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Sean Becker Wins Wild Main at Chico |
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(Chico, CA 5-16-08)...Oroville native Sean Becker used a lot of skill and a little luck to capture the 25-lap main event on Friday night at Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico. Becker, who started eighth, quietly moved his way into second late in the race. On a lap 21 restart, race leader Tyler Walker spun off turn one and came to a stop. Becker inherited the lead and held on to lead the final four laps. For the win Becker earned the $2, 500 pay day. Part of the winnings were from his car owner Rod Fauver. Tonight was Fauver Race Ready Rental night at the speedway. Also adding extra money was Fry's Metal. Fry's Metal added a total of $1,000 to the purse for the night's racing with $500 of it going to the 410 winner. The wingless sprints got an extra $300 and the street stocks $200. Adding to the excitement in victory lane was the appearance of Sean and his wife Lisa's new daughter Allison Rae. Allison was born just nine days ago and her first race she gets to see dad win, not a bad first nine days of life. Keith Bloom Jr. won the 20-lap wingless main event. He had a spirited battle with Mason Myers throughout the race. Steve Hammett won an exciting 20-lap street stock main event. Another large car count graced the race track tonight. Thirty-six 410 sprints, 19 wingless and 16 street stocks. Sacramento's Mike Henry took the early lead of the 410 winged sprint car main event. Falling into second was Kyle Larson. On lap four Jason York's night came to an end when his front end was damaged. The next restart saw Tyler Walker move into the third spot, passing Jonathan Allard. Lap five another caution was needed when Willie Croft stopped off turn four. Things turned ugly on lap seven when Jonathan Allard slammed into the turn four front grandstand wall. It was one of the hardest hits seen in recent memory. He was dazed and stayed in the car for a few minutes to regroup. He exited the car under his own power but the Morrie and Katie Williams #0 was beat up bad. Racing resumed and on lap nine Walker passed Larson for second. Walker now chased Henry for the lead. The leaders started to encounter slower traffic on lap 15. Three laps later Walker and Henry split a slower car on the front stretch. Going into turn one Walker took the lead. Henry fell into second. At this time the biggest charge was coming from Tim Kaeding. Kaeding started 15th in the main. On lap 20 he was racing with Henry for the third spot. While both drivers were battling slower cars Kaeding and Henry made contact that sent Tim off the turn three edge. A yellow was waived for Kaeding, who was able to keep the car running and drove it back to the pit area. He was done for the night. Henry continued and restarted in the top five. That yellow caused the dramatic finish. Walker had the lead and a car a lap down separating himself and second place Sean Becker. Walker cleared the front straight orange cone and went to set the car into turn one. However, his right rear slid off the race track and this sucked his car around and he spun off turn one. The yellow came back out and Becker was the new leader. Walker went back to the pits and did not return. Becker led the final four laps with ease. Hirst ran a solid second. Henry finished third, Kyle Larson held on for fourth and Andy Forsberg salvaged a fifth place finish. “It's my daughter's first race and how cool is it that I got to win tonight,” said Becker, the happy father in victory lane. “My grandpa has his motor in this car and I came to Rod about three weeks before the season to see if we could strike a deal to use one of his cars. A lot of family members have helped us out, Mike and Carol have come up big for us and I want to thank them also.” Mike and Carol of Cherry St. Mini Storage are also a sponsor on the car and happy to be with Becker in victory lane. Keith Bloom Jr. took the early lead of the wingless feature event. It was not to last long as Mason Myers passed Bloom on lap two. The top two would dice it up pretty good for the next few laps. On lap eight Bloom Jr. regained the lead. Myers fell back to third late in the race when a charging Terry Schank Jr. moved into second. Another driver charging was Justin Funkhouser who started 11th and finished a respectable fourth. Chico's Jimmy Pettit, fresh off his main event win last Friday night, moved through the field and finished fifth. Pettit was out early in the night throwing free t-shirts into the grandstand. It's nice to see drivers giving back to the fans like that. Up front it was Bloom Jr. who led the final few laps with problems. Schank Jr, did close in the final lap but it was too little too late. Bloom Jr. won his first main of the year and extended his point lead over the rest of the competition. Reyna Krueger did a nice job to finish sixth. She start in the 14th spot. Tyler Haylett returned to Chico after a seven year hiatus to finish seventh. Mitch Miller, Taylor Simas and Kenny Webber rounded out the top ten. The street stocks provide more thrills again tonight with their 20 lap main event. Chico's Heather Bartlett took the early lead. Bartlett is a crowd favorite and one of the toughest racers to beat in her division. Bartlett led Scott Rogers and Jeff Olschowka on lap one. Olschowka would pass Rogers and take over the second spot. The top three were nose to tail as they raced through slower cars mid way through the race. Disaster struck on lap 14 when Shayna Robertson spun in front of the lead cars. Bartlett had no where to go and was struck by Robertson. Following close behind was Olschowka and he too was involved in the wreck. The only driver to make it through was the third place car of Rogers. Both Bartlett and Olschowka headed to the pit area under the yellow flag. Both would return to the main event. Bartlett finished fifth while Olschowka was sixth. Up front Rogers had the lead but a new challenger emerged. In only his second start Steve Hammett passed Rogers for the lead late in the race. Hammett went on to win followed by Rogers. Jay Galvin finished in the third spot. Jake Vantol finished fourth. Jonathan Allard won his third fast time in a row at Silver Dollar Speedway tonight. His time was an 11.672. Heat race winners included Stephen Allard, Mason Moore, Tim Kaeding and Jason York. Mark Hall led all 12-laps to win the sprint car B feature. Forsberg, Greg DeCaires and Johnny Gray rounded out the top four and all transferred to the feature. Mason Myers and Keith Bloom Jr. each won their respective heat races in the wingless sprints. Scott Rogers and Heather Bartlett were victorious in their eight lap heat races for the street stock division. Racing continues tomorrow night with the running of the 18th Annual Dave Bradway Jr. Memorial. Front gates open at 5 pm racing set to start for 7 pm. Over $20,000 in purse money and prizes on up fro grabs. Full results are at www.johnpadjenmotorsports.com |
