ANDERSON, Calif. — Shane Hmiel’s racing career got a new start Saturday night at Shasta Raceway Park.
And it was a winning one at that.
Hmiel, who had wheeled a Ford Focus midget in the past, made his first midget start in the Bay Cities Racing Ass’n and drove to a dominant victory on the three-eighths-mile oval.
Hmiel, who is serving a lifetime ban from NASCAR for using an unapproved substance, was the second quickest qualifier in the 17-car field, and held off fast-qualifier Evan Margeson for the victory as the historic midget sanctioning body opened its season.
Mark Atkinson finished third, ahead of Travis Berryhill and Kyle Dickerson.
The finish:
Shane Hmiel, Evan Margeson, Mark Atkinson, Travis Berryhill, Kyle Dickerson, Scott Nail, Mike Donaldson, Ralph Cortez, Cameron McGahan, John Sarale, Nick Foster, Jr., Kevin Morris, Nick Chivello, Kerstin Stautny, Alfred Galedrige, Shane Golobic, Chad Nichols.