Bakersfield Speedway
Pounds outduels Forster for Bakersfield victory
Brad Pounds (15B) outruns Zack Forster (1) at Bakersfield. (photofinishphotos.com)
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (May 23) — Hometown driver Brad Pounds grabbed one of the biggest victories of his career in Saturday's West Coast Shootout feature at Bakersfield Speedway. The 24-year-old Pounds, son of former track champion Scott Pounds, started seventh at the third-mile oval and outran front-row starter Zack Forster for a $2,000 victory. | Slideshow
Forster led the first 22 laps, but Pounds went to the low groove in turn one and took control for a lead he'd never give up in a 30-lap feature slowed by eight cautions.
Sixth-starting Steve Drake of San Luis Obispo, Calif., was third while Mike Kirby of Torrance, Calif., and fast qualifier Robert Sanders of Bakersfield rounded out the top five. Polesitter Alex Stanford of Chowchilla, Calif., faded to finish 10th in the event that's part of a two-track collaboration between Bakersfield and Santa Maria Speedway.
Notes: Pounds drove a GRT Race Car sponsored by Scott Pounds Racing. ... Donnie McGowan scratched from qualifying and heat races but was able to make the call for the feature. ... The event paid $500 to start. ... The next West Coast Shootout event is scheduled for June 27 at Santa Maria.
West Coast Shootout @ Bakersfield: (1) Brad Pounds, (2) Zack Forster, (3) Steve Drake, (4) Mike Kirby, (5) Robert Sanders, (6) A.J. Kirkpatrick, (7) Johnny Malcolm, (8) Ron Bartels, (9) John Lowrey, (10) Alex Stanford, (11) Bill Bartels, (12) Carla Laney, (13) Kevin Nichols, (14) Mike Johnson, (15) Tommy Malcolm, (16) Jason Selvidge, (17) Nick Bartels, (18) Donnie McGowan, (19) Dino Napier, (20) Larry Brown. Fast qualifier (among 20 cars): Sanders, 13.982 seconds. Heat race winners: Sanders, Pounds, Drake. Dash winner: Johnson.
