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NEWS AND UPDATES:  news post

Placerville Speedway kicks-off huge Summer of racing this Saturday with Dads and Grads Night


Placerville, CA – May 28, 2019…Following a two-week break the Placerville Speedway returns to action in a big way this Saturday June 1st with an exciting four-division program during “Dads and Grads” Night at the races.

On tap this weekend will be the Thompson’s Family of Dealerships Winged 360 Sprint Cars, Ltd. Late Models, Jay’s Mobile Welding & Fabricating Pure Stocks and the first appearance of the season by the POWRi-BCRA Midgets.

All dads that bring their kids to the races will receive admittance for just $10 at the gate, while grads who show their 2019 senior class ID will also get into the stands for $10. Live music will be performed during Happy Hour in the grandstands by the band “Out of the Blue” from 4pm-6pm.

Auburn’s Andy Forsberg is in search of an unprecedented seventh title with the Thompson’s Family of Dealerships Winged 360 Sprint Cars and brings the point lead into Saturday’s action. Forsberg has piloted the Friends & Family Racing X1 to victories in each of the last two events and maintains an eight-point advantage over Mather’s Kalib Henry, who has been a mark of consistency this season. The second-generation driver has tallied three consecutive podium finishes and will look for his first career victory at the track this weekend.

Another driver that has been knocking on the door of victory lane is certainly Hollister’s Tony Gualda, who goes into “Dads and Grads” Night ranking third in the standings. Gualda has been in contention each week and will be gunning to add his name to the all-time Placerville Speedway win list on Saturday. Rounding out the top-five is 1982 Rookie of the Year Bobby McMahan of Elk Grove and 16-year-old Jodie Robinson of Roseville.

McMahan has earned back-to-back fourth place finishes, while Robinson is fresh off her first career Placerville podium last time out. Rounding out the top-10 in the Thompson’s Family of Dealerships Winged 360 Sprint Car standings heading into the fifth round of competition are Calistoga’s Mike Benson, Placerville’s Shane Hopkins, Napa’s Chris Masters, Shingle Springs’ Justin Johnson and Elk Grove’s Bubba Decaires.

The Ltd. Late Models are also set for their fifth race of the season on Saturday and it remains a torrid battle at the top of the standings, as just five-points separate the top-three. Ray Trimble has had a strong start to the campaign with two victories already in the early season and holds a slim two-digit lead over Ryan McDaniel. Hot on their heels is Tyler Lightfoot, who has also put together a consistent start to the year. Lightfoot will be looking for his first win of the season this weekend to try and wrestle the point lead away.

Dan Brown Jr. has returned to the Ltd. Late Models on a full-time basis this season and seems to be gaining speed each and every week. Brown heads into “Dads and Grads” Night holding down the fourth position in the standings, with Jay Norton completing the top-five. The top-10 is filled out by Eddie Gardner, Paul Guglielmoni, Michael Helton, Richard Vanderploeg and Bobby Hogge.

The Jay’s Mobile Welding & Fabricating Pure Stocks have provided some thrilling and close action this season and will compete in their sixth race of the year on Saturday. A tight race atop the standings is also seen with the Pure Stocks, as former Placerville Speedway champion Nick Baldwin holds a six-point lead over Kevin Jinkerson. Baldwin started off 2019 by claiming back-to-back wins, while Jinkerson scored his first career triumph on April 27th at the “Tilford Tribute.” Veteran Mel Byers, Jason Palmer and Jason Leonard round out the top-five.