BRYANT BELL COMPLETES SWEEP OF WESTERN MIDGET RACING AT KAEDING CLASSIC WITH $1200 SATURDAY WIN
WATSONVILLE, CALIFORNIA (July 14, 2024) – Bryant Bell of Oakley, Calif. completed the Western Midget Racing weekend sweep on Saturday night at the 14th annual Howard Kaeding Classic, claiming the $1200 to win, 25-lap feature at Watsonville’s Ocean Speedway. The sweep of the weekend’s features extends Bell’s championship lead in WMR. It also gives him the lead in the WMR Triple Crown series as well.
Bell won the pole position after winning the fast heat race against the six locked in cars from Friday night. Santa Cruz’ Logan Mitchell won the second heat race to earn the seventh starting position. Payette, Idaho’s Teddy Bivert drove around the outside of Bell at the green flag to lead lap one. Bell then challenged Bivert on the inside to retake the lead on lap seven.
Delano’s Terry Nichols used a strong charge on the outside line to close in on Bivert for second as the field navigated traffic by lap 12.
A red flag flew for a serious crash in turn one when Mitchell and Sacramento’s Isaiah Vasquez tangled. Vasquez flipped side over side off the edge of the speedway and Mitchell tipped over as well. Vasquez was transported for further evaluation after initially walking away.
Nichols completed the pass for second place on the restart then turned his attention to Bell. The pair went side-by-side for the lead on lap 20 and remained in lockstep. Nichols and Bell then collided in turn two, sending Nichols into a wild tumble to end his event on lap 23. He was able to walk away.
Bell fended off a side-by-side challenge from his Boscacci Racing teammate Anthony Bruno of San Jose to claim the big win. The victory marks Bell’s fourth in the last five races for WMR. Bivert finished third followed by Roseville’s Jerry Kobza and Todd Hawse of Moorpark.
The 2024 Western Midget Racing Triple Crown is brought to you by Sunland Wood Products, Mead Performance, Extreme Mufflers, Pasillas Tire, West Evans Motorsports, Lance Pierovich, and Hoosier Tire West.
Western Midget Racing returns to action on July 26 and 27 at Ocean Speedway and Antioch Speedway. For more information visit www.WesternMidgetRacing.com
RESULTS: Ocean Speedway Howard Kaeding Classic July 13, 2024
A Feature 1 (25 Laps): 1. 09-Bryant Bell[1]; 2. 9-Anthony Bruno[3]; 3. 11-Teddy Bivert[2]; 4. 35-Jerry Kobza[5]; 5. 18-Todd Hawse[6]; 6. 20-Kyle Hawse[9]; 7. 15-Adam Weisberg[10]; 8. 6X-Taylor Hall[12]; 9. 68-Ron Hazelton[13]; 10. 57-Ray Richards[11]; 11. 1K-Terry Nichols[4]; 12. 96X-Logan Mitchell[7]; 13. 4-Isaiah Vasquez[8]; 14. 1T-Scott Hall[14]
Heat 1 (6 Laps): 1. 09-Bryant Bell[1]; 2. 11-Teddy Bivert[2]; 3. 9-Anthony Bruno[5]; 4. 1K-Terry Nichols[3]; 5. 35-Jerry Kobza[4]; 6. 18-Todd Hawse[6]
Heat 2 (6 Laps): 1. 96X-Logan Mitchell[6]; 2. 4-Isaiah Vasquez[1]; 3. 20-Kyle Hawse[3]; 4. 15-Adam Weisberg[5]; 5. 57-Ray Richards[8]; 6. 6X-Taylor Hall[2]; 7. 68-Ron Hazelton[4]; 8. (DNS) 1T-Scott Hall
2024 WMR Schedule – Subject to Change
March 16 Ventura Raceway – WINNER: Anthony Bruno
March 29 Ocean Speedway – RAIN OUT
March 30 Marysville Raceway – RAIN OUT
April 20 Bakersfield Speedway – WINNER: Logan Mitchell
May 4 Ventura Raceway – WINNER: Bryant Bell
May 17 Ocean Speedway – WINNER: Logan Mitchell
May 18 Petaluma Speedway w/ BCRA Tom Manning Memorial – WINNER: Logan Mitchell
June 7 Ocean Speedway – WINNER: Bryant Bell
June 8 Petaluma Speedway – WINNER: Bryant Bell
June 22 Ventura Raceway – WINNER: Logan Mitchell
July 12 Ocean Speedway Howard Kaeding Classic** – WINNER: Bryant Bell
July 13 Ocean Speedway Howard Kaeding Classic** – WINNER: Bryant Bell
July 26 Ocean Speedway
July 27 Antioch Speedway
August 9 Ocean Speedway Johnny Key Classic**
August 10 Ocean Speedway Johnny Key Classic**
September 21 Bakersfield Speedway
October 25 Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway October Classic**
October 26 Ventura Raceway**
** indicates Triple Crown event
