5/8/2009
Silver Dollar Speedway
Kyle Larson Gets First Career 410 Sprint Main Win
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="420"] HRP Photos by Steve Cox[/caption]
Copeland resumed as the leader and was turning some impress lap times. In fact, the top four at the time where all turning 11-second laps while racing in the main event. As the leaders approached the rear of the field things tightened up. Copeland was able to get by one car but on lap 10, Larson drove by for the lead. Larson was the new leader. On lap 14 Jason York tangled with Wayne Johnson resulting in York flipping pretty hard down into turn three. York quickly emerged from the damaged racecar and walked off under his own power.
The final 11 laps went on without a hitch. Larson continued to lead while ever so quickly he was catching the rear of the field again. Veteran driver Mark Hall diced with Copeland for a few laps until he moved into second. Jonathan Allard followed Hall's lead and drove his way into the third spot. Both Hall and Allard tried to track down Larson but there would be no denying Larson on this night. Larson stayed cool, calm and collected and won the feature event driving the Dave and Debbie Vertullo Starr Property Management/Parker Stores #83v. Hall and Allard raced hard on the final lap. It was Hall holding onto the spot. Allard finished third while Copeland ran a strong fourth. Mason Moore rounded out the top five. It was a good come back for Moore who flipped in his heat race, made repairs and transferred out of the B main just to get back into the feature. Zack Mason had a career best sixth place finish. Bobby McMahan ran in the seventh spot. Andy Forsberg started in the dead last spot, 20th overall, and came home to finish 8th . Brett Miller and Mike Benson rounded out the top ten.
Mark Abouzeid is one of the best dirt modified drivers in California and once again he proved it tonight. Abouzeid led all 15 laps to win the main event. In fact, of the two main events ran this year during the point season; Abouzeid has now won both of them. Behind Abouzeid was quite a battle between Dustin Massey and Darin Ruley. Both drivers raced real hard and provided some on track excitement. However, on lap 12 they both touched sending Massey around and out of second place. Ruley spun also but rejoined the race. Massey did not return. Mark Hass was now in the second spot and he and Ruley started racing hard. On the final lap Ruley made contact with Hass sending Hass into a spin. As the checkered came out it was ruled that Hass would still finish in the second spot while the officials bumped Ruley back to third for his aggressive driving. Abouzeid got the spoils of victory lane once again driving his Chico Volkswagen sponsored #27.
Josh Bates led all 20-laps to win his first career Chico main event driving his Pronol Racing Fuel #42x. Bates started on the front row with former track champion Brandon Davis. Bates was able to get the good start and grabbed the early lead. Davis ran in the second spot all the way until lap 11 when he bobbled and was passed by Billy Wallace and Herman Klein. Three laps later Klein moved into second with a nifty move around Wallace. The final five laps provided some close racing as Bates was bottled up behind two slower cars. This allowed Klein and Wallace to close on Bates. To his credit Bates never tired to force an out of control move that some leaders tend to do when feeling the pressure from behind. Bates waited for his moment and when the opportunity arose he passed both cars. With two laps to go Bated held on to a safe lead and went on to win the race. Klein ran second followed by Wallace. Jimmy Pettit moved into the fourth spot late in the race. Davis slipped back to fifth at the finish.
Darin Ruley led all eight laps to win the lone dirt modified heat race.
Jay Youngman grabbed the first heat win in the wingless division while Josh Bates swept the night with the win in the second heat race.
Racing continues on Saturday night with the annual Dave Bradway Jr. Memorial featuring the King of California Golden State Sprint Car Series.
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