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CALIFORNIA RACING WEEKEND: May 11/12/13

All American Speedway - Roseville, CA
SRS, Late Models, Legends, WSRA

Altamont Motorsports Park - Tracy, CA
5/11: Open Test: Oval Tracks
5/12: "Coca-Cola Presents the Night Before Mothers Day at AMP!" FREE ADMISSION FOR ALL MOMS! North State Challenge Series (Open Competition for Late Models); NASCAR Whelen All-American Series. Late Models, 50-Laps, $1,000 to win; GAM, ALSC and ProTrucks $500 to win. PLUS exhibition by NEW Altamont Motorsports Park Kart Club.
5/13: Santa Clara Corvettes Autocross. Gates open 9:00

Antioch Speedway - Antioch, CA
Dirt Modifieds, Wingless Sprints, Limited Late Models, Dwarf Cars, Pure Stocks, Mini Trux

Bakersfield Speedway - Bakersfield, CA
SCRA 360 Sprints, Hobby Stocks, American Stocks, Jr. Minis – FREE PEPSI NIGHT

Barona Speedway - Ramona, CA
California Lightning Sprints, Street Stocks, Pony Stocks Factory Stocks, Dwarf Cars, 600 Sprints, Mini Dwarfs

Calistoga Speedway - Calistoga, CA
DARK

Chowchilla Speedway - Chowchilla, CA
Tentative—Modified—Street Stock—Hobby Stock—Mini Stock—Ladies Hobby

Imperial Valley Speedway - El Centro, CA
Factory Stocks, Pro Stocks, I.M.C.A. Modifieds, Pure Stocks, & Mini-Dwarfs

Irwindale Speedway - Irwindale, CA
Late Models, Super Stocks, Mini Stocks, Pure Stocks

Kings Speedway - Hanford, CA
USAC FOCUS MIDGETS, USAC MIDGETS, WESTERN ALLSTARS Late Models, (free bike giveaway), 360 SPEC SPRINTS, SUPER 4S

Lakeport Speedway - Lakeport, CA
The Nostalgic Race Car Group Modifieds, Mini-Stocks, Bonus Bombers

Lucas Oil I-10 Speedway - Blythe, CA
DARK

Madera Speedway - Madera, CA
Hoosier Event Night - WLM, Modifieds, ALSC, MST, Hornets/Toyotas

Marysville Raceway Park - Marysville, CA
5/11: Outlaw Karts
5/12: 360 Sprints, Wingless Sprints, Stock Cars, Dwarf Cars

Merced Speedway - Merced, CA
5/11: Monster Trucks, Moto Cross, Tuff Trucks
5/12: Monster Trucks, Moto Cross, Tuff Trucks
5/13: Monster Trucks, Moto Cross, Tuff Trucks

Ocean Speedway - Watsonville, CA
5/11: 360 Sprints, IMCA Modifieds, American Stocks, 4 Bangers

Orange Show Speedway - San Bernardino, CA
Outlaws Figure 8, Late Models, Stock Pony, Legends, Bandoleros

Orland Raceway - Orland, CA
Wingless Sprint Series #2, including Mini Trucks, Mini Stocks, Mini Mods, & Dirt Stock Cars

Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA
5/11: Street Legal Drag Racing
5/12: USAC/CRA Sprint Cars

Petaluma Speedway - Petaluma, CA
360 Sprints, Dirt Modifieds, Super Stocks, Pure Stocks, Mini Stocks

Placerville Speedway - Placerville, CA
360 SPRINTS, PRO STOCKS, PURE STOCKS, MIDGET LITES

Santa Maria Speedway - Santa Maria, CA
Bandit Sprint Cars - IMCA Modifieds - Street Stocks - Mini Stocks

Shasta Raceway Park - Anderson, CA
MOD/SS/I-4 MODS/SPEC SPRINTS AAS/SRP 100 LAPS

Silver Dollar Speedway - Chico, CA
5/11: 410 SPRINTS, MODIFIEDS, WINGLESS SPRINTS
5/12: GOLDEN STATE CHALLENGE: DAVE BRADWAY JR. MEMORIAL: 410 SPRINTS

Tulare Thunderbowl Raceway - Tulare, CA
DARK

Ventura Raceway - Ventura, CA
VRA Sprints, Senior Sprints, Sport Compacts, IMCA Modifieds & VRA Junior Focus Midgets

Victorville Auto Raceway - Victorville, CA
DARK

*Unless Otherwise Noted, Racing is on Saturday, May 12th.
**Schedules Subject To Change.
***Please Support Your Local Race Tracks!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MAY 7, 2007
Contact: DICK JORDAN 07-91

CRA RETURNS TO THE PAS SATURDAY

Rip Williams of Yorba Linda, Calif. remains the lone driver in the “top-10” in standings continuing to seek his initial 2007 series feature win as the series returns to Perris (Calif.) Auto Speedway this Saturday.

