PLACERVILLE, California — After nearly a year and a half long dry spell, sprint car driver C.J. Humphreys of Placerville returned to victory lane Saturday night during the fifth Red Hawk Casino Championship point race of the season at ASA Sanctioned Placerville Speedway on the El Dorado County Fairgrounds.
Joining Humphreys in the Carl’s Jr. post race celebration were Pure Stock driver Tom Tilford who posted his third win of the year and Dan Brown Jr. of Nevada City who won his second feature in the Limited Late Model-Pro Stock class. The track’s primary divisions were joined by the Midget Lites of the Bay Cities Racing Association in which Joey Hoover of Elk Grove was the victor.
In the Hoosier Racing Tires sprint car feature event, Humphreys started on the outside of the front row for the 25-lap feature event. Polesitter Scott Kinney of Citrus Heights took the lead at the green flag. With nine laps complete a dog fight ensued between Humphreys and Kinney, Humphreys took the lead on the ninth lap and led the event until lap 12 when Kinney redeemed the position.
A series of caution flags and restarts slowed the event for the next three laps. On the 16th lap, however, Humphreys closed in on Kinney entering the second turns and powered his way past the leader traveling down the backstretch. Once in the front, Humphreys advanced to a lead of several car lengths while Placerville’s Jimmy Trulli, the Food 4 Less fast qualifier of the night, overtook Kinney for second place. At the finish line it was Humphreys with the win followed by Trulli, Greg DeCaires of Elk Grove, Trent Canales of Roseville and defending track champion Colby Wiesz of Colfax.
“Last year we set fast time so many times but just couldn’t get here at the end of the night,” said Humphreys. “Its been a year since we’ve won a feature and it feels good to be back here again. This past week we made some changes to the car that helped out a lot. I just have to thank my whole crew for all their hard work here tonight.”
Saturday night marked the first event to award the McDonald’s Hardcharger of each division. Rohnert Park’s Camron Mendes picked up the inaugural gift. Mendes started the feature event in the 16th position and charged his
way to the ninth position.
In the Coca Cola Pure Stock division, Tilford started the feature event on the outside of the first row with Woodland’s Scott Grunert on the pole. Tilford quickly took the lead of the event that underwent a red flag in the early laps when Grunert struck the back side hill and rolled over. He was uninjured in the incident but out of the race. Once restarted, Tilford dominated the top spot until lapped traffic late in the race saw Chico’s Heather Bartlett close in on the leader.
Tilford and Bartlett have dueled for the lead in nearly every event so far this season. In this event it came down to the final stretch of the race as the two exited the fourth turn approaching the checkered flag three wide with the lapped car of Danielle Clauson of Placerville. At the flag Tilford inched his way ahead of Bartlett in a photo finish. Jason Englund of Citrus Heights finished in third followed by Rick Grunert and Clauson. John Hollowhornbear was the McDonald’s Hardcharger, starting 11the to finish in the sixth position.
“I think this is the fourth time we have won the night before Mother’s Day so this one is for my mom again and for my wife Carissa as this is her first year as a new mom,” said Tilford. “I can’t say enough about this division and this track. Good things are happening to this place. The staff really cares about all the classes here now and they work hard to bring great things to the drivers like the Red Hawk sponsorship, Carl’s Jr. and McDonalds. Every bit counts to us and I think your seeing this place really come together now.”
In the Coors Light Limited Late Model-Pro Stock division Brown started on the pole foe the 15-lap event and led every single circuit between the green flag and the checkered.. The effort was Brown’s second win of the season to match fellow competitor Jerry Bartlett of Yuba City in the win column. Both Brown and Bartlett have developed a friendly rivalry in this division. Brown drives the same Pro Stock he win the title in last year while Bartlett pilots a Limited Late Model, a class in which the division will transition into by 2010. Saturday night Brown was followed across the line by Bartlett, who drove from fourth to second place to earn the McDonald’s Hardcharger award. Tom Arobogast finished in third followed by John Krehbiel of Placerville and Matt Davis of Auburn.
“I’m just glad to pick up another one, I have to keep up with Bartlett in these wins to have a chance at the championship,” said Brown. “This is my wife’s first year as a Mom so this one is for her and my own Mom for Mother’s Day.”
In the Midget Lites feature the event was delayed by a caution period that sent one driver to the hospital. Dakota Albright of Oakdale stalled just inside the backstretch. During the yellow flag, Brian Corso of Ripon struck Albright from behind at a speed, At press time Albright’s condition remained unknown. The Cold Springs Community Church awarded Albright with the nightly Hard Luck Award in the wake of the incident.
Joey Hoover started on the pole of the race and maintained the lead for the entire race that saw its share of red flags including roll-overs from Scott Kinney and Jason Sneep. At the finish line Hoover was followed by Rick Holbrook, of Vacaville, Chris Glass of Marysville, Doug Nunes of Kingsburg and Marshall Sexton of Ceres. The Hardcharger of this event was Lonny Alton who finished in ninth place after starting 19th.
Racing returns to Placerville this Saturday, May 16 with all three divisions along with the Nor Cal Dwarf Cars. Additional upcoming races include an addition to the regular schedule on June 3 when the Civil War Sprint Cars present ‘Wild Winged Wednesday” to make up an earlier event that was rained out. For further information log on to
www.placervillespeedway.com.
http://www.racingwest.com/news/articles/20536-hometown-boy-humphreys-returns-to-victory-lane.html
