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Becker takes point race Sprint opener; Bartlett wins Dirt
Solution Late Models; Armstrong wins Pure Stocks
By Bill Sullivan, Handy Racing Promotions Media Relations
PLACERVILLE, CA – A stellar field of competitors in all divisions turned out at
Placerville Speedway Saturday night for the official opener to the 2010 Red Hawk
Casino Weekly championship point racing series.
Sean "The Shark" Becker of Sacramento drove home with the win after a thrilling
sprint car feature event. Jerry Bartlett of Yuba City took the Late Model
victory and Dennis Armstrong of El Dorado was the victor in a grueling Pure
Stock feature event.
For the third time this year, the grandstands at the El Dorado County
Fairgrounds were packed with race fans and families to witness the beginning of
the weekly point series for the winged sprint cars, which brought 31 entrants to
the pit area. The Late Models had 13 entrants while the Pure Stock division had
18 cars in attendance. The healthy car counts produced nail biting feature
events in all three divisions for the program co-sponsored by Hoosier Tires,
Coors, Pepsi Cola and Riebes Napa Auto Parts.
In the sprint car division, Becker started in the sixth position and didn't take
long to work his way to the front of the field. The early laps of the race saw
fast qualifier Camron Mendes of Rohnert Park take the early lead. Mendes led the
first twelve laps of the race until a brief trading of the paint with second
place runner Andy Greg on the backstretch sent him to the pits for repairs.
Once the race resumed Gregg powered his Seven Industries #53 car to the head of
the class and drove to a somewhat healthy lead with Andy Forsberg make his Mr.
Excitement moves, advancing him from fifth to the third position in very little
time where he joined veteran driver Greg DeCaires in a heated battle for the
position, a battle that permitted Gregg to distance himself from the field at
times.
While Gregg, Forsberg and DeCaires were shuffling for position in a battle that
brought the front runners three wide in the corner on several occasions, Becker
soon joined the party. After working past DeCaires, Becker overtook Forsberg for
second place on the 16th lap and set his sights on Gregg.
After closing in on the Hurricane quickly, Becker and Gregg began a dog fight
that kept bringing the fans to their feet. Finally, on lap 22 Becker made a
front stretch pass that put him in the lead for good. Three laps later he drove
to the checkered flag for the first win of the season aboard his Scott Miller
owned #2sb sprint car.
"Wow this was one heck of a race tonight, that’s why I love this place," said
Becker, celebrating his win as track crews were cleaning up a finish line crash
between Placerville's James Sweeney and Justin Johnson of Shingle Springs. "It
seemed like everyone was fast tonight. I just finally found a line out there
where I was able to close in on Andy and get past him. He raced me hard and
clean and I was lucky enough to have a little more there at the end."
Part of the reason for Saturday's solid field can be attributed to a new
qualifying procedure for the July Mark Forni Classic. In the that event $5000
will go to the winner but a driver must race in five point races or Placerville
Civil War events to be eligible for the bonus money. Becker is one of those
drivers as he plans to pursue a third Forni victory in a few months.
"We want to be ready for the Forni," said Becker. "So if people liked what they
saw here tonight we are going to be sticking around for awhile and hopefully we
can get another win or two."
Becker was followed across the line by Gregg, Forsberg, DeCaires and defending
champion Colby Wiesz of Colfax. Saturday's event saw it's share of caution
flags. The most serious were for Mike Henry who flipped over on lap 7 but
returned to finish 11th. The second red flew along with the checkered in the
finish line incident that results in Johnson crashing hard at the flagstand with
Sweeney. No drivers were injured.
Much like the sprint cars, the Dirt Solution Late Models produced a spectacular
show Saturday night with a great share of close door to door racing, the return
of old rivalries and the beginning of new ones. In the end defending champion
Jerry Bartlett of Yuba City took home his first win of the new season.
"It's good to be back," said Bartlett, who started third in the 20-lap feature
event and raced door to door with his arch rival Dan Brown Jr. of Nevada City
and his newest contender, Tom Arobgast of Auburn.
"Dan Brown and I pretty much started off where we left off, that rivalry started
right back up tonight, "mused the driver known as Mr. Controversy. "And we have
a new rival in Tom Arbogast. Those two guys gave me a run for my money tonight
which is great for the fans…as long as they stay behind me"
At the checkered flag Bartlett was followed across the line by Arobogast and
Brown along with Matt Davis , Jay Norton and Les Friend.
In the Pure Stock division, veteran driver Dennis Armstrong drove to his first
victory of the new year. The former street stock driver who lives in nearby El
Dorado started in the second position and overtook Placerville's Chris Curtiss
for the lead at the waving of the green flag.
The front row starting position didn't mean the drive to victory was an easy one
for Armstrong, For all 20 laps he held off the challenges of Curtiss and Kris
Wirth of Pollock Pines to earn the victory. Wirth pulled beside Armstrong to
steal the lead on several occasions and every time Armstrong rallied back ahead
of the field.
"I don't know how I pulled it off," said Armstrong. "The car was dying on me,
there was a couple of times the dash lights went dark and the motor started to
shut down then they fired back up and it was fine. I don't think I would have
made a few more laps. It feels good to win again. It's been a good start to the
year for Armstrong racing."
Wirth finished in second place followed by Curtiss, Rick Grunert, Eddie Gardner
and Danielle Clauson.
Next Saturday is round two of the Red Hawk Casino Championship season. Winged
Sprint Cars will be on hand along with the Dirt Solutions Late Models, Pure
Stocks and the Nor Cal Dwarf Cars. The event is a big night for the Dwarf Cars
as they present a race to raise awareness to Crohns Disease.
The day includes a large race car display featuring most of the divisions
competitors at Carl's Jr. on Fairlane from 10 am until 2 p.m. Race fans are
encouraged to come out and have lunch with the drivers of this great group as
they will be having an on site raffle for numerous door prizes throughout the
afternoon and later in the evening at the track as well. Select drivers from the
sprint car and stock car divisions are also expected to be on hand.
For more information visit the track's official website at
http://www.placervillespeedway.com. In the coming week.
Placerville Speedway can also be found by using twitter where race fans can get
updates of upcoming events send directing to their pc or cell phone by signing
up at
http://www.twitter.com/pvllspeedway.
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"Designed
for dirt track racers, by dirt track racers" Thomas Arbogast