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Photo's by http://www.stevesracingphotos.com
Andy Gregg charges from rear to 10th in Quincy Civil War event
By Gary Thomas
Quincy, CA – June 24, 2009…Returning to the seat of the Bullet Racing No. 53 sprinter Placerville's Andy Gregg moved through the pack on Saturday night to record a top 10 finish in the Civil War Series main event at the American Valley Speedway.
Last season saw Gregg tally a runner-up finish in his very first visit to the long 3/8 mile dirt oval and hoped to back that up on Saturday, but after qualifying well back of where he's used to the 29 year-old driver was forced to come from deep in the field during the main event. "I have to thank Bret Ervin and the team for giving me the chance to run this car because they're great people and it's a lot of fun to be associated with them," Gregg commented.
A 26 car field was on hand for the fourth event of the California Sprint Car Civil War Series season and it marked Gregg's third appearance with the traveling 360 tour this year. Going into Quincy he looked to rebound after being knocked out in the early going during Wild Winged Wednesday on June 3, in what was the most recent Civil War event.
This past Saturday started off on a rough note though as Gregg's two qualifying laps weren't what he was hoping for and it left the Bullet Racing, Ervin Sales Group, M&M Structures No. 53 just 22nd fastest in the field. It then forced him to start in the fourth row during his heat race and a seventh place finish in that put him into the b-main event, where he went on to finish fifth to transfer into the feature.
Starting way back in 20th for the 30 lap A-main however, Gregg marched his way forward and at the checkered flag crossed the stripe in 10th. "We could have finished a little higher in the feature, but I missed the line a couple times and at this place it's really crucial to hit your marks," Gregg said. "To run 10th after qualifying so far back tonight is pretty good, although it's definitely not what we were hoping for coming into tonight. We no doubt feel that we should be at the front of the field, but that's what makes racing so interesting and we'll just have to come back the next time and put this car up front."
This Saturday night will find Andy Gregg & the Team Guts Racing No. 16x back in action with the Golden State Challenge King of California Sprint Car Series as the 410 tour makes its way to the Tulare Thunderbowl Raceway for the annual Pombo/Sargent Classic. "I'm really looking forward to getting back to Tulare since we had our career best night there in April with Golden State," Gregg said. "It's a fun track to race on and we seem to be getting better in Tulare every time we race there."
So far this year Gregg has made four starts with the Golden State Challenge Series and has scored three finishes of fourth or better, including two podiums at his home track of Placerville Speedway. "The Hurricane" has also made a pair of 410 sprint car starts during Feather Falls Casino weekly competition at the Silver Dollar Speedway and has tallied finishes of third and fourth in those events. "We have our 410 package running really well right now so we're excited for Tulare on Saturday and hope we can get another solid finish," Gregg stated. "There will be some tough drivers there so it should be a good challenge."
Gates open at 5pm on Saturday for the Pombo/Sargent Classic at the Thunderbowl Raceway. More info can be found at http://www.thunderbowlraceway.com
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Placerville's Andy Gregg will head for this Saturday's Pombo/Sargent Classic at the Tulare Thunderbowl Raceway looking for his first career Golden State Challenge Series victory. Gregg finished fourth in his lone start this season at the 1/3 mile clay oval in April.
www.sprintcarchallengetour.com
www.placervillespeedway.com
www.stocktondirttrack.com
www.thunderbowlraceway.com
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