FF: Ventura Raceway summary 2009-11-21

KUHN CAPTURES CLASSIC CASH AT VENTURA RACEWAY

VENTURA, Calif. (Nov. 21, 2009) -- Indiana driver Brad Kuhn delivered on a promise and won the ARP presents the J.W. Mitchell Fall Classic for USAC Midgets at Ventura Raceway.

Kuhn said during an interview on national television a week earlier that he planned to race in the Fall Classic at Ventura and win the $5,000 winner's share of the purse. Saturday he took the lead in time to lead the final eight laps and win the 40-lap Classic.

"I can't thank the Mitchell family enough," said Kuhn. "They had a loss when they lost J.W. but they are still around."

The event honored the memory of the late J.W. Mitchell who suffered fatal injuries in a midget crash nine years ago. Matt Mitchell, J.W.'s nephew, was in the Classic field.

Ventura's Cory Kruseman started on the pole and led the early going. Bryan Clauson led nine laps in the middle of the race and before Kuhn took over.

Chad Boat (Phoenix) finished second, followed by Ryan Caplan (Chico), Kruseman and Brad Loyet (Sunset Hills, Mo.).

Kuhn told promoter Jim Naylor after the race, "I didn't know I was on TV," when he mentioned racing at Ventura. "I thought it was just two guys talking. What does the mention on SPEED pay?"

Whittier's Andrew Mulhearn won the Ford Focus Midget feature, which was the national championship race for the series, and he joked over the public address system, "I've never had a title say national on it, let alone national champion."

Alex Jacobsen (San Jose) won the USAC Junior Focus Midget race and said, "This is my first win and it came in a big race!"

-credit: vr