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Ridgecrest Speedway
Desert Empire Fairgrounds
Ridgecrest, California
2009 California Grand Prix at Ridgecrest
July 31 2009 - Ridgecrest
By: Steve Evans
14 year old Joey Holt showed what a bright future he has ahead of him by dominating the California Grand Prix at Ridgecrest, a special event for second and third division riders.
The evening kicked off with a Super Pole flying lap competition. The watered track caught out Tim McGrath who fell heavily on his run. Rick Fehrman got the crowd on its feet with a time of 13.5, taking 0.8 off of Steve Bowen, the previous fastest rider. Holt then blitzed the field with a time of 11.8.
Nine riders contested four rounds of heats - Holt ended on perfect score of 16. Bowen, Fehrman and McGrath provided some very entertaining and close races to round out the heats as the other three automatic main event qualifiers. Three riders, Michelle Fehrman, Jonathan Chavez and Rod Requejo were tied on 7 points, and it was deemed their finishing position in the last man out race they were all in would determine who made the Main, Chavez being the victor, the final leg was a neck and run with DeWayne Stark.
The Division 2 Last Man Out had Holt out gated for the only time by Rick Fehrman in the final run, though Holt made an inside pass going into turn one on the final lap.
68 year old DeWayne Stark had an impressive win in the B Main. Holt gated and eased to the A Main victory, Steve Bowen had machine trouble to gift second the Fehrman.
Despite the poor rider turn out the decent sized crowd was treated to some excellent racing and made a lot of noise throughout to acknowledge the passes. The Ridgecrest track was its best over and despite the high temperatures only needed watering once through the 26 race program.
There were several riders who pulled off the program within 48 hours of the event, so the program changed from the original 16 man plan. Those who did make it got a bumper pay day, as well as plenty of track time.
The local Speedway Midget Association added $160 to the purses, making it a $910 pay out between 9 riders, perhaps the highest purse to rider ratio in all the USA this week!
The next race at Ridgecrest is scheduled for 9/11 where once more a Support Program plus Sidecars and Speedway Midgets will run.
Heat details
Super Pole
244 Joey Holt 11.8
240 Rick Fehrman 13.5
177 Steve Bowen 14.3
131 Rod Requejo 15.3
223 Michelle Fehrman 16.3
268 DeWayne Stark 16.3
323 Jonathan Chavez 16.3
187 Glenn Schall 62.0 (fell, remounted)
186 Tim McGrath no time
Pee wee Main
64 Austin King
8 Summer Fehrman
34 Dakota Shockley
11 Kyler Witwer
Powder Puff Main
186 Ally McGrath
8 Summer Fehrman
81 Julie Shockley
Division 3 Last Man Out
Chavez, Stark, M Fehrman, Schall, Requejo
Division 2 Last Man Out
Holt, Fehrman, Bowen, McGrath
California Grand Prix
131 Rod Requejo 2 3 1 1 7
177 Steve Bowen 3 4 F 3 11
186 Tim McGrath 2 2 4 3 10
187 Glenn Schall 1 2 2 2 7
223 Michelle Fehrman 0 1 3 3 7
240 Rick Fehrman 4 3 3 F 10
244 Joey Holt 4 4 4 4 16
268 DeWayne Stark 1 1 1 1 4
323 Jonathan Chavez 3 0 2 2 7
Heats
5: Holt, Chavez, McGrath (ret), Schall (fell)
6: R Fehrman, Bowen, Reqejo, Stark, M Fehrman
8: Bowen, REquejo, Schall, M Fehrman, Chavez
9: Holt, R Fehrman, McGrath, Stark
12: Holt, M Fehrman, Chavez, Stark, Bowen (fell)
13: McGrath, R Fehrman, Schall (fell), Requejo (fell)
17: Holt, M Fehrman, Chavez, Requejo, R Fehrman (fell, remounted)
18: Bowen., McGrath, Schall, Stark
B Main: Stark, M Fehrman, Schall, Requejo
A Main: Holt, R Fehrman, McGrath, Chavez, Bowen (ef)
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