Kevin Harvick’s
Kern Raceway

Bakersfield, California

King of Kern
Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway, Bakersfield, Saturday April 6, 2024
by Steve Evans

RUML AND MARTIN TAKE THE WINS AT KING OF KERN

National Champion Max Ruml and rising star Alex Martin were victorious at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway in Bakersfield on April 6th.

Finally, after a rain interrupted early year, racing returned to the state-of-the-art California venue with the traditional American race format of Handicap and Scratch racing.

The handicap races saw riders designated a yard penalty with the faster riders starting their races off of the 40-yard line with starting positions at 10-yard increments. Each race produced abundant entertainment as the favored riders were made to navigate traffic ahead if they wanted success.

Heat 1 saw Ruml, from the 40, make it look easy, passing his opponents before the end of the first lap. Meantime, behind him, Jordan Vanderham, 0 yards impressed in the early stages, holding off his competition. However, towards the end of the race Martin, 30 yards got in the groove and made his way by for the other transfer spot to the Main event. Heat two saw Billy Janniro swoop around his entire competition from the 40-yard line in one straightaway at the end of lap one. Michael Wells, 20 got by Greg Moore, 10, for second with Charlie Trana (20) seemingly stuck at the back. As the race progressed Trana suddenly found his comfort level and stepped it up another gear, getting by both of his opponents to also go through the Main event.

Towards the end of the program the qualified riders returned. Trana was slow off the line with a fuel issue which immediately put Martin in the lead. Janniro got the better of Ruml at the start and the 11-time National champion went deep into the famous outside line Kern dirt to find a way to make up ground on the leader. Martin, however, was fast and comfortable out front and was not seriously challenged on his way to victory.

The Scratch races saw each rider partake in three qualifying heats. Janniro won all of his. including defeating Ruml in round 2. Ruml an uncharacteristic fall in the charge to the line as he made one last attempt to find some outside drive. Alex Martin, with one win and two second places qualified with 7. Ruml, despite his fall, was never in doubt in making it to the final with two wins in his other heats. Trana was consistent with a string of second places to be the final qualifier.

After losing out to Janniro twice, Ruml was in no mood to be swept 3-0 in their encounters and made the best start in the Main. After a lap and half, he simply entered another time zone and cleared off into the distance. Janniro came home second with Martin third.

Four of the younger contenders competed in a ‘Last Man Out Challenge’ for a Stars and Stripes Helmet and cash sponsored by the band ‘Whitestar.’ Vanderham was the first to be eliminated with Wells edging Moore by inches for the qualifying spot in the second one lap leg. The two remaining riders, Wells and Justin Almon raced a two-lap match race with Almon coming out on top.

Levi Leutz made his 500cc debut and duly showed his talent level winning all races, including an impressively tidy last two first blast in the second heat. Antonio Coffman swept Division Three, though he had to come from behind and pass the rapidly improving Catherine Moore in his first heat. Jamison Hutchinson won 250cc Junior class. Zaal Farhand, an eight-year-old rider who started speedway only 6 months ago at the track’s speedway academy, won the 150cc class. Farhand is already planning to race events overseas in the summer.

Though it is possible races may be added into the schedule, the next scheduled event at Kern currently is the Third Annual Digger Helm Memorial race on June 22nd, honoring the local Bakersfield racing and promoting legend.

Results

Handicap Main
30 Alex Martin (30)
14 Billy Janniro (40)
1 Max Ruml (40)
66 Charlie Trana (20)

Scratch Main
1 Max Ruml
14 Billy Janniro
30 Alex Martin
66 Charlie Trana

WhiteStar Young Guns Last Man Out
137 Justin Almon
214 Michael Wells
35 Greg Moore
123 Jordan Vanderham

Division 2
226 Levi Leutz
106 Isaiah Canales
182 Rudy Laurer

Division 3
222 Antonio Coffman
123 Catherine Moore
125 Jason Wood
138 Jim Sanders

Juniors
98 Zaal Farhand (150)
5 Brandon Soto (150)
13 Jameson Hutchinson (250 – 40 yards)
13x Brady Landon (non-starter)