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| Hanestad Nails Wingless Spec
Sprint Win at Placerville Opener by Debbie Shipherd |
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Wingless Spec Sprints |
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(April 16, 2005- Placerville, CA)...Darrell Hanestad of
Clayton powered his S & S Automotive Sprinter around Delta
Demolition's Bob Newberry to take the win at Placerville
Speedway on Saturday April 16. Hanestad made the pass in lapped
traffic, after challenging Newberry for about 20 laps of the
exciting 30 lap season opener, and was followed to the checkers by
Newberry, Tim Sherman of Citrus Heights, Rio Linda's Rick Eversult,
and Contra Costa Auto Parts' Keith Shipherd. Seventeen Wingless Spec Sprints towed to the picturesque 1/4 mile track as they celebrated a rain delayed 40th anniversary season opening race. The Sprints were joined by the BCRA Midget Lites who ran wingless for the event, the Pro Stocks, and Pure Stocks. Teams from several of the Northern California Wingless Sprint groups supported the first of two '05 season visits to Placerville, and it was great to see many teams who had never met before competing together. As the headliners, the Spec Sprints were able to qualify for tonight's event which was a welcome occurrence, and Tim Sherman set fast time with a 13.025, followed by Darrell Hanestad 13.204, Billy Macedo 13.361, Keith Shipherd 13.407, and Patrick Timmons 13.524 in the top five. Two heat races ran accident free with a 6th invert lineup. Bob Newberry took the win in the first one from a front row start, followed by Auburn's Jimmy Steward, Billy Macedo, Rick Eversult, Tim Sherman, Marysville's Jeremy Hawes, Ralph Cortez from Citrus Heights, Lodi's Jake Serven, and Placerville's Patrick Timmons. Kenny Bair of Woodland won heat two also from a front row start, followed by Hanestad, Steve Stein of Davis, Shipherd, Patrick Russum, Roseville's Steve Fletcher, Mark Orth from Sacramento, and Bobby Nichols of Stockton who struggled all evening with unfortunate fuel pump problems. The 30 lap feature action began with Johnson's Manufacturing's Kenny Bair taking the lead at the green and Newberry challenging for the spot after the first lap. The momentum slowed on a lap five yellow for Hawes, and a rough restart eliminated several cars including Macedo with a flat tire, and Kenny Bair. Newberry launched off of turn four like a rocket for the lead on the restart, as he was chased by rookie driver "Hot Rod" Patrick Russum and Darrell "The Hammer" Hanestad. Hanestad closed in beside Newberry to challenge several times as a good battle was going on behind with Russum, Sherman, Eversult, and Shipherd. The leaders began lapping traffic, and about lap 28 Hanestad made the pass to take the lead. Newberry stayed right on his tail, and on the last lap Russum tangled with a lapped car in turn 4 to end his night, and the yellow checkered flew for Hanestad, Newberry, Sherman, Eversult, and Shipherd in the top five. The exciting Wingless Spec Sprints will return to Placerville Speedway only once more this season, and many of the drivers had not experienced racing on the challenging 1/4 mile track, but had fun and plan to make the return trip on Saturday May 21. Drive safe, have fun, and take care. |
