Fifty-Eight and Counting for Allard
(Chico, CA 6-12-15)…Chico’s Jonathan Allard secured his 58th career sprint car main event win Friday night at his home track Silver Dollar Speedway. On lap five, Allard took the lead away from Auburn’s Andy Forsberg and then went on to lead the final 20 laps with ease. Allard was aboard the famous Lamar/Tri-C/Maxim chassis #3c. “I have to thank the Lamar’s and my crew for giving me a great car and the perfect set up tonight,” said Allard.
Chico’s Brad Bumgarner and Forsberg shared the front row at the start of the 25-lap sprint car main event. Forsberg would lead lap one. Allard started in the sixth spot but by lap one he had moved into fourth. By lap three he had maneuvered around Bumgarner for the second spot. During the fifth lap, Forsberg missed the line and drifted into the middle of the track in turns three and four. Allard rode around the cushion and used his momentum to catapult around Forsberg and take the lead. From that moment on there was nobody who had the car to track down Allard tonight. Justyn Cox made a rare Friday night Silver Dollar Speedway start.
Cox started eighth and quietly moved his way into third late in the race. It was a solid night for the driver from Sacramento.
Roseville’s Sean Becker drove the Menne Motorsports #75 up from his seventh starting spot to finish fourth. Keith Bloom, last Friday night’s winner, finished in the fifth spot. Brayden McMahan earned his first career top ten finish tonight. McMahan scored a ninth spot finish. Forsberg and Allard each won their eight lap heat race. Becker turned the fastest lap in qualifying with a 12.126.
Ryan McDaniel captured his second Friday night main event win of 2015 when he passed race leader Mark Abouzeid on lap 13 during the IMCA dirt modified main event. Abouzeid had built up a sizable lead but struggled to pass a slower car and this ultimately was his undoing. Abouzeid did hold on to finish in the second spot. Duane Cleveland finished third. Matt Micheli ran fourth. Abouzeid held off McDaniel to win the lone heat race of the night.
Chris Warner returned back to victory lane during the street stock 20-lap main event. Warner dominated the race; however, the racing behind him was intense. Clinton Earl was able to pass Gary Newman for the second spot about the half-way point. Newman then held off a challenging Brent Lawrence and Shawn Smith for third. Steve Hammett and Warner were winners during the eight lap heat races held earlier in the night. Tonight marked Warner’s second win of the season at Chico.
Brian Compton won his first hobby stock main event of the year. The main event started with drama as point leader Brian Cooper’s car had a mechanical failure and he didn’t start the race. This was shocking because Cooper had won all four previous hobby stock main events this year. Dustin Massey led from the drop of the green flag. Just pass the half-way point Massey went to lap a slower car and disaster struck. The two made contact that resulted in the flattening of Massey’s tire. This handed the lead to Compton. Todd Cooper was now challenging Compton for the lead until he slowed late in the race. Cooper was able to finish the race but well behind Compton. Following those two were Mike Webster and Shannon Collins. David Pierce finished fifth while Kyle Allen was sixth. Compton and Todd Cooper won each heat race.
The B.C.R.A midget lites put on a great show tonight. In fact, it was the closest finish of the year. Coming out of turn four, Logan Seavey and Bobby Michnowicz raced side by side toward the checkered flag. Judging by eye sight Michnowicz beat Seavey to the flag stand. Yet, the scoring loop transmits about three feet in front of the flag stand and at the point Seavey was narrowly ahead. By how much a fan might ask? How about 00.033 seconds. It was truly an unbelievable finish. Chris Hanson finished well back in the third spot. Marcus Hardina came home fourth. Female super star Cory Andrews finished fifth. These same B.C.R.A midget lites will be in Marysville tomorrow night. Craig Dillard won the first heat race. Michnowicz picked up the second heat win.