Williams has over 100 career Sprint car feature wins to his credit but his best finishes so far this year have been a second, third, fourth and fifth, all at Perris!

Williams is no stranger to victory lane at The PAS, having scored one win in 2006, two in 2005 and three in 2004.

Tony Jones enters Saturday’s race with a 79-point lead over Mike Spencer. Scotty Weir, the series’ only two-time race winner so far, ranks fifth in the current standings.

LUCAS OIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR SERIES STANDINGS
1 Tony Jones 688
2 Mike Spencer 609
3 Rickie Gaunt 534
4 Danny Sheridan 521
5 Scotty Weir 514
6 Darren Hagen 460
7 Rip Williams 456
8 R.J. Johnson 425
9 Cory Kruseman 367
10 Garrett Hansen 364

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MAY 7, 2007
Contact: DICK JORDAN/MICHAEL HARKER 07-67

PIEROVICH LEADS WESTERN MIDGETS TO KINGS SATURDAY

Scott Pierovich of Alamo, Calif., USAC’s 2005 Western Midget Car “Most Improved Driver,” aims for his second career series victory Saturday night when the series visits Kings Speedway in Hanford, Calif.

Pierovich, who leads Chris Rahe by 28 points in the current standings, had three “top-five” finishes on his way to seventh in the 2006 standings and scored his only career win at the Orange Show Speedway in San Bernardino, Calif.

Defending two-time series champion Jerome Rodela of El Monte, Calif. continues his quest for a third consecutive title in Saturday’s race, third in the 2007 standings, 32 back of Pierovich.

Danny Stratton, fourth in the current points, won USAC’s last Western Midget race at Hanford, in 2004.

USAC WESTERN MIDGET CAR SERIES STANDINGS
1 Scott Pierovich 170
2 Chris Rahe 142
3 Jerome Rodela 138
4 Danny Stratton 136
5 Johnny Rodriguez 125
6 Matt Mitchell 125
7 Shannon McQueen 110
8 Greg Bragg 95
9 C.J. Sarna 87
10 Josh Wise 73

For Immediate Release From Ventura Raceway
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(Oxnard, CA 5/7/07) Ventura Raceway continues its 2007 season at its Ventura County Fairgrounds facility this coming weekend May 12, with a great night of racing featuring four of its top adult classes and one of its junior classes. This race night was added after the scheduled Monster Truck event was cancelled due to scheduling problems. Saturday night Ventura features VRA Sprint Cars, Senior Sprints, Sport Compacts, Junior Focus Midgets and IMCA Modifieds. These classes have proven to be some of the most exciting classes that are raced at Ventura.

VRA 360 Sprints return to action Saturday night after last weeks exciting event that saw visiting USAC/CRA star Cory Kruseman take his second VRA Main Event win of the 2007 season. He had to battle VRA point’s leader Kevin Kierce to get the win. Other drivers doing well last week included Clark Templeman III, Greg Taylor, Rick Hendrix, and Eric Severson. Most of these drivers will be back this weekend to continue the season long point’s battle. Racing so far in 2007 has been outstanding and tonight should be no exception.

Also on our schedule Saturday will be our very popular VRA Senior Sprints. Last weekend Danny Miller took his first win of 2007 and moved into fifth place in the season point’s race that is currently led by his brother Wiley Miller, who finished third in the feature. Steve Stasa also had a good night last week with a second place finish, keeping him in second place in 2007 points. These and other fine drivers are expected to be here this weekend to put on another excellent night of racing in this class for over 45 year old drivers.

IMCA Modifieds are back Saturday night as well. Last week Rick Rodarte took his first ever IMCA win over a strong field of 19 competitors. He will be back Saturday to try for two in a row against the likes of point leader Steve Smith, Randy McGraw, John Uccellini, Bill Waltman, his son Austin Rodarte and many other fine IMCA drivers. This growing class of open wheel stock cars always put on crowd pleasing performances.

