Civil War Sprints at Placerville Preview 99-04-28

Placerville Speedway to host Hoosier Tires Civil War Saturday After two events, defending champ Roger Crockett holds four-point lead

PLACERVILLE, 5-1-99 - The Hoosier Tires California Sprint Car Civil War Race Series will make it's first appearance of the 1999 racing season at Alan Padjen's Placerville Speedway this Saturday night, May 1. This all open-wheel event will feature nearly 50 of California's top Pacific Sprint car teams in their third event of the traveling Civil War campaign. Saturday's race will be the first of three Civil War events to take place at Placerville Speedway and is by far being bannered as one of the highest caliber events to take place on the El Dorado County Fairground track during the "Thunder in the Foothills" season which opened two weeks ago and concludes in late September. So, what exactly is the Hoosier Tires California Sprint Car Civil War Race Series? The CSCCWRS is a traveling organization organized and promoted by John Padjen Motorsports, promoters of Placerville Speedway, Silver Dollar Speedway and the annual Silver Crown 100 in Sacramento. This always exciting, competitive series is dedicated to 360 cubic inch powered sprint cars also referred to in the Golden State as Pacific Sprints. The series competes at five different California tracks including Marysville, Placerville, Petaluma, Antioch and Silver Dollar Speedways between March and October to compete in a total of 13 events. Drivers competing in the series are awarded accumulative points and winnings for their success in each event that takes place which posts nearly $10,000 in nightly purse money. Additionally, the series posts a $20,000 championship fund which is divided up accordingly to the top ten point earners at the conclusion of the 13-event run. Fresh off a third place finish last Saturday night, defending Civil War Champion Roger Crockett of Rio Linda will lead the series contingent this Saturday as some 50 drivers are expected to challenge Placerville's racy bull-ring facility. With a two top five finishes in only two events that have taken place, Crockett has picked up right where he left last season in the series aboard his the number 11 Brian Crockett owned Stealth Chassis. The Crockett name all too familiar to Placerville Speedway race fans, as Brian drove his way to a total of 10 track championships at the foothill track between the years of 1984 and 1991 aboard a combination of Super Modifieds, 410 cubic inch powered sprints and Pacific Sprint cars before stepping out of the driver's seat to focus on assisting Roger who is now considered a veteran driver among his peers at just 17-years-old. Joining Crockett in competition this Saturday will be Scooter Lambert of Foothill Farms. After a long dry spell in the way of feature victories, Lambert used a one-groove race track to his advantage last week in Petaluma to score the $1500 Civil War victory which has launched him into second in the series standings, seven-points behind Crockett. Jeff Young of Roseville, with two top ten finishes this year, currently ranks third overall tied with David Robinson Jr. of Sacramento. Robinson, the defending Placerville track champion, will be aiming to turn his luck around at the track he calls home after a collision with the front stretch wall sent him to trackside two weeks ago during the local season opener. Mike Benson of Calistoga rounds out the top five in the series and is expected Saturday, Benson is also a weekly competitior at Placerville and too is quite familiar with the track characteristics. Rounding out the top ten in the Civil War Series is Billy Wallace of Grass Valley, winner of the Placerville opener on April 17. Rich Tiner of Rio Linda ranks seventh overall and is expected along with Ricky Wondergem, Damion Gardner and Craig Dillard. Additional entries expected Saturday that aren't currently among top ranks in the Civil War points include Roseville's Chad Riolo, Shawn Whitney of Camino, Billy Sellers of Sacramento, Placerville's Dave Angus, Alan Bradway of Fair Oaks, Andy Forsberg of Auburn and many more. Action is set to begin with qualifying at 6:30 Saturday. The event format will continue after time trials with four heat races set up for 12-cars each. It is expected that a C-main event may be required depending on the quantity of entries as well as a B-main event. Both of these semi-main events will feature those competitors who do not finish fourth or better in their heat races or simply do not qualify quick enough for the preliminary 10-lap events. The A-main will consist of 30-laps with $1500 going to the winner, second place will earn $900, third place $700, fourth $500 and each competitor will earn $200 just to start the A-main. The front gates of Placerville Speedway will open at 5 p.m. on Saturday and tickets will be available at that time. Adult tickets will be $12, juniors and seniors $9, children $6 and those under six will be admitted for free. For any further information on this event please contact the track business office at (916) 969-7484 or log on to www.johnpadjenmotorsports.com where you'll find detailed information and complete point standings on the Civil War, Placerville and Silver Dollar Speedway.

