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Photo's by http://www.stevesracingphotos.com
Stephen Allard and Double-D Motorsports score podium finish at Quincy Civil War show Saturday night
By Gary Thomas
Quincy, CA – June 23, 2009…Rebounding from a tough ending to the previous Civil War 360 Series event on June 3 Chico's Stephen Allard and Double-D Motorsports put together a solid night this past Saturday that included setting fast-time and scoring a third place finish in the feature at the American Valley Speedway in Quincy.
The result marked Allard's second California Sprint Car Civil War Series podium in four events so far this year and helped move him into a tie for third in the standings. "With the way the season has gone so far getting a good solid finish is definitely what we wanted to do in Quincy and we did just that so we couldn't be happier," Allard said.
Going into the event sitting fifth in the Civil War standings Allard kicked-off the night at the American Valley Speedway by cutting a lap of 15.714 around the long 3/8 mile dirt oval, which was good enough to give the Double-D Customs, JP's Paint & Body, Medi-Pro Billing No. 4 fast-time in the 26 car field. Starting sixth in the evening's opening heat race the two-time Silver Dollar Speedway track champion was then able to do a nice job and move forward to finish third and transfer directly into the main event. When the number four pill was drawn it put Allard on the outside of the second row in the 30 lap feature.
The scenic dirt oval located at the Sierra-Plumas County Fairgrounds had long been known as one of the narrowest and tightest in Northern California, but improvements to the speedway made for some of the best racing seen at the track. Starting fourth Allard drove a smart race and was able to make his way into third after a while and drive off to bring the Double-D Customs, Butler Built Performance, Platinum Powder Coating No. 4 home in the third position. The main event was eventually won by Sean Becker who made a late race pass of Mike Henry to pick up the victory.
In the four Civil War Series events held so far in 2009 Allard has been in position to finish among the top five in all of them although tough luck following late race contact took away a pair of those, including another third place run that was ended in Placerville during Wild Winged Wednesday. "We've been really good ever since we came out in this car last year, but we just need that little bit of luck so hopefully tonight will be a sign of things to come for us," Allard stated.
The California Sprint Car Civil War Series will be off until a Friday night event at the Petaluma Speedway on July 3 and Allard will go into it sitting tied with Brett Rollag for third in the standings, 16 digits back of Herman Klein for second and 33 back of Sean Becker for the top spot. "I just have to keep thanking everyone who is helping out on this team," Allard said. "To begin the year we didn't even think we'd be running so to be in this position is pretty good, but we're still not happy because we feel that we should be right up there with Sean."
As the Civil War Series season goes on Allard and Double-D Motorsports will look to continue the consistency to try and close in on the point lead. "We've been in position to run in the top five every night we've been out this year, but a couple nights of bad luck have really put us behind in the points. Sean has done a great job and has won three of the four races, but if we could have finished the other two we'd be right there with him at the top of the standings. We'll just keep plugging away and hope that some luck will come our way because we've been strong and that's really all we can ask for," the 36 year-old driver concluded.
For more news on two-time Silver Dollar Speedway 410 track champion Stephen Allard log onto http://www.stephenallard.com
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Chico's Stephen Allard drove the Double-D Motorsports machine to a fast-time effort and a third place finish in the main event at the American Valley Speedway in Quincy this past Saturday night. The 36 year-old veteran now sits in a tie for third in the California Sprint Car Civil War Series standings.
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