PETERSEN MEDIA
The last couple of weeks has seen Andy Forsberg and the Pacific Highway Rentals Racing team start to hit their stride. Saturday night in Marysville, CA, Forsberg fended off Shane Golobic to pick up a Sprint Car Challenge Tour win by just .006 seconds and backed it up with a fourth place run at the Silver Dollar Fair Race in Chico, CA.
“The Mel and Marlyn Hall Memorial Race is a very special one to me on so many different levels,” Andy Forsberg said. “Before I was 16, Mel Hall let me hot lap at Grass Valley, and when Marlyn found out, she was hot on our trail to get me off the track. So, to have this race in their honor, and to win it now for my sixth time is special.”
On very well-prepared racing surface, Forsberg kicked his Memorial Day weekend off in style as he earned quick time honors aboard the Meridian Cameras/Pacific Highway Rentals/Wilkie Masonry backed No. 92.
Lining up in the second row of his heat race, Forsberg simply needed to finish inside the Top-Five to garner a berth into the High Sierra Industries Dash, and was able to do just that by way his third place finish.
Linin gup on the front row of the Dash alongside Michael Faccinto, Forsberg and Faccinto thrilled the crowd in a very exciting battle as they gave fans a preview of what was to come later in the 35-lap feature event. Settling for second at the conclusion of the six-lap shootout, Forsberg was on the front row of the 35-lap finale.
On a track that had a very good top and bottom, Forsberg attacked the high side as he chased after Faccinto in the early goings of the race with stoppages halting any real momentum at the start of the race.
Running second, Forsberg used a lap seven restart to power his way to the lead as he then quickly opened up a comfortable advantage over the field. Getting out to a straightway away lead, Forsberg began reeling in the back of the field.
Getting into traffic on the 12th lap, chaos ensued on the 13th lap with cars getting upside down right in front of him and blocking the track. Reacting quickly, Forsberg jumped on the binders hard and was able to avoid any contact and stay out of the accident scene which kept him out front.
Back underway, Forsberg continued to lead but felt pressure from Shane Golobic on a pair of occasions but was able to fend off his advances. The last two circuits saw Golobic again mount a serious charge for the race lead, and taking the white as the leader, Forsberg was able to put a lapped car between himself and Golobic exiting turn two.
Staying on the high side of the speedway, Golobic found moisture on the bottom of turn three and four and created a drag race to the finish line as Forsberg beat him by a fraction of a second and picked up the win by .006 seconds.
Able to enjoy the win for a few hours, Forsberg and the PHR team quickly turned their attention to Sunday as they returned to their shop and swapped out the 360ci car for the 410ci car and made other adjustments ahead of Sunday’s Fair Race in Chico, CA.
Checking in at SDS on Sunday afternoon, Forsberg continued to have a very good weekend as he again earned quick time honors in his group and then raced to a win in his heat race.
Earning a spot in the redraw, Forsberg pulled the four and took the green flag from the outside of the second row.
In an exciting set of opening laps, Forsberg slipped back to sixth before rallying and returning to the fourth position by the 11th lap.
Briefly falling back to fifth at the halfway point of the feature event, Forsberg worked back into fourth with just 10-laps left in the finale.
Pressuring Joey Ancona during the final leg of the race for the final spot on the podium, Forsberg was able to make the pass and capped his weekend off with a fourth place finish.
“It was great to get back to the Silver Dollar Fair and race in front of a huge crowd,” Forsberg added. “Silver Dollar Speedway has had horrible luck with weather this year, so I am glad we were finally to kick their season off as well.”
Andy Forsberg and PHR Racing would like to thank Meridian Cameras, Pacific Highway Rentals, Wilkie Masonry, PitStopUSA, Red Line Oil, Autism Awareness, Parking and Transportation Group, Western Featherlite, GP Development, 1st Vanguard, Highway Specialty Co., and KBJ Catering for their continued support.
BY THE NUMBERS: Races-12, Wins-2, Top 5’s-6, Top 10’s-7
ON TAP: Forsberg will be in action with the Sprint Car Challenge Tour on Friday night at Placerville Speedway and on Saturday night with the King of the West/NARC series as the annual Dave Bradway Jr Memorial turns into a two-night event.
STAY CONNECTED: Stay updated with Andy Forsberg by ‘Liking’ him on facebook at www.facebook.com/andyforsbergracing or by following him on Twitter at @AForsberg92.
You can also keep up with Andy and his popular post race VLOG, ‘Shark Tales with Andy’ at www.facebook.com/sharktaleswithandy.