Two time Petaluma Champion will pass on third title run to join Golden State Challenge Series
[i By Bill Sullivan/Sullivan Images Media]
[b PENNGOVE, CA (4-8-10)] – As young adults, most of us have made major decisions that later shaped our lives in one form or another. Monday evening, Penngrove's Alissa Geving made such a decision that could very well accelerate her racing career to all new levels. Geving has announced she will forego her quest for a third straight championship in the Petaluma Speedway All Pro Series and will focus her efforts on the traveling Golden State Challenge 410 sprint car campaign.
Over the past two weeks, Geving has had the opportunity to compete in the series that crowns the King of California annually as she awaited the opening of the 2010 championship season at her hometown track, a facility where she has dominated the headlines over the past two years as the youngest female sprint car winner and champion in the nation. With recent success in the Golden State Challenge campaign, Geving has decided it is time to make a change in the direction of her open wheel racing career.
"Racing these past two weeks in this series have been some of the best times in my racing career," said Geving. "I am racing with drivers that I look up to and I have respected for much of my life and I could not ask for a better start to the racing season."
Two weeks ago, Geving traveled to Placerville Speedway for the Golden State Challenge Series opener. In the past, the Placerville bullring has not been such a friendly battle ground for Geving. On this occasion she fought some handling woes in her Chicko Motorsports #3x Maxim Sprint Car in preliminary competition. She later overcame such adversities to complete her best ever run at banked red clay track carved in the hillside of the sierra foothills. Geving drove from 15th to finish ninth in the feature event.
This past Saturday night the Petaluma Speedway season opener was cancelled due to inclement weather and soaked track conditions, which gave Geving the opportunity to pilot her Tillet Tool-Matt Cordeiro Enterprises-Pit Stop USA sponsored sprint car in the second segment of the Golden State Challenge Series at Antioch Speedway.
In this event, Geving qualified 7th in the field with a 12:183 second lap. She finished fifth behind point leader Jonathan Allard in her heat race and then finished the dash in the 8th place starting position. When she took the green flag for the 30-lap A-feature she began the race with a very tight handling race car and faded slightly in the line up as she searched for the perfect line to rally back into the top ten.
With nine laps to go in the event a yellow flag required a single file restart in the event and it was then that Geving began her journey towards the top five. Restarting the race in the 10th position she found a way to make her car work on the Antioch clay and muscled her way into the sixth position when the checkered flag flew. The finish tied Geving's all time career best GSC finish as she raced to line in the company of California's best drivers including Allard who won the event followed by Evan Suggs, Brent Kaeding, Jason Statler and Bobby McMahan. Geving clinched the sixth position over Shane Golobic, Andy Gregg and Colby Copeland.
Following Saturday's success, Geving is currently sixth in the point standings for the Golden State Challenge Series tour. After much consideration and with the full endorsement of her team and sponsors she has vowed to continue running the King of California tour.
"This was not our original plan and I gave it a lot of serious thought," said Geving. "While I will miss the many fans who have supported me in the Petaluma Speedway All Pro series the time has come where I need to make a move where I will gain additional exposure in my racing career. This is something I have to do if I want to follow my lifelong dream of one day racing with the World of Outlaws."
Geving's sudden announcement caught the attention of many drivers, teams and professionals that are involved in California sprint car racing Monday night. While she will be missed in the local weekly campaign those who follow the Golden State Challenge Series tour are always eager to see new competition in Calfornia's premier tour for 410 cubic inch powered cars.
"I think Alissa is going to be a great addition to the Golden State Challenge, it will be great to have two female drivers on the tour as she joins Danielle Simpson in her rookie season, the duo is great for the marketing of the series," said motorsports journalist Gary Thomas of the Golden State Series. "She has done well in her first two starts of the season and getting more 410 experiences in the series will be a great thing in the progression of her career as she races with some of the best drivers in the sport."
While Geving's new direction combined with her over-achiever attitude is sure to help her accelerate into the ranks of the state's most prestigious campaign she knows the feat is going to take a lot of hard work. Not only will this venture require additional traveling it will also require additional funding to remain competition. At this time the team is operating with a single 410 engine so she is seeking additional sponsorship in the season to come.
"I've decided I want to do this but it's not going to be easy and I am not sure how we are going to pull it off financially down the line," said Geving. "I am so appreciative of my longtime sponsors for all their support in my decision but we are seeking additional sponsorship, its just something we have to do to make it happen."
Geving will make her third start of the season in the Golden State Challenge Series tour this Saturday night at the Tulare Thunderbowl in Tulare, California. While she looks forward to the event, she admits it feels a little bit strange knowing the Petaluma Speedway All Pro Series will be opening back at home.
"It's bittersweet, I admit," said Geving. "I have a lot of great fans that come to Petaluma each week and I will miss seeing them and hearing them every week. But there comes a time where all have to move on in our careers and this is that time. But we will be back when we can and I can't wait until the GSC comes to Petaluma this year."
While they are seeking additional sponsorship to compete throughout California, Chicko Motorsports would like to thank their current dedicated marketing partners including, Tillett Tool, Matt Cordeiro Enterprises, Pit Stop USA, and Auto Repairs Unlimited. Additional sponsors include K&N Filters, Napa Auto Parts, Flowmaster Mufflers, Allstar Performance, Santa Rosa Auto Parts, A1A Performance Muffler,Jeremy's Chair Repair, Afex Graphics, Simpson Racing Products, 21st Century Health Club, Butler Specialtys, Vanlare Steering Repair, Pro Shocks, ALC Machine, JW Web Design and Sullivan Images Media Specialties.
To learn more about Alissa Geving or her Chicko Motorsports Team can learn more at their website at www.chick-o-motorsports.com. Those interested in sponsorship opportunities can contact team owner Gary Geving at: gary3x@yahoo.com.
- Bill Sullivan on Apr 05, 2010
- Article Date: 4/5/2010