Ventura Raceway
April 6, 2013
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Stop Me If You've Heard This One: Gardner Wins a Battle at the Beach

Cliff Morgan
VENTURA, CA (April 6) - Saturday night April 6, proved to be one of the best nights of racing seen at Ventura in several years. The first of four Battle at the Beach VRA/USAC Midget races presented by ARP was run with 19 midgets in attendance. There were three heat races run Saturday night with wins going to David Prickett in the Super Shox heat one, Jake Swanson in the Schroeder Racing Products heat two and Troy Rutherford the BR Motorsports heat three. The 30 lap Battle at the Beach main event was a fast, exciting race that saw Jake Swanson lead the first 18 laps of the race while battling David Prickett, Johnathan Henry and eventual winner Ronnie Gardner. Gardner passed Swanson on lap 19 and went on to win his second race at Ventura in a row. His win moved him into the season point race lead at Ventura and also out front in the four race series within a series to become King of the Beach after the last Battle at the Beach race in September.

IMCA Modified racing saw Josh Vogt take his third win in a row as he came from the rear of the 14 car field to take the lead on lap 6 and go on to the win. Following Vogt to the line was Robbie Witwer, Brad Prows, Aaron Rodarte and Jack Parker. Their two heat races went to Aaron Rodarte in heat one and Austin Rodarte in heat two. After three races Vogt leads Witwer and Parker by 6 points 80 to 74.

VRA Dwarf Car raced in two classes. In the Pros, Jacob Ganzer took heat one, Eric Lopez took heat two and Hannah Mayhew took heat three. Their 20 lap main event had to be shortened to 13 laps due to many on track incidents that caused their race to exceed their 20 laps or 20 minute time limit. The win in the race went to Johnathan Henry followed by Hannah Mayhew, Johnny Conley, Thomas Velasquez and Eric Lopez. In Senior action, Mike Neal took their heat race and Keith Vondersaar took the main event over Mike Lewis, Bill VanPraag, Tom Stephens Sr and Bob Kaufman.

VRA Focus Midgets ran one heat race won by Wally Pankratz. He came back to take the win in their 20 lap main as well as he battled Cory Elliot to get the win.. He led Cory Elliot, Brennan Rogers, Ashley Hazleton and Greg Foster to the finish line. After four races, Brennan Rogers leads the season point race.

Six VRA Mod Lites were on hand to run their portion of the night's racing. The heat race and their 15 lap main event went to Dave Dotson. In the main event Dotson led all 15 laps to beat Jeffrey Fry, Mike Gilmore, Kris Kordner and Ricky Lewis to take the win and the season point lead. Two new cars were on hand Saturday as this class continues to grow.

VRA Go Karts resumed their season with nine karts in the pits. One heat race was run with the win going to Henry Ito. Their 20 lap main event went to two time winner Matt Jones over Kenny Byers Jr., Justin Raper, Cody Nigh and Dylan Ito. Matt Jones leads the point race after two races in the new 2013 season.

VRA Quads raced in two divisions, Open and Sportsman. In the Open Division, Kyle Eurto took the win in their heat race and Danny Elderbaum took the win in their main event over David Knight, Kyle Eurto and Mike Lewis. In the Sportsman Division, James Bell took the win in both the heat race and main event. He led Robert Peterson, Justin Smith and Brad Tyach to the line.

Ventura Raceway takes a weekend off next week April 13 as we prepare for our first Flat Track Motorcycle event scheduled for Saturday April 20.

VRA Midgets

Race #3 04/06/2013

Main Event Results: 1. Ronnie Gardner, Norco, Ca, 30 Laps; 2. Jake Swanson, Anaheim, 30 Laps; 3. Jonathan Henry, 30 Laps; 4. David Prickett, Fresno, 30 Laps; 5. Kody Swanson, Kingsberg, 30 Laps; 6. Sean Dodenhoff, Bakersfield, 30 Laps; 7. Shannon McQueen, Tehachapi, 30 Laps; 8. Danny Ebberts, Canyon Lakes, 30 Laps; 9. Kyle Edwards, Fountain Valley, 30 Laps; 10. Jim Donley, 30 Laps; 11. Terry Nichols, Delano, 30 Laps; 12. Troy Rutherford, Ojai, 22 Laps; 13. Kyle Smith, Moorpark, 22 Laps; 14. Randi Pankratz, Atascadero, 22 Laps; 15. Cody Swanson, Norco, 22 Laps; 16. Jimmy Voitel, Covna, 22 Laps; 17. Kyle Cline, Hesperia, 11 Laps; 18. Steve Davis, Norco, 1 Lap

