Former champion Robinson leads roster heading into Placerville’s “Tribute to Al Hinds”
By Bill Sullivan
PLACERVILLE, CA – Since returning from his two year retirement from sprint car racing, former Civil War Series champion David Robinson Jr. of Foresthill has been feeling the bridesmaid blues. He has led several events but has not yet finished higher than second place in a feature event. This Saturday night, Robinson will attempt to make a triumphant comeback at the track where has won two championships to compete in Civil War Sprint car series, in which, he holds two career titles. The event is one of the most recognized races on the 15-race tour, it’s the fifth annual “Family Chevrolet Tribute to Al Hinds” at Placerville Speedway.
Al Hinds was the second promoter of Placerville Speedway, back in 1968. Hinds wasn’t known for prestige track preparation or outlandish payouts. The lifelong engine builder was known for bringing the local business community together with the sport of auto racing in what was then a very small rural town, often referred to as “Old Hangtown.”
Hinds had a philosophy similar to the famed Kevin Costner movie about a baseball enthusiast who built an arena in a cornfield and followed the theory “If you build it, they will come.”Up until his passing five years ago, Placerville Speedway was undoubtedly Al Hinds’ true “field of dreams.”He built a legacy in local auto racing here and to this day, they continue to come. Saturday night, they are expected to come in high numbers as the racing and business community unites to celebrate Hinds’ lifelong contributions to local motorsports.
With a $1000 bonus being offered by Family Chevrolet to the feature winner and a $100 bounty for fast time courtesy of DSR Graphics and Signs, Robinson could very well make his return to victory lane a heroic one. Not only would Robinson and his FnF Racing team pick up the extra cash, they would become a member of an elite few that have mastered this very emotional race. In its four year history only three drivers have become Tribute to Al Hinds Champions and they include two time winner Roger Crockett of Medford, Oregon, Andy Forsberg of Aubrun and Kyle Hirst of Elk Grove.
Entering Saturday’s event, 15-year-old Kyle Larson of Elk Grove trails Robinson in the point standings of the Civil War series. Last year Larson became the youngest driver in the 43 year history of Placerville Speedway to win a feature event here at just 14-years of age. Saturday, Larson returns and will surely eye the Hinds title. Al Hinds was especially fond of rising stars in the sport and in the current day and age he would surely have many drivers to root for.
Sean Becker of Sacramento currently is third in the series point standings..Forsberg is running fourth overall and will return with the momentum of last weeks feature victory here. Sacramento’s Willie Croft rounds out the top five in the Civil War standings ahead of former series and track champion Greg DeCaires of Elk Grove. Placerville’s Andy Gregg is seventh overall over Sacramento’s Herman Klein, Myles Bishop of Escalon, Colby Wiesz of Colfax, Christian Stover of Alpine, Doug Machado of Elk Grove, Steven Tiner of Elverta, Alissa Geving of Penngrove, Placerville’s Jimmy Trulli, Mason Moore of Princeton and Mike Benson of Calistoga.
As the top runners in the point standings will return to Placerville this Saturday night, many local drivers will be joining them. Among those entries will be Placerville drivers Scott Russell and C.J. Humphreys, Justin Johnson of Shingle Springs, Dave Shanks of El Dorado, James Sweeney of Placerville, Vern Morrison of El Dorado Hills and many more.
The action on the track will begin with time trials at on Saturday, Saturday’s Tribute to Al Hinds will begin earlier in the day when the title sponsor of the event, Family Chevrolet, will host a pre-race sprint car show and BBQ. The event will feature over a dozen sprint cars on display and drivers on hand as well as free hamburgers and hot dogs sponsored by Strauss Foods and Family Chevrolet.
Saturday’s pre-race event will begin at 10 a..m. and will wrap up at 1 p.m. Family Chevrolet is located at 4050 Motherlode Drive in Shingle Springs just off Highway 50 and the Ponderosa Road Exit. For additional information on this event visit www.johnpadjenmotorsports.com.
This article is the final in a series of stories by John Padjen Motorsports’ Director of Communications Bill Sullivan that takes and in depth look at the upcoming Tribute to Al Hinds at PlacervilleSpeedway. For additional articles on this upcoming special event be sure and visit www.johnpadjenmotorsports.com.
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