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Allard Wins Fourth Main of the Year at Chico
By: Troy Hennig
(Chico, CA 7-14-07)…Chico’s Jonathan Allard won the 25-lap sprint car main event Friday night at Silver Dollar Speedway. Allard’s win was his fourth of the year and vaulted him back into the lead of the point standings. Allard picked up the win during point race number 16 sponsored by GT Trends, who has been Allard’s sponsor for many years. His win also gave Katie Williams, Allard’s car owner along with Morrie Williams, a victory on her birthday. During the night GT Trends raffled off two trips valued at $2,000 each. “I just need to thank GT Trends for all their support the past years,” said Allard in victory lane. “It was a fun night for our team and I want to thank he fans for coming out.”
Rohnert Park driver Brandon Davis won the 20-lap wingless spec main event. It was his third win of the season and he currently is also the point leader. It has been an incredible season for this rookie driver. “I was just hoping to make the main events and run some top tens,” said Davis in victory lane when asked about if he was surprised how well he was doing.
Heather Bartlett won her third main event of the season in the pure stock division. She took the lead on lap 11 when she was battling with Jeremy Blackshere for the lead when Blackshere got sideways and there was contact sending Blackshere into the grandstand wall. The popular driver led the final four laps to get the win. “I love racing with Jeremy and I hate to see his torn up racecar,” said Bartlett.
Mike Sohnrey won the 15-lap dirt modified main event. It was his third win of the year for Sohnrey. Sohnrey passed early leader Chris Compton and held on for the win. “We had problems in our heat race and we were able to fix them and come back to win the main,” said Sohnrey. “I think that is pretty cool.”
The 410-winged sprint car main event started off with Dan Simpson spinning in turn four to bring out the yellow. During the yellow Stephen Allard, point leader coming into the night, drove back to the work area and had his crew look at something in the engine. They tried to send him back to the racetrack but Allard quickly pulled back into the put area and was done for the night. The race continued with Chico’s Johnny Gray leading the main event. On lap four Andy Gregg brought out the yellow. Once the field was restarted the race went 18-laps non-stop with furious action and a ton of excitement for the fans. Jonathan Allard started to make his surge to the front on lap nine. He passed Trevor Green on lap nine to move into third. On lap ten he passed Korey Lovell for second. On lap eleven he passed Gray to take the lead. It was an amazing three-lap stretch for Allard.
Even though Allard was the leader he was never able to completely shake off Gray. The two raced through slower traffic on their way in leading the main event. On lap 22, Gray tried to squeeze by Zack Mason and continue chasing Allard, however, there was contact and Mason stopped with a crumpled front end. At this point the driver on the move was Sean Becker. Becker started the main event in eleventh spot and was now into third. Yet, there were three lapped cars between him and the top two. Another driver on the move was Jason Statler who started ninth and was running fourth. With three laps to go Allard got a tremendous start and pulled away from Gray. Behind Gray, Statler passed Becker for third. Coming down to the checkered flag Gray slipped up the racetrack, pulled the front wheels off the ground and was passed by Statler. Statler finished second and Gray tucked back in for third. Becker finished in the fourth spot and Trevor Green was fifth.
The start of the wingless main event resulted in two flips and a yellow. David Larabee took a hard tumble down the backstretch. He was shaken but not stirred. On the next attempt Steve Stein and Matt Streeter crashed. Stein was upside down but able to continue as was Streeter. In fact, Streeter went on to finish in the ninth spot. After the carnage was complete Taylor Simas took the lead. Simas led the first six laps until Brandon Davis made a pass going through turn one and took the lead. Davis began to stretch his lead. Behind him the real race was for second. Cody Myers soon got around Simas for the second spot. Other drivers charging to the front included Reyna Krueger and RC Smith. Both talented drivers were battling for a top five spot. Added to the mix was Billy Wallace, who had a flat tire early in the race and was able to change it and return to the race under a yellow. Wallace battled his way towards the front to finish in the third spot when the race ended. Up front it was all Davis. A late red flag involving Cody Smith, who took a spill off turn two but was fine, set up a dash to the finish. Davis held off Myers for the win. It was his third of the year. Krueger passed Simas late in the race to finish in the fourth spot. Simas rounded out the top five at the finish line.
Mike Sohnrey started last in the dirt modified main event. Yet, half way through the race Sohnrey was the race leader. He was never seriously challenged for the win. Sohnrey passed Chris Compton for the lead. Compton held on to finish in the second spot. Darin Ruley scored another top five finish and crossed the line in third. Randy McDaniel was subbing for point leader Richard Papenhausen. McDaniel survived an early lap altercation and continued on to finish fourth. Jolting Joe Flower rounded out the top five at the finish line.
Jeremy Blackshere led the early portion of the pure stock main event. Wes Dinsmore raced into the second spot while Jeff Olschowka ran third. The real story of the race turned out to be Heather Bartlett. She started making her move early in the race. Bartlett moved into the second spot on lap seven and now set her sites on the leader. Bartlett dove to the bottom of Blackshere on many occasions but was not able to make the pass. On lap ten Blackshere got sideways going into turn three and coming out of the exit of the turn Bartlett made her run. The two raced for the same real estate and contact was made sending Blackshere hard into the turn four grandstand wall. Blackshere was uninjured by the car was thrashed. The race restarted with four laps to go. Bartlett held off Phil Marino for the popular win. Marino finished second after a two-year hiatus from racing at Silver Dollar Speedway. Point leader Olschowka finished in the third spot. Dinsmore crossed the line in fourth. Mike Slightom, who turned 53 years old on this night, raced the family owned #53 into the fifth position.
Wes Dinsmore completed an exciting pass coming out of turn four to win the eight-lap pure stock heat race.
Reyna Krueger started in the fifth spot during heat race number one. She made minced meat of the boys and won the eight-lap race. RC Smith, who returned just one week after a serious crash at the speedway, won the second heat race. He also started in the fifth spot. Charlie Marrs led all eight laps to win heat three. Darrell Hanestad won heat race four. At the finish he had almost a half lap lead.
Darin Ruley drove a good race to win the eight-lap dirt modified heat race.
Sean Becker won the first heat for the winged sprint cars. Becker’s parents, Delno and Patty were in attendance and celebrating their anniversary. Fast Eddy Lewis won the second heat race. Stephen Allard passed Zack Mason with two laps to go and won the third heat race.
Sixteen-year-old rookie driver lived up to his nickname of “Primetime” Mason Moore as he scored his first career quick time award. Moore turned a lap of 12.726. Moore is developing a strong fan club following.
Full Results posted at www.johnpadjenmotorsports.com
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