Bingham Continues Winning Ways at Ventura

The winner’s circle at Ventura Raceway is becoming something of a second home to Camarillo’s Randy Bingham.

Bingham won his first career oval track main event at Ventura Raceway last week, and on Friday he won his second consecutive 20-lap mini-stock race.

Bingham took the lead on the first lap and held off a furious charge by season points leader Marty Desbrow of Ventura, who came from eighth place to finish a close second. Mike Spencer of Oxnard was third.

It was a tight, aggressive battle among the top three finishers for all 15 laps of the Street Stock oval track main event. After a six-week absence, Ventura’s Dave Hume showed the kind of form that has made him a track champion as he held off Bill Famularo of Simi Valley and Jim Powell Jr. of Cypress for the victory.

Meanwhile, Richard Webster of Camarillo, who has been racing in borrowed cars all season, borrowed a ride from Spencer and won his fifth figure-eight main event to further pad his season points lead.

Bingham and Joe Silva of Port Hueneme were second and third.

After going completely off the race track and through a secondary perimeter fence in an earlier heat race, Scott Olsen of Ventura came back to win the Street Stock four-lap figure-eight main event.

Tom Stephens of Ventura and Hume finished second and third, and season points leader Jim Firsich of Port Hueneme, also in a borrowed car, finished fifth.

Stephens won his season-high seventh Street Stock heat race and Brett Miller of Oxnard won the other eight-lap heat in other action.

Mini Stock eight-lap heat race winners were Ken Hewitt of Moorpark and Desbrow.

The USAC three-quarter midgets will make their third appearance of the season tonight at Ventura Raceway. Racing begins at 7.