Jimmy Screeton National Memorial Midget Race

06/09/2026

05/02/2026

He was born for speed.

For the sound of engines shaking the ground, for the feel of dirt and power
where courage is the only language spoken.

Jimmy Screeton wasn’t just a racer—
he was motion, instinct, fire in a helmet, a man who didn’t wait for space to open because he knew how to make one himself.

When the track tightened, when others lifted, he went forward anyway—
not reckless, but real,
driven by something deeper than fear.

He raced like it mattered every lap,
like every corner was a chance to prove that heart can outrun hesitation.

And he did.

He lived at the edge of speed,
where control meets chaos,
where the bravest keep their foot down and trust what they’ve become.

That’s where he stayed.
That’s where he was alive.

And in that same place—
doing what he loved most,
doing what defined him—
he took his final run.

Gone too soon, still in motion,
still part of every engine that fires,
every track that turns to dust and memory.

Because racers like Jimmy don’t really leave. They become the sound in the stands, the ghost in the straightaway,
the reason the green flag still means something.

He will always be a racer.
And always be remembered as one who lived full throttle—
until the very end.

05/02/2026

🏁 Jimmy Screeton – Midget Car Racing Career

EARLY ROOTS 🌞

* Grew up around racing as part of a multi-generation racing family
* Grandson of Hall of Fame car owner Art Shanoian
* Connected to the racing community from childhood, often in the pits before he was old enough to race
* Mentored and influenced by his father, driver Ken Nichols
⸻
START OF RACING CAREER 🚦

* Began competing in BCRA midget cars in the early 1980s
* First major competitive years started around 1983
* Drove early family equipment, including the historic #17 Offenhauser midget
⸻
RISE IN WEAT COAST MIDGET RACING 🏁

* Quickly became a front-running pavement midget driver
* Earned his first wins in the late 1980s, including at Shasta Speedway
* Known for strong performances on pavement tracks like:
* Shasta Speedway
* Roseville
* Madera Speedway
* Stockton 99
* Ukiah
* Lakeport Speedway
⸻
PEAK CAREER HIGHLIGHTS (late 1980s–1990s) 💨

* One of the winningest pavement midget drivers in California during his era
* Won major events including:
* Cavalcade of Racing (Stockton 99)
* Vukovich Memorial events
* SMORS Outlaw Midget Championship (Lakeport)
* Drove for several well-known car owners, including:
* Bob Rosen
* Bob Consani
* Pete Baraldi
* Tom Dupont
* Fred Gerhardt
* Lenny Gonsel
* At one point, recorded four consecutive feature wins with multiple fast times and track records
⸻
DRIVING STYLE AND REPUTATION 🛣️🗣️

* Known as an exceptional qualifier and aggressive racer in traffic
* Nicknamed for:
* Running high lines
* Making bold passes in tight spaces
* Creating “new grooves” where none existed before
⸻
WINS AND LEGACY 🏆

* Career total: 20+ midget feature wins
* Recognized as one of the top pavement midget drivers in BCRA history
* Inducted into the BCRA Hall of Fame in 2013
* Inducted alongside his racing family legacy (Art Shanoian and Ken Nichols influence)
⸻

Jimmy Screeton is remembered as:
🧡🏁🧡
* A West Coast pavement midget standout 🏅
* A family-rooted racer who grew up in the sport 🏁
* A driver respected for skill, aggression, and consistency 🧡

01/22/2026

Tailgate will take place evening before. Details to follow.

12/21/2025

l've ran for and won for legendary car owners in my career. Here I'm pictured in legendary Indy car owner Fred Gerhardts midget .
What I miss most about those men like Fred and my grandfather Art Shanoian, Lenny Gonsel, Bob Consani, Pete Baraldi, Tom DuPont, Uncle Johnny Shanoian, George Zarounian, Roy Joyce. It wasn't.
Their racing stories it was their life stories and what they went through to get to where they got in life.
Their generation will never be duplicated. The greatest ever . ! miss these guys so much. I was so lucky to drive for most of them and to be close to all of them. I'm grateful I still have Bob Rosen to call and talk to any time I need to. Not many left 🏁🏁🇺🇸🇺🇸💪💪

Written by Jim Screeton Feb 20, 2023