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Photos courtesy http://www.sprintcarworld.co.nz/default.asp
Jonathan Allard ends ’08 with second place finish before back-to-back wins/ TPCR up next/ GSC awards banquet coming up
By Gary Thomas
New Zealand – December 31, 2008…The 2008 racing season was a good one for Chico, California’s Jonathan Allard and he ultimately ended it style by winning back-to-back main events in New Zealand and very nearly made it three in a row, if it weren’t for a last lap pass at the hands of World of Outlaw regular Joey Saldana.
The final three races of the ’08 season began on December 26 with an event at the Western Springs Auckland Speedway and it saw Allard win his heat race before claiming a fifth place finish in the evening’s dash. Just before the midway point of the feature the two-time defending King of California made a great move to get by Saldana and when leader Craig Dollansky broke, it handed the lead over to Allard.
Allard looked to be on way to victory, but contact with a lap car just five laps short of the checkered damaged the K&N Filters No. 0 machine and forced him to manhandle the car over the remaining laps. He was able to do a great job holding off Saldana, but the World of Outlaw driver was able to get by in traffic on the last lap to steal the victory away. “I had to really step on the gas to keep the front end up, but unfortunately all it wanted to do was push me into the wall,” Allard said. “We gave it a good shot though and just came up a bit short.”
Allard got right back in the saddle the following night however, as he and the team traveled to the Baypark Speedway for his next to last night of competition in New Zealand. Starting from sixth in the main event Allard quickly shot to the front and put distance between himself and the rest of the field en route to picking up his first win of the ’08 New Zealand racing season. “It feels good to pick up a win after running so good last night and I just can’t thank these guys enough for giving me another great car,” Allard commented.
The final race of the year took place once again at the Baypark Speedway and it featured 24 cars taking part in the South Pacific Sprintcar Championship. The event was a draw show and it saw two large heat races with the first being set straight up by draw and the second completely reversed. Allard lined-up 21st in the initial heat but was on the charge early as he had passed nearly half of the field after one lap was completed. He methodically charged forward as the race went on and wound up fifth at the checkered flag.
Starting from the front row in the second heat Allard moved out in front and dominated the contest to score the win and earn enough points for a front row starting spot in the South Pacific Sprintcar Championship main event. When the green flag waved the 32 year-old driver quickly shot to the front and survived a few restarts & lapped traffic to drive away and pick up his second win in a row, which hands him some definite momentum heading into Australia.
“I really loved racing in New Zealand and Baypark Speedway is a great facility and I can’t wait to come back,” Allard stated. "Hopefully we can keep up this momentum in Australia and put this car towards the front of the field,” he concluded. For Allard his New Zealand adventures saw him pick up two victories, a runner-up, a fourth and a fifth place finish in five starts.
Next up for Allard will be three big nights of racing at the Parramatta City Raceway in Sydney, Australia. He will kick off the three-night extravaganza on New Years Day before taking part in the $50,000 to win Sprint Car International event on January 2 and 3. Following that Allard is expected to be back in time to be officially crowned as the 2008 King of California at the annual Golden State Challenge Series Awards Banquet on January 10 in Oroville, CA.
More news and info on Jonathan Allard can be found at http://www.allardmotorsports.com
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