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Graph X Designs Photo
Jonathan Allard charges back to fifth in Quincy to cap weekend
By Gary Thomas
June 25, 2007... After the disappointing end to the Dirt Cup in Washington the previous weekend, Jonathan Allard and Williams Motorsports returned to California looking to put it behind with a pair of races at two different tracks. One being at a very familiar track and one at a speedway that’s only seen a couple winged sprint car races since the early 90's.
Friday night in Chico Jonathan and the team looked to continue the hot streak that Williams Motorsports has seen this season in the Feather Falls Casino point series. JA started off the night by qualifying second quick and finishing fourth in his heat to transfer the GT Trends, BR Motorsports, Platinum Powder Coating, Weld Racing No. 0 into the evening’s 25 lap main event.
The track had gotten very slick and dusty by main event time and starting seventh, Jonathan would have his work cut out for him. He was running solid near the top five and trying to work his way forward when a car running in the top five got scary sideways in turn three around lap 17 and forced JA to check up and lose a couple spots. Things got worse as the track was getting slicker as the race went on and Jonathan got up in the loose stuff and caught the edge of the track spinning out on lap 22. With just a few laps remaining JA restarted and got back up to 13th by the checkered flag.
On Saturday Jonathan and Williams Motorsports made the tow over to the American Valley Speedway in Quincy for a night of Golden State Challenge Series action. The Quincy track is a little different than most and it’s a long 3/8 mile with very tight and narrow corners. The night started off well with Jonathan setting fast time aboard the K & N Filters, Karsten Homes, Chris Jones Racing, Matt & Glass No. 0. His lap of 15.200 out-qualified 20 other competitors and was his GSC leading fourth fast time of the season.
A third place finish in the opening heat race moved Jonathan into the dash where we kept the average up and started from the last row. So far this season Jonathan has been in 18 dash’s with the Golden State Challenge Series and remarkably has not started from the front row a single time! JA ended up bringing home a sixth place finish in the six lap contest to give him a third row starting spot in the 30 lap feature.
The start of the main event didn’t go so well as the car in front of Jonathan broke way loose and slid sideways off of turn four and Jonathan couldn’t avoid him and got a piece of the car, which started a huge pileup and saw three cars get upside down mid-pack. Under the red flag the team had to change a tire and Jonathan was forced to move to the back of the pack for the restart. It was questionable whether passing was going to be possible with the narrow turns, but Jonathan showed that it could be done and he charged back up the pack. During a caution on lap 16 Jonathan had already moved the Red Line Oil, Graph X Designs, T-5 Industries, NGK Spark Plugs No. 0 into the seventh position. Two more laps were run before the next caution and Jonathan was up to fourth with the lap 18 restart looming ahead.
As the green came back out Jonathan tried the top side to get around Brett Miller but there wasn’t enough left up there and it allowed Brent Kaeding to slip underneath him on lap 20. Jonathan ran steady the last 10 laps and brought home a fifth place finish in the Williams Motorsports, V-Mac Racing Products, Spy Optic, Kistler Engines No. 0. It was an interesting night in Quincy to say the least, but the track did lend itself to a bit more passing than most had originally thought.
Jonathan and Williams Motorsports will only be in California a few more weeks before taking off and doing a little traveling to end the Summer. This Friday night will see the Zero machine compete at Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico. Jonathan currently leads the point standings at Silver Dollar Speedway and has tallied four wins in the Feather Falls Casino Friday night point series this season.
On Saturday we’ll be heading South to Tulare’s Thunderbowl Raceway for the final Golden State Challenge Series visit of the season to the 1/3 mile Central, CA speed-plant. The last time in Tulare Jonathan dropped out of the race while running in second place. He’ll look to pick up his first Thunderbowl win of the year on Saturday.
For more on Jonathan Allard and Williams Motorsports visit http://www.allardmotorsports.com
Steve Lamoth Photo
www.sprintcarchallengetour.com
www.placervillespeedway.com
www.stocktondirttrack.com
www.thunderbowlraceway.com
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