By Bill Sullivan, Handy Racing Promotions Media Relations
PLACERVILLE, CA – Red Hawk Championship resumes this Saturday Night at Placerville
, home to the most enthusiastic race fans in Northern California. Winged 360 sprint cars will share the bullring quarter mile with Limited Late Models and Pure Stocks together with the visiting Midget Lites of the Bay Cities Racing Association.
For the sprint car division, Saturday will mark the third championship point race of the season presented by Red Hawk Casino in cooperation with Hoosier Tires, Coors Light, Pepsi Cola and Riebes Auto Parts. So far this season has seen 35 different drivers compete in the weekly championship series and two different winners in the two events that have taken place.
Entering Saturday’s event, former track champion Andy Forsberg of Auburn has moved into the point lead at Placerville aboard his Autism Awareness-Coors Light #47 sprint car. Forsberg won the 2000 track championship at Placerville and is contesting another local title this season with new car owner Brian Cannon. So far in the season the driver known as “Mr. Excitement” has garnered two top five finishes.
Jimmy Trulli of Placerville is currently second in the point standings, trailing Forsberg by just four points. Trulli is one of two feature winners this season, sharing the spotlight with Antelope’s Sean Becker who won the opening night event last month. Placerville’s Scott Russell is sitting in the third position where he is tied with Humphreys. Becker rounds out the top five in the standings.
In the Dirt Solutions Limited Late Model class, Thomas Arbogast of Auburn has taken control of the division point lead after his recent victory. Arbogast is one of two feature winners this season, joining defending champion Jerry Bartlett of Yuba City in the win column who will be absent this Saturday to assist his daughter, Heather Bartlett as she competes on Saturday night in Chico as well. Former track champion Dan Brown Jr. of Nevada City is only one point behind Arbogast entering Saturday’s event. Brown has been in the top running of both feature events to take place so far this season and is sure to be a factor again on Saturday night as he seeks his first win of the season. Jay Norton of Shingle Springs, Les Friend of Galt and Matt Davis of Auburn round out the top five in this exciting stock car division at Placerville.
In the Pure Stock division, veteran racer Dennis Armstrong of El Dorado is currently at the top of the point standings where he is tied with Placerville’s Chris Curtiss. Armstrong is already a feature winner this season and had two top five finishes compared to three top five finishes by Curtiss. Rick Grunert of Woodland is third in the standings followed by Danielle Clauson who is four points out of the lead in fourth and Eddie Gardner of Sacramento who rounds out the top five. Saturday’s event marks the fourth championship event of the year for this division.
Saturday night the three exciting weekly classes will be joined by the midget lites of the Bay Cities Racing Association. This will mark the first winged event of the year for the BCRA at Placerville. Look for previous winner Doug Nunes of Kingsbury to return along with nearly 20 of the division’s favorite drivers. More information on this division can be found at www.bcraracing.com.
The front gates will open at Placerville Speedway at 5 p.m. on Saturday night. Handy Racing Promotions and Placerville Speedway pride themselves in the promotion of affordable family entertainment. On any given Saturday night the racing at Placerville provides an entertainment experience that is second to none both on and off the track in the main grandstands of the El Dorado County Fairgrounds. Adult tickets are $12, Juniors and Seniors $10, Children are $5. Children five and under are free.
For additional information on the event and the season to come visit the track’s official website at www.placervillespeedway.com. Placerville Speedway can also be found by using twitter where race fans can get updates of upcoming events send directing to their pc or cell phone by signing up at www.twitter.com/pvllspeedway.