VRA Sport Compacts return to action Saturday after almost a month off since their last race on April 7. Point leader leads this entry level stock car class into tonight’s competition. He has two wins so far in 2007 and he will be going for three tonight. His challengers, led by David Peterson, 2006 series champion Jack Hoyt and many other will be trying to stop him.

Our final class for this weekend will be our VRA Junior Ford Focus Class. Point leader Austin Smith will be going for another win as he tries to take his first VRA championship. Dakota Kershaw, Alex Bowman and Charlie Butcher and the rest of the drivers in this class will be going all out to slow him down.

Next week the USAC Midgets and Ford Focus Midgets return to Ventura along with our VRA Sprints, Sport Compacts and Junior Focus Midgets for a night of racing you will not want to miss. Be sure to make your plans to be here for this event.

Pit gates open at 12 noon and front gates open at 3:30PM with racing getting under way at 5:30pm. Admission for this event is $14.00 for adults, $11.00 for seniors/military and juniors. Kids 7-12 are $5.00 and kids 6 and under are free. For more information, please call Ventura Raceway at (805) 985-5433.

I'm very unhappy to report that I didn't make it to California last weekend but was just told that Mike Kirby put on a show in the late model division at Perris, sounds like it was a good race. Congratulations to Kirby on another fine drive to the front. Sure would like to see him back in a sprint car full time.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

LUCAS OIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CARS. LUCAS OIL MOTORSPORTS HOUR, SNAP-ON TOOLS AND NISSAN Z CARS AT PERRIS AUTO SPEEDWAY THIS SATURDAY!

(MAY 8, 2007, PERRIS, CA) The Lucas Oil USAC/CRA Sprint Cars, presented by Temecula Valley Pipe & Supply, return to their home track, Perris Auto Speedway, this Saturday night May 12th, in a show that will be taped for the Lucas Oil Motorsports Hour on the Versus television network. In addition to the racing, Snap-on Tools will be on hand with a display and sale of their fine tools and the Nissan Z show cars will be on display at the track as well. Spectator gates will open at 5:00 PM with racing at 7:00.

Marion, Indiana's Scotty Weir returns to The PAS as the first two-time winner in the tough USAC/CRA Series this season. Weir, the 2006 USAC National Rookie of the Year, won his first race of the 2007 campaign at USA Race Park in Tucson, Arizona on April 7th. The laid back 22 year-old backed that up with his second win of the year at The PAS two weeks ago when he edged Temecula, California's Mike Spencer in a race long crowd pleasing dual in the 30-lap main event. Driving Glenn Crossno's 2006 USAC/CRA championship car, Weir has won two of the last three USAC/CRA races and has three top three finishes in the last four races. That has allowed the former Ball State University student to climb to fifth in the standings only 7 markers behind Santa Maria, California veteran "Showtime" Danny Sheridan and only 20 behind third place driver Rickie Gaunt of Torrance, California.

Tony Jones, the series point leader, carries a 79-point advantage over Spencer heading into this Saturday's race. The Norco, California resident had an eventful evening when the series last raced at the 11-year old Riverside County clay oval two weeks ago. In his heat race, Jones, 37, flipped down the back straightaway and into the billboards after contact with another car. The car initially looked to be destroyed, but car owner Mark Alexander and his crew surveyed the situation. With help from crews of several competing teams, they cut and welded the wounded car and got it back on the track where the battered driver did his best "Rocky Balboa" imitation and took the car to an unimaginable second in the B Main and 7th in the 30-lap A Main.

Saturday's race will be the second of four taped at The PAS for the Lucas Motorsports Hour on Versus. The race will be shown on June 9th at 4:00 PM and June 14th at 4:30 PM. All times are Eastern Standard Time. The Versus Channel is available to more than 70,000,000 homes nationwide and is the United States home of the National Hockey League. The previously taped April 14th race from The PAS will be shown on May 26th at 4:00 PM and May 31st at 5:00 PM. The June 23rd race at The PAS will also be taped by Versus as will the final night of November's 12th Annual Budweiser Oval Nationals presented by Temecula Valley Pipe & Supply. Other USAC races on the Lucas Oil Motorsports hour will be the July 13th Silver Crown race from Joliet, Illinois and the annual Turkey Night Grand Prix from the Irwindale Raceway.

