Andy Gregg finishes 3rd on Friday night at Silver Dollar Speedway and wins Hoserville heat race on Saturday at Dave Bradway Jr. Memorial
By Gary Thomas
Chico, CA - May 11, 2010…Getting back behind the wheel of his own Team Guts Racing No. 16x sprinter Placerville, California driver Andy Gregg headed to the Silver Dollar Speedway this past weekend and highlighted the double-header show at the Chico bullring by racing to a third place finish in the main event on Friday night.
The previous three-weeks had seen Gregg in action aboard the Bret Ervin Racing No. 53 and the prestigious Dave Bradway Jr. Memorial weekend was his first outing back in his own car since April 10.
Gregg opened the evening on Friday by timing-in 11th fastest during qualifying and then scored a fourth place finish in his heat race to transfer the Dale Miller Plumbing, Myers & Sons Drywall, Seven-Industries No. 16x Maxim into the main event. Starting from mid-pack in the 25-lap feature the 30-year-old driver proceeded to have a good battle with former King of California Jason Statler during the early to middle stages of the race on the rough and tumble surface.
As the race wound down Gregg moved himself into the third spot and eventually crossed the checkered in that position, finishing behind only current ASCS National point leader and defending champ Shane Stewart and two-time King of California Jonathan Allard. "We had a great run on Friday and it was nice to be back up front where we really feel like we should be," said Gregg. "It was also pretty cool to have a guy like Jason Statler come down to shake my hand and tell me it was fun racing so hard, yet clean with us in the main event."
Fresh off the solid finish on Friday Gregg and the Guts Racing team returned for Saturday hoping for more good things, but a late draw in qualifying, coupled with a slowing track left him with the 17th fastest overall time. "It was a tricky track out there in qualifying and you really had to hit your marks," he said. Gregg then started from the front row in his heat race and when the green flag came out he jumped ahead of pole sitter Bud Kaeding and never looked back to dominate the 10-lap contest for victory.
At the Bradway Memorial winning a heat race is more special due to the gracious folks of HoservilleCA, who award drivers with a free right rear tire, five-sleeves of tear-offs and a commemorative plaque. For claiming the heat Gregg also won a front nose wing courtesy H.R.P Racing Products. "I definitely want to share my great appreciation for everyone with HoservilleCA and all the people that sponsored the night," Gregg commented. "I've always wanted to win a heat race at the Bradway and it really means a lot to receive a plaque for winning one of the heats during the 20th running of the race."
The main event didn't go quite as well though, as a wreck towards the front of the field coming to the green jumbled up everyone behind it and resulted in cars being scattered everywhere and Gregg's mount being caught up on the wall in an odd angle. Damage was too severe to continue on and it put him in the pits before a lap was ever even competed in the feature. "It's definitely disappointing to have the night end like that, but most of all I was just glad to see Pat Harvey ok after flipping in that same wreck we got in," Gregg said. "Pat's been around a long time and you never like to someone like that get in a hard wreck so it was nice to see him get out the car."
The next scheduled event for Gregg and the Team Guts Racing No. 16x will be this Saturday's Pombo/Sargent Classic at the Groppetti Automotive Thunderbowl Raceway in Tulare. "We'll be in Tulare as long we can get this thing back together, but I don't see us having a problem doing that," said the Placerville veteran. "Last month we were really good early in the night at Tulare, but kind of struggled in the dash and the main event so we're looking forward to going back there to try and have a better overall night this time around."
For more on Andy Gregg and Seven Industries please visit our website at http://www.7industries.com
Placerville's Andy Gregg raced to a third place finish in the feature on Friday night at the Silver Dollar Speedway to tally his best 410 sprint car result of the season. Gregg and the Team Guts Racing No. 16x will now head next for this Saturday's Pombo/Sargent Classic at the Groppetti Automotive Thunderbowl Raceway in Tulare. Photo by Steve Cox of http://www.graphxdesigns.com
- Gary Thomas on May 11, 2010
- Article Date: 5/11/2010