Hanford and Tulare, CA ~ May 21 and 22, 2010. Kyle Larson and the California Golden State
Challenge Series 410 sprint cars made a much anticipated
return to the formerly named Kings Speedway, now Giant Chevrolet Speedway, for the first
time in three years where the Elk Grove, California 17 year old placed out of the top five
for the first time in a month and a half by finishing sixth at the Hanford fairgrounds
facility Friday night. Then next night, less than 30 miles away, Larson had a great battle
at the front of the pack with Tim and Brent Kaeding before settling for third as the Taco
Bravo 360 series held their first ever race at Tulare’s Groppetti Automotive
Thunderbowl Speedway.
With track preparation hampered each night by heavy winds and cold temperatures, both
speedplants provide two of the raciest tracks seen this year in California sprint car
racing. Giant Speedway provided an excellent tacky surface for qualifying and Larson was
eighth fast of the 22 cars assembled.
A third place finish in his heat transferred Larson into the feature event and also
inserted the Stadlehofer Construction/Peppermill Casino-Reno/ Maxim/Shaver into the eight car six lap dash that determines
the lineup of the front four rows of the 30 lapper. Larson drew the number six starting
assignment in the dash and drove to a fourth place finish to start the headliner on the
outside of row two.
The A-main took the green flag on a dry slick surface that was still providing excellent
action, as polesitter Brent Kaeding surrendered the lead on the opening lap to outside
front starter Jonathan Allard. Battling close behind were Jason Statler, Larson, fifth
starter Tim Kaeding, Tommy Tarlton and Peter Murphy.
Over the course of the race several slowdowns affected the
continuity of the race, however the racing at the front of the pack was intense under
green flag conditions. T. Kaeding methodically worked his way into second behind Allard
while Larson had stirring battles with Statler, Tarlton, and most notably Murphy over the
duration of the race.
With heavy lapped traffic a constant presence T. Kaeding was able to close on Allard late
in the race. As the lead pair was caught behind two lappers racing side by side on the
last lap T. Kaeding made a dramatic move that slightly nudged Allard sideways off turn
four. By doing so, it created the slightest opening for T. Kaeding to power into and move
ahead by about a foot at the checkered flag, with all four cars under the proverbial
blanket. Larson finished sixth just behind third place Tarlton, B. Kaeding and Statler.
Saturday night at Tulare Larson qualified 12th fast of the 27 cars signed into the pit
area. He earned a transfer into the A-main with his second place finish in the heat from
his pole start, trailing outside front row starter Zach Zimmerly at the finish.
Larson started 11th in the feature with Brent Kaeding lined up outside of him. On the front row sat the
two fastest qualifiers, point leader Tommy Tarlton and Tim Kaeding. Once underway the
early laps appeared to be a replay of last weeks GSC race at the same track, when the duo
fought it out over the course of the race before T. Kaeding prevailed on the last lap.
With the pair again swapping the lead in the first half of the race this week, another
runaway by the veterans seemed imminent.
However, teammates Larson and B. Kaeding had other ideas as the race ran non stop from lap
6. Larson, who had moved into third by lap 16 began to reel in T. Kaeding and Tarlton and
made it an exciting three-way dog fight by lap 19. Larson, using the bottom of the
racetrack, stole the lead with a pass of both as lap 21 was completed.
As a fading Tarlton dropped from the battle T. Kaeding fought back to retake the lead from
Larson. Meanwhile, B. Kaeding suddenly appeared in the picture and showed a burst of speed
that would have to be reckoned with, as he took third from Tarlton, then second from
Larson on lap 25.
As T. Kaeding narrowly reasserted control of the lead Larson and the elder Kaeding battled
mostly side by side. Although Larson made several stabs at B. Kaeding to take back second
it was not to be as the driver of the 99x settled for third at the checkered flag in one
of the best races seen at the always action packed Thunderbowl.
