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Photo's courtesy http://www.johnsracingphotos.com
Andy Gregg scores 4th place finish with Golden State Challenge 410 Sprint Car Series in Tulare
By Gary Thomas
Tulare, CA – April 12, 2009…After finishing third in the season opening Golden State Challenge event a couple weekend's ago in Placerville, Team Guts Racing driver Andy Gregg returned to competition with the traveling 410 series this past Saturday at the Thunderbowl Raceway and raced to his second consecutive top five finish.
The night of racing was very successful for Gregg considering that he has less than a few starts in a 410 at the Tulare Thunderbowl Raceway. "It's really nice to get a top five in Tulare with these guys," Gregg said. "The podium in Placerville was great, but to get a solid finish at this place is pretty darn good for us. I thought we had a shot for another podium a couple times during the race, but we'll certainly take a fourth."
Gregg lined-up on the outside of row two in the 30 lap main event and when the green flag waved he immediately looked the inside of Jason Statler for second, but Statler had the momentum up high and was able to hang on. The 29 year-old driver of the Guts Racing, Dale Miller Plumbing, Myers & Sons Drywall No. 16x was running solidly in third when he was nearly crashed out while trying to lap a car going down the back stretch on lap 10.
As Gregg got to the inside of the lapped car of Mike Stallings, he was forced to make a tremendous save when Stallings got sideways midway down the straightaway. The Placerville racer skidded on the inside berm of the infield and it cost him the third position as Kyle Larson took advantage and slipped past for the spot. A yellow flag then happened immediately after, but with the split yellow Gregg found himself restarting in the fourth position.
The final 20 laps saw Gregg try his hardest to make something happen with Larson for the third spot, while at the same time having to fend off two-time King of California Jonathan Allard. The Thunderbowl Raceway was very fast in the main event and it made for close racing, but passing opportunities were limited. Gregg however, closed in on Larson with 10 laps remaining and was able to get by the youngster on lap 21, but Larson had momentum from the high side and shot back around.
As the laps ticked down Allard stepped up his challenge and hounded the rear of the RPS Performance, BR Motorsports, Circle Racing Wheels No. 16x. Gregg was forced to be perfect over the final handful of circuits and the former series Rookie of the Year was able to do so as he charged to the checkered flag in fourth place to score his second straight top five with the Golden State Challenge Series.
This coming weekend it looks as if Gregg will stay close to home and compete in the second Red Hawk Casino 360 Point Race at the Placerville Speedway on Saturday. It will mark his first weekly start of the season at his home track and he'll look to continue the momentum and put the Guts Racing sprinter into victory lane for the first time this year.
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After finishing in fourth with the Golden State Challenge Sprint Car Series at the Thunderbowl Raceway this past Saturday, Placerville's Andy Gregg is scheduled to head to his home track this weekend looking for his first victory of the year
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