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WESTERN STATES MIDGETS AT VENTURA OCTOBER 29; GARDNER TAKES KCR SAFETY FALL SHOOTOUT AT TULARE

Ronnie Gardner of Corona, Calif. took another step toward a fourth consecutive USAC Western States Midget championship last Saturday night, winning the 30-lap “KCR Safety Fall Shootout” at the Merle Stone Chevrolet Thunderbowl Raceway in Tulare, Calif.

Gardner has spurted to a 108-point lead over Michael Faccinto in the latest standings with three races remaining on the 2016 calendar. Ventura (Calif.) Raceway hosts an October 29 race before the series visits Bakersfield (Calif.) Speedway on November 19 before closing the campaign with the November 24 “Turkey Night Grand Prix” at Ventura.

Gardner took over the lead when Alex Schutte pitted under caution with two lap remaining at Tulare. Gardner piloted the Six8 Motorsports Baldozier Racing/Esslinger Engineering Stewart/Esslinger to the win over Frankie Guerrini, Courtney Crone, Cory Elliott and Maria Cofer.

Gardner was the winner when the series visited Ventura in May. Faccinto finished fourth in that race.

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