Untitled Document

Kaeding Wins Second in a Row at Chico By: Troy Hennig (Chico, CA 4-5-02)…Brent Kaeding continues his dominance at Silver Dollar Speedway in 2002 with a wire-to-wire win during the 20 lap Friday night main event. Kaeding took advantage of his pole position starting position after fast time award winner Peter Murphy drew the “6” inversion pill that placed Kaeding on the front row. However, it was not a cake walk for Kaeding. He received pressure from Chico’s Ryan Flynn late in the race.

Kaeding seized the lead right from the drop of the green flag. Flynn followed in second with Jason Statler in third and Peter Murphy in fourth. The first caution flew on lap three when Sean Becker came to a stop on the racetrack. Then four laps later, Steve Ferhman came to a stop on the front straight that collected Bud Walberg. When racing resumed it was a testament to why open wheel sprint car racing on dirt can be the most exciting form of entertainment in the world.

On lap nine, Jonathan Allard dove to the bottom of the track and moved into second place. While that happened, Statler and Flynn were battling for third with Peter Murphy and Tim Kaeding having there own dispute for fifth. Murphy was having a dream night coming into the main event. He had set fat time, won his heat race and was looking to clean sweep the nights racing action. Each lap the top seven kept swapping positions until Flynn made the most of an opportunity that moved him from fourth to second in one lap.

Allard then slipped back to fourth as out of nowhere emerged Roger Crockett who moved into the third spot on lap 14. As the slicing and dicing continued, up front Kaeding began to catch the back of the pack and it was slowing him down. Flynn, along with Crockett, began to close up on Kaeding. On lap 18, Flynn made a move to the bottom of three and four but Kaeding had the momentum of being on the top cushion and kept the lead. From there he was able to keep a safe comfort zone from Flynn and won the race. Flynn finished second for the second time in a row on Friday night, followed by Crockett, who in four races this year has finished no lower than third in the main event. Statler finished fourth and continues his impressive start to the season with Murphy coming home in fifth.

With 32 cars a sprint car B main event was needed. Steve “Flash” Ferhman took control of the race from the start and looked to be in complete control of the race. As the laps wore down, Billy Wallace emerged as the car to beat. He moved into second place on the last lap and then made an outside pass to take the lead away from Ferhman and win the race. Finishing third was hard charging Andy Forsberg. “Mr. Excitement,” who started in the 11th spot but steadily moved up to earn the transfer spot. The fourth and final transfer went to Sean Becker.

Results Sprint Cars

Fast Time: Peter Murphy: 15.706

Heat 1: Murphy, Beau Perkins, Jonathan Allard, Roger Crockett, Steve Ferhman

Heat 2: Troy Hovey, Rick Hirst, Destiny Hays, Ryan Flynn, Bryan Amos,

Heat 3: Kyle Schild, Bud Walberg, Brent Kaeding, Tim Kaeding, Robert Stice

Heat 4: Jason York, Garrett Ishii, Jason Statler, Stephen Allard, Bernie Sloop

B Main: Billy Wallace, Steve Ferhman, Andy Forsberg, Sean Becker, John Gray, Amos, Brian Coehlo, Sloop, Stuart Krum, Stice, Doug Lippincott, Dave Clarke, Bryan Evans

A Main: B. Kaeding, Flynn, Crockett, Statler, J. Allard, Murphy, T. Kaeding, S. Allard, Forsberg, Wallace, Schild, Ishii, York, Becker, Hirst.

"Travel life's road with a loving heart" - Pat Holtsman

HammerDownUSA.com Home