White Prevails With Patience in Main Event at Ventura

Kenny White of Ventura played a waiting game in the U.S. Auto Club’s Western States Series three-quarter Midget main event Saturday night at Ventura Raceway..

White started in the fifth position and patiently moved to the front, finally taking the lead from Scott Hansen of Simi Valley on Lap 11 of the 20-lap feature before 5,222.

Hansen held the lead at the beginning but seven restarts led to White getting inside of Hansen on Turn 3 to take the lead for good.

Walt Johnson of Sun Valley was second and Cory Kruseman of Ventura was third. Hansen finished fourth.

The Midget 30-lap feature was in progress when this edition went to press.

Midget 10-lap heat-race winners were Robby Flock of Temecula, Sleepy Tripp of Costa Mesa, Robert Dolacki of La Puente and Larry Brown of Bakersfield.

Three-quarter Midget eight-lap heat-race winners were Marc Hart of Ventura; Mark Holz of Bremerton, Wash.; Johnson; and Rick Atkins of Fullerton.

Tripp and Jay Drake of Val Verde each won a four-lap Trophy Dash in the Midget and three-quarter Midget divisions, respectively.

In Friday night’s stock car action, a 77-car field of Street Stocks, Mini Stocks and IMCA Modifieds kept a record crowd of 5,530 entertained well past the traditional 11 p.m. racing curfew. The time limit was extended by the fair action and the last car didn’t cross the finish line until 12:20 Saturday morning.

Mike Raschke of Ventura won the 20-lap event while cousin Chris, last year’s winner, was fourth.