Placerville Preview - Point Standings

CHAMPIONSHIP RACING CONTINUES SATURDAY AT PLACERVILLE

Robinson, Moran, Hansard lead standings in first of three remaining races

PLACERVILLE, CA (8-29-98) - The 1998 "Thunder in the Foothills" championship point racing season is beginning to wind down at Alan Padjen's Placerville Speedway but the season titles are far from being decided in all three weekly divisions. This Saturday the El Dorado County Fairground track will host the 14th event of the season featuring Pacific Sprints, Pro Stocks, Pure Stocks and the Midget Lites of the Bay Cities Racing Association. This event will be the first of three remaining on the season race card. In the Pacific Sprint division, David Robinson Jr. continues to lead the point standings. With two season wins to his name, Robinson holds a 28-point advantage over Calistoga driver Mike Benson and defending track champion Billy Sellers of Sacramento. After scoring his fourth win of the season last week, Sellers is now tied with Benson for the second place slot. Damion Gardner of Concord remains in the fourth position in the overall point standings, trailing Sellers by 13-digits while Shauna Hogg of Fair Oaks rounds out the top five. In the Pro Stock division, the battle for the 1998 championship is even closer as Mike Moran of Rancho Cordova and Mike Chandler of Citrus Heights continue to battle for the top spot. Entering Saturday's event, Moran remains at the top of the list with only 12-points between he and Chandler. In one night of competition at Placerville, a driver can earn as many as 44-points towards the championship. Mike Nuss of Pollock Pines continues to have the best season in his long racing career. Nuss currently ranks third in the point standings, he is 69-points behind Chandler and 29-points ahead of Eldorado driver Dennis Armstrong. Randy Rigdon Jr. of Cameron Park has moved up to the fifth place position, 45-points behind Armstrong. In Pure Stock competition, six time winner Eric Hansard of Orangevale continues to lead the point standings. Hansard now holds a 36-point advantage over two-time winner Neil Webster of Placerville. Bobby Bankson of Rancho Cordova sits in the third position while last week's winner, Matt Keeler of Placerville ranks fourth ahead of Fair Oaks' racer Bill O'Neill. The three track regulars will be joined Saturday by the Midget Lites of the Bay Cities Racing Association. As this visiting division makes it's second to last foothill appearance Ryan German of Suisun leads the point standings by just 5-points over Napa driver David Goodwill. Greg Shehan of Citrus Heights sits in the third position ahead of Turlock's Cameron Beard and John Taylor of Antelope. The front gates of Placerville Speedway will open at 5 p.m. Saturday night with warm-ups beginning at 5:30. Adult tickets will be $9, juniors and seniors $6, children will be $3 and those under six will be admitted for free. For any further information on this event contact the office of John Padjen Motorsports at (916) 969-7484 or the speedway at (530) 626-3680.

PLACERVILLE SPEEDWAY POINT STANDINGS (TOP 5) THROUGH AUGUST 28

PACIFIC SPRINTS David Robinson Jr. 385 Mike Benson 357 Billy Sellers 357 Damion Gardner 344 Shauna Hogg 323

PRO STOCKS Mike Moran 535 Mike Chandler 523 Mike Nuss 454 Dennis Armstrong 425 Randy Rigdon Jr. 380

PURE STOCKS Eric Hansard 490 Neil Webster 454 Bobby Bankson 445 Matt Keeler 423 Bill O'Neill 411