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The Shark takes a bite out of the competition, claims 2nd win of the year

CHICO, CA (7-12-13) - When Sean Becker starts on the front row of the main event, you better bring your A game, because he is almost impossible to beat. Becker started outside of Victoria, Australia's Michael Cunningham on the front row. Although Cunningham would get the jump to the first turn, he would wheelie down the back straight which gave Becker the opportunity to pass him and never look back. He would go on to lead all 25 laps of the main event. "I've Really got to thank M&S Racing Engines and the whole crew for all their support and all my fans as well, thank you guys all for coming out.", stated Becker in Victory Lane. Other winners during Wells Fargo Points Race #12 included, Mitch Machado in the Street Stocks, Browns Valley's Misty Castleberry in the Mini Stocks, Plumas Lake's Duane Cleveland in the Dirt Modifieds, Sacramento's Brian Compton in the Hobby Stocks, and Ryan McDaniel in the Limited Late Models.

Tonight a new face to Silver Dollar Speedway led the field to the green flag. That driver being Michael Cunningham from Victoria, Australia. Cunningham got a great start and led the field into turn one. But down the back straightaway he would pull an incredible wheel stand allowing Sean Becker to take the lead on lap one. The race would be halted a lap later as two time champ Jason York would lose his brakes and come to a stop on the front straightaway. Once back underway Becker would pull away from the field while Cunningham and Keith Bloom raced hard for 2nd place. Bloom would finally take the spot when Cunningham nearly spun in front of the field in turn two. While all of this was going on though, it was the Andy and Andy show moving through the field. Placerville's Andy Gregg and Auburn's Andy Forsberg started seventh and eighth respectively and sliced and diced their way through the field. The race would be halted twice during their charge as the 27 of Clint Wilson would stop once in turn 2 and again in turn 4. Andy Forsberg clearly had a fast car as he could put it anywhere on the track to pass cars. He just never could get the track position he needed to catch Becker. Crossing the line it would be Sean Becker winning, followed across by Keith Bloom, but Bloom however, would be penalized post race for jumping a restart. Therefore moving Andy Forsberg into the second finishing position, Bloom would be scored in the third spot, followed by Andy Gregg in fourth, and Chico's Brad Bumgarner would round out the top five. Fifteen cars signed in to the pits tonight with Andy Forsberg turning the quickest lap in time trials with a time of 12.635. Heat race wins were claimed by Forsberg, and Jason York.

On Chico Volkswagen Night at the Races, Mark Abouzeid and Duane Cleveland put on an absolutely fantastic show of hard clean racing, and great sportsmanship. Abouzeid got the jump on the field and would lead comfortably until lap 9 when Cleveland edged close enough to Abouzeid to really make it a race. The two drivers would battle side by side lap after lap for the final ten laps of the race. Cleveland would run good off of the turns but Abouzeid made up time going into and through the middle of the turn. In the end though Cleveland was to strong and was able to hold off Abouzeid for the win. "It's always fun racing with Mark, we just chose to stick to the bottom and it worked for us tonight."

The real story of sportsmanship though goes to Richard Papenhausen. In heat race action, Duane Cleveland, who came into tonight tied with Ryan McDaniel and Richard Papenhausen for the points lead, lost an engine. Cleveland was going to be done for the night. But Papenhausen being the gentleman that he is, left the race track, went to his shop and picked up his spare motor. He then brought it to the track and helped to get it into Cleveland's car so that Cleveland could make the call for the main event and stay in the points chase. Papenhausen would finish third tonight behind Cleveland and Abouzeid. Thus giving the points lead to Duane Cleveland after Ryan Mcdaniel had early issues in the main and would finish last. Fourth place went to Oreste Gonella, and finishing fifth was the 3 car of Chris Nieman. Eleven cars signed in to the pits tonight with Heat Races being won by Chico's Ryan Mcdaniel and Petaluma's Oreste Gonella.

The Street Stock Main Event started off wildly as Mark Newman would lead the field into turn one and down the back straight but in turn three and four Paradise's Kevin Ward would come from his third place starting spot to lead at the start finish line. Just as they crossed the line though Ward would get turned to the infield by Newman. Now most drivers would either spin out at this point or at least hit the brakes. But Ward punched the throttle and drifted through the infield in turn one and would slide back onto the track in front of the field. Ward would lead until Lap 13 when Mitch Machado and Jake Vantol would get in on the action and make it a three car battle for the lead with less than ten laps to go. Machado and Vantol would get around Ward at the 7 to go mark. Vantol just couldn't get close enough, and Mitch Machado would go on to win his first race of the year at Silver Dollar Speedway, he was followed across the line by points leader Jake Vantol in second, Kevin Ward in third, Shawn Smith would come home fourth, and Mark Newman would round out the top five. Eleven cars signed in tonight with Heat Races being claimed by Mitch Machado and Kevin Lesch driving the Chico Volkswagen 27 car.

The Limited Late Model main event was all about Ryan Mcdaniel walking away with the win. Lapping all the way up to fourth place. Only the top three cars finished on the lead lap. Ken Micheli would come home second behind Mcdaniel, followed by Danny Malfatti in third, Duane Zeider in fourth, and Willy McMillen would round out the top five. There were also eleven Limited Late Models signed in tonight with Heat Races being won by Ken and Matt Micheli both out of Live Oak.

Misty Castleberry continues her perfect season here at the Silver Dollar Speedway as she once again would take the Heat Race win and the Main Event win. With seven Mini Stocks signed in tonight Misty had to once again hold off the boys to secure her fifth win of the year at Chico. Misty was followed across the line by the 11h of Galen Hainlin in second, Jason Clayton returned with a third place finish, with Travis Carter and Sean Perry finishing fourth and fifth respectively.

The Hobby Stock Main Event was claimed by Brian Compton for the Second week in a row. Compton would take over the lead on lap 5 from the 71 of Michael Slightom Jr. and would never look back. Compton was followed across the line by Slightom Jr. in second, David Pierce finished third, Kyle Allen ran fourth, and Jared Flower would round out your field of Hobby Stocks. The lone Heat Race was won by David Pierce out of Paradise.

Action resumes next week at Silver Dollar Speedway with Wells Fargo Points Race #13. Featuring 5 divisions including the 410 Sprint Cars, Winged Economy Sprint Cars, Wingless Spec Sprint Cars, Street Stocks, and the Hobby Stocks. The main grandstand gate will open a little earlier than usual due to a Driver Autograph session being held behind the Main Grandstand. The top ten in 410 Sprint Car Points were invited out to sign some autographs, take pictures, or get a t-shirt of your favorite driver. So come on out this Friday night July 19th. Racing is scheduled to start at 7pm as usual. Ticket prices are $13 for Adults, $11 for Seniors and Juniors (12-15), and $6 for children 11 and under.

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