Justin Sanders makes late move to scoop up the 14th annual Tribute to Al Hinds at Placerville Speedway on Saturday

Placerville, CA – Watsonville’s Justin Sanders battled his way around Penngrove’s Buddy Kofoid in the closing laps to bring home the $2,000 top prize at the prestigious 14th annual Tribute to Al Hinds on Saturday night.

Also sharing victory lane during the event at Placerville Speedway were Matt Michelli with the Ltd. Late Models, Orville Owens with the Pure Stocks and Scott Kinney with the Bay Cities Racing Association Midget Lites. The evening helped open a big month of August at the facility and saw 69 total cars pack the pit area.

For Sanders, it was his second Thompson’s Auto Group Winged 360 Sprint Car feature win of the Red Hawk Casino championship season. He had previously tasted victory during the Fourth of July Freedom Fireworks showcase.

At the waving of the green flag it was Roseville’s Colby Copeland who darted into the lead, while Steven Tiner and Sanders battled for second. Things came to a halt on lap three though, after Kalib Henry got upside down. The incident also involved point leader Greg Decaires, who went to the work area with front end damage. Soon after that Copeland jumped the cushion and brought out the yellow, surrendering the lead to Tiner.

Buddy Kofoid then began to show his muscle, fighting his way around Sanders for the runner up spot, before making the move past Tiner for the lead on lap 16. Sanders was then able to slice by Tiner for second, prior to a red flag period on lap 21. The final four laps saw Sanders make the winning move to get by Kofoid and go on to pick up the big victory. Kofoid, Sean Becker, DJ Netto and Tiner completed the top-five.

Auburn’s Andy Forsberg captured the night’s B-main and also started the night by earning the ADCO Driveline and Custom Exhaust Fast Time Award. The four heat races held were picked off by Buddy Kofoid, Steven Tiner, Jimmy Trulli and DJ Freitas. A strong field of 34 Winged 360 Sprint Cars were on hand during the night.

Matt Michelli continues to be the dominant force with the Ltd. Late Models and raced to his seventh victory of the season on Saturday. For much of the race however, it looked like we’d have a new winner in the form of Jay Norton, who led laps one through 18.

Michelli then charged around the high-side of speedway to take the lead with just a couple laps remaining and went on to claim the checkered flag and extend his current point lead. No