This message was edited on
August 03, 2009 at
09:08:21 PM by 83vmotorsports
Larson Scores Podium Finish In Petaluma Finale For Golden State Challenge
Petaluma, California. August 1st, 2009. A day after celebrating his 17th birthday Kyle Larson gave himself a little present at the Petaluma Fairgrounds Speedway by cashing in with a third place finish with the Golden State Challenge sprint cars Saturday night. In the final 2009 appearance for the series at the fog shrouded speedway, the Elk Grove, California resident patiently worked his way forward from the seventh starting position to take third on the lightning fast speedway.
Larson, the sixth fast qualifier of 20 cars on hand, began the night by racing to a second place finish in his heat. The result placed him in the six lap dash, which sets the first four rows of the feature race. He drew the sixth starting position and, after a jumble in front of him in turn one on the opening lap jostled him back to eighth, finished seventh.
The headline event began with the driver of the Dave and Debbie Vertullo Starr Property Management/ Eagle/ Kistler on the inside of row four, while dash winner Evan Suggs and eight time GSC champion Brent Kaeding occupied the front row. At the outset Kaeding assumed the lead, while third starting GSC point leader Tyler Walker sped by Suggs on the first lap. Larson also moved ahead two spots on the opening lap to settle into fifth behind two time defending GSC champ Jonathan Allard.
After three red flag periods in the first two laps the race gained momentum with the leaders chasing each other through heavy lapped traffic. Walker, who became the first driver to ever record an 11 second lap when he set the all time track record in qualifying, hounded Kaeding for several laps until he took over the lead on lap 15. Meanwhile, Suggs, Allard and Larson ran nose to tail a few lengths back.
Larson, who had been sizing up Allard with several attempts to pass on the outside, finally changed methods and found an opening underneath on lap 21. Allard fought back hard for the next lap but Larson then began to move away towards Suggs. Finally, on lap 27, Larson made his final pass of the race when he got by Suggs to move into third. A final green, white, checkered restart saw no change in the up front order as Larson joined the winning Walker and Kaeding on the front straightaway for victory lane ceremonies.
Larson’s racing efforts are sponsored by Starr Property Management, Inc., Phoenix ParkerStores and Lubrication Equipment and Supply Co., Stadelhofer Construction, Wion’s Body Shop and Powdercoating, A.R.T. Speed Equipment, G & N Construction, JW Web Design, Safety Solutions-LFT Technologies, Simpson Performance Products, Wyman Construction, GME-Nields Steerings, LRB Manufacturing, SWEPCO Lubricants, Edward’s Lawn Service, Sierra Tire and Wheel, Mancamp Motorsports, and Mophead Graphix.
Check out www.kylelarsonracing.com for main event video clip, current news and information.
Race: August 1, 2009
Photos Courtesy Shane Muir
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