Larson and Moore resume Civil War Rookie of the Year battle at Placerville
Former outlaw kart racers top long list of eligible Rookie title contenders in traveling series
by Bill Sullivan

PLACERVILLE, CA (6-20-07) - Last weekend both Kyle Larson of Elk Grove and Mason Moore of Princeton made successful debuts at the largest track in California during the fourth annual Calistoga Cup and round five of the Civil War Series. This Saturday night the two former outlaw kart stars will return to familiar ground to resume their battle for the series Rookie of the Year as the Hoosier Racing Tires Civil War Sprint car series will highlight a full night of open wheel racing at Placerville Speedway along with the Midgets of the Bay Cities Racing Association.

Last Saturday night Larson concluded his first Calistoga visit with a 14th place finish in the 25-lap feature event on the Napa Valley half mile track. Additionally, Larson posted a third place finish in the B-main event following a fifth place outing in heat racing. Moore placed sixth in his heat race and finished 11th in the B-feature. Both of the teenage drivers that are friends on and off the track were commended by their peers following their great success in their first appearances at the track that is the largest and most intimidating on the Civil War tour.

Both Larson and Moore are among a handful of drivers competing for the 2007 Rookie of the Year title in the Civil War Sprint Car Series. This Saturday night the duo will return to Placerville Speedway, a track in which they are both very familiar with to continue their campaign.

Entering Saturday’s event, Larson is currently ninth in the series point standings aboard the Parker Stores Vertullo Racing #83v sprint car, just 98-points from the lead position. Moore is the current runner up for the Rookie of the Year title, sitting just three positions back in the Moore Insurance Blue Shield of California #22. Moore is 123 points from the lead position.

So far in the Civil War Series Larson has claimed a heat race win while Moore has claimed two top ten feature event finishes so far in the season. Both young drivers have had several laps at Placerville Speedway and are sure to be in competitive form this Saturday night.

Trailing Larson and Moore for the Rookie honors entering round six is Scott Kinney of Citrus Heights. Kinney is 20th in the Civil War point standings and has a weekly feature event win to his name at Placerville as well as two top ten Civil War finishes. Kinney sits just three-points ahead of Placerville’s own James Sweeney. Fremont’s Shane Golobic is the next contender for the Civil War Rookie of the Year in the 24th position while Adrian Betournay of Arcata sitting in the 32nd position ahead of Elk Grove’s Troy Machado.

To compete for the Rookie of the Year title in the Civil War Series a driver must be no further than his sophomore year in the division. Additionally they are only eligible if they raced less than half the series events the previous season and they must enter all of the Civil War events in the current season. At the conclusion of the series the driver highest in the standings becomes the Rookie of the Year. If two drivers are within single digits of one another at the end of the season, feature event finishes are then considered for the possibility of Co-Rookie titles.

Saturday’s event at Placerville Speedway is being billed as an open wheel racing extravaganza. For the first time in track history, the Civil War Sprint Cars will share the popular bullring track on the El Dorado County Fairground with the mighty midgets of the Bay Cities Racing Association.

Look for Civil War point leader Andy Forsberg of Auburn to lead the roster Saturday night. Forsberg is 11-points ahead of Rohnert Park’s Brett Rollag and has been eluded of victory so far this season in the series in which he is the defending champion. Colby Wiesz of Colfax, a one time winner this year, is third in the ranks, 24-points out of the lead while Sacramento’s Mike Henry is fourth, 29-points back. Henry too is looking for his first series win this Saturday as well as his first career Civil War feature win at the track he has won many weekly events and is a former track champion.

Greg DeCaires of Elk Grove rounds out the top five in the point standings aboard the John Taylor Motorsports #35. DeCaires and the Taylor team enter the sixth round of the Civil War this weekend on the momentum of recently taking the point lead of the Placerville Speedway weekly series with a feature event win during the last point race here.

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.