This message was edited on
April 20, 2008 at
02:44:12 AM by Gary Thomas
Bud Kaeding wins GSC thriller at Petaluma
By Gary Thomas
Petaluma, CA – April 19, 2008…The Petaluma Speedway lived up to its billing as being one of the raciest joints in Northern California on Saturday as the Golden State Challenge Series sprint cars put on one of the best shows in recent memory. After all was said and done it was Campbell’s Bud Kaeding who put himself into position and hung on to record his first GSC win since July of 2006.
With heavy winds and cold temperatures prevalent, race officials sped up the program and the final checkered flag flew by 9:00 pm in what was a very smoothly run show by the GSC officials, teams and drivers.
Kaeding started on the pole of the main event by way of his win in the night’s six lap dash aboard the K & N Filters, BK Motorsports No. 29. The two-time and defending USAC Silver Crown champ jumped into the lead at the waving of Willie Williams’ green flag, but Los Angeles driver Tyler Walker had something to say about that and took the top spot on the second lap. At this point Oroville’s Sean Becker made his presence known and battled side by side with Kaeding on lap three, before the driver known as the “Shark” took the spot and proceeded to go after Walker.
Becker was charging around the high side of the hooked up 3/8 mile clay oval and got by Walker for the lead on lap four. The next six laps then saw some of the most intense wheel to wheel action we have witnessed all year as Becker and Walker traded the lead back and forth while running through thick and heavy lapped traffic. Walker was able to put his NMI Industrial Contractors, SC Motorsports No. 24 into the lead just before a caution appeared on lap 10 however, which allowed everyone to catch their breath.
The running order during the lap 10 caution period saw Walker leading Becker, Kaeding, Chico’s Jonathan Allard and Loomis’ Kyle Hirst. On the restart Becker gave Walker a beautiful slide job to claim the lead, but a lap later he pinched the car sideways in turn three, which allowed Walker and Kaeding to get by. Becker was able to do a great job though and diamonded the corner to put his Fauver Race Ready Rentals, Cherry St. Mini Storage No. 64 back into second. While this was going on Allard, the current GSC point leader began to make some noise as he got by Kaeding for third and set his sights on the leaders.
Right around lap 15 it became a three way fight for the lead in traffic as Walker, Becker and Allard diced it up amongst each other. With the action once again heating up it all changed on lap 18 when Walker and a lapped car made contact on the back stretch, which folded the front end on the No. 24 machine. Allard was running second and had nowhere to go as he made contact with Walker and both sat damaged and stopped on the track. It was a tough break for both as Walker was doing a great job out front and Allard had charged forward to do battle with him for the lead.
Becker inherited the lead, but on the restart defending GSC champ Brent Kaeding of Campbell biked in turns one and two and flipped into the wall. After the cars were pushed off following the red flag, Becker pulled off the track in turn one as the oil gauge on his machine gave warning of possible problems. It was reported after however, that the gauge was faulty and there was no problem, but the former GSC champ made a smart choice to not risk damage to his engine. It was a disappointing end to what was a great night for Becker and the No. 64 team, but was certainly another evening that reminded everyone why the “Shark” is one of the best sprint car pilots on the west coast.
Inheriting the lead now was Bud Kaeding and he clicked off the final 12 laps after going back green to pick up his fourth career Golden State Challenge Series win. It was the 28 year-old’s first win with the series since claiming victory at Ocean Speedway in July of ’06. "I want to thank all the fans for coming out tonight and I don't know what to say I'm just so happy to come out and get a win," Kaeding said.
Los Gatos racer Jason Statler closed in on Kaeding a couple times over the final 10 laps, but had to settle for a second place finish aboard the DF Rios Construction, D & D Roofing No. 00. It marked Statler’s best finish of the GSC season and capped off a great weekend for the “Big Guy” as he also won Friday in Watsonville during weekly action.
Making a late race charge and completing the podium was the World Environmental, Royal Lagoon Pools No. 93 of Sacramento’s Mike Henry. The two-time Civil War champ started 10th and made some exciting late race moves on the high side of the surface to record his second podium of the season.
Hirst drove the GP Development, LRB Manufacturing No. 6 to a fourth place finish, his best of the GSC season and Scott’s Valley’s Evan Suggs rounded out the top five in the Suggs Racing, GLR Investments No. 33e. It was the third straight week that Suggs has finished in the top five with the Golden State Challenge Series. Penngrove’s Alissa Geving drove to a sixth place finish with Dave Lindt, Shane Golobic, Art McCarthy and Pat Harvey rounding out the top 10.
Bud Kaeding won the dash with Brent Bjork, Jonathan Allard and Sean Becker winning the heat races. Tyler Walker came out last in the qualifying order but was still able to set fast time aboard the Lee Lindgren wrenched JEI No. 24.
The fans that braved the cold temps were definitley treated to some of the best racing seen in a long time as the track featured multiple grooves even though it was extremely tacky and hooked up. Much of the action was too quick to keep up with as side by side racing was the norm throughout the field during the feature.
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A-main finish- Bud Kaeding, Jason Statler, Mike Henry, Kyle Hirst, Evan Suggs, Alissa Geving, Dave Lindt, Shane Golobic, Art McCarthy, Pat Harvey, Brent Kaeding, Ken Fredenburg, Ricky Wright, Jason Botsford, Jeff Parady, Brent Bjork, Klint Simpson, Mark Workentine, Dan Simpson, Sean Becker, Jonathan Allard, Tyler Walker, Mike Mossi, Bradley Terrell
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