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BCRA Season Opener
By Floyd Busby
B.C.R.A. SET FOR MIDGET THUNDER SEASON OPENER
The Bay Cities Racing Association begins its 64th season of midget auto racing the weekend of April 6-7 at Stockton "99" Speedway in the first rounds of the Midget Thunder Series, co-sanctioned with USAC. The Stockton Thunder is set for Sunday afternoon, providing fans with the west coast's top midget cars and drivers. Leading the way for BCRA will be defending champion Floyd Alvis. The 67-year-old five-time champion will again drive his Interstate Batteries VanDyne/Stealth on the paved oval as he eyes a record-breaking sixth BCRA title. The BCRA contingent will be backed up with former champion Glenn Carson in the Bock Esslinger/Stewart, Pete Davis in his Esslinger/TCR and Chuck Gurney Jr. in the Baraldi Brayton Ford/Stewart. Jim Silva will drive a new Chandler Chevy V4/Stealth while veteran Ken Molica will run his Fontana/Beast on the two highly-banked ovals. Local Danny Olmstead is set to compete in his Pink Chevy/Beast and veteran Cliff Servetti will have his Buick Brayton/ Stealth ready for duty. USAC will have their top cars and drivers, including Shane Scully, winner of USAC's season opener in Bakersfield. Defending champion Danny Ebberts is expected to compete along with Wally Pankratz, Sleepy Tripp, Alex Harris, Josh Wise, and Thomas Meseraull. More than 30 midgets are expected for the Midget Thunder Series weekend. Stockton's only day program will have the gates open at 11 a.m. with qualifying at 1 p.m. and racing set for 2:30. The 8-race series will continue with four additional shows at Stockton during the 2002 season.
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