Miller Edges Kellick at the Finish in Midget Main at Ventura

It was not a good night for racing at Ventura Raceway on Saturday night.

Two accidents delayed action for 45 minutes early in the program, and racing was delayed further when Jay Drake of Val Verde was injured in another accident during the United States Auto Club’s 20-lap main event for Western States three-quarter Midgets.

Wiley Miller of Buena Park made a power move on the final lap to edge Steve Kellick of Ventura at the start-finish line in unofficial results of the three-quarter Midget race.

Something on Drake’s steering mechanism broke, propelling him head-on into the front straightaway cement crash wall.

Drake had to be pulled from the cockpit with a special harness attached to a tow truck, then transfered to a backboard for initial treatment in the infield area for unknown injuries. The injuries, however, were not believed to be serious.

Tracy VanBlargan of Camarillo got past pole-sitter J.J. Ersce of Bellflower on Lap 3 and went on to win his first three-quarter Midget heat race of the season in the eight-lap event.

Other three-quarter Midget heat-race winners were Cory Kruseman of Ventura, Miller and Schroeder.

Racing action was delayed for 25 minutes when Jim Styer of Tujunga took a vicious six-spin, barrel-roll flip on the backstretch during a heat race and was transported to Community Memorial Hospital in Ventura for treatment of a broken right wrist and possible shock.

Robby Flock of Whittier, Bob Davison of Santa Ana, and Frank Pedregon of Diamond Bar each drove to 10-lap Midget heat-race victories.

Andy Pierce of Bartlesville, Okla., rolled his Midget into the Turn 1 wall, and although he emerged uninjured was unable to make the semi-main event.

Jay Drake of Val Verde ran away from the field to easily win the 10-lap three-quarter Midget semi-main event and lead a four car transfer field to the main.

Bob Meli of Temple City, Kelly Drake of Saugus, and Ron Wade of Wilmington also made the transfer.