So you have Snap-on Tools, Lucas Oil Motorsports Hour, Nissan Z Show Cars and the Lucas Oil USAC/CRA Sprint Cars. Can there be anything more? Yes! Infield announcer Ronnie Everhart will pay tribute to sprint car racers Mom's the night before Mother's Day.

Saturday's entertainment filled night will include qualifying, four no holds barred 10-lap heat races, a 12 lap last chance B main and a clay slingin' 30 lap A main event.

On Friday, the red-hot drag racing action at the Street Legal Strip at The PAS will continue. Friday's gates will open at 5:00 PM with racing at 6:00.

Anyone wishing more information can contact Perris Auto Speedway at (951) 940-0134.

Perris Auto Speedway is located on the Lake Perris Fairgrounds (home of the Southern California Fair), approximately one hour east of Los Angeles and one hour North of San Diego. To get to the track, take the 215 freeway, exit at the Ramona Expressway and go two miles east to the fairgrounds.

[email protected] is the only authorized Internet address to issue official media news released from The Perris Auto Speedway or Oval Entertainment

USAC/CRA SERIES SPRINT CAR POINT STANDINGS
1. Tony Jones – Norco, CA – 688
2. Mike Spencer – Temecula, CA - 609
3. Rickie Gaunt - Torrance, CA, CA – 534
4. Danny Sheridan – Santa Maria, CA – 521
5. Scotty Weir – Marion, IN – 514
6. Darren Hagen – Riverside, CA – 460
7. Rip Williams – Yorba Linda, CA - 456
8. R. J. Johnson – Phoenix, AZ – 425
9. Cory Kruseman – Ventura, CA – 367
10. Garrett Hansen, Manhattan Beach, CA - 364
11. David Cardey – Riverside, CA – 356
12. Tyler Brown – Norco, CA - 318
13. Rodney Argo – Gardena, CA – 255
14. Josh Ford – Camarillo, CA – 251
15. Jason York – Chico, CA – 249
16. Damion Gardner – Concord, CA – 240
17. Michael Trimble – San Jose, CA – 235
18. Charles Davis Jr. – Buckeye, AZ – 210
19. Josh Wise – Riverside, CA – 201
Dustin Morgan – Tulsa, OK - 201

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MAY 7, 2007
Contact: DICK JORDAN 07-91

CRA RETURNS TO THE PAS SATURDAY

Rip Williams of Yorba Linda, Calif. and Rickie Gaunt of Torrance, Calif. remain the lone drivers in the “top-10” in standings continuing to seek their initial 2007 series feature win as the series returns to Perris (Calif.) Auto Speedway this Saturday.

Williams has over 100 career Sprint car feature wins to his credit but his best finishes so far this year have been a second, third, fourth and fifth, all at Perris! Gaunt, who won a feature at Perris last year, has a second, a third and three fourths so far this season.

Williams is no stranger to victory lane at The PAS, having scored one win in 2006, two in 2005 and three in 2004.

Tony Jones enters Saturday’s race with a 79-point lead over Mike Spencer. Scotty Weir, the series’ only two-time race winner so far, ranks fifth in the current standings.

PRESS RELEASE, Silver Dollar Speedway – Chico, CA
FROM THE OFFICE OF JOHN PADJEN MOTORSPORTS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, Monday, May 7, 2007
INTERNET INFORMATION: www.johnpadjenmotorsports.com

Big Money up for Grabs During Two Nights of Racing at the Silver Dollar Speedway

A double-header weekend of racing at the Silver Dollar Speedway starts this Friday night, May 11, with points race number seven during the Feather Falls Casino championship series. On Friday night three racing divisions will compete on John Padjen’s famous dirt track including the 410-sprint cars, dirt modifieds and wingless sprints. The night will feature a $2,350 payday for the 410-sprint car winner because of sponsorship help from Rod Fauver and his Fauver Race Ready Rentals sprint car program and Fry’s Metal.

On Saturday night the highest paying one-day Golden State Challenge King of California Series race will take place. The race is known as the Dave Bradway Jr. Memorial. Bradway Jr. was a well-known sprint car driver from Roseville, Ca who was killed in a sprint car wreck at Skagit Speedway in Washington. Bradway Jr. was a fixture at Silver Dollar Speedway and won numerous main events at Chico. There will be no supporting division on Saturday night, just 410-sprint cars.

Front grandstand gate will open at 5pm on both nights. Sprint car qualifying is slated to start at 7 pm on both nights with racing to follow.

