By Bob Burbach
Marysville, CA – Grass Valley’s Jeremy Burt simply ran away from the field in Marysville Raceway Park’s featured Winged Sprint Car main event Saturday night. Misty Castleberry put another notch on her belt as she swept the MRP Mini Stock program while Cort Dozier continued his winning ways in the MRP Super Stock feature. Brian Corso dominated the BCRA Midget Lite program. Another rocket fast surface provided an action-packed event.
Burt simply saddled up and roared to an overwhelming victory from his outside front row starting position. He was never challenged for the top spot. But, there was a crowd-pleasing dice all race long for the next 7 positions. Sparks Nevada’s Mike Monahan, Oroville’s Heath Hall, Colfax’s Colby Wiesz, Kelseyville’s Brent Dothage, Grass Valley’s Billy Wallace, Marysville’s Brandon Dozier and Woodland’s Peter Paulson all traded positions during furious action behind Burt. It appeared that the battle that raged behind Burt almost aided in his domination of the event as the others slugged it out for position.
Burt also found a line around the top of turn 1 that no one else was able to find as he effortlessly pulled away from the field.
Chico’s Jason Sanders brought out the red flag near the half way point with a quickly executed flip in turn 1. Sanders was OK.
The new green saw Burt easily pull away as once again the knot of drivers behind him battled to the final checkered flag. Hall gathered in the runner-up honors followed by Monahan, Wiesz, Dothage and Wallace. Burt also earned the top spot in the point standings with this run. He was tied with Dothage headed into the event. Wallace, Cort Dozier and Korey Lovell got heat race wins in preliminary competition. In addition to picking up the lion’s share of the purse, Burt also grabbed Legal Shield’s $100 bonus for the fastest qualifier.
Cort Dozier, doing double-duty on this night grabbed the victory in the MRP Super Stock feature. It was Dozier’s second win in a row.
Pole sitter and point leader James Castleberry had mechanical issues on lap 1 as his distributor malfunctioned when he led the field into turn 1 on lap 1. After Castleberry retired, Marysville’s Dozier had a brief battle with Auburn’s Ray Trimble for a couple of circuits before he, too, set sail and easily won the race. Trimble wound up 2nd with Marysville’s Sean Hulsey in for a solid 3rd. Dozier and Trimble won the heat races.
Misty Castleberry once again found victory lane after a quick early race dice with point leader, Marysville’s Shaun Merritt. Castleberry was firmly in control by lap 5 and was never headed. Merritt finished 3rd and lengthened his point lead in the division.
An entertaining dice for 3rd between vastly improved Erik Davey of Yuba City and Marysville’s James Foster spiced things up. Some significant paint trading and fender rumpling went on as the pair grappled for position. In the end Davey prevailed and Foster faded to a disappointing 6th place finish behind Castleberry, Merritt, Davey, Howard Law and Miranda Hammons. Merritt and Castleberry won the heat races in convincing style.
Brian Corso won the abbreviated BCRA Midget Lite main event. For more on that race go to bcraracing.com.
Next Saturday, the mighty MRP Winged Sprint Cars return and will headline the program. The MRP Wingless Warriors will be back in town and the MRP Mini Stocks will be back. The Pro 4 Sprinters will also be on the card.
Pit Gates open at 3. Grandstands open at 5. Qualifying is at 6 PM with races starting at 6:30.