PETERSEN MEDIA
– When you’re hot, you’re hot, and right now Justin Sanders and Dale Miller Motorsports are absolutely sizzling as Sanders found himself in Sprint Car Challenge Tour victory lane for the fourth time in four events on Friday night to open the Dave Bradway Jr Memorial Weekend at Placerville Speedway.
“For whatever reason I can’t seem to qualify well at Placerville Speedway, but it’s a different story when we get to racing,” Justin Sanders said. “I had a great battle with Shane Hopkins during the feature and he did a fantastic job running the bottom and hitting his marks. I tried to stay patient and luckily I was able to get the lead back and pick up the win.”
With 40 cars checked in for Sprint Car Challenge Tour pres. by Elk Grove Ford action on Friday night, the Aromas, CA driver timed the Anrak/Thompson’s Family of Dealerships/North County Plastering backed No. 4SA in fifth fastest in his qualifying flight.
Lining up on the front row of his heat race, Sanders needed to pick up the win to earn a berth in the High Sierra Industries Dash, and when the green flag flew he was hard on the throttle and jumped out front.
Pacing the field from start to finish, Sanders picked up the win and was solidly in the Dash. Pulling the ‘one’ in the redraw, Sanders put on an exhibition of speed in the Dash as he raced to the win convincingly and earned the pole for the 35-lap feature event.
When the feature event came to life, Sanders continued to do what he had done all night and that was get a great jump. Racing into the lead, Sanders began pounding the thick Placerville Speedway cushion that had built up at both ends of the speedway.
Working the high, scary side of the speedway, he soon felt pressure from Shane Hopkins who was methodically rolling the bottom groove.
On the eighth lap, Hopkins was able to get drive off turn for and take the race lead as Sanders quickly went from hunted, to hunter.
Never wavering, Sanders continued to work the cushion as they got into traffic and it turned into a very exciting battle with Hopkins. Exchanging the spot a few times over the course of the next 18 laps, Sanders powered back into the lead on the 25th circuit.
Leading the way the final 10-laps, Sanders went on to capture his fourth consecutive Sprint Car Challenge Tour feature event win, and fifth straight dating back to the November season finale.
“These races are not easy to win, and this SCCT has such a strong field that shows up night in and night out,” Sanders added. “This is really a testament to how hard this team works, and an ode to all the great sponsors who put us in such a great position to be at our best.”
The Dale Miller Motorsports team would like to thank Anrak, Thompson’s Family of Dealerships, North County Plastering, Triple X Race Co., Dale Miller Septic Inc., Smith Titanium, Frank’s Body Shop, Fisher Racing Engines, Walker Performance Filtration, ADCO Custom Driveline and Exhaust, Hair by Lovleen, Factory Kahne Shocks, Vortex Wings, TJ Forged Wheels, FK Rod Ends, King Racing Products, and A.R.T. Speed Equipment for their support.
BY THE NUMBERS: Starts- 5, Wins- 4, Top-5’s-5, Top-10’s-5
ON TAP: Dale Miller Motorsports and Justin Sanders continue to run with the Sprint Car Challenge Tour as they invade Petaluma Speedway on Saturday night.