"Digger Helm Short Track National"

Kern County Fairgrounds

Bakersfield, Calif. 9-26-2009

Article by Jamey Blunt  -    Photos by VFT

Of the thirty six pros only sixteen made it through the six heat races and two semis's to the Digger Helm Open Pro Main Event. Starter Fred Allen turned them lose for the first of twenty laps with Jared Mees launching to the front with Jimmy Wood on his inside. Sammy Halbert moved to third down the back straight with Stevie Bonsey fourth, Mikey Avila Fifth, Briar Bauman sixth, Joe Kopp seventh, and Brandan Bergen eighth. On lap two Kopp moved past Bauman to sixth as Mees and Wood began to pull a gap at the front. With a clear track Mees was turning 12.61 second lap times however four laps down saw Mees bobble leaving the door open which Wood went through entering turn three for the lead. Then on lap six Scott Podergois fell in the middle of turns three and four, he was fine but his motorcycle lay in the middle of the track making Wood go around the outside to avoid it while Mees chose correctly to go to the inside which also gave him back the lead. By this point Bonsey had slipped backwards to sixth and needed to regroup to find his rhythm again. By the half way point the leaders were into lappers whom Mees handled masterfully thus slowly pulling a gap from Wood. Bonsey found his pace and on lap twelve went past Avila to start his march forward. The running order at this point was Mees, Wood, Halbert, Bonsey, Avila, Bergen, Kopp, and Mikey Rush (who was making up for a third row start) up to ninth. With two laps remaining Bonsey made a move on Halbert entering turn three taking the final spot on the podium away. This put the final finishing order at Mees, Wood, Bonsey, Halbert, Avila, Kopp, (who got past Bergen) Bergen, Bauman, and Rush.