[i Nor Cal Dwarf Cars return to Placerville with Sprint Cars, Limited Late Models and Pure Stocks]
[i by Bill Sullivan]
[b PLACERVILLE, CA (4-22-11)] – The 2011 Fast and Furious Dirt Track Racing Season continues at Handy Racing Promotions' Placerville Speedway in grand fashion this Saturday night with an exciting four division program on the high banked bullring. This Saturday night, Winged 360 Sprint Cars return to the quarter mile clay oval at the El Dorado County Fairgrounds along with fire breathing Late Model stock cars, Pure Stocks and the colorful coupes known as the Nor-Cal Dwarf Cars.
The 2011 racing season at Placerville Speedway is presented by Red Hawk Casino in conjunction with Hoosier Racing Tires West. Associate sponsors for the championship series include The Mountain Democrat, Riebe's Auto Parts, Coors Light and Pepsi Cola along with Arnold's for Awards. This Saturday night, Wilton Garage is added to the list of track supporters as they are the official sponsor of the Limited Late Model Division.
Saturday night will mark the third point of the season in the weekly Red Hawk Casino Championship season. Although it is early in the year, the contested battle for the track titles is already heating up in all three of the track's regular divisions setting the stage for title war that is sure to bring thrills and spills to the foothill track all summer long.
In the winged Sprint Car division, defending track champion Andy Forsberg of Auburn has moved to the top of the point standings for the first time this year following his first top five finish last Saturday night. Forsberg, the driver known as "Mr. Excitement" has dominated victory lane at Placerville Speedway in past years. In 2010 his victories were far and few but consistent top finishes led him to titles in both the Placerville track title as well as the traveling Civil War Campaign.
This year, Forsberg is the wheelman in one of the local sport's most competitive cars, the F&F Racing #X1 formerly driven by champion David Robinson Jr., Colby Wiesz and Mason Moore. The successful backing of the Roseville based team is something Forsberg will definitely need in his favor this year as several drivers are setting their sites on Mr Excitement's Turf in the year to come.
One such driver is Fair Oak's Chad Compton. Late last season Compton came on strong in the weekly series and the traveling Civil War Series. Before the end of the year, Compton has several close looks at a win. This year could very well be the year that this driver gets that monkey off his back. Driving his family owned #69 with the support of NASCAR's Ricky Stenhouse and Dynotech Motors, Compton has shown strong performances thus far in the year and is just six points behind Forsberg entering Saturday's race.
Sitting in third in the ranks local favorite Scott Russell of Placerville. Over the last few years Russell has driven his way to as high as the bridesmaid position in the season championship standings. 2011 may very well be the year of the "Wreckin' Ball" with a new look and a strong performance thus far with top five finishes in both events that have taken place. Fellow local favorite Jimmy Trulli of Placerville is another driver well in the hunt once again as he sits tied with his friend and rival Russell for the third position.
Chico's Brett Miller rounds out the top five in this division, just 8-points behind the leader. Mike Henry is sixth in the standings over last week's feature winner Sean "The Shark" Becker of Antelope. Becker is another driver gunning for Forsberg's crown this year with his first full season at Placerville Speedway along with opening night winner Shane Golobic of Fremont who is tied for the seventh position ahead of Sacramento's Billy Butler and Kyle Hirst of Sacramento.
With the sponsorship of Wilton Garage on Saturday night, the Limited Late Model division is sure to produce top excitement. Last week, Dan Brown Jr. of Grass Valley took his first win a d celebratory bow on the front stretch. With the win, Brown moved into the early season point lead where he sits just one point ahead of Thomas Arbogast. On the gas Arbogast has scored a pair of top five finishes this year and sits just two points ahead of Auburn's Matt Davis. Opening night winner Les Friend of Galt is fourth while Doug Grandbois of Jackson rounds out the top five.
This Saturday night, drivers in the Pure Stock division will look to dethrone two time winner Clarence Holbrook III who holds the point lead. Holbrook has owned the division the past two weeks and sits in the point lead by a single digit over Nevada City veteran racer Burney McClure. Scott Grunert of Woodland is third in the ranks over Mr Consistency Dennis Armstong of El Dorado. Armstrong is currently tied with the Rick Grunert of Woodland. Placerville's own Ted Ahart and defending champion Chris Curtiss sits outside of the top five.
Every Saturday night at Placerville Speedway offers a great form of affordable family entertainment. This Saturday it deals even more entertainment value with the return of the Nor-Cal Dwarf Cars to the fast quarter mile. This popular division is one of the most entertaining guest divisions that the speedway hosts throughout the year as the colorful coupes that pack a competitive punch bring a great deal of side by racing to the speedway. Look for the division to bring all of it's regular drivers back to the track as they continue their traveling championship tour.
The grandstands at Placerville Speedway will open up once again at 5 p.m. on Saturday night. Qualifying begins at 6:30 p.m. followed by heat races at 7. Adult tickets will be $13, Juniors and Seniors will be $11, Children $6. Those five and under will be admitted for free. All seating at Placerville Speedway is first come-first serve at 5 p.m. Learn more about Saturday's event at www.placervillespeedway.com. It's all happening at Placerville Speedway, where more than one million fans have entertained with fast and furious dirt track racing all summer long since 1965.
- Bill Sullivan on Apr 19, 2011
- Article Date: 4/19/2011