Dolacki Pulls Off a Surprise in Midget Victory at Ventura

Robert Dolacki surprised a crowd of 3,600 Saturday at the Ventura Raceway with a victory in the Midget main event.

Dolacki, from La Puente, entered the evening 12th in the point standings. But headliner Sleepy Tripp, the all-time winningest Midget driver, dropped out of the 20-lap race when his engine malfunctioned.

In the three-quarter Midget main event, Cory Kruseman held off J.J. Ercse. It was Kruseman’s second main-event victory of the season, the first coming in April. Kruseman vaulted into fourth place in the three-quarter Midget standings with 325. Ercse improved his total to 445, overtaking Ventura’s Kenny White for sole possession of first place in the point standings.

Scott Hansen of Simi Valley, who remains third with 329 points, overturned on the 14th lap.

In the Dwarf series main, Oren Prosser lost his hood but won the 20-lap race after trailing Bruce Dorn as late as the 16th lap. After part of his hood flew off in final turn of Lap 16, Prosser made his move on Dorn and took the lead for good. Dorn ended up running into the infield and did not finish.

Ron Wade of Wilmington won the semi-main three-quarter Midget race.

Ventura’s Kenny White and Simi Valley’s Rick Hendrix each won three-quarter Midget heat races. Hendrix also recorded a track-record 13.203 seconds in a quarter-mile qualifying USAC TQ Midget heat.

Jimmy Ridell of Tracy and Bob Smith of Chico each won Mini Sprint heats. Craig Silreia won the Sprint main event exhibition after Don Collins and Russ Nickles collided and Collins’ vehicle flipped over. There were no injuries.