[i By Bill Sullivan, Chicko Motorsports Media]
[b PENNGROVE, CA (6-19-10)] – Following several months on the road, Penngrove's Alissa Geving enjoyed the opportunity to race close to home last Saturday night as a break permitted her to return to the likes of Petaluma Speedway. The venue was the annual United States Auto Club-CRA Wingless Sprint Car night at the 3/8 mile dirt track located on the Sonoma-Marin County Fairgrounds.
Returning from Western Speedweek in the Pacific Northwest on Wednesday afternoon, Geving's Chicko Motorsports Team went to work to prepare for two nights of wingless racing with the USAC Series. A last minute decision took the team to Watsonville on Friday night to prep for Saturday's return to Petaluma Speedway in an event that Geving nearly won the previous year.
On Friday night, Geving qualified seventh on the quarter-mile Ocean Speedway. She finished fifth in her heat race to transfer into the 30-lap A feature race. In the money race Geving began charging her way to the front when she fell victim to the dry slick track conditions and endured a pair of spins during the event. She recovered to finish 14th before heading back home to the track where she holds two consecutive winged sprint car titles.
On Saturday night, Geving fought handling woes on her 3x sprint car throughout the evening. After communicating with the crew throughout the preliminary events she managed to drive her way to a top ten finish at the end of the evening.
In time trials at the track she calls home, Geving was 14th on the roster with a 14:669 second lap. She finished sixth in her heat race and posted a third place finish in the second dash of the night before moving to the 30-lap A-feature. At the conclusion of the night where she continued to fight the handling of her car on the unpredictable Petaluma clay, Geving finished 10th overall.
"We really fought the car all night and just couldn't get it where it needed to be" said Geving. "It was very cool to see Tony Stewart in the pits at Petaluma and one of his crew members helped out on the car when we were struggling. I wish we could have been in the position to contend for the lead but a top ten is ok when you consider how our whole night had kind of gone."
This Saturday, Geving will return to the likes of the traveling Golden State Challenge Series. This series for 410 cubic inch powered sprint cars features the best drivers in the state competing for the coveted King of California championship. While Geving has had her share of adversities on the tour she continues to maintain a top ten stance in the point standings and gain the exposure she needs to advance in her racing career.
For Geving, racing cars is a passion that goes back three generations in her family of champions. She hopes to one day soon to acquire a position that would enable her to race in fulltime fashion and compete in a high profile series such as the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Tour or possibly an opportunity in the NASCAR West Development series. A talented driver cannot be noticed if they aren't racing every week at various venues and Geving is making all the right moves to make a name for herself in this elite market of talented young drivers.
"The Golden State Series has been tough, no doubt," said Geving, who continues to display her ideal personality to represent any team or product. "But racing with the best drivers in the state each week and being noticed by different audiences is important. When we made the decision to run this series I wasn't expecting to go out and win a championship the first year. My goal was to get the exposure I needed to put myself in the position to advance in my career."
Overall, 98 different drivers have entered and earned points in the Golden State Challenge Series in 2010. Geving has been in the top ten standings throughout the series campaign in which 16 events have taken place. In 16 starts Geving has had four top ten finishes, a semi main event win and two heat race victories. She sits seventh in the point standings, which is a notable accomplishment for a first year driver in this grueling race series that is all or nothing when the rubber hits the racetrack each week no matter where they travel.
This Saturday, Geving will return to the lightning fast Giant Chevrolet Speedway in Hanford. The event is round 17 of the Golden State Challenge series. After that she will return to Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico for the July 4th weekend.
"This will be my second time racing at Hanford," said Geving. "We learned a lot from our first race there last month and I'm looking forward to applying that to my race this week. I really want to thank everyone for their support in his series. Jonathan Allard and his team have given me tons of support and it's really helped. When you race a different track each week it's a challenge from the travel to the set up. I really appreciate all they have done."
Chicko Motorsports would like to thank their current dedicated marketing partners including, Tillett Tool, Pit Stop USA, Auto Repairs Unlimited and Matt Cordeiro Enterprises. Additional associate sponsors and promotional considerations include K&N Filters, Napa Auto Parts, Flowmaster Mufflers, Hodgin and Son Tree Service, Allstar Performance, Santa Rosa Auto Parts, Jeremy's Chair Repair, Afex Graphics, Simpson Racing Products, 21st Century Health Club, Vanlare Steering Repair, Pro Shocks, ALC Machine, JW Web Design and Sullivan Images Media Specialties.
To learn more about Alissa Geving and her Chicko Motorsports Team can learn more at their website at www.chick-o-motorsports.com. Alissa Geving is seeking additional sponsorship for the remainder of the 2010 season. Those interested in sponsorship opportunities can contact team owner Gary Geving at: gary3x@yahoo.com.
[i Photo by Chuck Fry]
- Bill Sullivan on Jun 22, 2010
- Article Date: 6/22/2010