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Civil War Sprint Cars blast into town Saturday
By
Bob
Burbach
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Marysville CA - September
17, 2007 ---
Paul and Kathy Hawes’ Marysville Raceway Park will host round 14 of the Hoosier Tire California Sprint Car Civil War Series this Saturday night September 22nd. Some of California’s most spectacular Winged Sprint Cars drivers will compete. Among the drivers expected to enter will be the most recent winner in the series and the driver who won the last MRP Civil War round. They are one in the same and he goes by the name of Andy Gregg.
The young dynamo has taken a generous amount of past bad luck and mixed it with remarkable tenacity and has come out the winner on two occasions this season in Civil War competition. The string of other great racers who will be on hand Saturday night better take notice, as Gregg and MRP are a great fit. Gregg’s last race here was one for the books. On a hooked up and smokin’ Marysville Raceway Park surface Gregg came from 13th starting position and muscled his way past leader Greg Decaires with two laps left to take the victory. Given Gregg’s capabilities at MRP it is amazing that he doesn’t compete at MRP more often.
Last week at Petaluma Gregg secured 3rd in the point standings as he thundered under the checkers, winning the event. The series now heads into its final two races. Gregg is 82 points out of the lead and would have to have some pretty good luck as well as high finishes to get close to the pair of hotshoes that are just ahead. Decaires remains just 5 points out of 3rd place after Petaluma.
Auburn’s Andy Forsberg will come into Saturday’s show with a 23 point lead over the Colfax Comet Colby Wiesz. Forsberg is a former champion in the series and a former track champion at the Placerville Speedway where the final round will be presented next weekend. Wiesz is a 3-time champion at Marysville Raceway Park and has yet to wear the crown in the Civil War Series. As quick as Gregg is, the point battle will likely be decided between Forsberg and Wiesz.
Forsberg has won at MRP, but it is one of his toughest challenges. Wiesz has virtually owned MRP over the last six or eight years. Wiesz won all three of his championships in three straight years here. At one point he had a streak of five feature event wins in a row going. Nobody in winged sprint car racing has ever done that here. This Saturday night’s race should favor Wiesz if history has anything to say about it. On the other hand, Forsberg has been a perennial winner at Placerville. So, in next week’s race Forsberg could be considered a favorite.
One of the great attributes of Civil War Series Racing is that some 25 other racers CAN win on any given night. The intensity of the point battle on top mixed with the terrific talent that will be present Saturday Night will make this round a “must see” on any sprint car fan’s list.
In addition to the traveling stars of the California Sprint Car Civil War Series, MRP’s own hammer down stars will light up the night as well. Headed by 3-time sprint car champion Korey Lovell, a contingent of MRP regulars will have a great shot at pulling off a victory. Yuba City’s Lovell has met with as much success as Wiesz here at MRP, but he has never won a Civil War event at his home track. He’s due.
2004 MRP Champion Mike Monahan of Sparks Nevada has won Civil War races, but never at the track where he won his title. Monahan came close in this September event in 2004 when he and Decaires went at it in a race that is still talked about today. Decaires got past Monahan with a handful of laps to go in that one. Monahan could well think the MRP ¼ mile owes him one. In any event, Monahan’s outrageous style ads color and speed to the show.
If the Marysville based Dozier’s put their best foot forward, one of that talented group could easily find victory lane. Cort Dozier has won several point races and placed well in Civil War competition here before. Brandon Dozier has been wildly fast all year and could easily be someone to be reckoned with. Brandon Dozier has showed he can win on any type of surface.
2007 MRP Champion Jeremy Burt will also be in the field. Burt now has a championship at MRP and a Rookie of the Year trophy from Placerville. Burt might well be the real sleeper in Saturday’s competition. Without a point chase to worry about, Burt will be free to deliver all of his many talents into this event.
A fast field of some 40 fire breathing winged racers will tackle MRP’s challenging ribbon of clay. 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 web site home page. Put www.marysvilleracewaypark on your “favorites” button on you computer. Watch this site for press releases, updates and complete results.
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