Dotson holds off Pounds for season opening win

Ethan Dotson started the Bakersfield Speedway season off with an impressive drive in the IMCA Modified feature.

Dotson started on the outside of the front row and led all 25 laps on the third-mile clay oval, but was pressured from start to finish by Brad Pounds, who had to settle for second.

“I really had to get up on the wheel and hang on,” said Dotson who ran as high as he could on the track in the waning laps. “I’ve got to thank Bradley for racing me clean.”

Pounds said he just didn’t have quite enough to make a pass.

“We had a good hot rod but if Ethan wasn’t going to make a mistake he was going to be tough to pass. He had a good hot rod. We just couldn’t get it done tonight.”

Defending track champion Ricky Childress was third, followed by Cody Laney and Logan Drake.

As far as the crowd was concerned, Michael Scruggs was a very unpopular winner of the 25-lap Hobby Stock feature.

Raymond Noland was leading with three laps to go when the two touched on the backstretch, sending Noland’s car sideways.

Scruggs led the final three laps for the win with Kyle Wood second and Lloyd Wren Jr. third.

“ I slipped under him, he kind of came down and I came up,” Scruggs said of the contact. “A win is a win. Rubin is racing.”

Miranda Scott held off Brody Schweitzer to win the 20-lap American Stock feature.

Scott took the lead from Cody Johnson with five laps to go in the entertaining race.

“I have to thank my dad (and others), for getting the car ready,” she said. “All I have to do is show up. I couldn’t do it without them.”

Wayne Dotson, Scott’s dad, led the first eight laps until Johnson got by after a restart.

Schweitzer tired to go low to pass Scott on the final lap but could not make it stick. Johnson finished third with Dotson fourth.

Doug Shepherd started on the pole and led all 20 laps to win the Mini Stock feature.

Steve Roark pressured Shepherd the entire distance but could not make a pass.

“It’s great,” Shepherd said of his win. “I had a lot of fun last year and I just come out here out here and have fun. I had a big pack behind me, they were pretty quick.”

Misty Warren finished right behind Roark for third with Craig Moody right on Warren’s bumper to take fourth.