|
Jonathan Allard opens Silver Dollar Speedway point season with win
By Gary Thomas
Chico, CA - March 31, 2007... Last season Chico native Jonathan Allard didn’t win his first race at Silver Dollar Speedway until July 8. This year it took him only one race to win his first at Silver Dollar and just two more to pick up his second as he drove the Williams Motorports, GT Trends, K & N Filters No. 0 to a big win during the opening night point race at his home track.
Last season was struggle for the most part at Silver Dollar Speedway as anything that could have gone wrong, went wrong. The performance was there and Jonathan was in the thick of things night in, night out, but for one reason or another victories eluded him early in the season last year. In fact his first point race win at Silver Dollar didn’t come until July 14, which is something that JA isn’t accustomed too as Silver Dollar had long been his top track and one that was always good to him.
As 2007 began it was easy to tell that Jonathan put all that behind him as he scored a dominating win right out of the box during prelim night at the Mini Gold Cup, and backed it up with a third place finish the next evening.
On Friday night Jonathan began Silver Dollar Speedway Point Race #1 by qualifying third quick overall with a 12.601 aboard the Red Line Oil, Weld Racing, Platinum Powder Coating, JP’s Paint & Body Works No. 0. He then lined up sixth in the third and final heat race. He fell into line fifth and on lap three took the high line around Shain Matthews in the second corner to claim fourth. JA wasn’t done there as he then closed in on current GSC point leader Sean Becker for third. Lap six saw Jonathan make a nice move using a lapped car as a pick to get under Sean Becker, and move the Chris Jones Racing, Graph X Designs, Sharp Insurance machine into third where he would go on to finish.
Fast qualifier Andy Gregg pulled the number four pill for the inversion, which put Jonathan on the front row outside of Brandon Wimmer for the 25 lap feature. Last Saturday in Placerville, Wimmer and JA got together while battling for third place in the A-main, but on this night it was clean start to begin the feature.
As the green flag came out Jonathan used his momentum from the outside and put the BR Motorports, Spy Optic, Butler Built, Kistler powered J & J into the lead. The track was hooked up and tacky with ruts in certain places like old school Silver Dollar Speedway, and Jonathan was on a rail early on. Traffic appeared a couple times and Wimmer closed a bit, but Jonathan did an excellent job when he needed too and got a couple of cautions to give him a clear track ahead.
As the laps wound down Brad Sweet was coming quickly but Jonathan continued to run a good race until lapped traffic bogged him down on the final lap and gave Sweet a shot. As the white flag waved Jonathan went to the bottom in turn one like he had done all race but the lap cars went directly in his line, which slowed his momentum and Sweet took advantage getting to the outside and taking the lead. JA tried hard to get back underneath Sweet off of turn two and as soon as it looked like another race was going to get out of his grasp late in the going, Sean Becker flipped in turns one and two, which brought out a red flag and reverted the lap back to the last completed one.
Jonathan was back in front for the green, white, checkered restart and a big key going into turns one and two was to not go bouncing through the hole that was developing in between one and two that was biting many of the competitors. JA drove into one and two and got into the hole slightly but Sweet did as well and that sealed the deal for Williams Motorports and Jonathan pulled away the last lap and ½ to pick up his second win of the year in the Bell Helmets, Matt & Glass, Hoosier tires No. 0.
Jonathan won three times total last year at Silver Dollar Speedway and to win two right off the bat this season is pretty sweet. Now if that luck will transfer over to the other tracks we’ll be alright.
Tonight we’ll be at Tulare Thunderbowl Raceway looking to re-claim the Golden State Challenge Series point lead.
Welcome Spy Optic-
Jonathan Allard Motorsports would like to welcome new sponsor Spy Optic who has come on board the team. Spy Optic Inc. is a maker of fine sunglasses and goggles so please check them out on the web at http://www.spyoptic.com/index.php
For all the latest news on Jonathan Allard and Williams Motorsports visit www.allardmotorsports.com
www.sprintcarchallengetour.com
www.placervillespeedway.com
www.stocktondirttrack.com
www.thunderbowlraceway.com
|