Prices on Friday night are as follows. Adult general grandstand admission is $10.00. Juniors and senior’s are $8.00 while children are $4.00. Pit gate will open at 4 pm.

Prices on Saturday night are as follows. Adult general admission is $16.00. Juniors are $11.00 while children are $4.00.

Friday night’s races are sponsored by Fauver Race Ready Rentals. The idea of the program is to get a person thinking about driving an open wheel sprint car, whether it’s winged or non-wing, a chance to race one without the big cost of buying everything. Fauver has a fleet of sprint cars ready to rent and drive. The person will have access to a full crew on race night and the knowledge of Rod Fauver, a veteran crew chief who has dedicated his life to sprint car racing. Rod can be contacted at (530) 591-5428 and he is happy to answer all questions concerning his business.

Joining the Friday night purse money is Fry’s Metal. This year Fry’s Metal is adding $1,000 to the purse. The money will be split evenly to each of the night’s three main event winners. The 410-sprint cars, dirt modifieds and wingless spec sprints will all be racing for roughly $350.00 extra dollars to win the main event.

Saturday night’s Golden State Challenge King of California event Dave Bradway Jr. Memorial is geared up to be a special night. For starters, the race features a 40-lap main event. The win pays $4,000 because of an extra $1,000 from John and Robbie Padjen. On top of that there is individual lap money for not only the main event but also the B main event. Dave and Dianne Durica of D & D Roofing are at the forefront of gathering the money. Each lap has a $100 value. If a driver leads a lap, it’s $50.00, second $30.00, and third $20.00. If a driver could lead every lap of the main event that driver could win $6,000. This year the Durica’s have also purchased new Dave Bradway Jr. Memorial shirts. Two years ago the shirts were gone before the Saturday night races.

Also involved again this year is an Internet fan based group called HoservilleCa. This year the fans have once again come up with heat race goodies for all winners. There will be four heat races during the night. After each heat race win, the driver will stop, be interviewed and then given two trophy’s. One is theirs to keep, the other will be handed to a young fan in the grandstand. Also with the win, the driver will receive a right rear tire, one sleeve of tear-offs and birdcages. All of this is courtesy of HoservilleCa along with Duane Davis at Laser Engraving in Marshalltown, Iowa, Kami Arnold at Arnold's for Awards. Bill Foland at Kaeding Performance. VMAC Racing and Blake Robertson.

Silver Dollar Speedway also unveiled our new state of the art scoreboard purchased with help from Feather Falls Casino and JPM. The beautiful scoreboard can keep track of the top five in any race at all times and can also displays each qualifying lap for the sprint cars.

For updated points and other information please visit www.johnpadjenmotorsports.com

PRESS RELEASE, PLACERVILLE SPEEDWAY, PLACERVILLE, CALIFORNIA
FROM THE OFFICE OF JOHN PADJEN MOTORPORTS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, TUESDAY, MAY 8, 2007

Local favorite Humphreys emerges as new point leader entering fourth point race
By Bill Sullivan

PLACERVILLE,CA – This Saturday night championship point racing resumes at Placerville Speedway with the fourth segment of the 2007 El Dorado County New Car Dealers Championship Racing season. Four divisions are scheduled to be on the evening’s program including winged 360 cubic inch powered sprint cars, pro stocks and pure stocks. The three track regulars will be accompanied by the Midget Lites of the Bay Cities Racing Association.

Entering Saturday’s event, Placerville’s own C.J. Humphreys has emerged to the top of the point standings. Humphreys has long been a veteran driver at Placerville Speedway since the late 1980’s and into the 90’s. During those decades the hometown driver saw his share of victories as well as a Civil War championship when the series first began.

Since that time Humphreys has continued his racing career, taking the good with the bad. This season the local fan favorite is amidst one of his best season starts in nearly a decade. Driving a car fielded by Dale Miller Plumbing and Septic of Placerville, Humphreys has driven his way to a top five finish in each of the events that have taken place here, including a feature win. Last Saturday he finished third in the prestigious Tribute to Al Hinds Civil War event as well.

“We are off to a great start this year,” said Humphreys, who now leads Andy Forsberg by one point in the standings. “All we want is for things to continue this way and we’ll be alight. Dale Miller has given me a great car this year and I thank the fans that have supported me all these years through the good and the bad. I hope they are enjoying the show we put on every Saturday because that’s why we are out here.”

