By Bill Sullivan, Handy Racing Promotions Inc. Media Relations
PLACERVILLE, CA (8-15-10) – While Saturday night at Placerville Speedway will bring the spotlight to area youngsters as they have the opportunity to take to the track just like their heroes during intermission, the night will be all kidding aside for many of the top drivers in the 2010 Red Hawk Casino Championship Series. The championship series at Placerville Speedway is winding down and the season titles are far from wrapped up in each of the divisions.
Winged 360 Sprint Cars, Limited Late Models and Pure Stocks will form the race card on Saturday night in the evening that is being presented in part by the Mountain Democrat, Hoosier Tires West, Pepsi Cola and Riebes Auto Parts. The competition is sure to be fierce in all three divisions as the best Saturday night racers in Northern California will be racing their hardest before the area’s most dedicated fans.
This Saturday night is Kids’ Night at Placerville Speedway, all kids that are 11 and under will be admitted to the speedway for free. Handy Racing Promotions in cooperation with Pepsi Cola will offer free soda and popcorn to all the little ones and the Mountain Democrat will present a brand new BMX Bicycle to a lucky child in the evening’s raffle that will follow the bicycle races at intermission.
While the bike races will be fueled by excitement and plenty of soda the competition that is fueled on methanol and horsepower will surely be extreme. All three divisions will feature full race programs with the sprint cars qualifying and all divisions competing in heat races and feature events.
In the Sprint Car division, former track champion Andy Forsberg of Auburn will look to maintain his point lead. Forsberg, a 2000 Placerville Speedway Champion, has captured one feature victory this year and sits with a 23-point advantage over Placerville’s own Scott Russell who has a record of five top five finishes on the year. Mike Henry, the 2002 track champion here is third in the point standings, 38-points from the lead position. Shane Golobic of Fremont is fourth overall and is a one time winner on the year. Golobic is still in the hunt for the title, sitting 40-points behind the leader and narrowly holding off Mason Moore of Princeton who rounds out the top five.
In the Dirt Solutions Limited Late Models, 2008 champion Dan Brown Jr. of Grass Valley sits in the lead by a 25-point advantage. Brown has admitted himself that the 25 digits are a healthy margin but in reality it adds up to one feature event and anything can happen. This week the current winningest driver of the season will look to celebrate Kid’s Night with his own children in the way of his fifth feature win of the year.
Brown is followed in the point standings by Jay Norton of Shingle Springs, the 2009 division Rookie of the Year. The nephew of three time Placerville Speedway Super Stock Champion Dennis Ahart, Norton has been giving Brown a run for his money week after week in search of his first career win. Matt Davis of Auburn is a three time winner in this exciting division and sits third in the point standings while Thomas Arbogast of Auburn is fourth over Jackson’s Doug Grandboise.
In the Pure Stock division, Placerville’s Chris Curtiss continues to lead the point standings. The former Rookie of the Year is setting his sights on his first division title but has a situation rapidly approaching. Curtiss is scheduled to get married in the coming weeks and his honeymoon will prevent him from competing in one of the three remaining point races. This driver has been doing the math week after week in an effort to gain a strong enough point lead to clinch the title despite the scheduled absence. Meanwhile, his counterparts are also doing putting their calculators, and their aggression to work week after week.
One such driver is Nevada City native Michelle McClure. The 21-year-old daughter of veteran driver Burney McClure and the sister to 2005 Pure Stock Champion Mike McClure, there is no doubt this lead foot lady has the mojo to become the first female champion in Placerville. McClure currently sits 26-points behind Curtiss. Both drivers have one feature event win to their name. Curtiss has an outstanding ten top five finishes while McClure has four top five finishes but has two more heat wins then Curtiss with three to her name.
Eddie Gardner of Sacramento rounds out the top three in this exciting grassroots racing division. Gardner is 37-points out of the lead and sits just three points ahead of one time winner Dennis Armstrong of El Dorado. Rounding out the top five is opening night winner Danielle Clauson of Placerville.
In addition to being admitted for free to Placerville Speedway Saturday night, young race fans will also receive a free ticket to the 37th Annual Hangtown Destruction Derby that takes place on Sunday afternoon. The free ticket comes courtesy of the Placerville Police Officers Association as they team with Placerville Speedway and the Mountain Democrat to make a fun filled weekend for families at the El Dorado County Fairgrounds. The annual Destruction Derby is presented by the PPOA with the cooperation of Handy Racing Promotions in the form of support staff and co-advertising annually.
Youngsters are encouraged to participate in the bicycle races at intermission on Saturday night. Races will be broken up into various age groups with the distance of the competition being adjusted accordingly. The top three finishers of each age group will be awarded trophies and everyone who competes is awarded participation ribbons. Helmets are required to participate in the bike races. Placerville Speedway will provide a secure parking area for the children’s bicycles during the evening.
Saturday night the gates of Placerville Speedway will open at 5 p.m. with qualifying starting up at 6:30. Adult tickets will be $12, Juniors and Seniors will be $10 and those 11 and under will be FREE for the evening. Raffle tickets for the BMX Bicycle will be presented to every youngster coming in the front gate along with a coupon for free popcorn and soda and the complimentary ticket to the destruction derby that takes place at the speedway on Sunday afternoon. For additional information visit the track website at www.placervillespeedway.com.