Ryan Bernal (Joe Shivak photo)
Ryan Bernal, seen here earlier this year, has joined Baughman-Reutzel Motorsports to compete in the inaugural Corn Belt Nationals. (Joe Shivak photo)

Bernal Claims Faria Memorial

TULARE, Calif. — Ryan Bernal won the 30-lap Faria Memorial King of Thunder 360 sprint car feature at the Tulare Thunderbowl Raceway on Friday night.

Bernal’s Keith Day Trucking No. 22 took the lead from D.J. Netto on the 20th lap and led the remaining distance to score his first ever series win.

Netto inherited the lead when Bud Kaeding stopped on the back stretch on lap 11. Netto would lead the next nine laps but would have to settle for the runner up spot. Rico Abreu made a last-lap pass on Dominic Scelzi to pick up the third position. Scelzi would pick up fourth ahead of Mitchell Faccinto.

Bernal and Kaeding would bring the 19-car starting field down for the initial green.  After two restarts for minor cautions, it was Bernal who would take the lead. The crafty Kaeding would the lead from Bernal but he would be part of the lap 11 caution which end his race.

The IMCA Western RaceSaver feature was won by Michael Pombo.

The finish:

Ryan Bernal, D.J. Netto, Rico Abreu, Dominic Scelzi, Mitchell Faccinto, Scott Parker, Danny Faria, Landon Hurst, Willie Croft, Luca Romanzzi, Cole Danell, Vaughn Schott, Grant Duinkerken, Joey Ancona, Jared Faria, Bud Kaeding, Tucker Worth, Brendan Warmerdam, Kalib Montgomery,