This message was edited on
June 28, 2008 at
12:34:17 PM by Gary Thomas
Photo by Graph X Designs
Andy Gregg holds off Jonathan Allard for first career 410 victory
By Gary Thomas
Chico, CA – June 27, 2008…Last season Andy Gregg was awarded with the Most Improved Driver award at the Silver Dollar Speedway and although he had come close to cracking into victory lane a few different times, the Placerville driver had been unable to do so. This year he has come back to run on just a limited basis at the track and going into this past Friday’s event he had made only two prior starts in point race action.
That didn’t matter to Gregg however, as he not only led all 25 laps of the main event, but also held off a furious charge from one of the top 410 drivers in all of California to score his first ever Silver Dollar Speedway and 410 sprint car win. “Oh man I just can’t believe we finally one of these 410 races. I have to thank my wife and my parents, as well as my crew chief Bill and my whole crew who work hard for me every week. I’m so excited I don’t know what to say,” Gregg said following the big victory.
The night as a whole went very well for Gregg and the Guts Racing team as the Dale Miller Plumbing, Myers & Sons Drywal No. 16x was locked down all evening long. Gregg came out fifth in the qualifying order and his fastest lap of 12.264 was good enough to give him the third fastest time in the 23 car field. He then did great work in his heat race to charge from sixth to third in one lap and transfer into the main event.
When fast qualifier Andy Forsberg pulled the number four pill it gave Gregg a front row starting spot in the 25 lap contest. Earlier in the night Gregg had joked that he didn’t want a front row starting spot because it always seemed like trouble came along with it, but on this night however, it would be different. At the waving of the green flag he jumped out into the lead and remained composed through a number of early cautions and reds that slowed the pace of the main event.
Once the racing got back underway Gregg pulled away from the field and easily held a near straightaway lead over second place Kyle Hirst. As traffic came into the play the Placerville driver picked his spots wisely and didn’t force the issue while dealing with the slower cars. With about eight laps remaining in the race Chico’s Jonathan Allard began to close in as Gregg was dealing with the lapped traffic. This is when things got nerve racking as Allard seemingly gained ground lap after lap until a caution appeared on the 21st circuit.
For the restart Gregg had a lapped car cushion, but it didn’t last long as Allard got underneath the lapper to get right up on his bumper for the final four lap shootout. Gregg continued to run his own race as Allard closed in while running the high line in turns three and four. When the white flag came out Gregg had Allard all over him and as the pair rounded the final turns Gregg made a veteran move by sliding up and taking his line away. The exciting finish saw Gregg cross under the stripe to pick up his first Chico win aboard the Comstock Mortgage, JP’s Paint & Body No. 16x.
Following the race Gregg went to apologize to Allard for moving up in turn four, but as he commented to infield announcer Troy Hennig, Allard was more upset at him for apologizing as he summed it up as good racing. “I felt bad that we ran out of racetrack, but darnit I had to win one of these things one of these days. I went over and just told Jonathan that I was sorry I didn’t give him more room off turn four, but he was more upset that I apologized, because he said that it was just good racing and there was no need to apologize,” Gregg said.
During post race Gregg also commented about how much the support of all the sponsors mean to him and the team. “I definitely want to thank all of our sponsors and the people who help out in getting this car to the track every week. JP’s Paint & Body bought me a tire for tonight and without people like that we might not be able to make it up here. I love running the 410 and love coming to Chico, but with Placerville being so close it makes it easy to just head over there every week,” Gregg concluded.
Tonight Gregg and the Team Guts Racing No. 16x will look to make it two in a row with a weekly point event at the Placerville Speedway. Going into the night Gregg sits sixth in points and will look to move up in the standings at his home track.
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Andy Gregg before going out and getting his first Silver Dollar Speedway 410 victory. Photo by Davy Thomas
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