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MOTORSPORTS TEAM PRESS RELEASE - ALISSA GEVING-CHICKO-MOTORSPORTS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, AUGUST 24 , 2008
MEDIA CONTACT: Bill Sullivan: [email protected]
TEAM CONTACT: [email protected]
WEBSITE INFORMATION: www.chick-o-motorsports.com
Third place feature finish gets the job done; Geving is the 2008 Petaluma Speedway track champion
16-year old third generation driver becomes youngest female to ever win a sprint car championship title
By Bill Sullivan
PETALUMA, CA (8-23-08) – Alissa Geving grew up in the sport of sprint car racing. On Saturday nights she sat in the grandstands near turn four with her mother Melissa and cheered her father, the competitive Gary Geving, to numerous wins and championships at Petaluma Speedway. When she wasn’t at the track she was helping her hero work on his #3x sprint car at their family home. Since those early childhood days Geving dreamed of one day becoming a sprint car champion like her father. Saturday night, Geving’s dream became reality when she officially locked the 2008 All Pro Points Series championship at Petaluma Speedway.
“We did it, we accomplished our goal of winning the championship,” said Geving. “Since I was a little kid this is something I always wanted to do, win a championship driving a sprint car. I set my goal of doing it this year. Things got pretty stressful for us at times but tonight we did it, we won the championship. I have so many people to thank from my parents and sponsors for all their encouragement and support to my crew for keeping me on the track each week. We only had one DNF all year and that’s because of their hard work. I have the easy job in this venture.”
Geving entered Saturday’s event with a 31-point lead over veteran driver and former champion Art McCarthy of San Jose, one of the areas most competitive and consistent drivers. Prior to competing with the third generation Geving, McCarthy raced against Gary Geving for many victories and championships at the 3/8 mile dirt track in the North Bay. McCarthy is a talented veteran of sprint car racing and Geving was well aware of this all season long as the two dueled for the season title.
“The McCarthy’s are good people, they have helped me so much in my racing career and I have enjoyed racing for this championship with them,” said Geving. “Art McCarthy is a very competitive driver. I knew this not only from racing with him but from watching him race against my dad. I never once expected this championship to be an easy accomplishment and it certainly wasn’t. We had our share of tough nights later in the season.”
Geving has led the point standings at Petaluma Speedway for the majority of the season and has finished in the top five nearly every single night, winning two feature events during her campaign. Unlike other tracks, Petaluma Speedway requires its weekly drivers to compete in special events, such at the Golden State Challenge and the Civil War Series when they come to town, awarding standard weekly points for their performances as well while most tracks permit their track regulars to have a night off during the special events. For Geving, this never set her back as she performed well with the visiting 410 GSC Series as well as the Civil War series aboard her Matt Cordeiro, Pit Stop USA, and Auto Repairs Unlimited Maxim Sprint car.
“That’s were I really felt the pressure,” said Geving. “I love running with the GSC and the Civil War, but knowing my weekly championship points were at stake as well as the point standing in the series was pretty stressful. In the end we always managed to come out ok. Those nights never seemed to hurt me too bad for the weekly point standings but I had a few point races that cost me some points.”
Saturday night was a night of thirds for Geving. A third generation driver she qualified third, finished third in her 8-lap heat race and then, drove her way to a third place finish in the 25-lap feature event. McCarthy finished 18th in the race with mechanical woes and Petaluma Speedway announced Geving as the 2008 All Pro Series champion with a 61-point lead. One race remains at Petaluma Speedway on September 13th when the Civil War returns, however, Geving’s lead is insurmountable in the weekly series making here a three time champion in her racing family. Prior to Gary Geving winning titles, her grandfather, Leroy ‘Go Get em’ Geving was a racing champion as well.
Last season, Geving became the youngest female in the world to ever win a feature event in a full sized sprint car. Saturday night it is believed that at the age of only 16 she becomes the youngest lady racer to ever win a championship title in a winged 360 powered sprint car. Now she sets her sights on the Civil War Rookie title and will entertain advancement in her racing career in the year to come. This is Geving’s Senior year at UrsulineHigh School where she is an honor student, boasting a grade average above 4.0.
Alissa Gevings’ title sponsors include Pit Stop USA, Matt Cordeiro Enterprises, Tillett Tool and Auto Repairs Unlimited. Additional sponsors include Flowmaster, A1A Performance Muffler, Parker Stores, Kalembas Tire Center, Rossi Auto Body, Afex Graphics, ALC Machine ,21st Century Health Club, Butler Specialties, Vanlare Steering Repair, Jeremy’s Chair Repair, Hose Doctor, Fast Lube Plus ALC Machine and Butler Built Safety Seats.
“I have to thank each and everyone of my sponsors,” said Geving. “Without their strong financial support and motivation this season would not have been possible. As everyone knows racing is not economical and it is the dedication of my sponsors that kept this team competitive and prepared week after week.”
To learn more about Alissa Geving, her sponsors or how to become involved with the team as a sponsor visit her official website at www.chick-o-motorsports.com.
PRESS PHOTOS ATTACHED
Alissa Geving of Penngrove officially clinched the 2008 All Pro Points Series Sprint Car Championship at Petaluma Speedway Saturday night aboard her family owned #3x sprint car. Geving is just in her second year of sprint car racing and is believed to be the youngest female racer in the nation to win a sprint car racing championship.
Photo by John’s Racing Photos
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