CA SPEEDWEK CHAMPIONS DECIDED AT LEMOORE RACEWAY
LEMOORE, CALIFORNIA (July 1, 2018) – The fourth annual California Speedweek decided its 2018 champions on Saturday night at Lemoore Raceway, with Jake Hagopian, Tyler Smith, and Dylan Bloomfield claiming the lucrative honors. Each driver won a large wooden bear trophy and a piece of the $18,000 points fund for the $54,000 week.
No championship win was more intense than that of Hagopian in the Super 600 division. Hagopian won both Dixon and Visalia rounds while 2015 Speedweek champion Michael Faccinto had won Delta Speedway in Stockton. The two veterans of Micro Sprint racing traded turns throughout the final night, with Hagopian winning Bakersfield Karting Experience qualifying while both drivers won their respective heat races. Hagopian was the highest point earner so far for the day but drew a fourth starting position just ahead of sixth starting Faccinto.
They entered the 30 lap featured separated by just one point, making the main event truly a head-to-head race with winner take all.
Joey Ancona nosed underneath pole sitter Heath Duinkerken for the lead in turn three to take the top spot on lap one. Faccinto looked inside Hagopian early on but Hagopian dove inside to block in turn one on lap three.
Ben Worth slid in between them to nullify the battle for a moment but then he jumped the cushion in turn one on lap five. Lapped traffic tightened the race for the lead as Ancona tried to maintain his significant lead.
Hagopian rolled the cushion through lapped traffic. He charged past Ancona on the outside to take the lead on lap 23.
Hagopian drove to his third $1000 California Speedweek victory and the $2000 championship. Ancona was second ahead of championship runner-up Faccinto in third. Worth and Raio Salmon rounded out the top-five. KJ Snow drove from 17th to eighth to win the Hoosier Tire Hard Charger.
