Brady Bacon took the lead on lap seven and went on to record his third win of the season in the USAC National Midget Series feature event at the Bakersfield (Calif.) Speedway on Saturday night. The victory is the 35th for a Toyota this season and the 200th national midget feature win for the manufacturer since entering the sport in 2006.
Bacon started the race from the seventh position, but quickly used the outside line to move up to challenge championship rival and fellow Toyota driver Spencer Bayston for second. After passing Bayston, he set his sights on leader Michael Faccinto. On lap seven, Bacon pushed past Faccinto on the back straight to move his FMR Racing/Brown & Miller Racing Solutions Black Watch Farms/Beast/Toyota into the lead.
At that point, Bacon was able to pull away as Bayston battled Faccinto for second place with Bayston finally gaining the position on lap 12. A pair of caution flags bunched the field for a lap 14 re-start, but Bacon quickly pulled away to a comfortable lead and only lapped traffic late in the race could slow him as he took the checkered flag ahead of Keith Kunz Motorsports teammates Bayston and Tanner Thorson.
“At the start, I was on the inside and I saw the outside got a pretty good run,” Bacon said. “The bottom was kind of glazed over from the moisture in the air. I knew it would eventually move back down there, but I figured I’d try to make the moves while I could. I went to the top and it worked out. We were the first ones in the front to do it and had a clear lane to the front.”
The one-two-three finish was fitting as Toyota captured its milestone victory.
“It seems like just yesterday that Toyota and TRD USA ventured into the ranks of midget racing with Dave Steele winning our first race in 2006,” said David Wilson, president of Toyota Racing Development. “So for Brady Bacon to bring home Toyota’s 200th national midget win last night in Bakersfield is surreal. Of course, we congratulate Brady and we are extremely grateful to all the great Toyota midget drivers and teams who have contributed to this awesome milestone.”
Ryan Robinson (seventh) and Tanner Carrick (tenth) made it five Toyotas in the top ten on Saturday night.
With his runner-up finish, the 19-year-old Bayston will take a 67-point lead over Bacon into the Thursday USAC season finale needing only to attempt to qualify to clinch the championship. More than 50 entries are expected for the 77th annual Turkey Night Grand Prix at Ventura Raceway.
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Place
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Bakersfield Speedway Saturday
Toyota Feature Results
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1
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Brady Bacon
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2
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Spencer Bayston
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3
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Tanner Thorson
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7
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Ryan Robinson
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10
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Tanner Carrick
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12
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Chad Boat
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13
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Courtney Crone
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17
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Michael Pickens
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22
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Holly Shelton
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USAC MIDGET NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS: 1-Bayston-1441, 2-Bacon-1374, 3-S. Golobic-1349, 4-Thorson-1331, 5-Courtney-1267, 6-Grant-1262, 7-Boat-1131, 8-Shelton-1020, 9-Carrick-954, 10-Coons, Jr.-849
Toyota Racing PR
