By Bob Burbach
Marysville CA – Five former sprint car champions are atop the list. Grass Valley’s Jeremy Burt sits in the catbird’s seat with a slim 3 point advantage over 3 time champ Brent Dothage of Kelseyville. Former champion Mike Monahan of Sparks Nevada is 3rd while 2 time (and defending) champion Billy Wallace of Grass Valley is just a single marker behind Monahan in 4th. 5 time champ Korey Lovell of Yuba City is 5th. In addition to this remarkable top five you have 2009 MRP Wingless Sprint Car champion Cortney Dozier, of Marysville, knocking at the door, a close 6th.
As the third race of the season unfolds Saturday it is anyone’s guess as to how this will all shuffle out. Burt and Wallace were on fire at the close of last season and appear to be at or near where they were at the end of the year. Dothage seems visibly faster in early season races here as does Lovell. But, perhaps the most notable improvement is Monahan. One of the most popular drivers at the track, the tough veteran is back in top form after last year’s injuries nearly brought his season and career to an abrupt close.
Monahan, by his own admission, let an opening night victory slip through his fingers. Last week he didn’t transfer his time into the main event and was mired deep in the pack at the beginning of the race. He fought hard to get to 7th and carve a potentially disastrous night into a decent finish. Wallace did the same thing on opening night and the two are separated by a single point, in 3rd and 4th, headed into Saturday’s event.
Burt, who is also returning after breaking his back in the last event of 2012 grabbed that opening night victory from Monahan and had a good run last week finishing 5th. Burt’s spectacular return to victory lane on opening night, after suffering such grievous injuries, is one of MRP’s great early season stories. All six of the drivers who sit on top of the standings will be at the raceway for round 3 of the MRP Winged Sprint Car series.
All Marysville Raceway Park sprint car events carry Contingency Connection bonuses and Legal Shield/sprintcarfan.com, will post a $100 fast qualifier bonus at every MRP Winged Sprint Car event this year. Marysville Raceway Park is a major player in the Contingency Connection Bonus program again this year.
Point leader James Castleberry from Brownsville will saddle up for round 2 of the 2013 MRP Super Stock season. Castleberry pulled off a terrific victory two weeks ago with a daring high side pass on Ray Trimble, from Auburn, in turn 3. Trimble and a fine field of Supers will be back on Saturday to try to knock Castleberry off his perch.
Two weeks ago Brad Magenheimer made a rare appearance at MRP and stunned everyone with a fine drive into 4th place. Cort Dozier is expected to enter his Super Stock along with former champions Brent and Corey Hall, both from Yuba City. The Hall brothers have had a lock on consecutive championships and will probably have something to say about the title before this is all over. If Dozier runs the entire season, he will be a force to be reckoned with.
MRP Mini Stock standout Shaun Merritt, of Marysville, will be back to try to pad his point lead in round 2 of the 2013 MRP Mini Stock season. Merritt won last week in an emotionally charged event. Merritt’s biggest competition in the class seems to be young Kyle Davey, from Yuba City, who led much of last week’s feature event before Merritt flew by.
The popular MRP Hobby Stocks will round out the exciting 4 division program. The Hobby Stock field will have a golden opportunity to put point leader Eddie Hammett deep down in the point standings. This observer learned that Hammett will not make the show. Last year’s champion Jeremy Hammons, Brian Compton, Garrett Agnew, Kyle Cheney and Jim Waller will all have an opportunity to grab the top spot in the standings on Saturday.
Pit gate opens at 3PM. Grandstands open at 5PM. Hot Laps at 5.30. Qualifying at 6PM. Racing begins after qualifying at about 6.45. The text is based on information we have at the time of its release.