ELK GROVE, CA – After a solid run at Marysville Raceway Park last weekend, Elk Grove's Billy Strange and his Strange Motorsports#28x sprint car team are ready for one of California’s most prestigious races for 410 sprint cars. It’s time for the annual Dave Bradway Memorial Race at Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico and this year Strange is ready to go with the right tools to be competitive.
“The Bradway Memorial is a special race to all of us in this sport,” said Strange. Dave Bradway Jr. was a great racer that many of us grew watching in the stands. It’s truly an honor to be part of this event that pays tribute to him.”
After several solid runs in the King of the West Sprint Car Series, Strange is planning on sticking with the traveling tour at this time to see what lady luck continues to offer the second generation driver in the form of top finishes. Currently, Strange is sitting tenth in the series standings among of the elite veteran drivers in the sport.
“When we started this season we planned on running an outlaw type schedule and not committing ourselves to one particular series or track,” said Strange. “So far we’ve been forward in the point standings here so we might just keep on running it and see how we continue to do. I’ve been pretty happy with our last two finishes.”
Last Saturday, Strange traveled to Marysville Raceway Park for the first 410 sprint car race there in several years. With a number of races under his belt at the quarter-mile aboard a 360 sprint car, Strange entered the event with a solid knowledge of the track and it’s characteristics.
With just 24 cars in competition for the event and a handful of those actually being 360 powered machines, Strange was well aware that making the A-feature would be a realistic goal. However, from the drop of the green flag, Strange put the pedal to the metal in the #28x as if there were hundreds of cars vying for a spot in the money race.
Strange qualified in the 8th position overall. In his heat race he then finshed fourth to secure that starting spot in the 30-lap feature. Strange started mid pack in the money race with a 10th place starting position.. At the waving of the green flag he pressed forward and suffered a loss of several positions at one point, falling as far back as 15th on the scoreboard.
“We were going back and forth out there,” said Strange. “The car was a little too loose. I’d gain a spot and lose two, it was nerve wracking until I was able to make a wing adjustment during a yellow flag.”
Prior to one of the final restarts of the race, Strange was able to adjust his wing slide back to tighten up the car for the waning laps. When the green flag dropped again he positioned himself in the middle groove of the track and began gaining positions once again. Racing his way up to the 11th position, Strange closed in on 10th place in the final laps of the race and appeared to be destined to overtake tenth in the final moments until a spinning lapped car forced him to adjust his driving line in turns one and two to claim a respectful 11th place finish.
“We would have gotten at least 10th if that hadn’t happened,” said Strange. “He spun in turn one and it forced me up into the loose dirt and I ended up missing a top ten by about a bumper. I’m sure we were at the very least a top ten car there. We moved up into the top ten in the point standings and I’m really stoked about that.”
Following Saturday’s Dave Bradway Memorial, Strange will compete at Thunderbowl Raceway in Tulare on May 14th followed by a visit to Santa Maria the following week. He will then compete in the special Wednesday night Civil War event at Placerville Speedway on June 8.
Strange is always looking for additional marketing partners for the 2011 racing season.. Among their current supporters are America's Tire Kevin Sharrah Designs, ART Enterprises, Swepco Lubricants, Pronol Race Fuels, High Country Painting and Amerikote.
To learn more about Billy Strange or to contact them about sponsorship opportunities, visit his official website at www.billystrangejr.com.
- Bill Sullivan on May 05, 2011
- Article Date: 5/5/2011 by Bill Sullivan/Sullivan Images Media