This message was edited on
June 23, 2008 at
09:19:58 PM by Gary Thomas
Photo by H2H Photos
Friday win highlights Dirt Cup for Jonathan Allard
By Gary Thomas
Alger, Wash – June 23, 2008…A dominating victory on the second prelim night was the bright spot of the Dirt Cup weekend for former two-time champion Jonathan Allard after a 13th place finish in the 40 lap finale on Saturday night at the Skagit Speedway.
Going into the 37th annual Dirt Cup at the Skagit Speedway Allard had hoped to put the event on his resume for the third time in his career. During the weekend he and the team performed very well and were running in the third position on Saturday night however, when disaster struck in the fourth corner and took away any chance at victory.
The $25,000 to win event presented by Camping World RV began with Allard timing in 11th fastest out of 54 cars on Thursday and bringing home the win in the night’s opening heat race aboard the Village Green RV Resort, K & N Filters No. 0. An eventual sixth place finish in the 30 lap feature put Allard in a tie for fifth in the Dirt Cup standings after the opening night of qualifying.
Coming back on Friday Allard and the Ashley Smith led team looked to make up a little more ground in the points, but the night began on an uncharacteristic note with the Karsten Homes, Red Line Oil Maxim qualifying outside the inversion. The 31 year-old driver then had some work cut out for him in the heat race, but he was up to the challenge as he carved his way forward to finish in the third position, transferring into the main event.
With Allard being the lowest driver in points for the night to make it out of the heat races, it put him on the pole for the main event with the complete inversion. “JA” didn’t waste the opportunity and got the jump at the waving of the green flag and proceeded to annihilate the field as he won the 30 lap contest by more than half a lap. After the halfway point Allard had a number of lapped cars between himself and second place, with him enjoying an amazing eight car cushion at one point.
The dominating drive on Friday night bumped the current Golden State Challenge Series point leader up to a tie for fourth in the weekend points heading into Saturday night. Following a third place finish in the A-scramble it set Allard up to start from the third position in the 40 lap Dirt Cup finale. When the green lights came on he settled into fourth and ran there until the second place car was taken out right after the midway point.
Allard was bumped up to third for the restart, but as he was charging around the outside of a lapped car he got into a rut in turn four, which bounced him into the wall and started a chain reaction accident that ended with the No. 0 machine getting upside down, as well as fellow Californian’s Mike Henry and Bud Kaeding. Allard restarted and as he was trying to make his way back through the field another car spun directly in front of him, which ended with “JA” hitting the stalled car and tipping over.
Officials didn’t charge Allard with the yellow and he was allowed to restart at the rear of the field and brought the Sharp Insurance, Chris Jones Racing No. 0 home in the 13th position.
Allard and Williams Motorsports will now get back down to point racing business with the Golden State Challenge Series resuming action this Saturday night at the Tulare Thunderbowl Raceway with the annual Pombo/Sargent Classic. Allard will go into the night holding a 51 point lead over Tyler Walker with seven races remaining until the King of California is crowned. He is also scheduled to compete on Friday night in Chico during a track point event.
For pictures and more news on Jonathan Allard visit http://www.allardmotorsports.com
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www.sprintcarchallengetour.com
www.placervillespeedway.com
www.stocktondirttrack.com
www.thunderbowlraceway.com
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