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Photo by http://www.graphxdesigns.com
Jimmy Pettit locks up 2009 Silver Dollar Speedway wingless title with runner-up finish on Coca-Cola Championship Night
By Gary Thomas
Chico, CA – September 1, 2009…After taking the green flag to lock up the Silver Dollar Speedway wingless championship on Friday night Chico, CA's Jimmy Pettit looked to bring home his third win of year, but was forced to settle for a close second place finish after making a hard charge during the final couple of laps in the main event.
Pettit ended the Feather Falls Casino/Joe Hunt Magnetos wingless point season with a 26-point edge over Jay Youngman to score his first SDS track title behind the wheel of the Kevin Sharrah Designs, Skyway Tool Center, Esplanade Taco Bell No. 24p. "I want to thank each and every one of our sponsors, my whole team and my family for the support this season," said Pettit. "Coming into the season our goal was to make every race and win the championship and we did that so it feels really good."
The final night of the Feather Falls Casino point season saw a 15-car wingless field show up for Coca-Cola Championship Night and Pettit kicked it off in style by driving to a dominating heat race victory to open the event. "The Love-shack" then started the 20 lap main event from the outside of the second row and settled into the third position at the waving of the green flag.
One of the best track surfaces of the year at the Silver Dollar Speedway was seen and it made for a very racy feature in which the top cars were able to run multiple lines around the quarter-mile bullring. After moving his way into second after a while Pettit closed in quickly on leader BJ Martin as he looked to make it back-to-back wins to finish off the Hunt Magnetos point season. With the laps winding down Pettit stepped up his challenge as he flung the Pro Machine Racing Engines, Ing Exacavation, Pep Boys No. 24p hard around the speedway in a drastic attempt to overtake Martin.
When the white flag waved the Chico driver was all over the leader and as they rounded the final set of corners Pettit drove it in extra deep, but Martin ran smoothly through the turns and was able to hang on to win, with "JP" coming home a close second at the line. "I gave it everything I had over those final laps because I wanted to finish the championship off with a win, but BJ did a good job on the last lap," said Pettit. "The car was really fast tonight and it was nice to see a few more drivers come out and run with us."
Next up for Jimmy Pettit and the "Love-shack" Motorsports team will be the Wednesday night invitational event to help kick off the annual Gold Cup Race of Champions week on September 9 at the Silver Dollar Speedway. The event this season will be a non-point show with a total purse of $5250 in hopes to attract a fuller field of cars. "We had a good run at the invitational race last season and definitely would like to get into victory lane this year," said Pettit, who charged from 12th to fourth at the Wednesday night event in 2008.
The wingless sprint cars will share the bill with the California Sprint Car Civil War Series during the night for what should be an exciting evening of competition at the Silver Dollar bullring. The front gate will open at 5pm on Wednesday September 9 with adult tickets costing $20, juniors $15 and children $5. "The Gold Cup is plain and simple the biggest sprint car race we have out here and it's pretty cool to be a part of it," Pettit said. "I just hope all the fans can come out and support it because it should be a fun week."
For all your info on the 56th annual Gold Cup Race of Champions log onto http://goldcup.silverdollarspeedway.com/
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After winning his first Hunt Magnetos/Silver Dollar Speedway track title Chico's Jimmy Pettit will look to get into victory lane at the upcoming Wednesday night Gold Cup invitational event on September 9. Photo by http://www.stevesracingphotos.com
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