Kiefer leads all 25 laps of Sports Mod feature win at Speedway
BY MIKE GRIFFITH Californian staff writer mgriffith@bakersfield.com
Levi Kiefer jumped into the lead at the drop of the green flag and led all 25 laps to win his second straight Sports Mod feature on Saturday night at Bakersfield Speedway.
Kiefer started on the inside of the second row on the third-mile clay oval, but dove low heading into turn one on the start and came out of turn two with the lead.
“I knew I had to make that move right off that corner or it was going to be tough to pass,” Kiefer said of what turned out to be a winning move. “Once again I have to thank Scott Pounds; he set the car up again tonight.”
Wayne Dotson slowly gained ground on Kiefer as the race went on and was right on his bumper when a caution flew with seven laps to go. But Kiefer powered away on the restart and Dotson had to fend off a challenge from Eric Manning for second.
Manning was third, followed by Chad Reichenbach and points leader Lee Jensen.
The night was a fundraiser for the Bakersfield Ronald McDonald House, and $13,415 was raised for that cause.
Kevin Collier of Porterville took the lead on the 17th lap and went on to win the 25-lap Hobby Stock feature. It was his third win of the season.
“I’m so stoked to win this on Ronald McDonald Night,” Collier said.
Brent Hosfeldt finished second, with points leader Steven Johnson finishing third.
It was Johnson’s ninth top-three finish of the season. Jimmy Irwin was fourth and John McKinley fifth. Zach Boitnoff powered into the lead on the sixth lap and led the rest of the way en route to victory in the 20-lap Mini Stock field.
The race featured a 22-car field, the largest of the season, and Bointnoff, who won a heat race earlier, clearly had an edge on everyone else. Three cautions bunched the field after he took the lead, but he simply powered away each time and was never challenged for the lead.
Gary Spiller Jr. was second, followed by Doug Shepherd and points leader Tina Bell.
West Evans led all 15 laps to win the NMRA Three-Quarter Midget feature.
Anthony Lopiccolo finished second, a full straightaway behind, with Chuck West a close third.
