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PRESS RELEASE, HOOSIER RACING TIRES CIVIL WAR SPRINT CAR SERIES

ROUND #2, PETALUMA SPEEDWAY, PETALUMA, CALORNIA

FROM THE OFFICE OF JOHN PADJEN MOTORSPORTS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, SATURDAY, APRIL 12, 2008

MEDIA CONTACT: BILL SULLIVAN: [email protected]

Sean “The Shark” Becker shores up Civil War victory in round two at Petaluma Speedway

By Bill Sullivan

PETALUMA, CA – Following a night of thrills and spills just a few days ago for the series opener, the Hoosier Racing Tires Civil War Sprint Car Series presented its second event of action this week with the round two of the 2008 campaign at Petaluma Speedway.

A total of 40 cars clocked in on the 3/8 mile and in the end it was Sacramento’s Sean Becker scoring the win aboard the Scott Miller owned #2SB sprint car. The win was Becker’s first Civil War victory in over a year and he became the second driver in as many races to win a victory in the competitive Civil War series, a 15 race series that competes on 6 different tracks in Northern California.

In qualifying, Penngrove’s Alissa Geving, a regular weekly competitor at Petaluma Speedway and the current point leader of the weekly series here, clocked the fastest lap of the evening with a 12:892 second lap. Geving was on of just two cars in the 12 second bracket. Former two time series champion David Robinson Jr. of Foresthill was second quick with a 12:973 while Willie Croft of Sacramento claimed the third fastest lap, turning a 13:060. Colby Wiesz of Colfax and Placerville’s Andy Gregg rounded out the top five position.

After qualifying ninth and securing a spot in the A-feature with a second place run in his heat race, Becker started on the pole of the 30-lap feature event with Elk Grove’s Kyle Larson, the 2007 Civil War Co-rookie of the year, on the outside. Kyle Hirst of Elk Grove was originally slated to start on the pole position but motor woes following his earlier heat race win forced him and the Gary Perkins owned team to withdraw from the line up, moving Becker forward from the inside of the second row.

From the waing of the green flag, Becker took command of the 22 car field and led every lap of the race while the battle behind him for the top five positions heated up. Early in the race Croft advanced from his fifth place starting position and began working into the top three positions where he would eventually close in on Becker and finish second when the night came to an end.

For much of the race Robinson maintained the third position, holding off a hard charging Larson for the position. It was on the final lap that Larson’s efforts proved succesfull as he overtook Robinson for the position to finish third. Robinson claimed the fourth position over defending series champion Andy Forsberg of Auburn. The fifth place finish was Forsberg’s second straight top five of the series, proving his early season hard luck may be turning around.

Finishing in the sixth position was Geving after a comeback run. Following her fast time effort the 16-year-old sophomore driver suffered a damaging crash that nearly ended her night in heat race competition. After making repairs she earned her starting spot for the A feature with a victory in the semi feature and overtook Gregg late in the race for sixth. Gregg finished in the sixth spot over Myles Bishop of Escalon, local favorite David Lindt Jr. and Mason Moore of Princeton, the 2007 co-rookie of the year for the Civil War Series.

In prelimary action Geving was followed across the line the B-feature by Bishop, Christian Stover of Alpinne and Fair Oak’s Chad Compton. The C Feature was won by Brandon Davis followed by Steven Tiner, Pat Harvey Jr. and Tyler Schmidt. Heat races were claimed Saturday by Herman Klein, Robinson, Hirst and Greg DeCaires.

The next Civil War Series will bring competitors back to Placerville Speedway on Saturday, May 3 for the Family-Chevrolet Cadillac fifth annual “Tribute to Al Hinds.” This special night of racing pays tribute to the late Al Hinds, one of the pioneer’s that made Placerville Speedway a success after its opening in 1965, bringing the community together to support auto racing in a rural city. Hinds continued to support the speedway, its drivers and staff for his entire life and was a regular attendee until is passing five years ago. Family Chevrolet-Cadillac will award a $1000 bonus to the winner of the May 3^rd event in honor of Hinds.

In addition to the added bonus, the longtime local auto dealership will also show its support for area racing with the first ever ‘Tribute to Al Hinds” Sprint Car Show and Shine event during the day of the race. From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. more than a dozen of the top cars of the series and their drivers will be on hand at Family Chevrolet for an opportunity to visit with area race fans and take part in a pre-event bbw that will be sponsored by Placerville Speedway and Strauss Food Service of Diamond Springs.

For complete results on Saturday’s event or further information on the upcoming “Tribute to Al Hinds” log on to www.johnpadjenmotorsports.com, the official online resource for Placerville Speedway, Silver Dollar Speedway, the Civil War Sprint Car Series and the Golden State Challenge Series.

Press photo attached:

Photo credit: Steve Lamothe

Sean Becker (center) celebrates his Civil War victory at Petaluma Speedway Saturday night with Willie Croft, second place (right) and Kyle Larson, third place (left).