From Bill Sullivan, Chicko Motorsports Media
PENNGROVE, CA — From a modest home based race shop in the small North Bay town of Penngrove, California a lion is ready to awaken from hibernation and release her mighty roar. The roar of a 410 cubic inch powered engine that is.
Its been several months since two time sprint car champion Alissa Geving has been behind the wheel of her Chicko Motorsports #3x sprint car and this week the long winter comes to a close as she will take to the track in Chico, California fore the annual Mini Gold Cup at Silver Dollar Speedway.
“I’m ready to back to it, it’s been a long winter and it’s time to get back to doing what I love to do,” said Geving, as her Tillet Tool-Matt Cordeiro Enterprises-Pit Stop USA sprint car was being prepared for the upcoming race worth some $55,000 in purse money. “I love racing in Chico. Last year we didn’t get the opportunity to race in this event and I’m looking forward to it, it’s a good way to start off our busy year.”
The Mini-Gold Cup begins on Friday with two consecutive days of racing. The event is an open competition race, meaning no championship points are awarded. For this opening weekend it’s all about going fast and going for the win. The last event Geving competed in at Silver Dollar Speedway was the 2009 Fall Nationals where she finished 9th in a B-main event after working her way through the ranks on both nights of racing.
“The key to doing well in Chico is qualifying well,” said Geving. “When it’s your first race of the year you really have make sure the car is ready and your focused to go out there and make the best of those two laps. A good qualifying time can make you or break you in big events like this. If you end up not transferring into the A main or B main from your heat race your going to have your work cut out for you.”
During the off season, Geving was far from taking time off. While attending college the Ursuline High School graduate did a great deal of racing career development and self marketing. At the end of the 2009 racing season she appeared on NBC’s Late Night with Carson Daly just before she ventured to North Carolina to participate in the NASCAR Diversity Combine program. The adventure was a first for Geving as her prior asphalt racing experience consisted of a 2009 USAC Sprint Car appearance in Roseville, California and underwent some limited testing.
In January, Geving traveled to Tulsa, Oklahoma to compete in the famed Chili Bowl. Driving for Chris Walker and the famed Bay Muffler Racing team, Geving took to the track with some of the nations best drivers in her very first midget racing experience.
The key thing that the trip to the stock car and midget racing mecca’s did for Geving, was further prepare her for the 2010 sprint car racing season. Geving has two consecutive Petaluma Speedway All Pro Series track championships to her name as well as rookie of the year titles at Petaluma, Antioch and the traveling Civil War Sprint Car Series. While many drivers would be laying back and polishing their trophies, the young lady known to most simply as “Chicko” is not one to maintain a frail grasp on the big picture. Geving is far from caulking up her goals in auto racing as complete, in fact she has only just begun.
“I want to win a third consecutive championship at my home track this year, only one other driver has done that,” she said. “But I want to focus on winning more races as well. We won the championship last year but I feel we could win more as a team if we really set out sights on it.”
Geving will take to the track in Chico on Friday night as qualifying will begin under the lights at 6:30 p.m.on Friday night. Following this much anticipated event she will then begin her quest in the California Sprint Car Civil War Race Series that opens at Placerville Speedway on March 20 then the Silver Cup in Chico the following week before her return to Petaluma Speedway to begin her run at a third championship in the All Pro Series.
If Geving can claim a third title at Petaluma in 2010 she will join the company of David Lindt Jr. who is the only driver to do so. She will then become the first female to ever win three titles at the North Bay track and in the Nation; a record she could maintain for a very long time as this sport continues to be one of male domination and top performing driving female racers are far and few.
“I don’t think too much about the records and the history,” said the always modest Geving. “But I have to say it would mean a lot to me to join David Lindt with that accomplishment at the track my family has raced at for decades. But my number one goal is to go out and win, with that the points will come. You don’t want to get to a point that you let racing for points make you be too conservative. People don’t watch conservative drivers follow the leader. No matter what its about the fans.”
Alissa Geving and her entire team invite race fans to visit their race hauler following the Mini Gold Cup event and at all events in which they compete. Geving is one competitor who thoroughly loves meeting the fans of all ages and signing autographs. She encourages youngsters to follow their dreams in life while pursuing higher education during their climb to the top.
Chicko Motorsports would like to thank their dedicated marketing partners thus far including, Tillett Tool, Matt Cordeiro Enterprises, Pit Stop USA, and Auto Repairs Unlimited. Additional sponsors include K&N Filters, Flowmaster Mufflers, Allstar Performance, A1A Performance Muffler,Jeremy’s Chair Repair, Afex Graphics, Simpson Racing Products, 21st Century Health Club, Butler Specialtys, Vanlare Steering Repair, Pro Shocks, ALC Machine, JW Web Design and Sullivan Images Media Specialties.
Chicko Motorsports is seeking additional sponsorship for the upcoming racing season. Anyone that is interested can contact the team through their website at www.chick-o-motorsports.com or emailing team owner Gary Geving at: gary3x@yahoo.com.