FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS AT BAKERSFIELD SPEEDWAY GOES TO HAMILTON, BANNISTER, SIMKINS, LOOKADOO, AND CALDWELL
BAKERSFIELD, CALIFORNIA (May 31, 2025) – Friday Night Lights at Bakersfield Speedway at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway saw four drivers earn their first wins of the season on the all-new one-third mile dirt track, part of a five division card of IMCA Championship Racing on a warm night. Eric Hamilton, Jason Bannister, Billy Simkins, and Ryan Caldwell broke through to park it in victory lane while Ronald Lookadoo earned his second win of the season. Photo by Tom Macht
With Grand Marshal Kevin Harvick in attendance, preparing for Saturday’s Mission Bank 250 for the SPEARS CARS Tour West at the adjacent Kern Raceway, drivers put on an exciting night of dirt track action.
Bakersfield’s Robby Sawyer won a thrilling three-wide duel to the lead to kick off the IMCA Modified 30-lap feature. Eric Hamilton battled with champions Brad Pounds and Gavyn Manning behind him. Sawyer was looking for his second win of the season before suffering mechanical issues that brought his race to a halt in turn four on lap 12.
Hamilton inherited the lead and drove ahead to a solid lead. Manning tracked down Hamilton before he too faltered and slowed to bring out a caution with nine laps remaining.
Despite multiple attempts to take the lead by Brad Pounds, Eric Hamilton held court. Hamilton took the $750 win followed by Pounds, Rob Sanders, Justin Crockett, and Bryan Clark.
2024 IMCA Sport Mod champion Jason Bannister of Bakersfield finally tasted victory at the new Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway dirt track in 2025. Tyler Irwin led the first four laps of the 25-lap feature before Bannister was able to seize the lead. Bannister topped his son Tyler Bannister, Dylan Wilson, Brock Crawford, and Roger Holder at the finish.
Billy Simkins overcame last minute efforts to get his IMCA Stock Car to the track, winning the 20-lap feature in just his third Stock Car start. Nicholas Johnson won an intense battle with incoming points leader Raymond Noland for second position. Jacob VanEssen finished third followed by Roger Holder and Eric Cimental. Noland was credited with sixth place.
Ryan Caldwell of Santa Maria won the 20-lap feature for the visiting So-Cal Dwarf Cars. Caldwell built up a sizeable lead which he maintained throughout lapped traffic. A caution on lap 15 set up a five lap sprint to the finish. Caldwell fended off Camarillo drivers Ian Velasquez and Nick Velasquez to earn the coveted win. Daniel Peters finished fourth with Bakersfield’s JD Brown in fifth.
Ronald Lookadoo won his second American Stocks main event of 2025, taking the 20-lap main event. Mason Conway paced multi-time winner Nicholas Johnson throughout the first half of the feature. Johnson worked inside of Conway for the lead on lap 10 before a caution flag flew. Lookadoo executed a power move on the restart, swooping around both Johnson and Conway in turn three to seize the lead in a three-wide manuever.
Cameron Campbell then entered the frame, looking inside of Lookadoo several times for the lead. Lookadoo held off a last lap challenge to take the win followed by Campbell, Johnson, Kyle Wood, and Trenton Millard.
Bakersfield Speedway at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway will host the Salute to Bob Vermeer and Narcie Ferreira for the Ultimate Sprint Car Series on June 7th. The feature will pay $5,000 to win. California Racesaver Sprints, California Lightning Sprints, and Mini Stocks will also be competing.
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 May 30, 2025 – Race Results
IMCA Modifieds A Feature 1 (30 Laps): 1. 44-Eric Hamilton[8]; 2. 15B-Brad Pounds[6]; 3. 10N-Rob Sanders[3]; 4. 21JT-Justin Crockett[5]; 5. 51B-Bryan Clark[7]; 6. 51G-Gavyn Manning[9]; 7. 55-Brad Watkins[1]; 8. X-Robby Sawyer[4]; 9. 5W-Larry Wise[2]
IMCA Sport Mods A Feature 1 (25 Laps): 1. 51-Jason Bannister[6]; 2. 151-Tyler Bannister[7]; 3. 80D-Dylan Wilson[8]; 4. 47-Brock Crawford[3]; 5. 24-Roger Holder[10]; 6. 316-Kenny White[2]; 7. 99B-Paul Brown[5]; 8. 55K-Kegan Head[11]; 9. 62-Tate Loftis[9]; 10. 172-Tyler Irwin[4]; 11. 43K-Landon King[1]
IMCA Stock Cars A Feature 1 (20 Laps): 1. 68-Billy Simkins[1]; 2. 26-Nicholas Johnson[7]; 3. 54V-Jacob Van Essen[6]; 4. 24-Roger Holder[5]; 5. 74M-Eric Cimental[8]; 6. 5-Raymond Noland[4]; 7. 4-Justin Schweitzer[3]; 8. 99-Justin Tuey[9]; 9. 2B-Dan Bryant[2]
American Stocks A Feature 1 (20 Laps): 1. L787-Ronald Lookadoo[7]; 2. 21X-Cameron Campbell[8]; 3. N2DEEP-Nicholas Johnson[3]; 4. 4K-Kyle Wood[6]; 5. 29-Trenton Millard[20]; 6. 12-Jamesie Goff[5]; 7. 17-Jon McKinley[4]; 8. 68S-Sunnie Simkins[9]; 9. 40-Colby Ward[11]; 10. 22J-Andrew Johnston[1]; 11. 33-Robert Swearengin[18]; 12. 42-Steven Lawler[16]; 13. 725-Grant Perkins[15]; 14. 72-Mason Conway[2]; 15. 1-Ricky Childress Jr[12]; 16. 25-Carson Conway[10]; 17. 31-Spencer Vasquez[13]; 18. (DNS) 954-John Robinson; 19. (DNS) 22-David Haagsma; 20. (DNS) J15-Colton Hay
So-Cal Dwarf Cars A Feature 1 (20 Laps): 1. 24E-Ryan Caldwell[2]; 2. 4E-Ian Velasquez[4]; 3. 41E-Nick Velasquez[5]; 4. 36E-Daniel Peters[6]; 5. 14-JD Brown[7]; 6. 2E-Tony Margott[3]; 7. 28E-Chad Normile[1]; 8. 87E-Tommy Velasquez[12]; 9. 76E-Mike Normile[9]; 10. 13A-Adam Huitron[10]; 11. 81E-Dominic Maldonado[11]; 12. 21JR-Troy Normile[8]