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Photo by http://www.johnsracingphotos.com
New daddy Jason Statler finishes 5th in Chico & 6th in Quincy
By Gary Thomas
Quincy, CA – May 4, 2008…On a week in which he became a dad for the first time, Los Gatos’ Jason Statler put together a very solid weekend of action with a pair of consistent finishes at two different race tracks.
Wife Stephanie gave birth to new baby Craig Edward Statler on Tuesday morning and everything went well, which made it possible for the former King of California to head out on the road and do battle with some of the best the state has to offer. On Friday night Statler and the Double Zero racing team made the drive up to Chico’s Silver Dollar Speedway to compete in the night’s Feather Falls Casino point event.
It marked the first time this season that Statler had competed during a Friday point show in Chico and he started off the event by qualifying 12th fastest out of 31 entrants. A second place finish in his heat race then transferred the DF Rios Construction, Pheasant Run Shopping Center No. 00 into the 25 lap main event where he started from the outside of the front row.
“The Big Guy” settled into second on the start and then hand to fend off the relentless challenges from Tyler Walker. Statler gave Walker a run for his money but lost the position during a restart midway through the race. He then tried to get back by Walker but would lose another spot to Tim Kaeding just a few laps later. Following this Statler motored on in fourth to bring home a top five finish his first time back at Silver Dollar Speedway since early March.
Saturday found Statler and the rest of the Golden State Challenge Series drivers make the haul up to the American Valley Speedway in Quincy for Round #10 in the battle for the King of California championship. Various periods of rain made the track extremely fast and hooked up all night long. Statler timed in ninth fastest to begin the evening and then finished third in the heat and fourth in the dash to set him up with a second row starting spot in the feature.
With the fast track however, it made things difficult and Statler fell into sixth early on and ran there for the duration of the 30 laps aboard the D & D Roofing, Kaeding Performance Maxim. Overall it was a very good weekend for the Statler Racing team led by crew chief Mark Bristow and it should be a spring board for the weeks to come.
Up next for Statler and the team will be a 360 point event on Friday night at the Ocean Speedway in Watsonville. The former King of California won the last 360 race at the Santa Cruz County Fairground track and will look to make it back to back wins this Friday. Then on Saturday it will be off to the Tulare Thunderbowl Raceway for the GSC sanctioned Chris & Brian Faria Memorial.
To view photos of the new baby Statler log onto http://www.statlerracing.com
www.sprintcarchallengetour.com
www.placervillespeedway.com
www.stocktondirttrack.com
www.thunderbowlraceway.com
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