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Photo's courtesy http://www.graphxdesigns.com
Jonathan Allard helps jump start STARS testing at Arboga School
By Gary Thomas
Chico, CA – April 30, 2009…Various sprint car drivers around the Northern California area have helped give back to their communities recently and Chico, California competitor Jonathan Allard joined in the fray by helping to kick start STARS testing this week at Arboga School near Marysville, CA.
With 300 children present Allard spoke on how to be prepared and how to focus with STARS testing taking place. "I've always loved kids and to be able to speak to them and try to help motivate this group of kids with STARS testing taking place was pretty neat," said Allard, who tried to instill confidence and show the kids how hard work ultimately pays off in the end. "I think this is a great thing for us to be able to do to try and show that we're more than just race car drivers and we really do care about our local communities."
In addition to Allard's appearance at Arboga School, local Chico sprint car driver Brett Miller and his team have been raising money and awareness for the Butte Humane Society over the last year or so. In addition to that Sacramento, CA based sprint car owner Steve Harris has been honoring fallen soldiers and helping out disabled veterans through his Racing for the Troops team with drivers Bobby McMahan, Kyle Harris, Sean Becker and Justin Grant.
Making special appearances and doing things such as those can only help get the word out about sprint car racing in the various local communities and it's something Allard really believes in. "I definitely think it's a great thing that some of the teams have been doing because it really brings awareness to our sport and shows the community that we really are just plain regular people," the Chico native commented. "We have a real tight knit sport and there are a lot of great people involved in it. Showing the community that can certainly go a long way and can help them embrace what's going on at our local dirt tracks."
This weekend will find Allard strapping back behind the wheel of his Williams Motorsports, K&N Filters, JP's Paint & Body Works No. 0 sprint car beginning with the fourth Feather Falls Casino point race of the season at Silver Dollar Speedway on Friday. The 32 year-old goes into the night sitting seventh in the standings following a rough end-over-end flip in the main event last week.
Then on Saturday he will make his way down to the Tulare Thunderbowl Raceway for the sixth race of the season with the Golden State Challenge Sprint Car Series. The two-time King of California goes into the evening just six points behind Tyler Walker for the top spot in the standings and will be looking for his first win of the season with the traveling 410 sprint car club this weekend.
Following this weekend the Golden State Challenge Series will invade Allard's home track of Silver Dollar Speedway on Saturday May 9 for the annual Dave Bradway Jr. Memorial. "I just have to thank Morrie & Katie Williams, Ashley Smith and this whole team for giving me some great cars this year," Allard said. "Even though we haven't won with GSC yet the racing has been fantastic and that's exactly what we need to keep the fans coming back for more."
Allard has finished runner-up the past two weekends and three times overall this season with the Golden State Challenge Series. All three of the second place finishes have come to current point leader Tyler Walker and Allard will be gunning to change that in Tulare on Saturday. "It really is a pleasure to run with a guy like Tyler Walker every weekend, but I won't lie, it's no fun running second and we're gonna be trying hard to get into victory lane. It's been really competitive up front this year and hopefully it will continue on like that as the season goes on."
More info on the upcoming races can be found at http://www.goldenstatechallengeseries.com and http://www.silverdollarspeedway.com
For more news and info on Chico's Jonathan Allard log onto http://www.allardmotorsports.com
www.sprintcarchallengetour.com
www.placervillespeedway.com
www.stocktondirttrack.com
www.thunderbowlraceway.com
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Top 10 in the Golden State Challenge King of California Sprint Car Series standings heading into the Tulare Thunderbowl Raceway this Saturday. Gates open at 5pm with reserved grandstand seats costing $18 and general admission bleacher seats just $15. Racing is scheduled to start at 7.
1. Tyler Walker
2. Jonathan Allard
3. Brent Kaeding
4. Kyle Larson
5. Jason Statler
6. Evan Suggs
7. Brandon Carey
8. Bud Kaeding
9. Ken Fredenburg
10. Mike Stallings
www.sprintcarchallengetour.com
www.placervillespeedway.com
www.stocktondirttrack.com
www.thunderbowlraceway.com
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