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Larson Closes Season with Fourth at Trophy Cup
Finishes Sixth in Total Points
Tulare, CA – October, 23, 24, 25, 2008. Kyle Larson’s sophomore season of racing sprint cars came to a conclusion with perhaps his highlight of the 2008 campaign as the 16 year old driver from Elk Grove, California capped three days of racing at the 15th Annual Trophy Cup at Thunderbowl Raceway. When the checkered flag fell at the end of what many observers claimed was the most competitive Trophy Cup ever, Larson had done his part to add to the excitement by doing what he is fast becoming known for, a late race charge forward which resulted in a hard fought fourth place finish against many of the best sprint car drivers in the country.
The Trophy Cup, which started out as a one day event for 410 sprint cars in 1994, then grew to a two day format for 360’s in 1997, expanded this year to a three day extravaganza with its largest purse ever, $112,500. The unique factor of the race organized by Dave Pusateri, owner of Trophy City, is that nearly half of the prize money is paid to the top 24 drivers earning accumulating points over the three days.
Larson’s odyssey began with an impressive qualifying effort of eighth in the field of 58 cars. Thursday’s format called for six heat races, with only the top three finishers transferring to the night’s feature race. Six cars were inverted in each heat and Larson started fifth in the second heat. His fifth place finish in the second heat on a fast and narrow track denied him the chance to race the Dave and Debbie Vertullo CRV Racing Products/Eagle/Kistler in the A-main. However, he was joined by most of the top qualifiers that were trailered for the balance as only 3 drivers, fast timer Tim Kaeding, third quick Brad Sweet, and 12th fast Kyle Hirst, were able to advance from the third row into the invitational 20 lapper won by Tyler Walker.
After the first night of competition was complete Larson stood 14th in total points. No qualifying was held on Friday and all drivers’ points positioned them in the heat race lineups, which were inverted by eight cars.
Passing cars and earning additional points was the requirement to make it to this night’s feature race, as transfer positions were not an ingredient. Larson gridded sixth in the second heat and finished third. Although Larson became the driver with the tenth most points heading into the A-main, trouble developed on the last lap of the heat when his engine was terminally damaged, resulting in a change out prior to the 30 lap feature.
With the lineup inverted by 12, Larson started third. At the outset it was obvious the high school junior’s engine woes were not over, as Larson’s mount was not getting full power. By lap four Larson became the race’s only yellow flag as he rolled to a stop before retiring to the pits. As Walker raced to his second consecutive win Larson was scored 24th, which dropped him to 19th in total points, but still locked into the A-main on Saturday.
The final day’s festivities started with two A-main scramble races that contained the locked in top 20 in points, divided by odd and even numbered positions. The completely inverted 15 lap races would change the total points once again heading into the headline event at the end of the night.
Larson, the 2008 California 360 Civil War Series runnerup, started scramble number one on the pole with the same untested engine from the night before. Sean Becker, this year’s Civil War champion, grabbed the lead at the outset and led flag to flag. A late race restart saw Walker slide under Larson, who finished third with his borrowed engine running at full song.
With the scrambles complete Larson had moved up one spot in total points to 18th. With the four transfer cars from the B-main filling the first two rows in the totally inverted 50 lap feature Larson started seventh. At the drop of the green flag Larson fell one spot to eight as Bud Kaeding led the first lap. By the time Larson passed Willie Croft for seventh on lap four North Dakota’s Mark Dobmeier, who started third and who had won a nation leading 26 main events, had checked out with a huge lead on the field. On lap five Larson got by both Washington’s Henry Van Dam and a slowing Bud Kaeding prior to the yellow appearing for Kaeding.
As the race resumed Larson began to battle Placerville Speedway champion Colby Weisz, taking the fourth position on lap seven. Larson fell in behind leader Dobmeier, Arizona’s Ben Gregg, and 17 year old Shane Golobic, for the next several laps. On lap 20 Golobic moved by Gregg into second, and while former World of Outlaw regular Randy Hannagan slipped by Larson the next lap, Larson also got by Gregg to maintain fourth. A yellow flag came out for debris on the track, which became a mandatory red flag for a fuel stop at the end of 22 laps.
Once restarted multi-time Civil War and Northwest sprint champion Roger Crockett began to pressure Larson and took the spot on lap 24. Lap 28 saw former World of Outlaw regular Shane Stewart motor by Larson, dropping him to sixth. A lap later three-time World of Outlaw champion Sammy Swindell dropped the young driver another spot.
On lap 32 a red appeared for a flipping Walker. When the race restarted Larson began to get re-energized and went flying by Stewart, who held the total points lead at the time. Three laps later Larson used the treacherous cushion in turn two to get past Crockett. For the next nine laps Larson battled nose to tail with Swindell as the pair began to reel in the leaders in heavy lapped traffic.
On lap 44 Swindell jumped from fourth to second to trail Hannagan, who had taken the lead from Dobmeier on lap 41. As the leaders were still bunched in traffic Larson passed Golobic and Dobmeier on the high side of turn two on lap 45. A lap later Dobmeier was overwhelmed by Sweet and Golobic as the exciting battle at the front intensified.
On the next lap Sweet, who started last as the point leader, got by Larson as Tim Kaeding closed into the top five. Over the last five laps of tremendous action the top five battled it out with no positions changing hands, although Larson fought past a last turn slide job by T. Kaeding to hold onto fourth behind Hannagan, Swindell, and Sweet, who was declared the overall point champion. Sweet took home $11,000.00 solely from the point fund payoff, and added several thousand more dollars from racing winnings also. Larson, who advanced 12 places in the point standings with his main event effort, also garnered total earnings for the three days of nearly $4,400.00.
After the races a jubilant Larson summed up the Trophy Cup by saying, “What a great event! First I want to thank Dave Pusateri and his staff for all they do to put this race on. The format leads to the best racing you will see anywhere. Second, I have to thank my car owner’s good friend, Guy Morrison, for loaning us his engine. We’ve been carrying it in the trailer since the Gold Cup because we were in the battle for the Civil War championship with Sean Becker. It’s just a good thing he offered it and we still had it because Dave’s only 360 engine bent a valve in the heat on Friday. We had some electrical issues after replacing the engine, due to the ignition systems being different between the two engines. But Dave got it straightened out for tonight and the thing was a rocket. I had a blast out there tonight racing against some of the best in the business. I really have to thank Dave once again for giving me a car with just the right set up. I would also like to my good buddy Colby Copeland for helping us on Friday and Saturday. We were short handed this weekend but we managed to get through the weekend on a high note.”
Larson’s racing efforts are sponsored by CRV Racing Products, Starr Real Estate and Property Management, Global ParkerStore, Safety Solutions – LFT Technologies, D & J Towing, RPM Indoor Kart Racing and Conference Center, A.R.T. Ent. Speed Equipment, Wion’s Body Shop and Powdercoating, JW Web Design, Mophead Graphix, SWEPCO Lubricants, Sierra Tire and Wheel, and Wyman Construction, Mancamp Motorsports and Edward’s Lawn Service.
Check out www.kylelarsonracing.com for video clips, photos, current news and information.
Race Date: October 23, 24. 25, 2008
Photos Courtesy of Steve’s Racing Photos
www.stevesracingphotos.com
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