Kruseman Wins Three-Quarter Midget Main

Cory Kruseman, 19, of Ventura won the three-quarter Midget 20-lap USAC Western States Series main event at Ventura Raceway on Saturday night before 2,380.

Jason Gibb of Long Beach held a narrow lead over Kruseman for 16 laps before spinning out in Turn 4. Kruseman took the lead, but was locked in a tight battle with Page Jones of Rolling Hills.

Jones edged past Kruseman on Lap 18. But Jones, with Kruseman on his tail, hit a groove and slid sideways on Lap 19, giving Kruseman the space he needed to go on to win.

Jeff Drake of Valencia finished second and Rob Hansen of Simi Valley third. Jones was fifth. Frank Pedregon of Gardena led wire-to-wire to win the Midget 30-lap main event. Hank Butcher of San Leandro edged George Ito of Ventura to finish second.

City of Industry’s Robby Flock and Anaheim’s Gary Howard each won a 10-lap Midget heat race. The eight-lap heat race winners for three-quarter Midgets were Jim Styer of Tujunga, Steve Kellick of Ventura, Ito, and Tom Morley of Woodland Hills.

Frank Deiny Jr. of Burbank won the flip-plagued three-quarter Midget 10-lap semi-main event to lead a four-car contingent transferring to the main event from a 19-car starting field.

Also making the transfer were Gibb, Gary Schroeder of Burbank, and Hansen.

Fast one-lap qualifying times were set by Flock in the Midgets at 13.156 seconds and Drake in the three-quarter Midgets at 14.144.