Hogge captures night 1 feature of Budweiser Nationals

Starting up front was the key to winning on Friday night during the opening night of action at the 31st annual Budweiser Nationals at Bakersfield Speedway.
There were three feature races, and the winning drivers in each of those led every lap on the third-mile clay oval.
Bobby Hogge of Salinas capped the feature racing by getting to the front and leading all 30 laps in the Late Model race minutes after finishing second in the Modified feature.
“This thing is awesome,” Hogge said of his effort in the Late Model feature. “The track might have been a little one lane but I had to make quick work to get up front. I tried to get to the middle first and hang on and luckily I did.”
Steve Drake chased Hogge the entire race but had to settle for second. Tony Toste was third and Rob Sanders fourth.
“Not unless he made a mistake,” Drake said when asked if he had a shot at passing Hogge. “I was trying to run a different line, seeing if I could find something.”
Ethan Dotson of Bakersfield took the lead at the start of the Modified feature and held it for all 40 laps for his first win of the season on his home track.
“It was awesome, especially since last year we were leading and blew a motor,” Dotson said.
Dotson spent the summer racing in the midwest and said that experience paid off on the dry/slick track where the high groove was the only fast way around.
The race may have turned when a caution flew on lap six. Dotson was running low and Robby Sawyer, on the high side, had the momentum to go by Dotson when a caution flew.
Dotson went high on the restart and stayed there the rest of the way.
Hogge, who moved into second on lap 11, tried numerous times to get by Doston by going low in turn one and sliding high in turn two, but never had enough momentum to make the pass.
“I’ve got to thank Bobby Hogge for racing me clean,” Dotson said. “He could have eaten me up a couple of times.”
Hogge bounced off the turn 2 wall on the final lap and Sawyer got by going into turn 3. But Hogge battled back and edged out Sawyer for second.
Brad Pounds was fourth and Logan Drake fifth
In American Stock action, 14-year-old Nicholas Johnson led from start to finish for his third win at the track this season.
The first seven laps went smoothly, then there were a rash of cautions and a red flag that stopped the race when Tyler Johnson rolled in turn four. He was not injured in the accident.
The final 13 laps went caution free and Johnson held off a brief challenge from Eric Cimental before pulling away to win by several car lengths.
Cimental held off Cody Johnson for second. Trevor Baker came back from a spin to place fourth with Clint Duncan fifth.
Thirty-four Hobby Stock drivers were on hand Friday night and securing a guaranteed spot in today’s feature was not an easy task as it took a top-three finish in the four heat races.
The top 12 starting positions for the feature were determined by a qualifying race, won by Clay Daly, who will start on the ple.
Among the many who will have to make it through B-mains tonight is track champion Mike Hill Jr.
The Sport Mod division also has 12 drivers automatically advance to today’s feature through heat races and a qualifiers race. Jason Nation won the qualifiers race to earn the pole position for the feature.
All the divisions, except American Stocks are back in action tonight, along with Pro Stocks and IMCA Stocks.