BLAKE BOWER SCORES TENTH CAREER WATSONVILLE VICTORY WITH WMR
WATSONVILLE, CALIFORNIA (May 12, 2023) – 2022 Western Midget Racing champion Blake Bower of Brentwood continued to dominate racing at Ocean Speedway in Watsonville, Calif., scoring his tenth career victory at the Santa Cruz County Faigrounds dirt track on Friday night.
Bower and Todd Hawse of Moorpark split the two heat races for outstanding 15-car field on hand during “Modified Madness” at the facility.
Bower led the opening three laps before a caution for Sparky Howard of Santa Rosa spinning in turn one in the No. 22q.
French Camp’s Sage Bordenave steered the No. 11 around the outside of Lodi’s Nate Wait to take second on the restart.
New York’s Darrin Horton flipped car No. 66 in turn three for a red flag on lap four. Santa Cruz’ Logan Mitchell made a trip to the work area under the caution flag.
Bower banged off the inside curb in turns three and four on the restart with Bordenave hounding him for the lead. Bower was able to fend off the challenge as Bordenave slipped backward on a treacherous outside line.
Wait retook second from Bordenave on lap 11 and 2023 Ventura winner Bryant Bell of Oakley looked inside Bordenave for third but to no avail. The yellow flag flew on lap 11 when Norman Harley Rose of San Jose stopped on the backstretch.
Bower cruised over the final nine laps for a 2.2 second victory over Wait. Bordenave held off Bell for third with Todd Hawse finishing fifth.
Western Midget Racing continues its first NorCal doubleheader of 2023 at Petaluma Speedway on May 13. For more information visit www.WesternMidgetRacing.com
RESULTS: Ocean Speedway May 12, 2023
HEAT 1 (8 LAPS): 9-Blake Bower; HEAT 2 (8 LAPS): 31-Todd Hawse
FEATURE (20 LAPS): 1. 9-Blake Bower[1]; 2. 76-Nate Wait[3]; 3. 11-Sage Bordenave[4]; 4. 09-Bryant Bell[5]; 5. 31N-Todd Hawse[2]; 6. 7-Greg Dennett[7]; 7. 22Q-Sparky Howard[12]; 8. 20-Kyle Hawse[8]; 9. 35X-Doug Johnson[15]; 10. 96X-Logan Mitchell[6]; 11. 10-Norman Rose[11]; 12. 4-Rick Faeth[13]; 13. 6S-David Prickett[10]; 14. 66-Darin Horton[9]; 15. (DNS) 35-John Sarale
2023 WMR Schedule – Subject to Change
2.4 Adobe Mountain Speedway – Winner: Dustin Cormany
3.18 Mohave Valley Raceway – Winner: Drake Edwards
3.31 Ocean Speedway – RAIN
4.1 Antioch Speedway – RAIN
4.29 Ventura Raceway – Winner: Bryant Bell
5.12 Ocean Speedway – Winner: Blake Bower
5.13 Petaluma Speedway
6.9 Ocean Speedway
6.10 Petaluma Speedway
6.17 Ventura Raceway *Wagsdash*
7.14 & 15 Ocean Speedway *Howard Kaeding Classic*
7.28 Ocean Speedway
7.29 Antioch Speedway
8.11 Ocean Speedway
8.12 Marysville Raceway
9.2 Bakersfield Speedway
9.30 Mohave Valley Raceway
10.21 Ventura Raceway
