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Photos courtesy http://www.graphxdesigns.com
Jimmy Pettit opens Feather Falls Casino Wingless Point Season in victory lane
By Gary Thomas
Chico, CA – April 4, 2009…After a tough ending to the main at the Silver Cup the previous weekend Chico, CA's Jimmy Pettit got some redemption on Friday night, as he held off the strong challenges of Taylor Simas over the closing laps to claim victory in the opening round of the Feather Falls Casino championship season at the Silver Dollar Speedway.
The weekend prior to the point opener had seen Pettit make a great move in the Silver Cup main event to take the lead, only to lose a right rear tire just a couple of laps after that. With that in mind the driver known as the "Love-shack" was determined to kick off the Feather Falls Casino Friday night season on a good note.
Pettit lined-up on the front row of his heat race and blasted his way into the lead at the waving of the green flag. He would then proceed to run a mistake free race and hold off defending wingless track champ Keith Bloom Jr. to pick up the win aboard the Skyway Tool Center, Kevin Sharrah Designs, Fast Time Racing Fuels No. 24p.
When the 20 lap wingless sprint car main event came to the track it saw Pettit line-up from the outside of the second row and on the start he made a hair raising move to charge around the outside of Taylor Simas to steal second. He then began to put heavy pressure on the leader of the race, but with the track still being very hooked-up it made passing chances hard to come by.
As the halfway point neared Pettit was all over the leader waiting for any opportunity to take advantage of, but at the same time had to deal with third place Taylor Simas right on his bumper as well. The main event changed on lap 13 however, as the leader slowed right in the middle of the racing groove, which forced both Pettit and Simas to take evasive action. Each driver was able to make great moves though to continue on as the now first and second place cars.
With just seven laps remaining in the feature Pettit had to deal with a relentless Simas who looked fast in the high groove and forced the "Love-shack" to be mistake free, yet also drive the wheels off the car at the same time. With the white flag in the air the two leaders were nose to tail, but Pettit charged hard around the Silver Dollar Speedway on the final lap to cross under the checkered flag in first place and score his first win of 2009.
Following the checkered flag Pettit's car was visibly overheated and he stopped on the backstretch as it began emitting water and steam. Thankfully the luck was on side during this night and the car hung on for those last few laps to be able to score his fifth career wingless sprint car main event win. "It's really nice to come out here and start the point season off with a victory," Pettit said. "Crew chief Ron had this thing hooked up and it was tough to hold off Simas, but we got the job done and hopefully we'll do it a bunch more this year."
The wingless cars will get a couple of weekends off at the Silver Dollar Speedway, but are scheduled for competition next Saturday in Placerville, an event Pettit is hoping to attend. The Feather Falls Casino championship battle at Silver Dollar for the wingless sprints will resume on Friday night April 25.
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Jimmy Pettit drove the Esplanade Taco Bell, Pep Boys, Ing Excavation No. 24p to victory in Friday's opening Feather Falls Casino point race at the Silver Dollar Speedway
www.sprintcarchallengetour.com
www.placervillespeedway.com
www.stocktondirttrack.com
www.thunderbowlraceway.com
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Great write up Gary...I hope fans got a kick out of us playing the song Love Shack after he won...results and full night recap available at www.silverdollarspeedway.com
Point race #2, this upcoming Friday night at Chico - Bill Brownell Memorial 410 winged sprints $3,000 to win....
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