1999 HOOSIER TIRES CALIFORNIA SPRINT CAR CIVIL WAR RACE SERIES CURRENT TOP-TEN POINT STANDINGS THROUGH APRIL 30, 1999'

1. Roger Crockett, Rio Linda                        145
2. Scooter Lambert, Foothill Farms                138
3. Jeff Young, Rosveille                        130
4. David Robinson Jr., Sacramento                130
5. Mike Benson, Calistoga                        123
6. Billy Wallace, Grass Valley                        122
7. Rich Tiner, Elverta                                116
8. Ricky Wondergem, Grass Valley                112
9  Damion Gardner, Concord                        112
10. Craig Dillard, Oakdale                        110

CURRENT CIVIL WAR ROSTER FOLLOWING RACE #2 ON 4-24-99 CAR NO. DRIVER HOMETOWN

1A                RANDY LATHROP                SANTA ROSA
1B                DAVE ANGUS                PLACERVILLE, CA
1C                SCOOTER LAMBERT                FOOTHILL FARMS
2M                RANDY MELLO                CONCORD
2U                MIKE PARSONS                CROCKETT
2B                BRENT DOTHAGE                SACRAMENTO
03                ROB JOHNSON                SANTA ROSA
3F                BOBBY MCMAHAN                RIO LINDA
3G                RYAN GERMAN                SUSUIN
4D                DAVID ROBINSON JR.        SACRAMENTO
5                BRYAN BULLARD                SLOUGHOUSE
5V                JIM VANLARE                WINDSOR
6W                BILLY WALLACE                GRASS VALLEY
7AK                ADAM MCCARTHY                ADAM MCARTHY
7D                SHANE SCOTT                CHICO
7W                MIKE WASINA JR.                RIO LINDA
8R                JIM RICHARDSEN                GRAEAGLE FALLS
9N                JASON SMITH                SANTA ROSA
10Z                MARC ZIESKI                OROVILLE
11                ROGER CROCKETT                RIO LINDA
14                AL HARVEY                GRASS VALLEY
15                PAT HARVEY                GRASS VALLEY
16                KYLE SCHILD                SACRAMENTO
17                JEFF YOUNG                ROSEVILLE
17R                CHAD RIOLO                ROSEVILLE
18                TODD BAMMER                SAN LEANDRO
18X                BEAU PERKINS                GERBER
20W                DANIEL WATSON                COLFAX
21N                COLBY WEISZ                COLFAX
23F                GERROLD HOPPING                ROSEVILLE
24                DAMION GARDNER                CONCORD
30                STEVE FEHRMAN                SACRAMENTO
36N                RON TABOR                RENO, NV
38N                MARK TABOR JR.                RENO, NV
38                SHAWN SCHMITZ                VACAVILLE
39E                MICHEAL GRAY                COTATI
40                HERMAN KLEIN                SACRAMENTO
41S                TIM GROGAN                SANTA ROSA
44X                BRIAN HAIR                DANVILLE
47B                JOHN BUCCETTELLO        PITTSBURG
49                MIKE MONAHAN                RENO, NV
52                DAVID LINDT JR.                SEBASTOPOL
54                MARK HALL                GRASS VALLEY
65                SHERRY ARIAGA                PITTSBURG
71                KOREY LOVELL                YUBA CITY
72                JEFF HALLIEB                GRASS VALLEY
72S                GRAIG DILLIARD                OAKDALE
74                RON MCBRIDE                SACRAMENTO
77                MIKE BENSON                CALISTOGA
76                GREG YANNAZZO                PACIFICA
80N                ALAN BRADWAY                FAIR OAKS
81                KEVIN LOVELL                YUBA CITY
82                DENNIS BINSTOCK                NAPA
83                RICH TINER                ELVERTA
83A                MIKE HENRY                FAIR OAKS
85                CJ HUMPHREYS                PLACERVILLE
87                TIM SHERMAN                SACRAMENTO
91                RICKY WONDERGEM                GRASS VALLEY
92                ANDY FORSBERG                AUBURN        
98                DAVE MASTERS                NAPA
98W                STEVE WATTS                SACRAMENTO