9/28/2012
Silver Dollar Speedway
Fall Nationals Ends Season at Chico
The final 10 laps were great as the top three now had company from Jonathan Allard. Everything stayed the same in the running order until lap 28. Kaeding went from third to the lead. Becker fell to second, Allard moved to third and Rico fell to fourth. As Kaeding went into turn three he got bottled up behind a slower car and almost spun out. This allowed Becker to go back by for the lead. Kaeding slipped to fourth and was never able to recover. Becker led the final lap with Allard right on his bumper. Abreu rounded out the top three. Kyle Hirst was so fun to watch tonight. He ran the top, bottom or wherever he could to try to make things happen. Hirst ended up with a fifth place finish.
Garen Linder was another driver who did an admiral job hanging in the top five most of the night. On lap 28 he finally slipped out of the top five but still held on for a sixth place finish. Mason Moore brought his car home in seventh place tonight. Andy Forsberg passed eight cars in the final 10 laps to finish in ninth. Greg DeCaires secured the 10th place finish.
Cole Wood started the night off by turning the fastest lap in qualifying at an 11.921. It was his first fast time award at Chico. Linder, Abreu, Macedo and Kaeding all won their respective heat races. Allard won the 12-lap B main. Mark Tabor Jr. won the 8-lap C main event.
Terry Schank Jr. won for the 49th time driving the Joe Hunt Magneto's #1. "Tomorrow night we will try to make it 50," said Schank Jr. in victory lane. Schank is fresh off his championship in the Joe Hunt Magnetos Wingless Sprint Shootout Series and also just won his third consecutive Pepsi night trophy at Chico. Billy Wallace seemed to have the race won but on lap 16 he clipped the big white tire in turn four that sent him upside down. Due to all the attrition during the main event Wallace was still credited with a seventh place finish. The race itself was a long event slowed by numerous yellows and a few red flags. The main event had 18 drivers start the race but only six finished. Taylor Nelson enjoyed a career best second place finish tonight. I was proud to see him get a solid finish. Rowdy McClenon brought his car home in the third spot tonight. Gary Nelson Jr. and Angelique Bell rounded out the top five. Bell and McClenon were heat race winners tonight. Colton Slack turned the fastest lap of the night during group qualifying at a 13.903.
Mitch Machado picked up another hard fought win at Chico. "All the credit goes to the guys who are standing behind me in victory lane," said Machado. Brent Lawrence led for a good part of the main event tonight and received accolades from Machado. "I was so proud of how well Brent ran tonight. We talk on the phone about set ups. I enjoy good competition," said Machado. Lawrence led until lap eight. Machado took over the lead and never looked back. Late in the race Jake Vantol passed Lawrence for second. Bill Hall enjoyed a solid night to finish fourth. Chris Lewis rounded out the top five. Kevin Ward won the first heat while Machado picked up the win in heat two.
Full results are at www.silverdollarspeedway.com