By Bill Sullivan/ Sullivan Images Media
PENNGROVE, CA (5-21-11) – Penngrove’s Alissa Geving returned to one of her favorite tracks over the Memorial Day weekend as Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico, California played host to the competitive Hoosier Racing Tires Civil War Sprint Car Series. The event was round four of the 14 race tour and Geving was well on her way to a top ten finish in the 30-lap feature event until brake failure forced her to retire the Tillet Tool- A1A Performance-Pit Stop USA from the race far too early.
“There’s some things that can go wrong with the car and you are able to continue until the checkered flag fairly well, the loss of brakes in a race like this wasn’t one of them,” said Geving. “The car was great all night, we did ok in qualifying considering the number of entries and being one of the last cars out and our heat race was just awesome. This was just one of those freak things that forced me to pull off early.”
The special Sunday night race attracted 49 cars to Silver Dollar Speedway. Geving was one of the final cars out for qualifying on the track that took on a great deal of water the evening before, making for some wild laps before thousands of race fans at the annual Silver Dollar Fair. After turning a 12:241 second lap, Geving earned the 14th spot on the roster.
In the second 10 lap heat race of the evening, Geving chased early race leader Nick McCulloch all the way to the final lap. As the two exiting the final turn it was Geving who drove down to the low line and won a crowd raising drag race to the finish line to pick up the win.
“I knew in the heat race that we were going to be competitive in the feature,” said Geving. “The crew had the car set up perfect for the heavy track conditions. With this many cars in one night I was glad to transfer directly into the A main. The B feature is the last place you want to be with a field like this because anything can happen.”
In the 30-lap A-feature, Geving originally started in the 12th position. A series of failed started and accidents delayed the waving of the official green flag and slightly adjusted the line up three different times. When the green finally did drop, Geving quickly worked her way into the top ten. With four laps complete she reached the 8th place position and was setting her sights on a top five run.
Slicing and dicing her way through the moisture rutted track surface, Geving avoided the trouble spots of the track while many others found it difficult to do so. On the ninth lap, however, she unavoidably drove into one of the forbidden areas when another competitor nearly crashed directly in front of her. It was at that point that a brake fitting broke, resulting in a loss of fluid and brake loss in the Chicko Motorsports #3x. Geving elected to pull off the track surface at that point and conclude her evening without serious damage.
Geving finished 17th officially. Despite the misfortune she continues to hold the fifth position in the Civil War Series point standings, just 31 points out of the lead. The series resumes next Wednesday, June 8th with the always exciting Wild Winged Wednesday at Placerville Speedway. Geving plans to race at the foothill track this Saturday night during a regular season point race to prepare for high profile weeknight event next week.
“I’m really looking forward to getting back to Placerville,” said Geving. ‘It use to be a track we struggled with and now I love racing on the high banks of that place. We’ll be there Saturday night and back on Wednesday night for the Civil War. The Wednesday races are always exciting.”
In addition to being fifth in the Civil War Sprint Car Series. Geving currently leads the point standings at her home track of Petaluma Speedway. The third generation driver is seeking a third championship at the track both her father, Gary Geving, and her grandfather Leroy Geving, had great success.
Geving carries the sponsorship of Tillett Tool of Santa Rosa along with the online superstore Pit Stop USA that is based in Petaluma and Napa’s Matt Cordeiro Enterprises a and Auto Repairs Unlimited with A1A Performance of Santa Rosa. Associate sponsors include Golden Gate Meat Company North, K&N Filters, Keizer Aluminum Wheels, R2C, Napa Auto Parts, Flowmaster Mufflers, Allstar Performance, Santa Rosa Auto Parts, Simpson Racing Products, 21st Century Health Club, Pro Shocks, ALC Machine and JW Web Design.
To learn more about Alissa Geving visit her official website at www.chick-o-motorsports.com. Chicko Motorsports can also be found on facebook.