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Sean Becker Dominates For 45th Career Win at Silver Dollar

CHICO, CA (7-19-13) - Sean Becker was able to endure a caution marred 25 lap feature tonight to pick up his 45th Career win at the Silver Dollar Speedway. The track was prepped to perfection, and it took the drivers a little while to get a handle on what lines they could and could not run. The top and bottom where good, but if you got to the middle of the track all forward momentum would stop. Big props to Dennis Gage and the rest of the track crew as they have worked so hard this year to find the perfect racing surface for the drivers and the fans. No points were on the line tonight as it was a 360 Sprint Car Open Show. "I just really want to thank Dan Menne for giving me the opportunity to drive this car." stated Becker in Victory Lane. Sean has driven the Menne Motorsports #75 machine to multiple wins over the past two seasons. Becker made the pass for the lead on lap 11 and went on to lead the final 14 laps to pick up the victory. Other winners during Wells Fargo Points Race #14 were Ryan McDaniel in both the Dirt Modifieds and Limited Late Models, Fred Ryland in the Street Stocks, and Don Emery in the Perma-Zyme Wingless Sprint Cars.

The 360 Sprint Car Main Event was rough in the beginning, as the drivers had to work to figure the track conditions out. On the original start it was a fierce rivalry on the front row featuring Brad Bumgarner and Clint Wilson, both from Chico. But coming out of turn four to the green flag, Wilson would slide a little sideways in front of the field. Contact ensued between himself and Andy Gregg who would then spin in front of the pack also collecting Josh Ruhs and turning him in to the front straightaway wall. It took about three or four more tries to get a lap in under green flag conditions. But once they did it was Brad Bumgarner who would get the jump over Kevin Sharrah and Gary Burdick. It wasn't long though before Becker made quick work of them and moved in to second. The race would stay green until a caution on lap ten. During the caution, the decision was made by the track officials to stop the race so that all drivers and crews could add fuel to the cars due to the lengthy caution periods. Once the race got back underway though, it was an exciting one. Once back underway, Sean Becker continued to hound Brad Bumgarner for the lead. Than on lap eleven coming out of turn four Bumgarner slid up the track a little and allowed Becker the inside line into turn one. The very next lap however the red flag flew once again for a scary rollover by Troy DeGaton in turn three. Troy was able to climb out and walk away under his own power. Once in the lead Sean would walk away from the field on the restart. The excitement however came from the PT Shocks #7c of Andy Forsberg. On the original start Forsberg lined up in the 14th position. While everyone else was tiptoeing around the bottom of the track Andy continued to bang the cushion lap after lap, passing cars like they were standing still. Andy was able to work his way up to third but couldn't improve any from there. Sean Becker crossed the line for the win, followed by Chico's Brad Bumgarner, Auburn's Andy Forsberg in third, Gary Burdick with a strong showing in fourth and Colby Weisz would round out the top five in the Jim Richardson owned #8 car. Sean Becker was also Quick Time with a time of 12.655. Heat race victories were picked up by Max Adams, Keith Bloom Jr., and Andy Gregg.

Don Emery picked up an exciting win in the Perma-Zyme Wingless Sprint Car main. At times the entire field of five cars was battling for the lead, but no one could get around Emery. This marked Don Emery's first win of the year at Silver Dollar Speedway. Emery would lead every lap except for lap 11 when Ron Laplant crossed the line barely ahead of him. Rowdy McClenon would make a last turn, last lap pass to take the second position. Rowdy's car was clearly not handling as well as it has all year but he stayed up on the wheel and drove it to a second place finish. Ron Laplant would come across in third, Dustin Thompson would come across in fourth after the crew worked hard to get the car back together after a nasty flip down the back straight in heat race action. And Taylor Nelson was scored in the fifth place. The lone heat race for the Wingless Sprint Cars was claimed by Ron Laplant.

The Street Stock division also saw a new winner on the year. Fred Ryland would dominate the main event by leading all twenty laps. The race was slowed three times each for a car spinning in turn four. Ryland was followed across the line by Brent Lawrence in second, who continues his string of strong finishes. A win is not far off for him. Third place would go to championship points leader Jake Vantol, Richard Workman and Kevin Ward would round out the top five. Heat races were claimed by Jake Vantol of Orland, and Kevin Ward of Paradise.

Only five Dirt Modifieds were able to make the show tonight with many cars experiencing motor issues and not being able to compete week after week. One of the drivers not able to make it tonight was fifth place in points Mark Abouzeid. Abouzeid had just begun to find his stride again and we hope to see him back out before the end of the year. But tonight it was all about the McDaniel Family. Ryan McDaniel would lead all twenty laps to take the victory. Ryan was followed across the line by his father Randy McDaniel in second, Duane Cleveland would finish third and retain his points lead, Richard Papenhausen was scored in fourth but did not finish all 20 laps as something let go in the rear of the car on lap seven. Jeff Olschowka rounded out the field in fifth place after being black flagged on lap seven due to his muffler falling off on the front straightaway. The one and only Dirt Modified heat race was won by Ryan McDaniel as well.

Ryan McDaniel completed the clean sweep on the night winning the Dirt Modified Heat Race and Main Event, and also winning the lone Limited Late Model Heat Race and Main Event. "The track was awesome. It was so much fun to drive, and I hope we can get the track like this more often." stated McDaniel when interviewed by Brad Kennedy on the front straightaway. Ryan took the lead on lap 3 of the Late Model main event and would never look back as he would go on to lap all but one car of the nine car field. Matt Micheli would cross the line in second, followed by Duane Zeider in third, Ken Micheli in fourth, and David Larabee in fifth driving the Jimmy Pettit wrenched number 70 car.

You are all invited to join us again this Friday night August 2nd for Wells Fargo Points Race #15 featuring the 410 Sprint Cars, Economy Sprint Cars, Dirt Modifieds, Mini Stocks, and Hobby Stocks. Dennis Gage and the rest of the crew will be hard at work on the track during the week to hopefully give everyone the great track conditions we received tonight. The Front Gate is scheduled to open at 6pm with racing slated to start at 7pm. Tickets are $13 for adults, $11 for Juniors and Seniors, and $6 for Children. Thank you all for your support of Silver Dollar Speedway and we hope to see you again this Friday Night under the lights.

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