Brody Schweitzer gets his first Speedway victory this season
Brody Schweitzer sat out the last seven American Stock races waiting on a motor.
The motor was in the car on Saturday night and Schweitzer went on to his first victory of the season in a 20-lap race on the third-mile clay oval at Bakersfield Speedway.
Schweitzer started seventh and was in the top three before the midway point but appeared to be headed to a runner-up finish as the laps wound down.
Casey Johnson took the lead on the sixth lao and was leading with two laps to go when she suffered the fate of several drivers on the night — a flat tire. Johnson pulled up lame in turn four, Schweitzer moved to the lead and held it the rest of the way
“I just tried to get to the front as soon as possible but Casey just had some bad luck with that flat tire,” Schweitzer said. “I wasn’t going to catch her.”
Schweitzer is the sixth different winner this season.
Cody Johnson was second and Brandon Ratcliff third. Gary Spiller finished fourth and points leader Tyler Johnson was fifth.
It was the Fourth Annual Racing 4 Ronald Night at the track and prior to the American Stock main event a check for $13,400 was presented to the Bakersfield Ronald McDonald House.
The amount topped the previous high of $10,000 raised last season.
Part of the money raised came from the raffle of an American Stock race car which was won by Candi Varney, who drives in the Mod Lite division, which competed later in the night.
With all her driving gear on hand, Varney climbed into her new car and got a feel for it by taking a few laps in the feature race.
The Mod LIte, IMCA Modified and IMCA Stock feature races had not started at print deadline.
In Senior Mini Dwarf action, points leader Jacob Carey raced to his second win for the season. Tyler Blankenship was second in the 15-lap race with Mason Ratcliff third.
Jett Yantis continued his domination in the Junior Mini Dwarf class as he raced to his fifth victory of the season. Yantis, who started 11th in a 16-car field, needed just two laps to move to the lead. Cole Forster was second and Stryker Conley was third.
