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Jason Statler puts on a pair of charges in Chico & Antioch
By Gary Thomas
April 8, 2007... 2004 King of California Jason Statler had another weekend of putting on some strong runs after starting from mid-pack. The San Jose native continues to show that he’s one of the best when it comes time to race and once the qualifying improves a bit, it shouldn’t be too long before he picks up his first win on the season.
Friday night saw Jason and the Tom Rolfe Trucking No. 10 team compete in Feather Falls Casino Point Race #2 at Chico’s Silver Dollar Speedway. Jason was the seventh driver to hit the track in qualifying and his quickest lap of 13.060 placed the DF Rios Construction, Pheasant Run Shopping Center, Platinum Powder Coating No. 10, 17th fast out of 30 cars. He then started on the front row of the evenings first heat race and brought home a third place finish to transfer into the main event.
The night saw four divisions competing and because we were strapped for time, officials decided to cut the main event to 20 laps. Starting 12th, Jason would have his work cut out for him to get up front in such a limited number of laps. "The Big Guy" was up to the challenge and moved forward right from the waving of the green flag. The track was fast and hooked up with a few ruts scattered in various places, and Jason was up to sixth by a lap nine caution. This is when things turned strange.
Following the restart, the two cars battling for second place made contact and flipped off turn three. Also involved was fifth running Johnny Gray and this moved Jason up to third for the restart. Things weren’t done there however, as leader Sean Becker slowed to a stop in turn three after getting pushed back off following the red. Becker was pushed off the track, back to his pit with mechanical issues and Jason now found himself in the second position.
As time was getting later and later, it was announced that the feature would be cut back to 15 laps now. Jason took a shot at leader Brett Miller in turn two on the restart, but couldn’t get it done and went on to record a nice second place finish. Jason currently sits second in the Silver Dollar Speedway point standings, just three points behind defending track champ Andy Forsberg.
On Saturday night Jason and the 10 team made the drive to Antioch Speedway for Golden State Challenge Series Round #7. Jason has won in the past at Antioch and came into the night fourth in GSC points.
Jason was the eighth driver to hit the speedway for qualifying and he turned a quickest lap of 12.241, which put the No. 10 machine 12th overall out of 25 drivers. Jason then started from the inside of the second row in the third and final heat race. He moved into second early on and then gave chase after father-in-law Pat Harvey. Jason was all over the back of the 15 machine the whole race, but wasn’t able to find an opening and had to settle for a second place finish behind the veteran driver.
For the 30 lap Golden State Challenge Series main event Jason found himself starting in the 12th position, just like the previous night. The track was very difficult however, as it had become a one lane expressway on the bottom of the speedway. It had dried out considerably and drivers ran near the edge of the infield trying to find all the moisture they could. Jason moved forward early on and was up to sixth by the seventh lap aboard the Trimble Motorsports, Yak Graphics, BR Motorsports No. 10. Holding the bottom was key and Jason got under Brad Sweet around lap 10 to claim fifth. "The Big Guy" ran in fifth till a couple laps left when he got jammed up, losing his momentum and it allowed Brandon Wimmer to get by up top. At the checkered flag Jason brought the Weld Racing, Rod End Supply, Bell Helmets, Ringers Gloves No. 10 home in sixth place. Track conditions didn’t make for too many passing opportunities so Jason had to take what he could get, and he did a nice job to score a solid finish.
This coming weekend will see Jason and the Tom Rolfe Trucking, DF Rios, Pheasant Run Shopping Center No. 10 team compete at the Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico on Friday and the Ocean Speedway in Watsonville on Saturday. Friday’s race in Chico will be the third round of the Feather Falls Casino championship series at Silver Dollar Speedway.
Saturday’s event at Ocean Speedway will be Golden State Challenge Series Round #8. Last July Jason suffered a heartbreaker at Ocean Speedway after putting on one of the most impressive performances all season. In the main event that night he started sixth and made green flag passes of Ronnie Day, Bud Kaeding, Kevin Pylant and Jonathan Allard within a six lap span to take the lead of the race. Jason took command from Allard on lap 17 and held it until the very last corner when Bud Kaeding used lapped traffic to slip underneath and steal the win away. Jason is still looking for that first win of the season and Saturday could just very well be the night.
For more info on Jason Statler visit http://www.statlerracing.com
www.sprintcarchallengetour.com
www.placervillespeedway.com
www.stocktondirttrack.com
www.thunderbowlraceway.com
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