9/23/2014
Marcham Scores Third USAC-Western Midget Triumph of Season
Competing against some of the best Midget racers in the West, Oklahoma's Trey Marcham once again displayed why he's one of the fastest rising racing stars in the country, scoring this third USAC-Western States Midget feature of the season.
Marcham, the 2013 USAC-Western States Midget Rookie-of-the-Year, continues showing poise and skill beyond his years, overtaking former USAC-WS Midget champion Alex Schutte on Lap 10, leading the final 20 laps en route to claiming the 30-lap feature event at the one-third mile Bakersfield Speedway in Bakersfield, CA on Sept. 20.
Chauffeuring the Josh Ford Motorsports King Racing Products/A&A Precision Machine TCR/Esslinger, the 23-year-old started the evening qualifying tenth, just six tenths off of fast time, and followed by claiming third in Heat 1.
Starting eighth in the feature, Marcham methodically drove through the field, entering the top spot on the tenth circuit after earning his way into the top five within the first few laps. Hugging the inner cushion, Marcham found momentum on the bottom groove, masterfully working the low line with veteran-like poise, doing amazing wheel stands almost every lap coming out of the turns. Battling nose-to-tail and side-to-side with reigning USAC-WS champion Ronnie Gardner, Marcham edged Gardner at the finish, securing his second win at Bakersfield of the year, sweeping Midget competition at the third-mile track, and third Midget win of the season.
Marcham now sits second in the overall USAC-WS series standings and Dirt series standing, 36 markers behind Gardner, both not having competed in any pavement events this season.
Marcham also has two Midget fast times, one 600 non-wing win, eight Midget Top 5s and Midget 11 Top 10s on the season.
Marcham will look to continue his success in Midget competition when he enters USAC-National Midget series competition behind-the-wheel of a Bryan Clauson Racing entry at the Gold Crown Midget Nationals October 2 through 4 at Tri-City Speedway as well as the Kokomo Clash at Kokomo Speedway on October 17. Marcham will conclude the USAC-WS slate with a pair of Western and National series joint races in Arizona in November, followed by the fabled Turkey Nite Midget Grand Prix at the Perris Auto Speedway on Thanksgiving day.
Marcham claimed the 2013 USAC-Western States Midget Rookie-of-the-Year honor, compiling Top 10 finishes in the USAC-WS Dirt and overall standings. In his maiden Midget season, Marcham claimed five Top 10s, three Top fives, one main event win and one Heat race win while claiming ninth in the USAC-WS overall Midget standings and tenth in the USAC-WS Dirt standings.
In addition to his success on dirt bullrings in open-wheel action in the Midget, Marcham showed versatility, performing a clean sweep on pavement, sweeping a pair of Late Model features at Myrtle Beach Speedway in 2013 where he scored his first and second career Late Model Stock Car wins.
Marcham, a senior Engineering student at Oklahoma University, with over 11 years of experience in Micro Sprints, Ford Focus Midgets, 360 Non-Wing Sprint Cars and asphalt Late Models, has shown amazing talent and has been seen passing drivers with thousands more laps and experience than he in a Midget.
Marcham has amassed six Championships at I-44 Riverside Speedway in Newcastle, Oklahoma, as well as having claimed both the A-Class and Non-wing A-Mains at the Inaugural Donnie Ray Crawford Memorial/Race4Life in Tulsa in 2012. Marcham compiled several wins and podium finishes in 2013 and three USAC-Western States Midget wins in 2014.
Article Credit: Robert Haugh
Submitted By: Cheri Marcham
