Mel Halll Memorial Recap

(PETERSEN MEDIA- Chico, CA, )- With the dust settling on the annual Memorial Day Weekend double header for the Civil War Series pres. by Flowmaster it was Justin Sanders completing the season sweep at Marysville Raceway as he won the Mel Hall Memorial, and Kyle Hirst scoring at the Silver Dollar Fair Race for the second year in-a-row.
Lining up on the front row by way of his Dash win, Justin Sanders was tough as nails early in the feature and flexed his muscle on a quick Marysville Raceway surface.
Behind the leader William Fielding would hold down the second spot during the race’s early laps before the 10x and defending series champion was able to take over the second spot and begin to close in on Sanders as the leaders quickly found traffic on this night.
Getting into traffic on the fifth circuit, Sanders and Forsberg would simply throw it down as they sliced and diced through traffic racing wheel to wheel until the caution flew on the 12th circuit as Williams Fielding had a right rear flat while running up front.
Back in action, Sanders would continue to set a torrid pace in clean air, but getting into traffic in another five laps, the action would heat up as Forsberg would again close in on the race-long leader as Koen Shaw, Geoff Ensign, Cody Lamar, and a hard charging Cole Macedo came closing in.
On the 22nd lap things would change up front as Forsberg would make a rare mistake and spin his machine out in turns three and four and bring out the caution.
Sanders would lead the rest of the way to grab his second win of the season with the series and complete the season sweep at Marysville Raceway, in what was his first ever Mel Hall Memorial feature event win, as Koen Shaw hung on for a career best 2nd place finish with the series.
18th starting Cole Macedo would have a furious close to the race as he was able get by Geoff Ensign on the last lap to take the final spot on the podium as Ensign finished fourth and Cody Lamar rounded out the Top-Five.
Saturday night’s 19th Annual Mel Hall Memorial saw 29 cars check into the pit area to pay homage to one of the series’ forefathers and it was Andy Forsberg earning quick time honors.
Heat race wins went to Koen Shaw, William Fielding, Geoff Ensign, and Cody Lamar, and as previously state Justin Sanders won the Dash.
The B Main would see Lincoln, CA driver Tanner Carrick score the win and move into the feature event as Kenny Allen, Colby Wiesz, Jake Haulot, Dustin Freitas, and Peter Paulson also earned transfer positions.
The IMCA Sport Mod main event was one for the ages as 13th place starting Geoff Ensign, normally a sprint car ace, jumped into Marty Burdine’s NO. 79 and won the 20-lap feature event. Ensign didn’t get the ride until after hot laps which makes his win even that more impressive. Jimmy Ford looked good all night and led the first half of the main event. Howard Law and Andrew Peckham where closing on Ford. On lap 12 there was contact between Ford and Law. Ford spun and came to a stop. Collected in the wreck was Peckham. Under the caution, Law was penalized and sent to the back-joining Ford and Peckham. Damian Merritt was the leader but could only hold off Ensign for one lap. Ensign jumped up front and never looked back. Merritt was second. Ford came back to finish third. Peckham was fourth and Law finished fifth.
Timmy Sherman Jr. won his second consecutive RaceSaver Sprint Car main event. Anissa Curtice was the only other competitor and should be commended for racing hard against Sherman. With more cars, this division could be a mainstay for years to come.
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