Late pass lifts Shepherd to Mini Stock win

BY MIKE GRIFFITH Californian staff writer mgriffith@bakersfield.com

Jacob Shepherd makes the most of his appearances at Bakersfield Speedway.

Shepherd has competed in only two of the four Mini Stock features this year, but he’s won both of those.

Shepherd took the lead with two laps to go in the 20-lap Mini Stock feature on Saturday night d held on for the win, becoming the first repeat winner.

Zach Boitnott led the first 18 laps on the third-mile clay oval but was under pressure from Shepherd after a restart on the 12th lap.

Boitnott opened the door for Shepherd to take the lead when he drifted high in turn four.

Boitnott battled back and tried to get by on the inside on the final lap but Shepherd squeezed him down low.

“He’s very hard to pass,” Shepherd said. “I don’t like to block but he did it to me.”

Boitnott was second with points leader Gary Spiller Jr. third and Doug Shepherd fourth.

Kira Holder was involved in a rollover on the first lap, with her car coming to rest on the passenger side, up against the wall just out of turn four. Holder climbed from here car uninjured.

Angel Figueroa edged past Johnny Conley on a restart with three laps to go to win the 20-lap California Dwarf Car Association feature.

Conley, who finished second, had led from the second lap before Figueroa made his move. Ronnie Williams was third.

The Late Model and Sport Mod features had not started at deadline

Anthony Balcazar raced to victory in the 15-lap Senior Mini Dwarf feature, edging Jerry Flippo by less than a car length as Flippo got loose off the final turn.

Flippo was second with his sister, Cheyenne third but both were disqualified as they drove directly to their pits, rather than the tech area. Jeremy Clark wound up second after the DQs.

In Junior Mini Dwarf action, Garrett Egan inherited the lead five laps into the feature and went on to win a caution-marred race which was haled two laps early due to time constraints. Kercie Jung was second and Jakob Carey third.