2008 Season Schedule Results 410 Sprints Driver Roster Driver Standings Owner Standings Dirt Modifieds Driver Roster Driver Standings Owner Standings Street Stocks Driver Roster Driver Standings Owner Standings Wingless Sprints Driver Roster Driver Standings Owner Standings Seasons: |'07|'06|'05|'04| |'03|'02|'01|'00| |'99| Registration Form Rules 410 Sprints Dirt Modifieds Pure Stocks Wingless Sprints Points System History Track Records Former Champions Cars Location Personnel Silver Dollar Speedway Placerville Speedway California Sprint Car Civil War Series Golden State Challenge - King of California Series GOLD CUP Race of Champions HELP MENU Site Map Contact Us Search the Site Sponsor Index

It's Miller Time at Chico
Moore and Hammett Win at Chico
by Troy Hennig

Friday, August 1, 2008 Results
Qualifying 410 Sprints Wingless Sprints Street Stocks

Brett Miller wins for the first time for the 2008 season. JPM Photo by GraphX Designs

It was also kids night at the races. Pullins Cyclery donated two bikes for a raffle for kids eleven years and under. ManCamp Motorsports also added over 10 prizes for more raffle prizes. A total of 21 winged sprints attended points race #18 during the Feather Falls Casino championship series.

The main event start took a few attempts to get going. On the front row sat Dan Simpson and Peter Murphy. Both drivers started too early in turn three and were penalized by being sent to the final row. Mason Moore spun in turn one to bring out the first yellow. On the next attempt Jeff Griffin stopped in turn four and also exiting the track was Colby Copeland. These turn of events forced the officials to start the race in single file formation. At the front of the pack was Brett Miller. He was originally starting in row two but once Murphy and Simpson had the false start it moved Miller to the front. Miller led the first few laps until a red was needed on lap four when Kevin Sharrah flipped. On the ensuing restart, Emalee Ramirez took a wild ride off turn two. It was a series of quick violent flips. She was transported to the local Enloe Hospital for neck and back pain. She was released sometime during the night.

Up to this point Zack West had held down the second spot. The second year driver has shown flashes of talent but seemed to also have some bad racing luck. Tonight was no exception. West looked like he belonged with the leaders, however, on lap seven he bobbled to allow Andy Forsberg to get by. Then on lap 18 he spun coming out of turn four and came to a stop on the front straight. At the time he was running third and holding off Sean Becker. It was one of those good nights turned bad with the finish. Yet, the driver and team should be proud of their effort.

After the lap 18 restart the race continued non-stop until the end. Miller closed in on the back of slower traffic with two laps to go. This allowed Forsberg and now Becker to close in. Miller was able to hold off their advances and get the popular win. Coming out of turn four, Forsberg got bottled up by a slower car and this allowed Becker to dive by on the bottom for second. Kyle Hirst finished in the fourth spot driving the Shain Matthews owned #67. Johnny Gray returned to racing action and finished in the fifth spot.

Destiney Hays earned the fast time award. Her time was 11.880. For her efforts she collected a $100 bonus from www.theskipperpartys.net.

Colby Copeland led all eight-laps to win heat one. Emalee Ramirez held off Kyle Hirst to win heat race two. Doug Lippincott returned to Chico and won heat race three.

Travis Moore won his second Wingless Sprints feature. JPM Photo by GraphX Designs

Travis Moore was going to use this year as an research and development experiment. What he found out is that he's also good at winning. Moore inherited the lead from Mason Myers on lap six and went on to lead the final 14 laps for his second win of the year. “I had to win again so people don't say the first win was a fluke,” said Moore. “This year has exceeded my expectations for sure.” Joining Moore in victory lane was Steve Hammett. The street stock masher muscled his way to his third main event win of the year. “Now I just wish I had started off the year racing up here because we'd be better in the points,” said Hammett. “I had a little contact with Rogers coming out of four but it was just hard racing.” A total of 20 non-wing sprints Joe Hunt Magnetos and 13 street stocks entered the nights racing.

Mason Myers took the lead at the start of the 20-lap wingless main event. Myers soon held a comfortable lead over Travis Moore. Myers and his brother, Cody, have been a powerful one-two punch in the division. However, neither has visited victory lane. Tonight, if things had held together it looked like Myers would be tough to beat. Yet, the racing demons emerged on lap five and smoke came out from the engine department. On the next lap Myers pulled to the infield. Moore took the lead and was holding off a charging Jay Youngman. On lap 12 Keith Bloom Jr., who was running near the seventh spot, drifted off turn four and hit the wall. He did not return for the restart. Kyle Hirst was driving the powerful Orth family sprint car and had raced his way into a top four spot until he exited the track. On the same lap Charlie Cagle stopped in turn two. Two hard chargers of the night included Brain Southers, who started 13th and finished seventh. Behind him was David Larabee. Larabee started 17th and finished tenth. Up front it was all about Moore. He led the final few laps to get the win. Youngman finished second while Marc Zieske ran third. Zieske has been impressive in the few starts he has made this year at Chico. B.J. Martin finished in the fourth spot. Josh Bates rounded out the top five and earned an extra $100 courtesy of www.theskipperpartys.net.

Youngman and Moore each won their heat races. It was quite the night for Moore and Youngman, wins in the heat race and first and second in the main event.

Steve Hammett won a wild and exciting Street Stock feature. JPM Photo by GraphX Designs

The Street Stocks main event was one of the most exciting races of the night. The race itself got off to a crazy start. Going into turn one a four car pile up ensued. Jeff Olschowka took the brunt of it and flipped. The car was a wreck, but to his credit he came back out after the red flag and continued racing. He wound up finishing fourth to keep his championship hopes alive. Others involved were Mike Gomez, Ryan York and Richard Workman. Racing resumed with Scott Rogers as the leader. Rogers held the spot even though he was pressured each lap by Steve Hammett. Moving up to the third spot was Heather Bartlett. The three battled lap after lap for the lead. The race took a turn when Rogers caught up to some slower cars late in the race. As the white flag waived it was Rogers the leader. However, going down the back straight Rogers got bottled up. This allowed Hammet to close. Going through the final turns Hammett got underneath Rogers and passed him coming out of turn four. Hammett lead the most important part of the race, the last 100 feet. He got the win, his third of the year. Also in the dash for the win Bartlett and Rogers had contact. Rogers spun through the line to finish second. Bartlett did spin but turned he car around quick enough to still finish third. Olschowka was fourth and Phil Marino battled back to finish fifth.

Marino and Workman were winners in heat race action.