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Carnett Clash wins go to Andy Forsberg, Ray Trimble, Dan Jinkerson and Mike Miller on Saturday at Placerville Speedway
Placerville, CA – One-week after claiming his 60th career Placerville Speedway victory Auburn, California’s Andy Forsberg returned on Saturday and charged to win number 61 during an exciting 25-lap Thompson’s Family of Dealerships Winged 360 Sprint Car main event.
Also picking up wins at the annual “Carnett Clash” on Saturday were Ray Trimble with the Ltd. Late Models, Dan Jinkerson with the Jay’s Mobile Welding & Fabricating Pure Stocks, Mike Miller with the Mini Trucks and Dave Mackey with the Vintage Hard Tops. Special thanks goes out to Fords Only, Country Lube Automotive, Dirt Solutions and Lungevity for elevating the purses for the Late Models, Pure Stocks and Mini Trucks during the night.
The 25-lap Thompson’s Family of Dealerships Winged 360 Sprint Car feature came to the line with recent Bradway Memorial winner Justin Sanders and 16-year-old Jodie Robinson sharing the front row. The initial start was all for naught though, as runner up in points Kalib Henry got into a spin to bring out the yellow. It forced him to the rear of the field where point leader going into the night, Tony Gualda, was lined-up after not getting a qualifying time to begin the evening.
Sanders then shot into the lead on the next attempt but would encounter problems and slow to a stop on lap-one, which ultimately ended his night. Shingle Springs veteran Justin Johnson then inherited the top-spot but after going back green Robinson found the high-side of the speedway to her liking and she charged past him to take over the lead, prior to a caution on lap-four. On the ensuing restart Andy Forsberg showed his muscle and stayed close to Robinson, eventually carving his way under her to put the F&F Racing X1 out front.
For the second straight week track prep took place prior to the A-main and it certainly paid off by giving drivers multiple lines to use on the quarter-mile. Great side-by-side racing was seen all throughout the field with numerous competitors battling their way forward. A couple of red flag periods were seen on lap seven for Kenny Wanderstadt and then lap 14 for Shane Golobic. Both drivers were okay, but their nights came to an end. With 11-laps remaining all eyes were on Henry, who had rocketed through the pack and restarted in fourth.
When going back green Forsberg had his way with things out front and was never seriously challenged en route to taking the Ron Stahl checkered flag for his second consecutive victory.
Henry was able to pick off a couple more spots and got by Robinson late to score an ultra-impressive runner up finish aboard the Jensen Motorsports No. 5. The son of former track champion Mike Henry has now claimed three consecutive podium finishes at the Placerville Speedway. For Robinson it marked her first career podium effort at the track and came aboard the Rick Spencer owner No. 34 machine. The daughter of three-time track titlist David Robinson Jr. has been very impressive the last two weekends.
Elk Grove’s Bobby McMahan looked solid in the feature once again to snag a fourth-place finish for the second straight week. The 1982 Placerville Speedway Rookie of the Year raced as high as second in the main event at one point. A couple more veterans that should be commended for fine nights are Justin Johnson and Placerville’s own CJ Humphreys, who ran fifth and sixth respectively. Both drivers have been strong supporters of the track over the years and it was nice to see them pick up good finishes on Saturday. Tony Gualda moved forward to cross the stripe in seventh after starting from last on the grid, with Shane Hopkins, Mike Benson and Chris Masters completing the top-10.
Three heat races were held during the night and went to Bubba Decaires, Justin Sanders and Jodie Robinson. Andy Forsberg began the night by earning the ADCO Driveline and Custom Exhaust Fast Time Award. His lap of 10.651 paced the 22-car field.
The Ltd. Late Model 20-lap feature saw Tyler Lightfoot and Ryan McDaniel lead the field down to green. Drama occurred early though as McDaniel, the current point leader, encountered problems and made a sharp right hand turn back into the pit area early on. Round one winner Ray Trimble eventually fought his way to the front as drivers battled for position behind him. Cars raced high and low with Tyler Lightfoot, Tom Tilford, Dan Brown Jr., Mike Lightfoot and others looking to catch up with the leader.
Contact to the inside of Lightfoot’s machine while racing for second cost him a few positions at one point. Brown was also attempting to take over second on lap 13 when an incident in traffic left him parked on the inside of turn two. It was all about Trimble out front in the closing laps who took the checkered flag by a sizable margin to snag his second Ltd. Late Model victory of the season and 13th of his career. Tilford, Mike Lightfoot, Tyler Lightfoot and Michael Helton rounded out the top-five. Dan Brown Jr. captured the night’s lone heat race.
The Jay’s Mobile Welding & Fabricating Pure Stocks provided some epic racing at the Carnett Clash in both their heat races and the 20-lap finale. Last weeks winner Dan Jinkerson and Dave Silva made up the front row for the feature and it saw Jinkerson jump into the lead. Just like the Ltd. Late Model and Winged 360 main events cars raced on every square inch of the tight bullring. Numerous movers and shakers were seen with cars running closely together in packs on the speedway. Ryan Peter Jason Palmer, Nick Baldwin, Silva, Kevin Jinkerson and others put on a show for the fans racing behind Jinkerson.
The fast-moving Jinkerson was perfect out front however and crossed under the checkered flag for yet another Placerville Speedway victory. It marked his 23rd career triumph at the track, which moves him into sole possession of sixth place on the all-time Jay’s Mobile Welding & Fabricating Pure Stock win list. Peter, Palmer, Baldwin and Silva ran second through fifth respectively. The remainder of the top-10 was comprised of Kevin Jinkerson, Scott Grunert, Rick Grunert, Ronnie Richards and Matthew Chacon. Dan Jinkerson and Dave Silva won the two thrilling heat races held during the night. A nice field of 17 Pure Stocks were on hand.
The Mini Trucks also had one of their best fields since they debuted a few years ago. A total of 10 truckers were in action and saw Mike Miller win both the heat race and the 20-lap feature. Chris Curtis, Ryan Murphy, Aaron Rupley and John LittleJohn completed the top-five.
Full results from the Carnett Clash can be viewed at https://speedhive.mylaps.com/Events/1657898?fbclid=IwAR0oK4YRrGCg6jGUbzNFNiCbhOeHigSyuxslw55nDrGQPwn5Qp--UdpoIis
The Placerville Speedway will be dark the next two weekends before resuming action with the “Dads and Grads Night” on Saturday June 1st. Division competing will include the Thompson’s Family of Dealerships Winged 360 Sprint Cars, Ltd. Late Models, Jay’s Mobile Welding & Fabricating Pure Stocks and the POWRi-BCRA Midgets.
Photos courtesy of Cleveland Digital Imaging