Turnbull III Wins Albright Memorial
By Mark Sublett
04-24-21: Merced, CA……The 7th Annual “Wayne Albright Memorial” co-sanctioned Bay Cities Racing Association Lightning Sprints from the North and the California Lightning Sprints based in the south brought a real North vs South showdown to Central California’s Merced Speedway Saturday night. 26 cars filled the pits with southern driver James Turnbull III taking the $2,035 win plus all lap money in a flag to flag romp. Fellow CLS driver and past winner of the race Bobby Michnowicz finished a hard fought second with Santa Barbra’s David Gaspar completing the southern sweep of the top three. The North’s Dakota Albright, son of Wayne, finished fourth with Aiden Lange finishing fifth. The main saw a wild flip from Harlee Agulera in turn one. Agulera walked away but the car was severely damaged. Track conditions were good for the heats but the wind took it’s toll on the track in the main event where drivers got in line and ran the bottom in freight train fashion. The race is held in honor of past BCRA Champion and Hall of Fame member Wayne Albright, longtime car owner of car #35jr. Wayne was a great guy who was very involved with the BCRA until his passing from an illness while en route home from the famous Chili Bowl midget race held in Tulsa, OK. This race has been run in his honor every year since headed by his son Dakota.
SUMMARY: 04-24-21 – BCRA/CLS Lightning Sprints – Merced Speedway
Fast Time: Adam Lange 14.234
Heat 1: 1. Hunter Kinney 2. Danika ‘Jo Parker 3. James Turnbull III 4. Jeffrey Dyer 5. Aiden Lange 6. Craig Holsted 7. Kaleb Ferolito 8. Tyler Gerdes
Heat 2: 1. Trever Ballou 2. Bobby Michnowicz 3. Brandon Leedy 4. Cody Neigh 5. Seth Hespe 6. Steve Roza 7. Terry Bergstrom 8. Eric Greco
Heat 3: 1. Dakota Albright 2. Josef Ridell 3. Greg Dennett 4. Harlee Aqulera 5. Chase Gaal 6. David Gaspar 7. Dominic Del Monte 8. Mark Henry
B-Main: 1. J. Ridell 2. Greco 3. Bergstrom 4. Roza 5. Holsted 6. Gerdes 7. Henry 8. K. Ferlito
A-Main: 1. Turnbull III 2. Michnowicz 3. Gasper 4. Albright 5. Lange 6. Hespe 7. Dyer 8. Greco 9. Gaal 10. Leedy 11. Del Monte 12. Dennett 13. Kinney 14. Bergstrom 15. Josef Ridell 16. Ballou 17. Roza 18. Neigh 19. Parker 20. Agulera