Forsberg has matched Humphreys in the top five column so far this season and also has one season win here. The only other driver that has won a feature at Placerville is Brandon Wimmer of Fairmount Indiana who made just one appearance in the championship series two weeks ago and won his third main event of the season during the unexpected appearance. Wimmer is a distant 28th in the standings but will surely be a threat to victory lane during any future cameo appearances.

Colby Wiesz of Colfax sits third in the point standings, 7-points behind Humphreys. James Sweeney of Placerville is the next highest rated local driver, sitting in the 4th position, 14-points back. Placerville’s Jimmy Trulli trails Sweeney by only two-points in the fifth position, edging Scott Russell of Placerville and defending champion Greg DeCaires of Elk Grove just out of the top five.

In the Pro Stock division, Dan Brown Jr. of Nevada City continues to lead the point standings. Brown has two wins under his belt this year and leads the point standings by 9 digits in front of Wayne Trimble of Auburn. Trimble has three top five finishes and sits three-points in front of Marek Bernert of Citrus Heights, the only other feature winner in the division. Mike Moran of Rancho Cordova continues his quest for a third championship title from the fourth position. Jeff Arbogast of Auburn rounds out the top five, sitting ahead of locals Dennis Armstrong, Dennis Ahart, Forryst Carnett, Jimmy Tremblay and Del Tremblay.

In the Pure Stock division, Matt Tilford of Folsom returns with the momentum of his first career victory two weeks ago. Tilford leads the division standings with an 8-point advantage over Brian Stevens of Pollock Pines. Jason Englund from Citrus Heights sits third overall, 11-points from the lead. Michelle McClure sits in the fourth position followed by her brother and former champion Mike McClure who rounds out the top five ahead of Pollock Pines driver Terry Scher.

The three track regulars will be joined by the Midget Lites of the Bay Cities Racing Association. The guest class will be making their second appearance of the year.

Placerville Speedway will open at 5:00 on Saturday with warm ups starting at 5:30 followed by qualifying at 6:30 and heat races to follow. For additional information on this event contact the track business office at 916-969-7484 or log on to www.johnpadjenmotorsports.com.

Marysville Raceway Park
Press Release 5.6.07
For immediate release
By Bob Burbach

Russum repeats; wire to wire for the Shelbys
MRP hooked up and smokin’…again!

Marysville CA. Promoter Paul Hawes pulled a second rabbit out of the hat Saturday night and had a perfectly prepared racetrack waiting for the superb 4-division show presented at Marysville Raceway Park. The ¼ mile clay beat afternoon winds that kicked up to 30 MPH at times during the sunny parched afternoon. The fan friendly, thunder and lightning show, that included full fields, was concluded at 9.30 PM. Over all, the well-crafted event featured dozens of thrilling side-by-side races and personal introductions of all drivers in all divisions on the front stretch prior to their main events. The evening also included a monster, heart-stopping flip up the back chute and a spectacular fire.

In the MRP MiniStock feature point leader Lisa Shelby of Yuba City led every lap from her outside pole position starting spot. James Foster of Marysville dropped into 2nd and shadowed the leader for most of the event. A resurgent Floyd Youngblood of Berry Creek found 3rd and hounded the lead duo until his Toyota Mini pick up gave up the ghost with but two laps remaining. All eyes were on 4th row starting Gary Holsey of Yuba City. Holsey staged a charge that would bring him to 2nd in the final tally. By his own admission he simply “ran out of laps” in a race that was slowed only once by a caution flag.

Foster made a challenge for the lead in the late laps, but lost the handle on his quick #3 in turn one. Foster recovered, but he reentered the fray in 4th. He eventually came under the checkers in 3rd. Foster and three other competitors were disqualified in post race for not reporting to the technical inspectors immediately after the race. The infractions moved Yuba City’s Blane Baker, Joel Guisti and Marysville’s Damian Merritt into 3rd through 5th respectively.

Shelby, who swept the program, slipped through traffic with ease and sailed under the checkers with a comfortable margin.

Much like his sister in the previous race, 2006 MRP champion Phillip Shelby of Yuba City led wire to wire in the MRP Street Stock feature. Shelby out gunned Yuba City’s Heather Bartlett into turn one and was never headed. Bartlett never gave up, however, and pulled along side Shelby with but two laps to go. Shelby got the wake up call and pulled to a two car length lead at the flag. Bartlett stayed 2nd with a charging Ray Benkowski in 3rd. Jerry Bartlett finished 4th after Benkowski got by but was disqualified in post race inspection.

