Boat Sails to Midget Victory at Ventura
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VENTURA — For the first time in five USAC Western States Midget races, someone other than Page Jones or Tony Stewart won a main event.
Phoenix resident Billy Boat won the 30-lap feature race at Ventura Raceway on Saturday night, with some help from Lady Luck and Val Verde resident Jay Drake.
After running neck and neck with Stewart for most of the race, Boat managed to put a couple of car lengths between himself and the current Midget points leader from Indianapolis when Simi Valley’s Rick Hendrix flipped on lap 28 in the fourth turn in front of Jones and Ron (Sleepy) Tripp.
Jones and Tripp were forced from the race and Stewart closed the gap during the caution period.
When racing resumed, Stewart slipped past Boat, but Drake flipped in almost the same spot as Hendrix did, bringing out another caution flag and nullifying the lap. Boat held on the rest of the way.
“That’s just a part of the game,” Stewart said.
Defending champion Robbie Flock of Temecula finished fourth in the main event and won the 12-lap semi-main.
Marc Hart of Ventura won the 20-lap three-quarter Midget main event and Frazier Park’s Ted Miller took the eight-lap semi-main.
Go beyond the scoreboard
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