Kings Speedway
Kirkpatrick wins at Kings for second straight
From series and correspondent reports
A.J. Kirkpatrick is on a roll. (raceimages.net)
HANFORD, Calif. (May 3) — Winning his second straight Western Allstars event, A.J. Kirkpatrick of Castroville, Calif., took the lead from polesitter Chris Shannon on the second lap and pulled away for a $3,000 victory at Kings Speedway. Reigning series champion Mike Johnson of Lompoc, Calif., finished second with Shannon, of Merced, Calif., third at the track south of Fresno. Zack Forster of Bakersfield, Calif., finished fourth and Perris regular Johnny Malcolm of Corona., Calif., making his first start on the series, rounded out the top five. Bobby Hogge IV of Salinas, Calif., had a flat tire while running second but rallied back to finish sixth.
Notes: Kirkpatrick's winning car is sponsored by Pro Power Race Engines and Little Darlin's Childcare. ... Drivers carried their helmets into the grandstands to collect money for the American Cancer Society. ... Johnny Malcolm, making his first trip to Kings, was making his first start since an April 19 accident damaged his Larry Shaw Race Car. ... The series is scheduled to run its next event May 17 at Santa Maria (Calif.) Speedway, where Steve Drake of San Luis Obispo, Calif., has won the track's only Late Model event so far in 2008. Santa Maria is scheduled to host an unsanctioned Late Model event May 10.
Western Allstars @ Kings: (1) A.J. Kirkpatrick, (2) Mike Johnson, (3) Chris Shannon, (4) Zack Forster, (5) Johnny Malcolm, (6) Bobby Hogge IV, (7) Robert Sanders, (8) Dino Napier, (9) Chet Buckley, (10) Bryan Burnes, (11) Nick Bartels, (12) Larry Childress, (13) David Childress, (14) Rick Shafer, (15) Clark Guglielmoni, (16) Paul Guglielmoni, (17) Ron Bartels, (18) Bill Bartels, (19) John Crow, (20) John Pike, (21) Donnie McGowan, (22) Richard Papenhausen, (23) Jason Selvidge. Fast qualifier (among 23 cars): Ron Bartels, 16.945 seconds. Heat race winners: Johnson, Hogge, Sanders, Kirkpatrick. Dash winner: Shannon.