Benkowski’s remarkable drive to the checkers started with a last place starting spot in the feature event. Benkowski got up on the wheel and picked off cars at will and arrived in 3rd after the pass on Jerry Bartlett. Yuba City’s Billy Knoop was not in attendance to defend his point lead. Heather Bartlett will take over the top spot with her 2nd place finish and heat race victory. This marks the first time in the 39-year history of MRP Street Stocks that a female driver has lead in the standings.

Shelby swept the MRP Street Stock portion of the show to obtain the maximum number of points available in the competition.

The race was red flagged at ½ way by a huge flash of flame and a fire that, for an anxious, and seemingly endless, few moments engulfed the entire car of Marysville’s Jimmy Ford. Ford’s car burst into flames in the engine compartment exiting turn four. Flames licked into the cockpit for the length of the front stretch. Ford scrambled out of his racer very quickly as fire personnel met the orange #12 as it rolled to a halt off of turn one. Ford was unhurt in the spectacular looking blaze.

A textbook diamond off of turn two bolted Sacramento’s Pat Russum into the lead at ¾ distance in the MRP Wingless Sprint Car main event. He went on to win the feature that capped the point racing competition on this thrilling Saturday night. A sticky-fast ribbon of clay greeted the field as Yuba City’s Mark Hill shot from his outside pole position starting position into the lead. Cameron Park’s Gary Lewis shadowed the fleet Hill #8 for the first few circuits. Then Hill pulled away at a rapid clip. Russum fell into 3rd during the early going. Hill was untouchable as he mastered the hooked up surface.

Russum got by Lewis with a nice high side move, but Hill was gone. Then the complexion of this event changed when Auburn’s Jimmy Steward jumped the wheel of another racer and flew through the air from the flag stand to the entry of turn one. Steward’s landing was a lucky one as the yellow racer landed on its wheels after a pair of perilous bounces. Pat Couch came to a stop during the incident, but, amazingly, Steward kept going. It was the races’ only yellow flag.

The slowdown allowed Russum to close up on Hill and two laps later Russum went low on Hill got the lead. Hill remained in 2nd at the flag with Lewis, Sacramento’s John Anderson and Steve Fletcher in 4th and 5th respectively. It’s worth noting here that the battle for 3rd through 5th was worth the price of admission. It was hard to look away from the spectacular side-by-side tussle these drivers presented. It was scary to watch at times.

Hill and Sacramento’s Tim Sherman Jr. came into the event deadlocked at the top in the point standings. In his heat race, Sherman got together with another car and flipped spectacularly some 40 yards up the backstretch landing at the entry at turn three. Sherman was motionless for a few frightening heartbeats as rescue personnel reached the battered car. Then there was movement and everyone breathed easier. Sherman was banged around and stunned in the grinding crash, but essentially unhurt. The team spent the entire evening pasting the #1jr back together. Sherman barely made the call for the feature, but he took the green flag. Sherman soldiered along and he began to make some progress through the field. He finished a fine 8th.

The SORA Sprint 100s took advantage of the fine racetrack and presented the final event of the evening. Pleasanton’s Tony Gaioran ran away with the show after some heart-stopping traffic driving that kept his challengers at bay. His closest rival, Colusa’s Tim McLaughlin finished a fine 3rd after his top wing left side panel ripped off and was deposited on the track early on. Point leader McLaughlin went to the back and made a notable effort that resulted in his fine finish.

Next week the Outlaw Karts will kick off the weekend on Friday night. On Saturday night, the MRP Wingless Sprint Cars, The MRP Street Stocks and the MRP Winged Pacific Sprint Cars will be on hand for complete programs. The Nor Cal Dwarf Cars will also be on the card.

Make our website (marysvilleracewaypark.com) one of your “favorites” on you computer. Watch this site for press releases and updates.

Pit gates always open at 3PM. Pit meeting and pill draw are at 5PM. Spectator Gates Open at 5PM with racing getting underway at 7PM. Contact the promoters at 1.530.743.1327 or email as indicated on the home page.

Note: Please make this observer aware of any names that are misspelled. The text is based on information we have at the time of its release.

Press Release, Golden State Challenge Series

Press Release

Santa Maria, CA - 5-9-07...Century 21 Hometown Realty Bandit Sprint Cars, IMCA Modifieds, Fox 11 First at Ten Super Streets and Mini Stocks will do battle Saturday night, May 12, at Santa Maria Speedway.

