Santa Maria Raceway
Hogge edges youngest Bartels at Santa Maria
By Jim Pluhar
Santa Maria Speedway
Bobby Hogge IV's dash victory won this girl a bicycle. (K.C. Rooney)
SANTA MARIA, Calif. (May 9) — Grabbing his first career Late Model victory at Santa Maria Speedway, Bobby Hogge IV of Salinas, Calif., overtook Nick Bartels of El Segundo, Calif., with eight laps remaining for his second Western Allstars DIRTcar Late Model Series victory of the season. Hogge earned $2,000 for the 30-lap victory, his series-leading 12th with the Western Allstars. | Slideshow
Matt Micheli of Live Oak, Calif., led the first 14 laps of the feature before Bartels, the youngest of three generations of the Bartels family in action, took command just before the halfway point. Eight laps later, Hogge took command and raced to the checkered flag. Bartels finished second followed by Robert Sanders of Bakersfield, Calif. Bill Bartels, the runner-up's grandfather, was fourth and consolation race winner Devin Crocket off Arroyo Grande, Calif., rounded out the top five. The night's fast qualifier, Dino Napier of Corona, Calif., dropped out of the main event after four laps with mechanical problems.
Notes: Hogge's Victory Circle Chassis is sponsored by Mid State Fleet Repair and Joe Bob Racing. ... Hogge also won the series opener March 28 at Kings Speedway in Hanford, Calif. ... The young girl who drew Hogge's spot in the dash won a bicycle by virtue of Hogge's victory in the dash. She ran out and gave him a congratulatory hug before wheeling her new bike away. ... Also in competition was Ron Capps, the NHRA funny car points leader who was tuning up for next month's Prelude to the Dream at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio. The Carlsbad, Calif., drag racer drove a Zack Forster-owned car and finished 14th in the main event. ... Next up for the Western Allstars is a June 6 event at Marysville (Calif.) Raceway Park.
Western Allstars @ Santa Maria: (1) Bobby Hogge IV, (2) Nick Bartels, (3) Robert Sanders, (4) Bill Bartels, (5) Devin Crockett, (6) Billy Griffin, (7) Ron Bartels, (8) Matt Micheli, (9) Steve Drake, (10) Andy Obertello, (11) Johnny Malcolm, (12) Mike Johnson, (13) Tom Malcolm, (14) Ron Capps, (15) Donnie Hampl, (16) Ken Micheli, (17) Jeff Decker, (18) Dana Beattie, (19) Brad Pounds, (20) Chris Shannon, (21) Dino Napier. Fast qualifier (among 29 cars): Napier, 14.609 seconds. Dash winner: Hogge. Heat race winners: N. Bartels, R. Bartels, Napier, Sanders. Consolation winner: Crockett.
Correction: Fixes Decker's first name.
