3/27/2009

Silver Dollar Speedway

Sean Becker Wins Thrilling Sprint Car Main at Chico

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="420"] HRP Photos by Steve Cox[/caption]

CHICO, CA (3-27-09) - Oroville's Sean Becker won the opening night 20-lap main event of the Silver Cup Race of Champions at Silver Dollar Speedway on Friday night. Becker held off a strong challenge in the early part of the race from Robbie Whitchurch and then cruised to the popular victory. A total of 37 winged 360 sprint cars raced during the first night of competition.Rob Russey earned his first career wingless main event win during the shortened feature. Russey was solid as he held off Matt Streeter and Taylor Simas for the win. Great showings of 31 wingless sprints were in the pit area.

 

Jeff Olschowka has been the man to beat in the street stock division the last few seasons. Now he has teamed up with veteran car owner Ira Compton and it looks like a perfect match. Olschowka won the 20-lap dirt modified main event. He held off the hard charging Dave Duste Jr. and Jeff Chew for the win. Olschowka also gets credit for a clean sweep because he won his heat race and was quick time. A total of 21 dirt modifieds entered night one of the Silver Cup.

It was Whitchurch and Becker on the front row of the winged 360 main event. Those two did not disappoint and for the first three laps they went side-by-side around the perfectly prepared speedway. After lap three Whitchurch used the topside momentum and drove around Becker for the lead. It would be short lived. Becker caught back up to Whitchurch and passed him on lap six. Becker began to stretch his lead over Whitchurch, who was now trying to fend off Brad Sweet. Sweet moved around Whitchurch on lap 10. A caution was needed on lap 13 that would eliminate Becker's big lead. Yet, once the race restarted, it was easy money for Becker. He pulled away from Sweet and dominated the last five laps to get the win. Sweet ran a solid second and Roger Crockett was third. Herman Klein drove hard to finish in fourth while Brad Furr rounded out the top five.

Jeff Olschowka won the 20-lap dirt modified main event to get win. Yet, it was never an easy victory. On lap seven Dave Duste Jr. passed Olschowka in lapped traffic. Olschowka took the lead back on lap 10 when the two had to split a slower car. The dirt modified main event was very exciting tonight. With a high car count and a diverse group of drivers the division put on a great show. On lap 12 the race for the lead changed when a lapped car got into the side of Duste Jr. spinning him around and out of the battle for the lead. On the restart Olschowka held off Jeff Chew and a charging Mike Compton for the win. Will Zinn battled for a fourth place finish while Matt Murphy ran fifth.

The wingless main event was cut short at 14-laps due to the eleven pm curfew. Taylor Simas led the first three laps of the race. Lucas Nerlove brought out a red on lap one when he barrel rolled down the front stretch. He was uninjured but unable to continue. Fifth place starting Rob Russey began to make a charge. On lap two he was already in second. On the following lap he drove around Simas and took the lead. Matt Streeter moved around Simas on lap four and tried to mount a challenge for the lead. Billy Wallace moved into the third spot on lap nine and challenged Streeter for second. Disaster struck on lap 14 when Wallace was collected by another car. Both cars parked it in turn four. On the opposite end of the track two cars slid off turn one. It could not have come at an inopportune time with the curfew looming. With the track blocked and accidents on both ends of the track the officials decided to waive the checkered to end the race on lap 14. Russey won his first main of his career at Chico. Streeter and Simas followed. Cody Myers finished fourth and Marc Mackay rounded out the top five.