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Jimmy Pettit wins heat and runs 3rd in feature on Friday at Feather Falls Casino point race number three By Gary Thomas |
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Chico, CA – April 26, 2009…After winning the opening Feather Falls Casino point race on April 3 Chico's Jimmy Pettit continued his solid start to the season this past Friday night by scoring a third place finish in the wingless main event and continues to be the point leader at the Silver Dollar Speedway. Following a rainout on April 10 and an off-week on April 17, Mother Nature cooperated this past Friday and a very fast racing surface was put together for the third Feather Falls Casino point race of the season, which also marked the second annual Bill Brownell Memorial. Pettit lined-up on the outside of the second row in the night's opening wingless sprint car heat race and at the waving of the green flag charged into second aboard the Skyway Tool Center, Kevin Sharrah Designs, Esplanade Taco Bell No. 24p. "The Love-Shack" had an expertly set-up car from tuner "Captain Ron" Kalpakoff and he raced hard through the turns on the hooked-up surface trying to get by leader Josh Viera. Pettit was all over the leader lap after lap and as the white flag waved he moved right up to his bumper. Heading down the back stretch the Chico driver then moved to the inside of Viera and as the pair rounded turn four Pettit charged to the bottom and carved his way by to pick up the exciting win. When the 20 lap main event came to the track Pettit found himself starting on the outside of the front row, alongside veteran sprint car driver Bobby McMahan. As the green waved Pettit settled into second and hounded McMahan over much of the early parts of the race. "The Love-shack" was right on the rear of the Sperry Racing 51 and just as soon as he was looking for a way around, the caution flag waved on lap nine. On the restart the Pep Boys, Ing Excavation, Pro Machine Racing Engines driver didn't get the jump he wanted as McMahan rocketed away when the green lights came back on. After this he wasn't able to get back up to McMahan, but held second all the way till the white flag, when wingless ace Terry Shank Jr. was able to slide underneath for the spot. Pettit then continued on and crossed under the checkered in third place to maintain the wingless point lead at the Silver Dollar Speedway. Although not a win Pettit was happy with how the night went considering he was forced to use last year's car following a frame grinding crash during a non-point event in Placerville the previous weekend. "We definitely didn't need the caution on lap nine cause we were all over Bobby at the time," he said. "We'll take a third though and try to keep these consistent finishes coming." The team has decided to stay with this frame because it performs so well. They will make the changes during the off week and put on a new body. The wingless sprints will take this coming week off before resuming action on May 8 during the Friday night portion of the Dave Bradway Jr. Memorial weekend. |
