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Two in a Row for Becker at Chico

By: Troy Hennig

(Chico, Ca 5-5-06)…Oroville’s Sean Becker won for the second week in a row at Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico on Friday night. Becker, driving the JEI chassis #35m owned by Tom Fisher and Kyle Main of Grass Valley, led most of the 25 lap main event. Dennis Moore Jr. passed him late in the race, but coming to the white flag Becker took the lead back. Moore’s lead was only for one lap. Becker held a two-car length lead at the finish. Tonight, GP Development sponsored the main event pushing the win to $2,000.

Danny Olmstead won the 20-lap wingless sprint main event. Olmstead passed last week’s winner Bob Newberry on a lap 12 restart. Newberry had led the first 11 laps. Olmstead went on to win the race followed by Newberry and Dave Hays Jr.

Scott Lenz of Oregon won the 20-lap dirt modified main event. He held off two-time track champion Randy McDaniel.

Jeff Olschowka of Marysville led all 20 laps of the pure stock main event for the win. Marysville’s Chris Warner finished second followed by Kevin Ward.

Chico’s Jonathan Allard started the night by besting the sprint car field in qualifying. He turned an 11. 718 to win the fastest lap award for the second straight week. A total of 34 cars were in the pits, however, two failed to qualify. Chico’s Troy Hovey scratched for the night while Matt Shelton had mechanical issues that prevented him from turning laps.

Becker started on the pole for the second consecutive week. At the green flag he led Dennis Moore Jr. into turn one. Auburn’s Andy Forsberg moved into the third spot while Allard was fourth and Johnny gray fifth. Cool, CA driver Brad Sweet moved into the six spot. He went on to score a fourth place finish. By doing so he was the highest finishing 360 driver in the field. Becker continued to drive smooth while Moore chased him and waited for a chance to get by Becker. On lap 12, contact between Forsberg and Allard sent Forsberg shooting across the infield and bringing out the yellow. Allard continued on while Forsberg restarted last. Allard put pressure on Moore Jr. for the second spot but was never able to get by. The race changed when Becker was unable to get a slower car. He went high while Moore Jr. went low. Moore Jr. took the lead. Becker drove his car to the top of the track and was able to pass Moore Jr. back. While that intense racing was taking place, Allard charging from third, slide off turn three and spun out. Coming down to the white flag it was Becker’s race to win. The same situation happened last week. Moore Jr. passed Becker in traffic, but within a lap, Becker took the lead back. Becker led the final lap for the win. Moore Jr. was second. Jason Statler started sixth and finished in third. Sweet was fourth and Johnny Gray was fifth.

Bob Newberry took the early lead of the Joe Hunt Magnetos wingless sprint main event. He looked like he was about to repeat also, but Danny Olmstead had other plans. Olmstead shadowed the leader for most of the race until he saw the opening he needed and past Newberry. Olmstead took the lead and led the final eight laps for the win. Dave Hays Jr. moved into the third spot and held onto it at the checkered. David Goodwill of Napa came home in the fourth spot. Matt Streeter was the fifth place across the line. During the race a terrifying flip involving Charlie Marrs brought out the red on lap 15. Marrs’ car was destroyed but he climbed from the wreckage and walked away. This division provided great racing tonight with few cautions and just the one flip.

Jeff Olschowka took the lead of the pure stock race on the first lap. Olschowka started the main in the second row. Throughout the race many drivers had difficulties getting through turns three and four. Many spinouts highlighted the race but none of the spins caused a yellow flag as the drivers did a god job keeping their cars going. Kevin Ward finished in the third spot. Last weeks winner Jeremy Blackshere finished fourth. Phil Marino of Chico crossed the line in fifth.

The final race of the night saw the dirt modified main event go all twenty laps. Scott Lenz drove the best race of his career at Chico and won the main event. Marysville’s Ryan McDaniel finished in second. He closed to within a car length many times but couldn’t get by. On the last lap McDaniel went to the top going into the third turn and made it a close finish. Chris Compton finished third. Dustin Massey was fourth and Duane Cleveland was fifth. The major action took place with Dustin Jenks and Randy McDaniel. Jenks was the early leader and McDaniel was second. McDaniel made a charge to the inside and going into turn three Jenks spun. When he did this he collected McDaniel. Added to the mess was Mike Sohnrey.

Nor Cal Performance heat one for the winged sprint cars saw Destiney Hays get the popular win. Becker won heat two. Brad Sweet got the win in heat three. Kevin Sharrah won the final heat race.

Chris Warner and Phil Marino won their respective heat races in the pure stocks.

Randy McDaniel and Scott Lenz picked up the dirt modified heat races wins.

Dave Hays Jr. won Nor Cal Performance heat one for the wingless sprints. Danny Olmstead won heat two. Rich Crumley took the third and final heat race.

Results

Sprint Cars

Fast Time: Jonathan Allard – 11.718

Heat 1: Destiney Hays, Allard, Stuart Krum, Robert Ballou, Korey Lovell

Heat 2: Sean Becker, Stephen Allard, Andy Forsberg, Jason Botsford, Chuck Gurney Jr.

Heat 3: Brad Sweet, Jason Statler, Kevin Lovell, Dennis Moore Jr., Michael Tarter

Heat 4: Kevin Sharrah, Brett Rollag, Colby Weisz, Shain Matthews, Johnny Gray

B Main: Gray, Roger Crockett, Gurney Jr., Lovell, Danny Ochs, Doug Lippincott, Matt Shelton, Eddy Lewis, Brett Miller, Tarter, Brad Bumgarner, Jeff Flure, Travis Moore, Greg Weiss, Jeremy Phillips, Robbie Whitchurch

A Main: Becker, Moore Jr., Statler, Sweet, Gray, Ballou, Crockett, Weisz, S. Allard, Gurney Jr., Hays, Forsberg, Kevin Lovell, Sharrah, Matthews

Wingless Sprints

Heat 1: Dave Hays Jr., Jeremy Hawes, Matt Streeter, R.C. Smith, Brian Wright

Heat 2: Danny Olmstead, David Goodwill, Charlie Marrs, Dennis Fraser, Justin Funkhouser,

Heat 3: Rich Crumley, Bob Newberry, Don Emery, Ryan McDaniel, Taylor Simas

B Main: B.J. Martin, Doug Butterfield, Jay Youngman, Terry Shank, Kenny Webber, Bob Johnson, Jeff Meusch, Nathan Johnson,

A Main: Olmstead, Newberry, Hays Jr., Goodwill, Streeter, Smith, Hawes, Youngman, Emery, Simas, Funkhouser, Butterfield, Crumley, Webber, McDaniel

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