SAWYER, BANNISTER, AND JOHNSON FAMILY STAR AT BAKERSFIELD SPEEDWAY

BAKERSFIELD, CALIFORNIA (June 14, 2025) – After winning the season opener for the renovated and relaunched Bakersfield Speedway at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway in March, Bakersfield’s Robby Sawyer found his way back to victory lane on Friday night in the 30-lap IMCA Modified feature. Sawyer was joined by a Bannister family one-two finish in the IMCA Sport Mods, and victories in all three stock car classes for the Johnson family in Friday’s action. Photo by Tom Macht

Sawyer took over the lead on lap 12 of the 30-lap feature, worth $750 to win. An opening lap skirmish saw Troy Morris III spin in turn two which collected several cars. The red flag flew for a crash which eliminated defending champion Gavyn Manning and multi-time champion Brad Pounds along with Markus Frazier.

When action resumed, Sawyer passed Dalton Houghton of Rosamond then fended him off the rest of the way for the triumph. 2025 round two winner Jake Pike of Pahrump, Nevada finished second, followed by Bakersfield’s Ricky Childress, Jr. and Larry Wise of Nipomo rounding out the top-five. Sawyer and Wise split the heat races.

Incoming IMCA Sport Modified points leader Tyler Bannister had to follow the trail set by his 2024 championship winning father Jason in Friday’s 20-lap feature. The father and son duo shared the front row but quickly charged into the lead. Dylan Wilson finished third followed by Talon Mulvey of Garden Grove, and Paul Brown.

Nicholas Johnson scored in both the IMCA Stock Car and American Stocks 20-lap features on the night before his birthday. His IMCA Stock Car win was a narrow one, topping opening night winner Austin VanHoff of Chowchilla by just a nose after a race long duel. VanHoff, Johnson, and points leader Raymond Noland ran under a blanket throughout the feature with Johnson relentlessly trying to make the high side work.

VanHoff edged ahead of Johnson on the final lap on the exit of turn two, but Johnson stormed back on the top to get the lead and the close win. Noland, May 30 winner Billy Simkins, and David Pearson rounded out the top-five.

In the American Stocks, Nicholas Johnson claimed the lead on lap eight and never relinquished it. Cameron Campbell, points leader Kyle Wood, May 30 winner Ronald Lookadoo, and Carson Conway were the balance of the top-five finishers.

Ethan Johnson led wire-to-wire in the 20-lap H&S Body Works Hobby Stocks feature. Nicholas Johnson added a second place finish to go with his two wins for a successful triple duty night. Marcus Wankum, Troy Thomas, and Brooke Cimental followed the Johnsons across the stripe.

The McGowan Memorial featuring all five Bakersfield Speedway championship and a huge fireworks show is up next at Bakersfield Speedway at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway on June 28th!

For more information on Bakersfield Speedway at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway, visit www.BakersfieldSpeedway.com or follow the speedway on social media. Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway is located at 13500 Raceway Blvd, near Enos Ln and Interstate 5 in Bakersfield.

Bakersfield Speedway at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway June 13, 2025 – Race Results

IMCA Modifieds A Feature 1 (30 Laps): 1. X-Robby Sawyer[4]; 2. 61-Dalton Houghton[2]; 3. 223-Jake Pike[9]; 4. 16-Ricky Childress Jr[5]; 5. 5W-Larry Wise[3]; 6. 51B-Bryan Clark[11]; 7. 10N-Rob Sanders[7]; 8. 61X-Robert Witwer[13]; 9. 55-Brad Watkins[12]; 10. (DNF) 16X-Troy Morris III[1]; 11. (DNF) 15F-Markus Frazier[6]; 12. (DNF) 15B-Brad Pounds[8]; 13. (DNF) 51G-Gavyn Manning[10]

IMCA Sport Mods A Feature 1 (25 Laps): 1. 51-Jason Bannister[7]; 2. 151-Tyler Bannister[8]; 3. 80D-Dylan Wilson[10]; 4. 29T-Talon Mulvey[11]; 5. 99B-Paul Brown[6]; 6. 4M-Emali VanHoff[3]; 7. 28P-John Piker[1]; 8. (BF) 15F-Matthew Frazier[4]; 9. (DNF) 43K-Landon King[2]; 10. (DNF) 172-Tyler Irwin[5]; 11. (DNF) 47-Brock Crawford[9]; 12. (DNF) 21B-Braxton James[12]

IMCA Stock Cars A Feature 1 (20 Laps): 1. 26-Nicholas Johnson[5]; 2. 44-Austin VanHoff[1]; 3. 5-Raymond Noland[2]; 4. 68-Billy Simkins[7]; 5. 21P-David Pearson[3]; 6. 54V-Jacob Van Essen[4]; 7. 4-Justin Schweitzer[6]

H&S Body Works Hobby Stocks A Feature 1 (20 Laps): 1. 11-Ethan Johnson[1]; 2. 1N-Nicholas Johnson[8]; 3. 91C-Marcus Wankum[7]; 4. 58T-Troy Thomas Jr[4]; 5. 25B-Brooke Cimental[12]; 6. 39-Matt Ehler[2]; 7. 6X-Robert Lawler[5]; 8. (DNF) 26S-Chad Johnson[6]; 9. (DNF) 21XX-Bryson Wood[10]; 10. (DNF) 78-Dakota Brown[3]; 11. (DNF) 3M-Matt Wankum[9]; 12. (DNF) 79-Ryan Barnes[11]

American Stocks A Feature 1 (20 Laps): 1. N2DEEP-Nicholas Johnson[8]; 2. 21X-Cameron Campbell[11]; 3. 4K-Kyle Wood[12]; 4. L787-Ronald Lookadoo[5]; 5. 25-Carson Conway[10]; 6. 22J-Andrew Johnston[3]; 7. 22-cailea wilson[14]; 8. (DNF) 725-landen linenberger[1]; 9. (DNF) 29-Trenton Millard[2]; 10. (DNF) 17-Jon McKinley[9]; 11. (DNF) 31-Spencer Vasquez[6]; 12. (DNF) 68S-Sunnie Simkins[7]; 13. (DNF) 0-Gene Glover[16]; 14. (DNF) 42-Steven Lawler[13]; 15. (DNF) 12-Jamesie Goff[4]; 16. (DNS) 33-Robert Swearengin