Pacific Sprint Cup Results 98-09-16

Robinson fulfills lifetime dreams with Pacific Sprint Cup victory at Chico

CHICO, CA (9-16-98) - Since the early age of just four years, David Robinson Jr. of Sacramento had always dreamed of winning a sprint car championship as well as a race during the prestigious Gold Cup at Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico.

Less than a week after he earned the track championship title at Placerville Speedway, Robinson made his second dream come true Wednesday night at John Padjen's Silver Dollar Speedway with a victory in the second annual California Sprint Car Civil War Race Series Pacific Sprint Cup.

"This is another dream come true and a real important win," said Robinson in victory lane. "I've been coming to the Gold Cup since I was four years old and I always wanted to be standing right here. I think running at Placerville all season long really helped me tonight because I've never run a track this slick and we did so well."

After winning his heat race, Robinson started the 30-lap feature event on the pole with Rio Linda resident Mike Wasina Jr. on the outside. JHim Richardsen of Graeagle started in the third position with Shane Scott of Chico on the outside of the second row.

At the waving of original green flag, an immediate yellow brought the event to a pause for a false start and was followed by a red flag when Mountain View driver Jamie Cavagnaro got caught up in the slowing traffic and flipped over on the backstretch. Cavagnaro was uninjured in the incident, but his success in the Pacific Sprint Cup was terminated with moderate damage to his machine.

With the official green flag came out, Robinson wasted no time at all powering his #4d Charles Wimer/Sandy Robinson owned John Boy ahead of Wasina. Taking a lead of several car lengths over Wasina. Shane Scott powered ahead of Richardsen to take the third position but three laps later Scott's night came to an end when he slid into Wasina in the second turn. The incident sent Scott to the infield for the night while Wasina was able to continue and hold his position.

Working his way into lapped traffic as early as the seventh lap, Robinson began to distance himself further from Wasina but the many backmarkers forced the former national midget champ to slow, permitting Wasina to gain ground on the leader. Following a restart on the 15th circuit, Wasina made his move and shot to the low sides of turns three and four where he passed Robinson for the lead.

Once he maneuvered his way to the front, Wasina began to distance himself from the field and appeared to be on his way to his first Civil War victory. Trouble began, however, on the 22nd lap when a broken bolt in the birdcage assembly of Wasina's machine caused serious suspension failure in the #7w machine. Despite the decreased ride level of his rear suspension, Wasina maintained the top spot for two more laps when a red flag flew for Kyle Schild of Sacramento who flipped over in the fourth turn.

While track officials worked to clear Schild's machine from the track, Wasina's crew and a large group of volunteers teamed together in an effort to make the needed repairs. Although he was able to return to the track surface in time for the restart, Wasina's car was not up to par as Robinson shot past him on the restart along with Richard Tiner of Rio Linda and Richardsen. Despite the handling problems, Wasina managed to stay in the top five for the next six laps. At the checkered flag it was Robinson followed by Tiner and Richardsen. Series point leader Roger Crockett of Rio Linda finished fourth ahead of Wasina.

"When he passed the way he did early in the race I was thinking that we were running really bad, he went by me like I was stopped," said Robinson. "But when I saw his suspension break I knew it was going to be our night after all and not his."

In preliminary action on Wednesday, heat race victories went to Colby Weisz, Shauna Hogg, Robinson and Richardsen. Andy Forsberg won the B-main event. This event was open to the top 32-cars in the Civil War point standings.

The dirt modifieds joined the Wednesday night program for the inaugural "Dirt Modified Cup." This event concluded the 1998 Silver Dollar Speedway Colusa Casino/Pepsi championship series for the the division and Randy McDaniel of Marysville officially claimed the track title as well as the victory in the 20-lap feature.

After winning his heat race, McDaniel started the main event in the second position next to pole sitter Mike Sohnrey of Durham. When the green flag came out, Durham took the lead while McDaniel and Matt Micheli of Live Oak worked the second and third positions. On the second lap of the event a yellow flag came out for Bryan Evans who lost a wheel in the second turn. just prior to the caution, McDaniel faded to the fourth position.

On the restart, Micheli took the lead from Sohnrey as McDaniel advanced back towards the front. As early as the fifth lap McDaniel had moved into the second position where he remained until the 14th lap when he passed Micheli for the lead after a lengthy battle. One in front, McDaniel distanced himself from the field and drove his way to his tenth season victory.

PACIFIC SPRINT CARS

FAST QUALIFIERS: Andy Forsberg, Auburn - 12:677; Roger Crockett, Rio Linda- 12:680; Chad Riolo, Roseville - 12:758

HEAT 1: Colby Weisz, Colfax; Kevin Lovell, Yuba City; Mike Wasina Jr., Rio Linda; Kyle Schild, Sacramento; Forsberg.

HEAT 2: Shauna Hogg, Sacramento; Jamie Cavagnaro, Mountain View; Jeff Hallieb, Grass Valley; Richard Tiner, Rio Linda.

HEAT 3: David Robinson Jr., Sacramento; Chad Riolo, Roseville; Shane Scott, Chico; Jeff Young, Roseville; Claudia Harvey, Grass Valley;

HEAT 4: Jim Richardsen, Graeagle; Mark Hall, Grass Valley; Korey Lovell, Yuba City; Jonathan Allard, Chico; Bryan Bullard, Rancho Cordova.

B-MAIN: Forsberg; Crockett; Steve Watts, River City; Bullard; Billy Wallace, Grass Valley.

A-MAIN: Robinson; Tiner; Richardsen; Crockett; Wasina; Hall; Riolo; Halleib; allard; Forseberg; Korey Lovell; Hogg; Bullard; Kevin Lovell; Young; Weisz; Watts; Schild; Scott; Cavagnaro

DIRT MODIFIEDS

HEAT 1: Randy McDaniel, Marysville; Jim Beller, Janesville; Brian Wright, Chico; Travis Moore, Chico; Mark Abouzied, Chico.

HEAT 2: Mike Sohnrey, Durhan; Matt Micheli, Live Oak; Richard Brace Jr., Auburn; Joey Hubbard, Chico; Mike Compton, Sacramento.

MAIN: McDaniel; M. Micheli; Brace; Hubbard; Abouzeid.