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PRESS RELEASE, PLACERVILLE SPEEDWAY CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

FROM THE OFFICE OF JOHN PADJEN MOTORSPORTS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, SUNDAY, AUGUST 24, 2008

MEDIA CONTACT: BILL SULLIVAN: [email protected]

Wiesz denied sixth victory by Outlaws’ Sammy Swindell in Placerville shootout

By Bill Sullivan

PLACERVILLE, CA – After outlasting Outlaw racer Danny Lasoski last Saturday night, Colfax point leader Colby Wiesz was on a mission Saturday night with two goals in mind. Number one; become the winningest driver of the year here and win his sixth feature at Placerville Speedway in the John Taylor Motorsports #35 sprint car. Number two; hold off three time World of Outlaws’ Champion Sammy Swindell of Germantown, TN while performing goal number one. Although he led nearly every lap of the event, Wiesz will have to wait one more week to accomplish his goal and he can thank winner Swindell for the set back.

Swindell made a rare visit to Placerville Saturday night as he prepares for the upcoming Gold Cup Race of Champions in two weeks at Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico. Driving the Tom Rolfe Trucking #10, Swindell made his first Placerville Speedway appearance in more than 16-years here and walked away with his first win on the action packed bullring.

“It’s been a long time since I have been here, that’s for sure,” said Swindell. “And during that time this track has changed a lot. These guys gave me a really good car. We wanted to shake things down, we didn’t qualify really well. We could have tightened it up a bit but I wasn’t sure what the track was going to do and once I got myself some room out there it was alright. It’s nice to come back here and get a win for this team, we’ve given a couple away lately that we should have won so this is good for them.”

Swindell started deep in the field Saturday, lining up in the 11^th position for the 25-lap feature event. With one lap complete he drove his way into the top 10 and three laps later raced several laps with Placerville’s James Sweeney for the sixth position before passing Sweeney, Placerville Jimmy Trulli and intial race leader Justin Johnson of Shingle Springs in a single move on the 10^th circuit.

Once Swindell reached the fourth position, he remained there until lap 22 when a late race charge sent him ahead of third place runner Kyle Hirst. One lap later Swindell drove below second place driver Andy Forsberg of Auburn and continued to push to the front as the lap count neared the white flag. With 24-laps complete, Swindell drove into the fourth corner and slid below Wiesz to pass for the lead just as a red flag came out when Tyler Walker of Los Angeles flipped in turn four and reverted the line up back to the previous lap. The restart set the stage for a classic scenario with the best of the west attempting to hold of one of the best in the world for the win on his hometown track

“During the red flag I parked next to Forsberg and we talked,” said Wiesz. “I asked him how Swindell passed him and he told me he did it on the bottom so I knew when we restarted I had to protect the bottom.”

Wiesz was referring the restart that had the fans on their feet for the two lap sprint to the finish. The green flag flew, Wiesz moved to the bottom where Swindell had been running well and Swindell shot to the top of turns one and two and powered his way around Wiesz for the lead as they advanced to the back stretch.

“After talking to Andy I was sure he would try me on the bottom like he did before,” added Wiesz. “So I went down there in one and two and I look to my right and there he was passing me on the high side. I did everything I could tonight to bring home another one but I just couldn’t hold him.”

Wiesz finished second Saturday night ahead of Forsberg, Hirst, Placerville’s Scott Russell and Sweeney. With his second place finish, Wiesz clinched the championship title, his first at Placerville and the third consecutive for Taylor.

In the Pro Stock feature event, Dan Brown Jr. of Nevada City officially locked the division title for the season, one week prior its conclusion. Brown accomplished the task in winning style, claiming his 14^th victory of the year out of 15 starts.

“I owe this all to my family, I have to thank everyone that has helped me win this championship this year,” said Brown. “This has been an amazing season. Next week it will be a little less stressful but we’ll be racing like its any other week.”

Brown started the 15-lap A-feature in on the outside of the front row. At the waving of the green flag he charged ahead of polesitter James Boss of Placerville and took the lead he would never relinquish aboard the Dirtworks #5x stock car maintained and wrenched by his father and former driver Dan Sr. When the checkered flag waved Brown crossed the line ahead of Thomas Arbogast of Auburn, Dennis Armstrong of El Dorado and Matt Davis of Auburn.

In Pure Stock action Kris Wirth of Pollock Pines won his first race of the year. Wirth was making his fifth appearance of the year and started on the pole of the 15-lap feature event. With the waving of the green Wirth pulled ahead of Woodland’s Rick Grunert by a pair of car lengths where he remained until late in the race .

In the final laps of the event, fifth place starter Tom Tilford of Citrus Heights had worked his way into the top three. Tilford overtook Grunert for second place and pulled beside Wirth to challenge for the lead on several occasions. As the two leaders came to the checkered flag Tilford made one final charge on the low side of turn four to steal the win but Wirth maintained the point to claim the victory. Tilford finished in second over Cameron Park’s Jared Vilt and Grunert. Tim Mack of El Dorado rounded out the top five.

“I’ve only made it out here a few times this season and we didn’t have very good luck until tonight,” said Wirth. “I expected to see Tilford come up underneath me and I just did my best to keep running a good clean race.”

The track regulars were joined Saturday night by the Nor Cal Dwarf Cars. In this event a number of lead changes took place and in the end it was Brett Barstow of Ballico getting the win. Barstow charged ahead of Kevin Bender of Rocklin, Jeremy Blackshire of Marysville and Brian Quilty of Fair Oaks for the win.

Next Saturday night will mark the final championship point race of the season at Placerville Four divisions will be on hand including the winged sprint cars that will have a $2000 payday for Performance Plus Carpet Care Night at the speedwayPro Stocks and Pure Stocks will join the racing program along with the Bay Cities Racing Association Midget Lites who will be competing in the annual Tracey Tailor Memorial. Kerry King Construction of Cameron Park has put up additional bonus money for this division that will receive $500 with $100 going to the winner and the remaining bonus being divided accordingly down the field.The front gates will open at 5 p.m. with qualifying at 6:30. For additional information visit the track website at www.johnpadjenmotorsports.com.