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Gregg comes from 13th in Civil War thriller
By
Bob
Burbach
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Marysville CA - July 7,
2007 ---
Paul and Kathy Hawes’ Marysville Raceway Park was hooked up and smokin’ on Saturday night as the California Sprint Car Civil War Series rolled into town. The show was staged before a packed house on a very warm and breezy evening. Placerville veteran Andy Gregg charged into the lead from 13th staring position, surprised race leader Greg DeCaires with a daring move in turn one with, but a handful of laps left and went on to win.
The sticky, multi-groove raceway allowed for spectacular passing and dicing all night long. Heat race action showed what the fans could look forward to in the feature, as thirteen of the top sixteen qualifiers were able to pass their way into a transfer position through their respective heat races. In this highly competitive series the B main event is often packed with quick qualifiers when heat race action is presented on a fast, but one groove surface early on. This was NOT the case at Marysville Saturday night. The heat races featured high and low passing with only a single yellow flag to slow the free for all battles that were offered in the four lightning fast heat races.
Among the notables that didn’t make the cut in the heats were Greg DeCaires, Gridley’s Shawn Amos and current MRP Winged Sprint Car point leader Jeremy Burt. Grass Valley’s Burt and Elk Grove’s Decaires had a spirited duel in the B Main that featured a long green flag segment to its conclusion. The race contained the only red flag incident of the evening when Marysville’s Brandon Dozier tipped it over on the backstretch on the opening lap. He was unhurt. Burt pulled a monster wheelie up the back chute early on that had the crowd rise to their feet collectively with a roar of approval. Third finisher Amos was quick and showed he could be a factor in the up coming featured event. Decaires won the B after his tussle with Burt. Burt stayed second.
Mark Hall and Civil War point leader Andy Forsberg made up the first row when starter Robin Davies waved the initial green. Hall out-dragged Forsberg into first, but the start was called back when Brad Bumgardner slid sideways in turn four to prompt a restart. Three-time MRP champ Colby Wiesz flattened his right rear in the melee and, like Bumgardner was relegated to a restart at the rear.
The new green saw Forsberg dart into the lead with Grass Valley’s Hall parked behind him, a close second. Fourth starting Mike Henry flew into third as 2004 MRP champ Mike Monahan picked his way forward from sixth to fourth in the opening circuits. The pace was frantic as the leaders approached lapped traffic in lap eight. Henry darted past Hall to secure third as Sparks Nevada's Monahan drew a bead on Hall and started to challenge. Gregg and DeCaires were picking off cars rapidly in their move toward the front. Then as the field flew into lap ten, Forsberg made a rare mistake. Exiting high in turn two Forsberg started a lazy slide that brought his white 92 back across the track in front of the entire field. Second runner Henry plowed into Forsberg and the two leaders were instantly sitting silent in two. Everybody else scrambled and missed the carnage. Both returned. Wiesz, Henry and Forsberg parlayed their early race bad luck into some entertaining racing for the duration of the event, though further back in the pack.
The race resumed with Monahan surprising Hall with a slick inside move. Monahan was leading up the back chute when the fourth place car of Amos and Princeton’s Mason Moore made contact approaching turn three. Moore got some air and peeled the wing off of the quick #07 of Amos. Moore and Amos were done and DeCaires and Gregg picked up a couple of valuable positions in their run to the front. The incident negated Monahan’s pass for the lead.
The restart began a long green flag segment that allowed Decaires to sling his racer into the high groove and start and impressive march to the front, with Gregg in tow. DeCaires and Gregg eclipsed everyone ahead of them as they reeled in the leaders. Decaires moved into second, then first in successive laps. Greg followed him through. Gregg also started closing on the swift Decaires during this segment. Nearing the ¾ mark of the event, Burt slipped sideways in four and collected Elk Grove’s Kyle Larson. Both cars chugged to a stop ending their runs into the top ten. The yellow was displayed, slowing the pace and allowing everyone to breathe.
Seven laps would decide it, as Gregg was right behind DeCaires at the new green. It was a thriller from that point to the checkers. Gregg was all over Decaires, lap after lap. In turn one with four to go Gregg tried a bold inside move and didn’t quite make it. The next time around he threw it in harder and lower. Decaires blinked as Gregg got beside him and the pair drag-raced up the back chute. Gregg had the advantage, and the lead by the time they got to three. DeCaires did everything but stand his car on its nose to get back by, but Gregg held on for the checkered flag in front of a screaming grandstand with his front wheels off of the ground. It was a heart-pounder.
The event was arguably one of the Civil War’s most thrilling presentations in recent years. From the heat races to the final checkers it was a hammer down, elbows in the air, honest to goodness sprint car race. Gregg was wild with enthusiasm over his win and spun a series of donuts on the backstretch. He kept on with his dizzy, spinning display until he actually hit the backstretch wall and his Guts Inc. car finally stopped. He then started to pound on the side of his car and on the wing so loudly that it could be heard in the grandstands fifty yards away. The cheers from the enthusiastic crowd echoed back across the track towards Gregg’s now silent racer. Gregg was excited, but humble in victory lane saluting his fellow combatants; especially Decaires, “He raced me clean after the pass”. Gregg has always done well at MRP.
It was this observer’s good fortune to see Gregg in the pits after the race giving away autographed photos to kids (and anyone else who asked) well into the night after many others had gone home. A tip of the hat to Gregg for his patience and good will to the fans long after the races were concluded. Gregg’s record of heat race wins here and top five finishes is notable considering he doesn’t race here very often. His “back ‘em in”, aggressive style fits the new MRP track configuration.
Hall stayed third at the end, with Monahan’s fine ride garnering him a fourth. Brett Rollag of Rohnert Park was next with Sacramento’s Herman Kline sixth in his 2007 driving debut. For a complete statistical rundown of the event or for specific California Sprint Cart Civil War information please find johnpadjenmotorsports.com and click on to the Civil War icon.
Next week the Winged Pacific Sprint Cars will be back for a complete program of one of their heart-stopping wheel-to-wheel slugfests. The “Wingless Warriors” Wingless Sprint Car Series is also on the card. The Mighty Mini Stocks will be back with their slam-bang form of all out action. The Nor Cal Dwarf Cars will also stop by for another close, fast display.
Pit gates always open at 3PM. Spectator Gates Open at 5PM with racing getting underway at 7PM. Contact the promoters at 1.530.743.1327 or email as indicated on the home page. Put www.marysvilleracewaypark on your “favorites” button on you computer. Watch this site for press releases, updates and complete results.
Note: Please make this observer aware of any names that are misspelled. The text is based on information we have at the time of its release.
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