Civil War Series heads back home to Placerville Speedway this Saturday
Defending champion Forsberg leads series but continues to sing the bridesmaid blues
by Bill Sullivan

PLACERVILLE, CA (6-18-07) - After a memorable event in the California wine country last Saturday night, the Hoosier Racing Tires Civil War Sprint Car Series heads back to its home base this Saturday night on the high banks of Placerville Speedway. Saturday’s event will mark the third appearance of the season for the traveling campaign for 360 cubic inch powered sprint cars and is round six of the 15 race series that competes at five different California tracks.

Entering Saturday’s event, defending champion Andy Forsberg of Auburn continues to lead the series point standings. So far this season Forsberg has finished in the top three positions in all five events that have taken place and has certainly lived up to his trademark name of Mr. Excitement in each of those events.

With four second place finishes and one third place outing this season, Forsberg routinely runs the exciting high line around Placerville’s bullring quarter-mile, a cutting edge driving style he has long referred to as “The Fonz.” After five consecutive events without a win, Forsberg will return to the track he calls home this week and hopes to be whistling the tune from “Happy Days” at the end of the night rather than the “Bridesmaid Blues” he has been repeating week after week.

“Another second place, what can I say. Maybe I am just not meant to win of these races anymore,” said Forsberg following his second place finish at Calistoga Speedway last Saturday. “We’re looking forward to coming back up to Placerville and see if we can finally get it done at home.”

Forsberg currently leads the series point standings by 11-points over Rohnert Park’s Brett Rollag. Driving the Rick Williams #6 this season, Rollag has shown great consistency in his season so far with three top five finishes and five top ten finishes. The former series rookie of the year has outnumbered Forsberg in heat race victories by two digits with three wins so far in the season.

Colby Wiesz of Colfax has been extremely consistent this season as well. The driver of the FnF Racing #x1 has scored three top five finishes and four top ten finishes so far this year as well as one B Feature event victory to sit in third place entering Saturday’s event, 24-points out of the lead.

After finishing an impressive third place at Calistoga last Saturday night, Sacramento’s Mike Henry returns to the track where won the 2002 season championship and capped two Civil War titles at. Henry is currently fourth in the standings, 29-points out of the lead and is setting his sights on his first ever Civil War feature event win at Placerville this season aboard the Werbach Motorsports #20.

“I’m hoping this is the week we can get it done at Placerville,” said Henry following his third place at the Calistoga half mile. Henry has won five feature events in weekly action this season at Petaluma and Ocean Speedway and multiple weekly events at Placerville Speedway. “I’ve won Civil War races before but I have never been able to win one at Placerville and that’s one of my biggest goals this year. It’s one of the toughest places to win and it would mean so much to me and this team this year.”

Greg DeCaires, the 2005 Civil War champion and defending Placerville Speedway champion is sitting in the fifth place position. DeCaires is 33-points out of the lead and returns to Placerville Speedway with the momentum of a recent feature event win during the weekly championship series.

Placerville’s own Andy Gregg continues to hang out near the top five ranks in the series standings. Gregg is sixth in the standings, 80-points out of the lead and 10-points ahead of Grass Valley’s Mark Hall in seventh place. Carl Droivold of Grass Valley is eighth in the standings, 94-points out of the lead.

Kyle Larson of Elk Grove is ninth overall in the ranks entering Saturday’s race. Larson is 98-points from the lead position and sits ahead of Jeff Delte of San Jose and Chico’s Stephen Allard. Larson currently leads the series in the run for the 2007 Rookie of the Year title. Mason Moore of Princeton is the current second place runner for the annual title that has as much following and prestige as the season championship.

Both Larson and Moore graduated from the outlaw kart ranks into full size sprint cars this season. Good friends off and on the track, both young drivers are showing great talent and positive futures in auto racing thus far in the season. Among their season highlights so far, Larson has claimed a heat race victory in the Civil War series while Moore has claimed two top 10 finishes in the five events that have taken place so far.

Scott Kinney of Citrus Heights is 20th in standings and would be the third place driver in contention for rookie honors while Placerville’s James Sweeney is just three-points back in 21st. Both Kinney and Sweeney are among the top ten runners in the weekly Placerville point standings as well.

As the Civil War series returns to the sierra foothills this Saturday night look for many of the regular weekly competitors to join the likes of the Civil War series. Placerville’s C.J. Humphreys is sure to be on hand along with fellow local driver Jimmy Trulli of Diamond Springs. Placerville’s Scott Russell is expected to return with a rebuilt machine after an accident two weeks ago. Justin Johnson of Shingle Springs is sure to be on the roster along with Placerville’s Matt Barber, Jackson’s Matt Petty and many more.

The gates of the El Dorado County Fairground will open at 5 p.m. on Saturday afternoon. Qualifying is set to begin at 6:30. All seating is general admission at $15 for adults and $10 for juniors. Children tickets will be $4. Generally Civil War Series events are sold out at Placerville Speedway so an early arrival to the track is suggested to insure seating availability. For additional information on the Civil War Series visit www.johnpadjenmotorsports.com.