WESTERN MIDGET RACING TRIPLE CROWN KICKS OFF THIS WEEKEND IN WATSONVILLE AT HOWARD KAEDING CLASSIC
WATSONVILLE, CALIFORNIA (July 10, 2024) – This weekend’s Howard Kaeding Classic serves as the kick-off for the Western Midget Racing Triple Crown, with the stock production Midget series racing into Ocean Speedway in Watsonville on Friday and Saturday night. Friday’s action will pay $500 to win while Saturday’s 25-lap feature pays $1200 to win and $150 to start. Photo by Top Dawg Photos
This is the first of three weekends for the Triple Crown mini-series, with a $1000 to win points fund up for grabs as well. WMR will be the support class for the NARC King of the West Sprint Cars on Saturday night paying $6900 to win and the Ocean Sprints presented by Taco Bravo 360s on Friday night.
Spectator gates open at 4:30pm Friday and 3:30pm Saturday. For more details visit www.OceanSpeedway.com or find them on social media.
WMR competed during the Howard Kaeding Classic in 2023 with exciting action-packed main events. Friday’s 20-lap feature was won by Surprise, Ariz.’s Drake Edwards. He proceeded to dominate Saturday’s 25-lap feature before being light at the scales, transferring the win to 2022 series champion Blake Bower of Brentwood.
The top finishers in Friday night’s race will lock into the fast heat for Saturday’s action, with the second heat race setting the grid behind them. A field over 16 cars will lock in the top-eight from Friday while a field under 16 cars will lock in the top-six from Friday.
Close championship battles have become the tradition of WMR. Oakley’s Bryant Bell topped Santa Cruz’ Logan Mitchell by just four markers in 2023. Blake Bower’s 2021 championship was a four-point triumph over David Prickett of Fresno as well.
That tradition continues in 2024 with Mitchell leading Bell by eight points on the strength of four feature wins. Bell has struck gold three times, and his Boscacci Racing teammate Anthony Bruno of San Jose has a feature win as well after eight rounds of action. Santa Clarita’s Adam Weisberg and Las Vegas’ Kyle Hawse rank third and fourth followed by Bruno in fifth.
On August 9th and 10th the Triple Crown continues with both nights of the 64th Johnny Key Classic at Ocean Speedway. Both nights of competition include the Ocean Sprints presented by Taco Bravo.
The Triple Crown series concludes on October 25 and 26 for the So-Cal Shootout. Friday night October 25, the Western Midget Racing competitors will debut at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway Dirt Track in Bakersfield. Joining the NARC 410 Sprint Car Series, the Friday bill is part of the famous October Classic weekend at the state of the art dirt and pavement speedway complex west of Bakersfield.
On Saturday October 26, both the Triple Crown and the overall 2024 Western Midget Racing season conclude at Ventura Raceway for championship night!
Western Midget Racing has served as a proving ground for drivers such as Brody Fuson, Caden Sarale, Blake Bower, and Drake Edwards.
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.
For rules and series information, visit www.WesternMidgetRacing.com
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**
July 13 Ocean Speedway Howard Kaeding Classic**
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
