RYAN BERNAL TOPS HANFORD’S OPEN WHEEL MADNESS

By Lance Jennings

HANFORD, CA – APRIL 10, 2021… For the 50th time in series history, the USAC West Coast Sprint Cars took to Hanford’s Keller Auto Speedway and Ryan Bernal (Hollister, CA) claimed the top spot. Piloting the Matt Wood Racing #17W Elk Grove Ford entry, Bernal took advantage of a slower car to pass Kaleb Montgomery on lap seventeen and sailed to the 37th series win of his career. After earning the $1,500 victory, the new point leader was followed by Montgomery, Brody Roa, Jace Vander Weerd, and D.J. Johnson.From the pole position, Jace Vander Weerd led the first eight laps until the third starting Montgomery took command. Looking for his second career win, Kaleb found the low groove to his liking until reaching traffic. With Montgomery’s progress slowed, the sixth starting Bernal carried extra momentum from the outside lane and powered to lead. Once out front, the night belonged to Ryan Bernal and the veteran driver took the checkered flags at the Kings County Fairgrounds.Bernal began the night by posting his eighteenth career Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Award with a time of 16.468 over the 18-car roster.Storming from twelfth to sixth in the main event, Tanner Boul (Auberry, CA) claimed the night’s Rod End Supply Hard Charger Award / Best Passing Job honors. Boul left Hanford ranked seventh in the point chase.The 8-lap heat race victories went to Brody Fuson (Extreme Mufflers First Heat), Roa (Sway-A-Way Torsion Bars Second Heat), and Johnson (Competition Suspension Incorporated / Ultra Shield Race Products Third Heat).Next Saturday, April 17th, the USAC West Coast 360s will invade the Thunderbowl Raceway in Tulare, California for their second round of action. The popular USAC Western States Midgets will join the action packed card.The USAC West Coast Sprint Car Series thanks AMSOIL, Competition Suspension Incorporated, Extreme Mufflers, FloRacing.com, Hoosier Racing Tire, Loudpedal Productions, Rod End Supply, Sway-A-Way Torsion Bars, Ultra Shield Race Products, and Woodland Auto Display for their support. For more information on the series, visit usacracing.com and the social media for USAC Racing. You can also find exclusive content on the USAC West Coast Sprint Car Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages.FloRacing.com has live, flag-to-flag coverage of the USAC West Coast Sprint Car Series. You can catch the action by subscribing to FloRacing on a monthly or yearly basis to view their huge catalog of live and on-demand auto racing and sporting events.USAC WEST COAST SPRINT CAR SERIES RACE RESULTS: April 10, 2021 – Keller Auto Speedway – Hanford, California – “Open Wheel Madness” WOODLAND AUTO DISPLAY QUALIFYING: 1. Ryan Bernal, 17W, Wood-16.468; 2. Brody Roa, 8M, May-16.504; 3. Ryan Timmons, 29T, Timmons-16.626; 4. Jarrett Soares, 12, Soares-16.710; 5. Cody Fendley, 73C, Russell-16.736; 6, Kaleb Montgomery, 3, Montgomery-16.741; 7. Danny Faria Jr., 17V, Faria-16.747; 8. Trent Carter, 13, Carter-16.778; 9. Jace Vander Weerd, 88, Vander Weerd-16.786; 10. Jake Hodges, 4, Hodges-17.000; 11. Tanner Boul, 99T, Boul-17.124; 12. Austin Liggett, 83, Liggett-17.175; 13. Brody Fuson, 73, Ford-17.290; 14. Nate Schank, 1$, Schank-17.323; 15. Logan Calderwood, 6, Calderwood-17.423; 16. Kyle Edwards, 39, Edwards-17.532; 17. Tuesday Calderwood, 4C, Calderwood-18.109; 18. D.J. Johnson, 33, Johnson-NTEXTREME MUFFLERS FIRST HEAT: (8 laps) 1. Fuson, 2. Bernal, 3. Edwards, 4. Faria, 5. Hodges, 6. Soares, NT.SWAY-A-WAY TORSION BARS SECOND HEAT: (8 laps) 1. Roa, 2. Carter, 3. Fendley, 4. Schank, 5. Boul, 6. T.Calderwood. NT.COMPETITION SUSPENSION INCORPORATED / ULTRA SHIELD RACE PRODUCTS THIRD HEAT: (8 laps) 1. Johnson, 2. Liggett, 3. Montgomery, 4. Vander Weerd, 5. Timmons, 6. L.Calderwood. NT.FEATURE: (30 laps, with starting positions) 1. Ryan Bernal (6), 2. Kaleb Montgomery (3), 3. Brody Roa (5), 4. Jace Vander Weerd (1), 5. D.J. Johnson (8), 6. Tanner Boul (12), 7. Brody Fuson (7), 8. Cody Fendley (4), 9. Danny Faria Jr. (2), 10. Jarrett Soares (10), 11. Logan Calderwood (15), 12. Nate Schank (14), 13. Jake Hodges (11), 14. Tuesday Calderwood (17), 15. Kyle Edwards (16), 16. Ryan Timmons (9), 17. Austin Liggett (13), 18. Trent Carter (18). NT.—————————- **Liggett flipped on lap 8 the feature. FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-8 Vander Weerd, Laps 9-16 Montgomery, Laps 17-30 Bernal.ROD END SUPPLY HARD CHARGER: Tanner Boul (12th to 6th)NEW USAC WEST COAST SPRINT CAR POINTS: 1-Ryan Bernal-83, 2-Brody Roa-77, 3-Kaleb Montgomery-74, 4-D.J. Johnson-66, –Jace Vander Weerd-66, 7-Tanner Boul-59, 8-Cody Fendley-57, 9-Danny Faria Jr.-51, 10-Jarrett Soares-49.