7/14/2018
Silver Dollar Speedway
New Faces Shine in Victory Lane
Silver Dollar Speedway
Phone: (530) 350-7275
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tanner Thorson Clean Sweeps at Chico
Chico, CA (July 13, 2018) …. Minden, NV driver Tanner Thorson was perfect Friday night at the Silver Dollar Speedway. Thorson earned quick time honors, won the first heat and led the final 100 feet to win the 25-lap main event. In a finish that will be talked about for a long time and more than likely discussed on social media, in the end it was Thorson who gets the win. Just about two weeks prior, Thorson and Forsberg where involved in a finish too close to call by the naked eye. There was also contact between the two drives on lap one during that race. After tonight’s finish, this could be the best rivalry in winged sprint car racing moving forward.
Andy Forsberg was up on the wheel all night. He led the first 24-laps. Forsberg was setting a quick pace and even when he got to slower cars, he used the high line with ease to pass them. Thorson was shadowing Forsberg. Give Tanner credit, he was flat out driving the wheels off his car in trying to keep pace with Andy. The race peaked on the final lap. Going into turn three, Forsberg stayed glued on the cushion while Thorson dove to the bottom. As Thorson drifted up the track, Forsberg had to lift to avoid contact. Thorson moved to the top side as Forsberg coasted off the edge. Thorson straightened the Tri C Machine No. 3c and crossed the finish line first. It was his third career win at Silver Dollar Speedway and his second this season. The finish electrified the crowd.
Forsberg was able to hold on for second. Sean Becker started on the front row with Forsberg and ran second for a while. Right around lap eight it when Thorson passed Becker for second. Eighth place starting Willie Croft battled his way to a fourth-place finish. Brent Bjork returned to the speedway after a month off and finished fifth.
The race provided a dramatic ending in front of a capacity crowd on hand. Props to promoter Dennis Gage who for the second year in a row offered One Dollar night admission for the grandstand crowd. Jeszica Gage and Brent Cooper continue to be the backbone behind the scenes and again stepped up in a big-time way to help facilitate the large crowd and their needs. Lowell Moural Sr. continues to work countless hours on the quarter-mile clay surface that has been producing these dramatic finishes. We should all be lucky these people are involved to keep the racing spirit alive and well in Chico.
Riebes Auto Parts presented the night. They brought a ton of energy and free gifts to the capacity crowd. Cherry St. Mini Storage sponsored the main event tonight. They brought an extra $500 to add to the win.
James West drove the race of his life. Not only did he win the 20-lap Earl’s Hobby Stocks main event, but after the race his car caught on fire. Luckily, West escaped from the car without injury. The crowd got to see a great race and a big-time fire. Elijah Jones did an excellent job interviewing West who said, “I used to be the guy who sat in the turn one bleachers thinking I could do this and tonight here I am, and I won!� It was an emotional moment that exemplified what our sport means. Jeremy Langenderfer led the first few laps but on lap four got passed by West. Two laps later, Langenderfer’s motor seemed to let go and he pulled to the infield. Carl Pavlik started eighth but by lap 10 he was in second. At this point he was already too far behind West. It was a five second lead for West at the finish line. Colin Ferguson won the first heat race and finished third in the main event. Mel Byers ran fourth. Earl Adams finished fifth.
Jim Lipke led all 20-laps to win the IMCA Sport Mod main event. It was his first win at the speedway. He beat seventh place starting Brian Cooper by almost a full second. Phillip Shelby started 10th and charged towards a third-place finish. Jimmy Ford continued his consistent ways and finished fourth. Mike Ficklin was up front all night and ended up finishing fifth. Mike Merritt and Phil Marino each won their eight-lap heat race.
Live Oak’s Matt Micheli led all 20-laps to win the Street Stock main event. Micheli used a Crate Motor tonight to get the job done. Brent Lawrence ran second until the half way point when he cut a tire and had to pull into the infield. This moved Phil Marino into second. Corey Hall was all over Marino for that second spot. In the end, Marino finished second. Hall was third. Richard Workman was fourth. Gary Newman rounded out the top five. Micheli swept the night by winning the eight-lap heat race earlier.
Full results can be found here https://speedhive.mylaps.com/Events/1558779
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