6/29/2019
Silver Dollar Speedway
Chelsea Blevins Mighty at The Dollar
Silver Dollar Speedway
Phone: (530) 350-7275
By: Troy Hennig
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Chelsea Blevins Earns First Career Sprint Car Win
Chico, CA (June 28, 2019) …. It’s hard to put into words how spectacular of a win we all witnessed this Friday night at Silver Dollar Speedway. Eighteen-year-old Chelsea Blevins shocked the sprint car community by leading all 30-laps and winning the winged 360 sprint car main event. Blevins win was the first by a female winged sprint car driver since Destiney Hays won a Civil War race during Gold Cup on September 5, 2001. Trying to find the words Blevins wrote on social media post-race, “I cried, I’m so grateful for my friends, family and god and thank you Kyle Standley for the ride for tonight! I’m truly blessed!�
Blevins wasn’t supposed to be here tonight because their regular car had motor issues. A late Thursday night Facebook message from Kyle Standley to Blevins racing changed their weekend. Standley offered them his sprint car for the night. Blevins mounted her seat in the car mid-morning at Standley’s shop. The familiar No. 1B top wing went on the car later that afternoon. Give Chelsea all the credit because she was ready to compete in an unfamiliar car. Less than 12 hours later, both Blevins and Standley racing were all smiles in victory lane.
Blevins won the first heat race which put her on the pole position of the 30-lap main event. Blevins led from the drop of the green flag. Kyle Offill tumbled off turn four on lap 11 to bring out a red flag. Under the red flag, it was discovered that there was a water leak on Blevins car. While the stress level was already high enough, Blevins decided to push on and continue to race. Throughout the race she survived challenges from Jake Wheeler, Willie Croft and J.J. Hickle. Through it all, Blevins showed the heart of a champion. She never looked rattled or nervous as she led the final few laps. As she crossed the checkered flag many of the fans stood up to give her a standing ovation. It was a surreal moment in time and a huge chapter in the history of winged sprint car racing at Silver Dollar Speedway. Hickle drove a great race to finish second. Brent Bjork drove one of the best races in his career at Chico and came from 11th to a third-place finish. Wheeler came across in fourth. Colby Copeland was a contender all night and finished fifth.
Willie Croft turned the fastest lap in qualifying. His lap time was a 12.184. Croft would go on to win the 8-lap dash. Wheeler won the second heat race. A total of 19 sprints attended tonights race.
The Street Stock main event saw three different leaders during the first six laps. Gary Newman led the first three laps before birthday boy, Brent Lawrence, took over the top spot. Fourth place starting Matt Micheli then dove to the inside of Lawrence and took the lead on lap six. Micheli would go on and win the main event. It was Micheli’s second win of the season in the Street Stock division. Lawrence came home second. Richard Workman took the third sport on lap 12 and went on to stay in that position at the finish line. Newman fell back to a fourth-place finish. Micheli won the eight-lap heat race. Workman picked up the trophy dash win.
Jeremy Phillips is making a habit of parking his car in victory lane at Chico. For the second time in a row, Phillips got the popular win. Scott Savell and Timothy Allerdings each led a bit during the opening lap. Allerdings secured the top spot until lap four when Phillips drove by. Matt Micheli made the final five laps interesting as he charged from his sixth place starting spot into second. Micheli just didn’t have enough speed to catch Phillips. Tyler Rodgers, who won the six-lap dash, finished third. Rodgers is always a guy who runs up front. Savell held on for a fourth-place finish. Damian Merritt returned to racing action for the first time all season and placed fifth.
END