by Troy Hennig
CHICO, CA – JULY 11, 2011…Wells Fargo point championship auto racing continues this Friday night, July 15, with four divisions of action packed grass roots dirt track racing. It will mark the return of wingless spec sprints, who have been absent from the track for the last three weeks. Also returning to the speedway is Corning, CA based Bell-Carter Foods Inc., the roots of California ripe olives and so much more. Joining the wingless sprints are the 410 winged sprints, dirt modifieds and street stocks.
Front grandstand gate opens at 6 pm. Racing slated to start at 7:30pm. Adult general admission is $12.00 while seniors and juniors are $10.00. Children are $6.00.
Wingless sprint cars have been sorely missed around the speedway lately. Since the first of June, the wingless sprints have only had one night of racing at the track. That race was on June 24. On that night Taylor Simas won an inspired main event that he dedicated to his new work out regime that includes running the stairs at the Silver Dollar grandstands. Sprint car hall of famer Jimmy Sills was second and defending track champion Terry Schank Jr. was third. The talent in the wingless ranks does not get much better than that. Only two more point races remain for the wingless sprints on July 29 and August 26. The Joe Hunt Magnetos Wingless Sprint Shootout Series returns on Wednesday night, September 7th. When the Silver Cup rained out, the staff at the speedway decided to add the wingless sprints onto the Fall Nationals at the end of the year. The fans are looking forward to some non-wing racing this Friday night.
Sean Becker continues to be the point leader of the 410 winged sprint car standings. Even though Becker, along with Andy Forsberg, missed the previous point race, the two are still sitting on top of the points. However, Tyler Wolf was able to close in and now unofficially finds himself less than 10 points behind Becker. Wolf finished second in last weeks main event. The winner of the main event was Jason York of Chico. York won his third main event of the year. It was the most wins in a single season for York. He now has nine career sprint car wins at his home track. The big four better beware; Chico’s Jonathan Allard is scheduled to make a rare start this Friday night. Allard is coming off winning this past Saturday night at Santa Maria.
Chico’s Richard Papenhausen won his third main event of the year last Friday night. Papenhausen won the lone heat race also to take the point lead over Mark Abouzeid. The modified division has seen an influx of new drivers the past few weeks. Mike Sohnrey, Eli Zucker and John Abbott have all returned to race at their home track.
Kevin Lesch is starting to dominate the street stocks division. Lesch has won three of the last four main events. Paradise driver Kevin Ward has been the lone driver to interrupt the winning streak put together by Lesch. Richard Workman, Mike Slightom and Shawn Smith are all eager to win break into the winners circle.
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