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Photo's by http://www.graphxdesigns.com
Jimmy Pettit makes last lap pass to claim victory during Wednesday night "Wingless Cup" at Silver Dollar Speedway
By Gary Thomas
Chico, CA – September 14, 2009…Helping to kick-off the 56th annual Gold Cup Race of Champions this past Wednesday night 2009 Silver Dollar Speedway wingless sprint car champion Jimmy Pettit made things exciting and executed a last lap pass to pick up his first career Wingless Cup victory at the Chico based quarter-mile bullring.
Pettit last season charged from 12th to fourth at the Wingless Cup and the win on Wednesday night marked his third triumph of 2009, but by far the biggest of the year. "I was just trying to be really patient for much of the race with the way the track was," said Pettit. "I had a couple of chances earlier in the race and I didn't want to force the issue and take us both out, but coming for the white flag he gave us a couple inches too much and I took advantage of it."
For most of the season the wingless car counts have been much lower than what had been seen the previous couple of years at the Silver Dollar Speedway, but the Wednesday night Wingless Cup saw a strong field of 29 cars on hand for the $1,000 to win event. On this night the wingless class had the chance to take to the clocks for qualifying and Pettit opened up the evening by timing-in seventh fastest overall aboard the Skyway Tool Center, Kevin Sharrah Designs, Esplanade Taco Bell No. 24p.
In heat race competition the "Love-Shack" started from the third row and made quick work to get up into second where he would go to finish and transfer into the main event. When the number six pill was drawn for the inversion it gave him the pole position for the feature, but going into the first set of corners after the green flag waved Pettit missed the bottom a bit and it gave third starting Mason Myers the chance to sneak under and take the lead.
Settling into second Pettit focused on hitting his marks down low as the Silver Dollar Speedway surface was extremely slick and icy, which is much different than what had been seen during the regular Feather Falls Casino/Hunt Magnetos weekly season. The Chico driver remained on Myers bumper for much of the 25-lap contest as he looked for an opening to get by and very nearly got it a few times when Myers slipped up a bit, but each time Pettit tucked back in line waiting for the correct moment to make his move.
With just a couple laps left Pettit stepped up his challenges and as the pair rounded turn four coming to the white flag the opening was finally big enough and he pounced on it to slip underneath the Browns Valley driver and maneuver the Pep Boys, Ing Excavation, Pro Machine Racing Engines No. 24p sprinter into the top spot. Pettit would then withstand a final challenge from Myers heading down the back-stretch to cross under the flag stand in first and score the biggest win of his wingless spec sprint career.
After the main event Pettit stopped the car on the front stretch and climbed from the top pumping his first as the crowd cheered loudly following the exciting last lap. "This just feels amazing to come out here and win in front of all these great fans and I want to thank my family, "Captain Ron" and my team and all of our sponsors," the Chico driver said. "Right before the main event we put on a harder tire and I think it seemed to help us later in the race. Earlier this year we were leading the Silver Cup feature, but lost a tire on lap 12 and definitely didn't want to have a repeat of that."
With the Silver Dollar Speedway season winding down it will all come to a close with the running of the fifth annual Wingless Nationals on October 9 and 10. The two-night event saw 52 cars in action at it last year and should feature the biggest field of the SDS wingless season when it comes up in less than a month. "We'd really like to run up front at the Nationals this season after not being able to even run it last year when we had a motor problem in hot laps," Pettit said. "We've had a great year, the car has been good every night and I have a lot of confidence so hopefully we can get a little luck and maybe finish off the season in victory lane."
More information on the Wingless Nationals, as well as the upcoming Pacific Sprint Fall Nationals on October 1, 2 and 3 at the Silver Dollar Speedway can be found at http://www.silverdollarspeedway.com
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Chico's Jimmy Pettit beat out a 29-car field on Wednesday night during the Wingless Cup at Silver Dollar Speedway to score the biggest wingless spec sprint victory of his career. "The Love-Shack" will finish off the season at the fifth annual Wingless Nationals on October 9 and 10
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