PLACERVILLE, CA (8-28-10) - As the season is winding down the action is undoubtedly heating up at Placerville Speedway. Saturday night the quarter mile clay overall at the El Dorado County Fairgrounds hosted three divisions in the penultimate Red Hawk Casino championship race of the season.

In the event presented by Hoosier Tires, Coors Light, Riebes Auto Parts and the Mountain Democrat, Sean Becker of Antelope took home the win in the winged sprint cars. Dan Brown Jr, of Grass Valley captured his fifth win in the Limited Late Models and John Durrett of Pollock Pines took home his fifth victory in the Pure Stock division.

In the sprint car division a total of 27 cars entered Saturday's program. The night of action in this division was by far on the ragged edge from start to finish. In qualifying Placerville's own Jimmy Trulli earned the fast time award with a 10:931 second lap. The fast qualifying time would set the tone for Trulli's evening. The local favorite took time later in the evening to recognize who he considers his most dedicated fan.

Several years ago Trulli met local race fan Steve Bingham and a friendship between their families was formed. Bingham has been fighting a courageous battle with cancer. Not certain what the near future holds, Trulli took a few moments to come into the stands Saturday prior to the feature event to recognize Bingham for his support with a special award from his family. The presentation concluded with the local driver embraced in a supportive hug with his special fan and a standing ovation from the crowd.

Moving to the action on the track, it was questionable if the feature event could fill the shoes of the preliminary action that took place during the night. As the season dwindles down to its final week the pressure is on in the form of championship point standings and patience is beginning to fade with many competitors.

The second heat race of the evening had it's share of scary and bizarre moments. The first incident involved local driver C.J. Humphreys of Placerville. As the pack entered turns one and two, Humpheys was struck by a hard charging Jeremy Phillips of Aroboga as they powered into the turn. The collision sent Humphrey's #85 into a series of high altitude flips that concluded with a landing on the other side of the race track catch fence out in the fairgrounds parking area.

Humphreys was shaken from the incident and later sought a check up from the track paramedics. When the race resumed the unusual action continued as Phillips and Placerville's James Sweeney traded paint into the final laps. The heated battle continued after the checkered flag flew and resulted in both drivers being disqualified for the rest of the night for rough driving and unsportsmanlike conduct.

Heat race three too saw it's share of wild action as Troy Machado of Elk Grove flipped over and crashed into the fence in the same spot where Humphreys had hurdled it in field goal fashion. Machado too was uninjured but, like Humphreys, was unable to continue for the rest of the night with damage.

When the time for the feature event there was little doubt the action would heat up with a number of heavy hitters in the first three rows of the race. Once again, things got off to a wild start when the front row of Placerville's Matt Barber and Sacramento's Mike Henry were penalized at the green flag for a false start and placed back to the fourth row.

The adjusted line up placed Scott Russell of Placerville on the pole and Mason Moore of Princeton on the outside followed by point leader Andy Forsberg of Auburn and Becker. With the waving of the green Moore took the initial lead with Russell in his wake. Russell challenged Moore for the lead while Becker worked the high side to find his way around Forsberg.

After a red flag flew for rollover victim Nicole Miller of Elk Grove, the race resumed with Moore, Russell and Becker slicing and dicing their way through lapped traffic in a battle for the lead. With 10 laps complete Becker finally made his high line prove successful when he muscled his way around both Russell and Moore to take the lead aboard the Scott Miller owned #2sb in which he has driven to uncountable victories over the past three seasons.

Once in front, Becker maintained the top spot while Moore held off the efforts of Russell. Forsberg finished in the fourth position followed by Trulli who rounded out the top five.

"The track was really fast up top tonight but I was having some trouble get around them," said Becker. "I just kept pushing and pushing and watching for the right opportunity and finally both of them got slowed up in their own race down on the bottom and I was able to get by up top. We're having a great run at this point in the season and hopefully we can carry that into the Gold Cup in a couple of weeks."

In the Dirt Solutions Limited Late Models, the action just as wild with a hard fought battle for the lead early in the race combined with flying parts and sheet metal. The end result was Brown extending his point lead with his fifth season win by using great patience and poise to stay out of the carnage that was taking place.

Brown started on the outside of the front row and shot into the lead early in the event. The 2008 champion was later challenged by fifth place started Les Friend of Galt. On lap seven, Friend took the lead from brown and ninth place starter Tom Arbogast of Auburn moved in on the hunt.

On the 16th lap, Arbogast charged to the high side of Brown for second place in the fourth turn while Friend had a right front tire going down. As Arbogast went to the high side of the turn he and Friend collided that sent sheet metal flying and allowed the patience practicing Brown to slip back into the lead.

"That was crazy out there tonight," said Brown. "I saw it coming though. It was obvious to me that Les Friend had the tire going down and when Arbogast went high I just stayed low and got on the brakes. I was lucky enough to stay out of trouble. If we can do that for one more week we will have this championship."

In the Pure Stock division, the green flag saw pole sitter Kevin Wirth of Garden Valley receive a false start penalty which adjusted the line up. The second attempt saw Scott Grunert of Woodland tangle with third place starter Jon Tilford of Folsom. The two cars locked bumpers to require a yellow flag. The caution period forced another adjusted line up that placed John Ohnmact on the pole with Rick Grunert on the outside.

Grunert charged into the lead at the waving of the flag and the veteran driver soon had his hands full with the likes of point leader Chris Curtiss of Placerville, Keith Fournier of Placerville, and Durrett knocking at his rear bumper. With five laps down Durrett charged into the lead he would never relinquish. At the checkered flag Durrett crossed the line ahead of Clarence Holbrook III of Sacramento who drove his career best race. Grunert finished in third followed by Wirth and Curtiss. Next Saturday night Curtiss will officially become the 2010 Pure Stock champion by simply entering the event.

"We had a good race tonight and kept out of trouble," said Durrett. "There was a lot of good, close hard racing for the lead and we got us another one."

Next Saturday night the 2010 Red Hawk Casino Championship season comes to a close at Placerville Speedway with the final point race of the season, winged Sprint Cars, Limited Late Models and Pure Stocks will all be competition with the crowning of the track champions in each class at the end of the night. The Nor-Cal Dwarf Cars will complete the race card. The evening is Pepsi Night with the first ever giant perpetual trophies being awarded to the feature event winners. The night is being co-presented by Windfall Classifieds Inc. as well and will include a number of giveaways and special contests.

For further information on this event or complete details of Saturday's results visit the official track website at www.placervillespeedway.com. Placerville Speedway is located on the El Dorado County Fairgrounds and is managed by Handy Racing Promotions Incorporated, www.handyracingpromotions.com.