Two championships remain undetermined; Sprint Car Rookie of the Year contest hotter than ever
Media Release from Handy Racing Promotions Inc.
PLACERVILLE, CA (9-3-11) – This Saturday night will mark the final Red Hawk Casino Championship point race of the season at Placerville Speedway with a four division program that is sure to bring the fans to the edge of their seats as it concludes with the crowning of the 2011 division champions and Rookies of the Year.
Winged 360 Sprint Cars, Limited Late Models and Pure Stocks will all take to the track for the final point race of the season. The three track regulars will be joined for the night by the always exciting Nor Cal Dwarf Cars who will also be making their final appearance here for 2011.
When it comes to the Sprint Car championship at Placerville Speedway, two words can sum it up with one final night left on the schedule, “It’s Over.” Auburn resident Andy Forsberg officially clinched his third career Placerville Speedway title last Saturday night with a third place finish that increased his point lead to an insurmountable 65-points. While this is Forsberg’s third track title, it marks the first since he teamed up with the powerhouse F&F Racing Team owned by Steve “Tooch” Tuccelli and former driving champion Alan Bradway. The duo has been untouchable for much of the year and is sure to be a factor Saturday night without the stress of championship points on their mind.
While the title is officially determined, the battle for second place remains open between Placervilles’s Scott Russell who is currently in the bridesmaid position, just 21-points ahead of Brett Miller of Chico. Sean Becker of Roseville is fourth in the ranks over Placerville’s Jimmy Trulli who is just nine points out of fourth place and will look to overtake Becker in the final event of the year.
Although the race for the championship is over, the battle for the Rookie of the Year at Placerville is far from just that as two central valley youngsters will go head to head on Saturday night with one of the two taking the checkered flag as the 2011 Rookie of the Year.
According to Placerville Speedway rules, the Rookie of the Year contenders are drivers new to the sport or the division that have competed in less than half of the events during the previous years. The award goes to the highest "newbie" in the season ending point standings. Co Rookie’s are awarded on only one condition, that being; both eligible drivers become tied in the standings.
Currently, Matt Land of Elk Grove leads the contest for the Rookie of the Year title over Fair Oaks resident Jake Morgan. The two drivers will enter this final night of racing just 10 points apart and at the end of the night, the 2011 Rookie will pull on the front stretch along with the division champion for the post race celebrations.
Eighteen-year-old Land is a graduate of the Capitol City Midgets. The 18-year old Elk Grove native has been around racing all his life, starting in Outlaw Karts as a younger before advancing into the midgets and then full size springs. Additionally, his family is well known in the local racing community as the owners of MotoWear International in Sacramento, which provides a great deal of racing apparel locally and nationally.
As he heads into the final night of racing, Land remains humble about the Rookie of the Year title. He has spent this entire season racing smart and patient week after week with the guidance of his father, Tom Land and sprint car driver Greg DeCaires.
“Jake and I have been racing close for this all year long,” said Land. “It seems like if one of us is running far ahead of the other on a given night we end up spinning or something and racing right alongside one another from the back again. I’ve had a lot of fun racing this year. I wish Jake the best this Saturday night and hopefully at the end of the night we can finish on top. I really have to thank my whole family for their help along with Greg DeCaires, he has helped me learn so much this year about driving these bigger cars.”
Morgan is a mere 15-years old and was fresh out of the Outlaw Kart circuit when he made his debut this season. The son of former sprint car driver Gary Morgan is another up and coming driver that has the great support of a family rich in racing that have all come together to assist their latest generation wheelman. Jake races under the guidance of his father Gary, who too has a racing related business, Gary Morgan Graphics.
“I remember watching my dad race at Placerville and couldn’t wait until it was my turn,” said Morgan. “My rookie season has been up and down but overall it has been awesome. I just hope it becomes good enough to earn the Rookie of the Year. I do want to send out a good luck to Matt Land. I have a lot of people to thank for supporting us each week. All my sponsors, my family, friends and crew. I have had so much fun racing at Placerville Speedway. My Dad and my Grandpa Dave have worked really hard to give me a car I love driving.”
Both Land and Morgan are two young drivers that display the qualities of future champions. They are both patient, skilled and display great sportsmanship. This Saturday night one of the two will become Placerville’s newest ambassador of the sport as the 2011 Rookie of the Year alongside Forsberg, the veteran champion.
Moving to the Limited Late Models, this division has one of the hottest battles for the track championship in years. Longtime racer Thomas Arbogast of Auburn will enter the final night of race with a mere 5-point advantage over two time defending champion Dan Brown Jr. of Grass Valley.
Both drivers have multiple wins this season, Arbogast with two wins and Brown with three. They have traded the point lead back and four a couple of different times throughout the year and now it comes down to the final checkered flag of the year. However, it doesn’t stop with the top two drivers as Les Friend of Galt could be the spoiler in this title battle. Friend is third in the standings, just 11-points out of the point lead and just as hungry for his first championship as Arbogast is. \
Wait, that’s not all of the championship contenders in this growing division that has displayed a great deal of door rubbing side by side racing in recent weeks. Matt Davis of Auburn is also very much in the hunt. Davis is fourth in the standings, a mere 17-points out of the lead. In one night of racing a driver can earn 50-points in this division. Do the math, the Limited Late Model Division Championship at Placerville Speedway is far from over. Add in the extra cars expected for the big trophy night such as Matt Micheli, Jerry Bartlett and more and it is a sure bet the final night at Placerville Speedway will be one to remember for area stock car fans.
In the Pure Stock division, the championship title still is up for grabs as well. Clarence Holbrook III of Galt has moved back into the point lead after losing it for a week. Holbrook has a 16-point advantage over Burney McClure of Nevada City. Rick Grunert of Woodland is in the title hunt as well, sitting in third place, just 17-points out of the lead. Dennis Armstrong of El Dorado is fourth, 21-points back from the top position followed by Woodland’s Scotty Grunert and defending champion Chris Curtiss of Placerville. Mathematically, the top six drivers in this division could essentially win the title.
With the title fights, the big trophies and the addition of the Nor Cal Dwarf Cars on Saturday night, local race fans should get a dose of high octane racing for the final point race that is sure to carry them with memories through the winter months. The grandstands at Placerville Speedway will open at 5 p.m. on Saturday Adult tickets will be $13, seniors and juniors are $11 and Children are $6. For additional information visit www.placervillespeedway.com or contact he track office at 9160 783-DIRT.
Placerville Speedway is managed by Alan and Diane Handy of Handy Racing Promotions Inc. in conjunction with the El Dorado County Fairgrounds along with their contributing sponsors.
- Bill Sullivan on Aug 31, 2011
- Article Date: 8/31/2011