By Ben Deatherage
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (April 30) – Clint Reichenbach and Jason Nation dazzled in their respective features as the California IMCA Speedweek presented by Hoppes Motorsports opened Friday at Bakersfield Speedway.
Reichenbach parlayed his outside front row starting spot into the $1,000, Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifying feature win while Nation won the Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod main event and $750 from the fifth starting spot.
Forty-two Modifieds and 37 Northern SportMods saw action in the tour lidlifter.
Reichenbach bolted into the front at the start and just a single caution waved during the Modified headliner, which meant for a long green-flag run.
Lapped traffic did come into play but was not a major obstacle for Reichenbach, who nonetheless was pressured by hard-charging Ethan Dotson toward the end of the race.
Reichenbach pulled away in the final laps to earn his first win of 2021 ahead of Dotson and Jake Pike. Jerry Flippo grabbed fourth with Cody Laney, via transferring out of a “B,” ending in fifth.
Tanner Thomas managed to beat the Northern SportMod field to the start/finish line at the completion of the first circuit. Nation found his way to the point by lap three.
Once Nation gained the front spot he was immediately challenged by Levi Kiefer, who was moments away from overtaking Nation only for the yellow to come out. Kiefer put in another shift to get to the head of the pack but Nation once again kept his mount in front of him.
A lap 18 caution would be the last opportunity for Nation to be overtaken. He mastered the field when they returned to action and led the rest of the distance for his second win of 2021.
Kiefer was second while Fred Ryland took third. Tanner Thomas ended his evening in fourth followed by Billy Simkins.
Jason Nation started fifth and finished first in Friday’s California Speedweek feature for Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods at Bakersfield Speedway. (Photo by Tom Macht, www.photofinishphotos.com)
Dotson, doing double duty, took the lead following an early caution and topped the 25-lap feature for IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars.
Jeff Streeter wound up in the runner-up position while third went to Steven Johnson. Dakota and Justin Schweitzer were the balance of the top five, in fourth and fifth.
