By Bob Burbach
Marysville- Once again Mike Hall and the good folks at Dairy Queen of Yuba City will offer everyone in attendance a FREE Dilly Bar this Saturday night at Paul and Kathy Hawes’ Marysville Raceway Park. This is Dilly Bar Nite II and all 5 primary divisions will be offered on the program.
The event features a tie at the top of the standings in the MRP Wingless Warrior Sprint Car Series. That joust has had more twists and turns than anyone could have possibly imagined. All of the other classes seem to be cruising to a somewhat predictable outcome at the top, but the struggle for positioning in the top 10 is keeping things interesting in every class.
There are 3 races to go in the MRP Wingless Sprint Car Series. With a big field of cars last week and the evening dripping with drama neither Brett Youngman nor Jeremy Hawes could pull into a decided advantage in the championship point hunt. Hawes in E. J. Dolner’s #7 erased the margin that separated him from Youngman, but could do no more. Youngman’s seemingly endless, heroic struggle last week to maintain his position at the top was a story unto itself. When his own familiar XX was sidelined he hooked up in the Castleberry #95 Pro 4 for an impressive ride into 12th place, narrowly averting a disastrous tumble in the points.
With veteran sprint car stars all around, any one of them could make a difference in how this championship is decided. Superstar wingless sprint car pilot Terry Schank will be in the field Saturday and that will be a super-sized wrench thrown into this mix. Schank has simply been the best since hooking up with Roger Gleeson in his sparkling #1. Schank’s record of top finishes in the class over the last 3 years has been astounding. Let’s not forget the 1st rate performances of Joel Giusti in the Paul Hawes “Flyin’ Ford”. Giusti nearly pulled off an incredible upset last Saturday. Hard charging Josh Vieira in his own #3v and Dave Sprigg in Bill Felver’s hot rod are lurking close by and just waiting for that chance at victory lane. Hawes and Youngman will have to square off and decided it among themselves starting Saturday night. This heart-pounding duel to the title would be worth the price of admission alone, but 4 other classes will take to the MRP clay Saturday as well.
The Dairy Queen of Yuba City sponsored Super Stocks of champion Corey Hall and brother Brent Hall have been near the top of nearly every race and that puts you at the top of the standings after a season of high speed fender rubbing. The only real fly in the ointment for these two talented brother racers is the ever-present #04 of James Castleberry. Castleberry, now 2nd in points, has stayed just close enough to keep this thing from being settled and has grabbed a runaway feature win in the process. Castleberry can do it, but he needs some help. Corey Hall will have to have some problems if Castleberry is to dig into the margin that spreads the two talented chauffeurs. Corey Hall brings with him a 32-point lead into Saturday’s event. With impressive fields this year there are a number of contenders for every feature event trophy in the MRP Super Stock class.
Billy Wallace will lead the MRP Performance Auto Supply Winged Sprint Car field as he moves rapidly toward his first title at MRP. Wallace’s lackluster (if you can call 4th lackluster) performance last week prompted car owner Mark Moore and Wallace to come and practice at MRP for hours Monday night. The team turned in some 50-70 laps trying to get some answers. With the Mel Hall Memorial Race and its $2500 to win prize just a couple of weeks away (Sept. 17th) it’s time to have everything in order. It looks like Wallace could runaway with the Performance Auto Supply Winged Sprint Car title at this point. The Hall Memorial victory is another story. Wallace is the only man in the history of the Hall event to win it in both a winged sprinter and a wingless sprinter. Wallace’s greatest successes have come at MRP including Civil War victories. Wallace finally camped at MRP for the 1st time this season and “bingo”, he’s been the odds on favorite for the title since point race #3.
With points only available in feature event competition at MRP, a 50-point swing is possible (per night) if mechanical gremlins, or unforeseeable bad luck show their ugly heads and prohibit a feature event start. It’s the only track that puts the total emphasis on feature event performances to earn a championship. You can’t qualify or heat race your way to a title at MRP.
The MRP Mini Stocks return with point leader Misty Castleberry in a commanding lead for her 3rd straight championship. Mark Hill remains the hottest driver in the popular class and has been scooping up trophies and winners paychecks with a championship like effort. Hill probably can’t win the title as he missed the opening night feature earlier in the year. But, he has jumped to 3rd in the standings regardless. The Hill/Castleberry duel isn’t over yet. In fact it may just be getting started!
Shaun Merritt and Howard Law are right there and Merritt is way over due for another appearance in victory lane. Alan Furuta has had his best-ever season and he’s knocking at the door.
“Iron” Mike Dehoogh will try for his 3rd straight win in the MRP Hobby Stock class. Jeremy Hawes has a commanding lead in the points, but Dehoogh has been the star lately. This will be the last time that all of MRP’s primary divisions will run on the same night for the rest of the season. With a FREE Dilly Bar thrown in, this is the one you’ll want to be a part of.
The pit gate opens at 3pm and the front gate opens at 5. 1st race will go off around 6:30 after hot laps.
IMPORTANT: 2011 minor releases must be signed by parents for all minors entering the pits.