Placerville Preview 98-10-03

CIVIL WAR SERIES SCHEDULED FOR PLACERVILLE THIS SATURDAY Event to be accompanied by third annual "Placerville Legends" race

PLACERVILLE (10-3-98) - After a two-week hiatus, auto racing activity will return to Alan Padjen's Placerville Speedway this Saturday night as the 1998 post-season begins with the California Sprint Car Civil War Race Series. This event will be the final visit of the season to the El Dorado County Fairground track for the Civil War sprint cars. It will mark the 12th event on the 13 race campaign for the traveling series.

The California Sprint Car Civil War Race Series is a traveling series which is dedicated to 360 cubic inch powered sprint cars. The 1998 campaign consists of 13 races at four different California tracks taking place between March and late October. Drivers competing in the Civil War series are awarded cash winnings for their success as well as accumulative points towards the coveted Civil War championship title.

Nearly 50 competitors are expected to converge at Placerville this Saturday night for the second to last round of competition in the series. Topping that list of entrants will be series point leader Roger Crockett of Rio Linda. With a total of nine top ten finishes and seven finishes in the top five, Crockett has worked himself to a 67-point lead over season-long rival Shane Scott of Chico. Much of Crockett's lead has been acquired by bonus points the young driver has earned in qualifying as he has posted quick time more than any other driver with a total of 4 fast time awards. Additionally, Crockett has logged on feature event win, a second place finish, three third place finishes and a fourth top top his list of success.

In one night of competition a driver in the Civil War can earn as many as 66-points for their success. This would take place if a competitor set fast time and then won the 30-lap feature event. Therefore, if Crockett can maintain his lead through Saturday's program he could very easily lock the 1998 series title.

Although Scott has more victories in the 1998 campaign than any other driver, a few nights of poor luck have set him back, nearly out of reach of Crockett's lead. Scott has won a total of three feature events which have contributed to his eight top ten finishes and five finishes in the top five. Scott's victories have taken place at Marysville, Petaluma and Chico. Crockett's win took place when the series last visited Placerville.

Roseville driver Chad Riolo rounds out the top three in the series. Riolo, with six top ten finishes and three top fives, current trailed Scott by 57 digits and holds off Sacramento driver David Robinson Jr. by only six points. Robinson, the recently crowned Placerville Speedway track champion, has had is share of both poor luck and good in the 1998 campaign. His most recent success came at Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico when won the Civil War Pacific Sprint Cup Invitational.

Jeff Halleib of Grass Valley rounds out the top five drivers in the current series point standings. Halleib has had five top ten finishes with his season-best being a fifth place. Rounding out the top ten in the series point standings behind Halleib is Billy Wallace of Grass Valley, Jeff Young of Roseville, Mark Hall of Nevada City, Colby Weisz of Colfax and Kyle Schild of Sacramento.

Saturday's event will include the third annual "Placerville Legends" race. This event will place the racers of yesteryear back in the drivers seat for a feature event. Last season the event was won by longtime driver Johnny Tiner and was all but lackluster when former NARC racer Richard Forseberg flipped over in the late stages of the race. It is unknown at this time who will log entries in this event that will take place weather permitting.

Action is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday with time trials followed by racing at 7. Tickets will go on sale when the grandstand gates open at 5 p.m. Adult tickets will be $12, juniors and seniors $7, children $3 and those under six will be admitted for free.

Current Civil War Point Standings (top 10)

1. Roger Crockett        759
2. Shane Scott                692
3. Chad Riolo                635
4. David Robinson Jr.         629
5. Jeff Halleib                621
6. Bill Wallace                587
7. Jeff Young                586
8. Mark Hall                583
9. Colby Weisz                552
10. Kyle Schild                549