Lap Leaders: Jake Swanson (1-18), Ronnie Gardner (19-30)

Heat Race Winners: Super Shox Heat 1: David Prickett; Schroeder Racing Products Heat 2: Jake Swanson; BR Motorsports Heat 3: Troy Rutherford

K&N Engineering Hard Charger: Shannon McQueen

Keizer Aluminum Wheels High Point: Troy Rutherford

DJ Safety Hard Luck: Troy Rutherford

Top 10 in points: 1. Ronnie Gardner, 720; 2. Jake Swanson, 700; 3. Cody Swanson, 585; 4. Randi Pankratz, 500; 5. Kyle Smith, 480; 6. David Prickett, 435; 7. Rick Hendrix, 390; 8. Bruce Douglass, 360; 9. Kyle Edwards, 320; 10. Jonathan Henry, 215

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VRA Pro Dwarf Cars

Race #3 04/06/2013

Main Event Results: 1. Jonathan Henry, 13 Laps; 2. Hannah Mayhew, Acton, Ca, 13 Laps; 3. Johnny Conley, Oxnard, 13 Laps; 4. Thomas Velasquez, Camarillo, 13 Laps; 5. Eric Lopez, Ventura, 13 Laps; 6. Eric Alton, Simi Valley, 13 Laps; 7. April Banvelos, Sylmar, 13 Laps; 8. Ira Henry, Bakersfield, 13 Laps; 9. Tommy Velasquez III, Camarillo, 13 Laps; 10. Jason Horton, Oxnard, 13 Laps; 11. Eric Moore, Ventura, 13 Laps; 12. Chase Lippert, Thousand Oaks, 13 Laps; 13. Tim Conley, Oxnard, 13 Laps; 14. Tom Stephens Jr, Ventura, 13 Laps; 15. Brent Stevens, Simi Valley, 13 Laps; 16. Jacob Ganzer, Murrietta, 12 Laps; 17. Lee Majors, Simi Valley, 12 Laps; 18. Cody Majors, Simi Valley, 12 Laps; 19. Curt Cook, Santa Paula, 10 Laps; 20. Kevin Calvo, Agua Dulce, 8 Laps

Lap Leaders: Brent Stevens (1-7), Hannah Mayhew (8-10), Jonathan Henry (11-13)

Heat Race Winners: Heat 1: Jacob Ganzer; Heat 2: Eric Lopez; Heat 3: Hannah Mayhew

Top 10 in points: 1. Brent Stevens, 650; 2. Eric Alton, 585; 3. Johnny Conley, 575; 4. Hannah Mayhew, 540; 5. Thomas Velasquez, 535; 6. Chase Lippert, 510; 7. Lee Majors, 485; 8. Tim Conley, 480; 9. Ira Henry, 465; 10. April Banvelos, 460

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VRA Senior Dwarf Cars

Race #3 04/06/2013

Main Event Results: 1. Keith Vondersaar, Acton, 20 Laps; 2. Mike Lewis, Sunland, 20 Laps; 3. Bill Van Praag, Ventura, 20 Laps; 4. Tom Stephens Sr, Ventura, 20 Laps; 5. Bob Kaufman, Santa Clarita, CA, 20 Laps; 6. George Calvo, Agua Dulce, 20 Laps; 7. Mike Neal, Northridge, 20 Laps

Lap Leaders: Keith Vondersaar (1-6), Mike Lewis (7-13), Keith Vondersaar (14-20)

Heat Race Winners: Heat 1: Mike Neal

Top 10 in points: 1. Mike Lewis, 685; 2. Bob Kaufman, 630; 3. Keith Vondersaar, 625; 4. Mike Neal, 615; 5. Bill Van Praag, 590; 6. George Calvo, 575; 7. Tom Stephens Sr, 535; 8. Rick Lapka, 10

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IMCA Modifieds

Race #3 04/06/2013

Main Event Results: 1. Joshua Vogt, Santa Maria, 20 Laps; 2. Robbie Witwer, Ridgecrest, 20 Laps; 3. Brad Prows, Oak View, 20 Laps; 4. Aaron Rodarte, Ventura, 20 Laps; 5. Jack Parker, Simi Valley, 20 Laps; 6. James Stowe, Ridgecrest, 18 Laps; 7. Austin Rodarte, Ventura, 15 Laps; 8. Dennis Eckert, Canyon Country, 13 Laps; 9. John Romero, Camarillo, 11 Laps; 10. Donald Houghton, Rosamond, 9 Laps; 11. Marty McLaughlin, Thousand Oaks, 9 Laps; 12. David Phipps, 6 Laps; 13. Mark Davis, Ventura, 6 Laps; 14. Steve Bulpitt, Culver City, 2 Laps

