Chivello Tops Pombo-Sargent Classic at Madera

by Ronald Montez, Madera Tribune story

MADERA, Cal. (April 2, 2016) – Although he wasn’t leading for the first 27 laps of the main, Nick Chivello never lost faith in a screwy BCRA Midgets race.

“Where else are you going to go?,” asked Chivello. “It’s not like you’re going to pull off the track and give up — anything can happen. Everything bad has happened to me and everything good has happened to me — so you really never ever give up.”

By staying the course, Chivello’s never-give-up attitude paid off in the 30-lap victory.

Despite following a pair of No. 17 cars for most of the race, Chivello eventually found himself in the front with three laps to go.

“After you inherit the lead, it’s just about maintaining it,” said Chivello, who got into the top spot following a Lap 27 yellow.

Chivello continued to stay in the No. 1 position but had company as Chad Nichols, who bounced back from a Lap 10 spinout, was gunning for the win.

After Turn 4, Nichols nearly caught Chivello before turning sideways roughly 10 yards away from the finish line.

“In the last three laps, something was off a little bit and the car didn’t like the caution,” said Chivello. “I heard someone there and I saw the orange nose. I was thinking, ‘Oh God, not Chad, not him’. It was Chad there but he went in deep and I got him. I just stayed focused on the checkered flag.”

Before Chivello was in the lead, Nichols and fast qualifier Scott Pierovich (13.874) occupied the top spots in the race — alternating in the No. 1 and No. 2 positions for the first couple of laps.

Nichols spun out on Lap 10, leaving Pierovich unrivaled in first place.

From Laps 11-27, Pierovich seemed to be headed to victory lane while Nichols, who was sent to the back of the race, made his way back to the top.

A Lap 27 yellow flag was waved and Pierovich was out of the race.

That left Chivello in first while Nichols was gaining his momentum back.

Nichols’ spinout on the final lap allowed Michael Snider to come in second, and Cody Gerhardt in third.

Both Snider and Gerhardt each won eight-lap heat races earlier in the evening.

Results

Main

BCRA Midgets — 30 Laps
1. Nick Chivello
2. Michael Snider
3. Cody Gerhardt
4. David Goodwill
5. Chad Nichols
6. Bobby Wilson
7. Floyd Alvis
8. Scott Pierovich
9. JR Williams

Heat Races

BCRA Midgets (Heat 1) — 8 Laps
1. Michael Snider
2. Scott Pierovich
3. David Goodwill
4. JR Williams
5. Floyd Alvis

BCRA Midgets (Heat 2) — 8 Laps
1. Cody Gerhardt
2. Nick Chivello
3. Chad Nichols
4. Bobby Wilson

Qualifying — 2 Laps

BCRA Midgets
1. Scott Pierovich 13.874
2. Chad Nichols 14.048
3. David Goodwill 14.143
4. Nick Chivello 14.165
5. Michael Snider 14.231
6. Cody Gerhardt 14.246
7. JR Williams 15.075
8. Bobby Wilson 15.168
9. Floyd Alvis 15.259