By Bill Sullivan/Sullivan Images Media
ELK GROVE, CA – For the past month, Elk Grove’s Billy Strange has been seeing improved performances week after week. Following a stint of tough luck that has lasted through the early part of the season, Strange is still feeling the effects of the best night of his racing career last weekend at Placerville Speedway.
“What a night! We’ve worked so hard and its nice to see it finally starting to pay off,” said Strange. “The car was perfect all night long. I think the track was really coming to me at the end. I couldn’t be an any happier right now than I am finally getting this podium finish. I have wanted this for a long time not only for myself but for my Dad who works so hard to help me and the whole crew including my brother, Brian, and Lee. They deserve this finish more than I do because they have worked so hard to help me.”
The excitement that Strange is still expelling is well warranted. Not only did the second generation driver best the field in qualifying last Saturday night, he finished a career best second place to one of the winningest drivers in Northern California, two time Placerville Speedway Champion and five time Civil War Series Champion Andy Forsberg.
“When you race against someone who has led enough laps in his career to choke an elephant you just do everything you can to minimize your mistakes and maintain your pace,” said Strange. “I wanted to win so bad but I knew Andy was going to have to make a pretty big mistake for me to get to him, let alone find my way past him. I felt like I was reeling him in on the long runs but he was extremely fast after the restarts.”
For Strange, Saturday’s night of racing at the Placerville quarter mile started off well. In qualifying he posted the fastest lap of the night with a 10:807 second lap, a time that nobody else could touch in the preliminary portion of the program.
In his eight lap heat race, Strange rolled across the line in the fifth place position, securing his qualifying time for the A-feature and when a zero pill was drawn he knew it was finally his night at the track he watched his Dad race to many victories at as a youngster. Strange sat on the pole of the 25-lap feature event.
As the green flag waved, Strange raced side by side to the line with second place starter Forsberg who remained on the high side of the track into the first set of turns to power his way into the lead. For Strange, the pass didn’t mean the race was over. It meant he would race in the wake of one of Placerville’s most competitive drivers as they soon found their way into lapped traffic.
As he kept a steady pace with Forsberg in his sights, Strange never relinquished his bridesmaid position through a series of caution flags during the night. Despite several attempts by third place runner Jimmy Trulli and Brett Miller to get around the Strange, he guarded his position all the way to the checkered flag to score the second place finish that felt as good as victory after months of tough luck and determination.”
“To come out and set fast time, make it through my heat race and then pull a zero pill to get on the pole to end up with a second place is just awesome,” added Strange. “I can’t thank everyone enough for all their help in getting me to my best career finish. ART makes an incredible chassis, Shark builds an awesome engine, Swepco Lubricants keep my engine strong, Naake Suspension give us awesome shocks to put the power to the ground and Kevin Sharrah really makes out car stand out on the track. This finish isn’t just for me, its for all of them, my family and my crew too.”
This Saturday night Strange will return to Placerville Speedway for the second to last race of the season. Strange is always looking for additional marketing partners for the remainder of the 2011 racing season and the new season in 2010. Among his 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 Aug 26, 2011
- Article Date: 8/26/2011 by Bill Sullivan/Sullivan Images Media