PRESS RELEASE, HOOSIER RACING TIRES CIVIL WAR SPRINT CAR SERIES
FROM THE OFFICE OF JOHN PADJEN MOTORSPORTS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 2008
MEDIA CONTACT: BILL SULLIVAN: sullivanimages@sbcglobal.net
  
Placerville Civil War could be history in the making for young Kyle Larson…again
Elk Grove 16-year old pressures veteran point leader Sean Becker by just four points
By Bill Sullivan

PLACERVILLE, CA – Last year at this time, Elk Grove’s Kyle Larson made history at Placerville Speedway when he became the youngest driver to ever win a sprint car feature in the Civil War Sprint Car Series and at just 15-years of age. This Saturday, spectators attending the 10th round of the Civil War Series at Placerville could very be amidst history in the making once again as Larson will look to become the youngest driver to ever lead the point standings in California’s prestigious race series as he just reached the legal age to drive a street car.

    Last Saturday at Petaluma Speedway, Larson competed in round nine of the 15-race series and clearly illustrated he is serious about earning the 2008 Civil War championship. On a track where most drivers were unable to pass in the feature event, Larson was the hard charger of the race, driving from 17th to fifth in the event. While Larson was charging to the front, season long point leader Sean Becker of Sacramento suffered his second straight week of hard luck, falling out of winning contention in the feature event and having his once healthy point lead slip to single digits. Larson, who turns 16 years old on July 31st, is now just four points behind Becker entering Saturday’s highly anticipated event at Placerville Speedway.

    Four points in a Civil War can be compared to, well, nearly nothing in the way of an advantage for Becker. In a heat race a driver can earn as many as 5 championship points and in a feature event can earn as many as 75 championship points. Despite Larson’s close proximity to the point leader, Becker is confident his team will pull through this period of tough times.

“We won the Mark Forni race and ever since that our luck turned the other direction,” said Becker. “Two weeks ago we had the motor problems in Chico and last week at Petaluma it was the water pump after qualifying and we missed our heat race. Things turned around and we transferred out of the B feature and then I lost my brakes in the feature. The track got rough and without brakes I just ended up spinning out. When it rains it pours I guess. I’m confident in this team, they are the best and I know we’ll turned things around this weekend.”

Larson is not the only driver that Becker needs to be concerned with on Saturday night. Sitting in third place is Auburn racer Andy Forsberg, the four-time defending champion of the series and one of Placerville’s winningest drivers in present time. Forsberg is only 24-points from the lead while Herman Klein of Sacramento is fourth, just 47-points out of the top spot.

Sitting in the fifth position is veteran driver Mike Benson of Calistoga who is in reach of the lead as well, 81-points out. Step one position out of the top five and once again you have more of the teen talent this series draws with 16-year-old Alissa Geving of Penngrove in sixth place, 88-points from the top and 17-year-old Myles Bishop of Escalon in seventh.
Geving is the current point leader at Petaluma Speedway with two feature wins there and the current top runner in the Civil War Rookie of the Year campaign. Bishop is lurking in her wake and is already a feature winner in the Civil War Series this year. Just a few years ago it was Becker that was known as one of the “young guns” in sprint car racing along with Forsberg, Klein and Benson. Now, these drivers are known as the veterans or simply the “old guys” of the sport as you could add the ages of Larson and Geving together and the result would still be younger than Forsberg, a driver who also cut his teeth in sprint car racing in this series and Placerville Speedway.

“It’s kind of funny when you think about it,” said Becker, now a former Silver Dollar Speedway and Golden State Series champion. “Who would have thought we’d be the old guys in this deal so soon. But that’s where this sport is heading, there is so much young talent here we have to stay on top things to stay on top. I’m confident going into this weekend and look forward to this race for the championship.”

If Becker rallies back at Placerville this Saturday, the road to the 2008 Civil War title is far from over as five races remain in the campaign. Upcoming events include appearances at Calistoga, Silver Dollar, Ocean and Petaluma. Becker spent muchof his young career racing with the Golden State Challenge Series so he performs well on nearly every track. However, as does Larson, Forsberg, Klein, Benson, Geving, Bishop and the list goes on and on. With very few repeat appearances in the remaining Civil War campaign, the “hometrack” advantage will not likely be a deciding factor in the championship title when come to the end back at Placerville Speedway in late September.

Saturday’s event could prove historical for Larson Saturday night. It could be the one place where Becker bounces back to a hearty point lead or it could see Forsberg use his years of Placerville experience to charge to the front. No matter what the scenario is the event is sure to be exciting and not to be missed by any true open wheel fan.

The gates to Placerville Speedway will open at 5 p.m. on Saturday with qualifying starting at 6:30 followed by an action packed racing program including four ten lap heat races, a C-feature, B-feature and the high dollar 30-lap A-feature which packs a total of 22 winged sprint cars on Placerville tight bullring Adult tickets will be $15, Juniors will be $10, children $5 and under six is admitted for free.
    For further information on John Padjen Motorsports or the Civil War Sprint Car Series visit www.johnpadjenmotorsports.com.