By Gary Thomas
Placerville, CA…Andy Forsberg and Chance Grasty entertained the Placerville Speedway faithful on Saturday night, which ultimately saw the 10-time track champion come out on top to earn another victory on the famed red clay.
Along with Forsberg, also scoring wins on Anrak Night at the Races were Tyler Lightfoot with the Kings Meats Ltd. Late Models, Ryan Peter with the Red Hawk Resort + Casino Pure Stocks and Hunter Kinney with the BCRA Lightning Sprints.
The 25-lap Thompson’s Winged 360 Sprint Car feature began with young Austin Wood leading the opening lap, before Forsberg rocketed by to take over the top spot. Track conditions proved to be spot on for the main event, as cars raced high and low on the bullring.
Wood attempted to keep pace with the leader but soon had to deal with ADCO Driveline Fast Qualifier Chance Grasty following a restart with 10 circuits complete. Grasty slipped to his inside and took over second on lap 11.
At one point the top three began to bunch up ever so slightly, only to see a caution flag wave to create a single file restart. When getting back underway Grasty went to work on the leader and the duo proceeded to fight back and forth with the crowd coming to its feet.
Grasty officially led lap 18, but Forsberg would slice back by leading the following circuit. The Auburn veteran hung tough and went on to take the Darin Stahl checkered flag for his 74th career Sprint Car triumph at Placerville.
Grasty, Tony Gomes, Justyn Cox and 16th starting Colby Copeland completed the top five. Filling out the remainder of the top 10 were Shane Hopkins, Wood, Steven Kent, Austin Torgerson and Cole Schroeder.
The Kings Meats Ltd. Late Models put on an intriguing, non-stop, 20 lap main event on Saturday evening. Placerville’s Tyler Lightfoot moved out front early and held the field at bay for much of the contest.
Reigning track champion Anthony Slaney was certainly the show in the feature as he blasted by cars on the high scary side. He took over third on lap seven and then second a few circuits later. Slaney quickly reeled in the leader and hounded his rear until hopping the cushion and then pulling off with four laps remaining.
Lightfoot then had a large advantage and brought home his sixth career Placerville Speedway Late Model victory. Matt Davis, Rod Oliver, Matt Micheli and Shawn DeForest followed him across the line.
The Red Hawk Resort + Casino Pure Stocks had another thrilling conclusion to their main event on Anrak Night. Colton Arbogast and Michael Murphy led the first couple laps until Rio Linda’s Ryan Peter showed his muscle and grabbed the lead on lap three.
Peter had captured the previous two events and was looking to make it three in a row at Placerville Speedway. Six-time track champion Nick Baldwin began making his way through the pack, taking over third just after the halfway point.
With a few laps remaining Baldwin charged into second and began to come after the leader. Just like at the Tilford Tribute in April, it was Peter and Baldwin coming down to the wire.
The pair battled for the win off the final corner, which saw Peter edge him by half a car length for the three-peat. Baldwin, Kevin Jinkerson, Michael Murphy and Tyler Lightfoot completed the top five.
Citrus Heights driver Hunter Kinney survived numerous restarts to claim his second straight win at Placerville with the BCRA Lightning Sprints. Greg Dennett, Dakota Albright, Matt Land and Marshall Sexton were next in line.
Placerville Speedway is dark the next two weeks before resuming things with a big double header on May 30th and 31st. The Friday portion will showcase the Sprint Car Challenge Tour contesting the Davy Thomas Memorial, while Saturday’s finale is the annual Dave Bradway Jr. Memorial with the NARC 410 Sprint Car Series.
Results
Placerville Speedway
Anrak Night at the Races
May 10, 2025
Winged Sprint Cars:
1. 92-Andy Forsberg[2]; 2. X1-Chance Grasty[5]; 3. 7C-Tony Gomes[6]; 4. 42X-Justyn Cox[3]; 5. 54X-Colby Copeland[16]; 6. 21-Shane Hopkins[13]; 7. 2A-Austin Wood[1]; 8. 81-Steven Kent[15]; 9. 88-Austin Torgerson[14]; 10. 3-Cole Schroeder[17]; 11. 25-Seth Standley[7]; 12. 17J-Josh Young[11]; 13. 5-Kenny Wanderstadt[10]; 14. 21C-Cody Meyer[20]; 15. 11S-Steel Powell[12]; 16. 98-Chris Masters[19]; 17. 9L-Luke Hayes[8]; 18. 24K-Koa Crane[18]; 19. 94-Greg Decaires V[4]; 20. 17-Anthony Snow[9]
Pure Stocks:
1. 83-Ryan Peter[6]; 2. 17-Nick Baldwin[5]; 3. 30-Kevin Jinkerson[8]; 4. 47-Michael Murphy[2]; 5. 23-Tyler Lightfoot[10]; 6. 08-Colton Arbogast[1]; 7. 54-Anthony Vigna[12]; 8. 48-John Evans[9]; 9. 48J-Jennifer Fry[11]; 10. 22K-Jason Palmer[3]; 11. 74-Russell Murphy[7]; 12. 10-Ted Ahart[4]
Ltd. Late Models:
1. 23J-Tyler Lightfoot[1]; 2. 54-Matt Davis[3]; 3. 57-Rod Oliver[6]; 4. 96M-Matt Micheli[5]; 5. 72-Shawn DeForest[8]; 6. 22-Chris Mcginnis[10]; 7. 22G-Paul Gugliomoni[2]; 8. 7R-Thomas Reynolds[9]; 9. 4X-Anthony Slaney[7]; 10. 37-Ray Trimble[4]
BCRA Lightning Sprints:
1. 3F-Hunter Kinney[1]; 2. 47-Greg Dennett[3]; 3. 35JR-Dakota Albright[5]; 4. 91-Matt Land[4]; 5. 62-Marshall Sexton[2]; 6. 1-Lonnie Paulie[12]; 7. (DNF) 22-Jason Schostag[7]; 8. (DNF) 12-Kindal Barstow[10]; 9. (DNF) 00-Bradley Schmidt[8]; 10. (DNF) 31-Brad Hannum[9]; 11. (DNF) 51-Greg Decaires V[6]; 12.