to thank my dad tonight. Told him to do whatever he wanted to do. The thing was awesome. I don’t think it could have been any better.” Pounds started eighth but was up to third by lap five and in second one circuit later around the the third-mile clay oval. Less than a full lap later Pounds passed Childress Jr. for the lead. But before the lap was completed Michael Johnson, Justin Schweitzer, and Steve Boles were involved in a accident that brought out a caution, invalidating the lead change. But soon after the ensuing restart Pounds, who tied Larry Hood for the points lead with the win, went up high and blew past Childress Jr. “I got around Ricky there and the caution came out,” Pounds said. “I was afraid he was going to take the line away but he didn’t move up. I got back around him and pop said I had a good groove so I just kept cruising.” Childress Jr. started third but led the first seven laps after muscling his way inside of three cars in turn two of the opening lap. “I think you have to get to the front as soon as you can,” Childress Jr. said. Childress ended up in the same position he started, on spot behind second place Robby Sawyer. Hood took fourth and Robert Sanders finished fifth. “That was one of the best cars we’ve ever had on this track,” Sawyer said.”
Chad Johnson rallied from 10th place on the starting grid to win the 25-lap Hobby Stock main event. Johnson, already the points leader coming into the night, took over the lead from 79-year old Ralph Cooke with laps left en route to his fourth feature win of the year. Matt Wankum was a distant second. Tina McGowan finished third. Austin Manzella and Cooke rounded out the top five. “It feels good,” Johnson said. ‘I got to thank two people. First my uncle Bruce…I was worried about the track being tough to pass on but he reminded me, ‘just be patient you’ll get there’. Then I have to thank Brad Pounds. I watched the first 15 laps or so of the (IMCA) Modified race and saw him come from the back to the front. So I knew the track was going to be there and I could do it.”
Brian Childress capped of a perfect night by winning a caution-filled 20-lap American Stock feature. Kody Sly, making just his second-ever American Stock start, began the race on the front row and led until lap three when he was bumped from behind by Perry Alderman and spun out on the front stretch. Alderman was sent to the back of the field for rough driving because of the incident, giving the lead to Childress, who never relinquished it. His cousin Traci Childress was second followed by Tyler Irwin, series points leader Matt Lewis, and Eric Silvius. Earlier in the evening Brian Childress won his heat race and the American Stock Trophy Dash. “This is unreal,” Brian Childress said after winning for a third time.
Parker Colston posted a dominating victory in the 20-lap USAC Western Ignite Midget main event. Colston inherited the lead on lap three from pole sitter Alexander Bisset, who had to leave the track for repairs. From there Colston was never seriously challenged, winning by half a straightaway. Christine Breckinridge took second and Jarid Blondel finished third.
