In the end it’s another tally in the win column, but getting
there was most of the problem for Sebastopol’s “Human Highlight Reel” Geoff
Ensign last Saturday night at Petaluma Speedway.Driving the familiar VanLare Steering
Repair/McClish Motorsports/Advanced Auto Detail/Rapid Rooter/Rod Buntjer Bail
Bonds/Sonoma County $100 Club #5v, and with representatives from the newest
sponsors Cameron & Cameron Vineyard and Ranch Supply and Wagoner Tail Spa in
attendance, Ensign fought an ill handling car to the finish and came out on
top, his sixth win of the 2013 season and 23rd overall in his career
spanning just three years.
Ensign would qualify third overall out of the 17 sprint cars
signed on for the night, and start 5th in his heat race.Making quick work, Ensign jumped into the
second spot almost immediately down the backstretch and hounded leader Art
McCarthy for the duration.As McCarthy
exited turn four, his driveline broke, and Ensign nailed McCarthy on the wire
for the heat race win.
Starting 5th
in the main even after the inversion draw, Ensign would find himself moving up
a row when, on the original start, the leader came to a stop in turn four,
causing a complete restart.Early on,
Ensign knew his car wasn’t quite right. “I don’t know if a shock went bad, we
missed the setup or what to tell you the truth.” Ensign would say later. “All I
know is it was a handful.”
Ensign would move into second when the second place car got
upside down, then doggedly chased leader and three time Petaluma Speedway track
champion Alissa Geving for the next 15 laps on a classic hooked up and flying
Petaluma Speedway surface, his car hippity hopping through turns 1 and 2 and
threatening to tip over in 3 and 4 multiple times. On lap 21, traffic was
reached. “You always want to be second getting into traffic.You get to see what’s happening in front of
you, and don’t do what they do.Anyone
who tells you the front is the place to be in traffic is lying.” On lap 22
Ensign would make the winning move, and fight through more handling issues as
he took the checkers. “Not sure if I ever had all four tires on the ground at
the same time all race.” Ensign said later. “Thanks to everyone who came to see
me tonight..hope you enjoyed the show.”
Ensign would also finish 3rd in the Wingless
Sprint Car portion of the festivities in the Johnson Custom Machine #32 making
it two podiums and one win on the night.
Next up for Ensign, on the 4th of July, he tries
to add another track to the list of tracks he’s won at this year.Already winning at Petaluma four times,
Placerville once and Stockton once, Ensign takes to the legendary Silver Dollar
Speedway ¼ mile in his wingless sprint car ride, the Johnson Custom Machine #32
looking to add another victory to the ledger, then it’s back to Petaluma Speedway
on Saturday the 6th for the Winged Civil War 360 Sprint Car
invasion.
To contact Geoff Ensign, Like his Facebook page at Geoff
Ensign Motorsports or follow him on Twitter @ensignmotorspts.
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