Heat Race Winners: Heat 1: Aaron Rodarte; Heat 2: Austin Rodarte

Top 10 in points: 1. Joshua Vogt, 80; 2. Robbie Witwer, 74; 2. Jack Parker, 74; 4. Aaron Rodarte, 72; 5. James Stowe, 69; 6. John Crow, 65; 7. John Romero, 62; 7. Brad Prows, 62; 9. Chuck Costabile, 55; 9. Steve Bulpitt, 55

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Ford Focus

Race #4 04/06/2013

Main Event Results: 1. Wally Pankratz, Orange, 20 Laps; 2. Cory Elliot, Bakersfield, 20 Laps; 3. Brennan Rogers, Camarillo, 20 Laps; 4. Greg Foster, Anaheim, 20 Laps; 5. Ashley Hazelton, Northridge, 3 Laps

Lap Leaders: Wally Pankratz (1-20)

Heat Race Winners: Heat 1: Wally Pankratz

Top 10 in points: 1. Brennan Rogers, 930; 2. Wally Pankratz, 740; 3. Ashley Hazelton, 700; 4. Courtney Crone, 230; 5. Steve Brown, 210; 5. Christine Breckenridge, 210; 7. Clayton Ruston, 195; 8. Greg Foster, 0; 8. Alexander Bissett, 0; 8. Cory Elliot, 0; 8. Austin Blair, 0

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Mod Lite

Race #2 04/06/2013

Main Event Results: 1. Dave Dotson, Thousand Oaks, 15 Laps; 2. Jeffrey Fry, Hawthorne, 15 Laps; 3. Mike Gilmore, Woodland Hills, 15 Laps; 4. Kris Kornder, 14 Laps; 5. Ricky Lewis, Oxnard, 12 Laps; 6. Kim Lewis, Woodland Hills, 1 Lap

Lap Leaders: Dave Dotson (1-15)

Heat Race Winners: Heat 1: Dave Dotson

Top 10 in points: 1. Dave Dotson, 500; 2. Ricky Lewis, 450; 3. Jeffrey Fry, 440; 4. Kris Kornder, 405; 5. Mike Gilmore, 210; 6. Kim Lewis, 170

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Go-Karts

Race #2 04/06/2013

Main Event Results: 1. Matt Jones, 20 Laps; 2. Kenny Byers Jr, Ventura, 20 Laps; 3. Justin Raper, Paso Robles, 20 Laps; 4. Cody Nigh, Camarillo, 20 Laps; 5. Dylan Ito, Newberry Park, 20 Laps; 6. Holiday Perches, 19 Laps; 7. Henry Ito, 19 Laps; 8. Kenji Ito, 18 Laps; 9. Douglas Lebow, Camarillo, Did not show

Heat Race Winners: Heat 1: Henry Ito

Top 10 in points: 1. Matt Jones, 515; 2. Kenny Byers Jr, 425; 3. Justin Raper, 400; 3. Dylan Ito, 400; 5. Kenji Ito, 330; 6. Holiday Perches, 315; 7. Chris Gibb, 240; 8. Cody Nigh, 205; 9. Henry Ito, 185; 10. Tyler Stover, 170

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VRA Quads Open

Race #1 04/06/2013

Main Event Results: 1. Danny Elderbaum, 15 Laps; 2. Dave Knight, 15 Laps; 3. Kyle Eurto, 15 Laps; 4. Mike Lewis, Sunland, 15 Laps

Heat Race Winners: Heat 1: Kyle Eurto

Top 10 in points: 1. Danny Elderbaum, 255; 2. Dave Knight, 230; 3. Kyle Eurto, 225; 4. Mike Lewis, 200

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VRA Quads Sportsman

Race #1 04/06/2013

Main Event Results: 1. James Bell, Bakersfield, 15 Laps; 2. Robert Peterson, 15 Laps; 3. Justin Smith, 15 Laps; 4. Brad Tyach, Bakersfield, 15 Laps

Heat Race Winners: Heat 1: James Bell

Top 10 in points: 1. James Bell, 260; 2. Robert Peterson, 230; 3. Justin Smith, 185; 4. Brad Tyach, 0