*Visalia's Jesse Mack leads Taft's Jayson May by 20 points after his opening night Bandit Sprint Car feature victory April 28. Third place Jonathan Henry is just two points behind May. Fourth place Dennis Rodriguez, Jr. is 26 points out of first with Eric Severson, of Torrance, another point back.

*With the IMCA Modifieds giving points only in the feature, and all positions separated by a single point, the spread from first to fifth, after one race, is 5 markers. The top players are: Randy McGraw, Ojai; Tim Breshears, Santa Maria; David Addamo, Santa Maria; Steve McGee, Carson City, NV; and, Jacob Jones, Santa Maria.

*Five Santa Maria drivers lead the Super Street point standings with 2006 champion Tim Randolph showing the way. Tom Breshears is 4 points back, Chad Shaffer trails by 8, Joey Silva by 10 and Elton Shaffer by 11.

*Arroyo Grande's Ken Kehs is out in front in the Mini Stock class with Nipomo's Justin Marsh 4 points behind. Justin Crockett, of Arroyo Grande, trails by 7 with Santa Maria's Rob Gilbertson another 2 points back and Lompoc's Jeff Biggs a point behind him.

*Spectator gates will open at three Saturday night, with qualifying at five and racing at six. Prices for the night will be: Adults - $14.00, Seniors (65+) - $10.00, Children 6 to 12 - $3.00, 5 and under free. The Speedway no longer accepts credit cards.

*SMS is located 1/4-mile north of the 101/166 interchange on Hutton Road. For information call: 805-922-2233.

SCRA VISITS BAKERSFIELD RACEWAY
By Dan Fleisher

Hanford, CA --- After five events at Kings Speedway in Hanford (CA), the talented drivers from SCRA’s 360 c.i. wingless Sprint car group will test their skills at Bakersfield (CA) Speedway this Saturday night, May 12th. The action should be hot, heavy and competitive on the shorter, tighter 1/3-mile clay facility, compared to Kings’ 3/8-mile oval.

Resuming their friendly but fierce rivalry will be two of the finest drivers on the west coast, Davey Pombo and Peter Murphy, who between them have not only captured the last three SCRA main events, they’ve finished one-two and currently lead the point’s chase with 369 and 357 respectively.

The Bakersfield fans will be cheering for their local “hometown” boys, Rusty Carlile, Matt Day and John Iturriria, who get their chance to showoff before family and friends. Carlile is chomping at the bit to brush aside front-runners Pombo and Murphy and win a feature, after capturing the last three Trophy Dashes. “Although it fun winning the dashes, I’d trade the trophies for a main event win,” he stated during last week’s victory circle ceremonies. He currently sits fourth in the season point standings (272).

Day and Iturriria have been waiting for their chance to enjoy the home cooking and race on familiar territory. Dean “Kiwi” Alexander, who sits third in points with 282, has improved each and every week and is primed for his first victory of the season. “It’s my turn and I’m looking forward to winning at Bakersfield,” the Visalia (CA) resident said.

Jeff Gardner, fifth in points (245), defending series champion Jonathan Logan and 25-year veteran Richard Harvey Jr., currently sixth and seventh (224-202), will be on-hand seeking to shake off their early season woes, improve their standings and cop the hardware. Kevin Barnes, last year’s Rookie of the Year, who was impressive during his heat race win last week against Carlile and Murphy, will be back as will Brian Schuler, and Jesse Mack, who loves the shorter tracks.

A host of talented teenage rookies, including John Niggli (tied with Harvey in points) and Justyne Hamblin, who sits in ninth (199), will face off against rivals Jace VanderWeerd and Adam Frith-Smith for top rookie honors. Hamblin has recorded one quick qualifying time, one heat win and three top-ten finishes while Niggli is coming off two consecutive weeks of top-six qualifying times and top-eight feature finishes.

This week’s visit to Bakersfield is the first of two for the “Wingless Warriors,” who return on August 4th.

The Fair Race at Victorville Auto Raceway that was listed for this Saturday, May 12th, will be held on the following Saturday, May 19th. Figure 8s and Sprint Cars are scheduled.

Victorville Auto Raceway is located at the San Bernardino County Fairgrounds in Victorville, California.

The 3/8 mile dirt oval track caters to a wide variety of classes, from Mini Dwarfs to IMCA Modifieds, and everything in between. Including New Figure 8 Races.

For more information, visit www.victorville-auto-raceway.com.