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Photo by Johns Racing Photos
Andy Gregg brings home 8th place finish with GSC at Placerville
By Gary Thomas
Placerville, CA – March 23, 2008…Competing at his home track of Placerville Speedway this past Saturday night Andy Gregg drove the Guts Racing, Myers & Sons Drywall No. 16x to his second top 10 finish in three Golden State Challenge Series starts this season.
The Placerville resident came into the night fresh off an eighth place finish at the Mini Gold Cup a couple weekend’s back and looked for good things at his home track. The 28 year-old has had success recently whenever the traveling winged 410 sprint car series had come to town and this night was no different. Gregg kicked off the evening by turning a pair of great laps in qualifying with his fastest one of 10.167 putting him second fastest in the 26 car field. It marked the second time this season that Gregg has qualified second in GSC competition this year.
The good qualifying time put him in the third row of his heat race however, and with the track still remaining very fast it made for limited passing opportunities early on. The first start of the heat race saw Gregg put himself into a transfer spot quickly, but a caution for a spun car in turn four saw the field re-racked and re-stacked for a complete restart.
This time he fell into line sixth and proceeded to try his hardest to get around Jim Skinner for the fifth and final transfer spot. He made a number of attempts to get by but couldn’t make the pass and was forced to run the B-main where he lined up on the outside of the front row. Pole sitter Andy Forsberg got the jump at the green flag and Gregg settled into second, but applied heavy pressure on the No. 92 machine throughout the semi. The action during the 12 lap race was some of the best seen all night.
The final couple laps during the B-main saw Gregg get up on the wheel and as the as the pair went into the final set of turns, he tried to make the move down low. The duo went side by side off turn four and as the crowd came to their feet Forsberg was able to hang on by less than a car length. The crowd roared their approval when both drivers came by the front stretch on the cool down lap.
The 30 lap A-main saw Gregg start in the ninth position and after duking it out on the bullring with multiple drivers he brought the Dale Miller Plumbing, Circle Race Wheels No. 16x home in the eighth position. Overall it was a solid night for Gregg and the team and it has been a good start the season.
This coming Friday night will see Gregg and the Guts Racing team travel to the Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico to compete in the opening Feather Falls Casino point race. The event will be run in memory of Bill Brownell and will award $3,000 to the winner. Last season Gregg finished third in points at Silver Dollar Speedway and was named most improved driver at the track.
Don’t forget to come by and check out the new Andy Gregg T-shirts as well, which will be on sale. Gregg also has various other clothing items for sale so please come by the pits Friday night to say hi and check them out.
www.sprintcarchallengetour.com
www.placervillespeedway.com
www.stocktondirttrack.com
www.thunderbowlraceway.com
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