PLACERVILLE, Calif. — Several drivers took a turn leading the main event, but when the checkered flag waved, it was veteran Andy Forsberg beating Sean Becker to win the 35-lap Sprint Car Challenge Tour season opener at Placerville Speedway.
Forsberg’s F&F Racing No. X1 just edged out Becker’s No. 88 for Menne/Monhoff Motorsports car.
Mitchell Faccinto brought his No. 37 Western Metal car home in the third position.
Young Tanner Carrick and Tim Kaeding made up the front row of the feature with Carrick getting the jump going into the first turn. The 17-year-old led the first 14 laps until he brought out his own caution when he spun high off the tricky turn two.
D.J. Netto inherited the lead having just passed Kaeding the lap before to take over the runner up spot. Netto would only lead two laps before he would bring out a caution with a flat right-rear tire.
Forsberg would become the new race leader but before a single lap would be completed Kaeding would also suffer a flat tire and the track would go back to yellow. Kaeding returned to the race after a tire replacement making all three of the previous front runners now running at the back of the field.
The track would go back to yellow on lap 22 when Kyle Offill did a half spin right in front of Carrick leaving him nowhere to go. A hard impact left Carrick’s white No. 83t with severe axle damage, ending his night. By now Becker had moved into the second spot after starting 10th.
The last 13 laps of the race were shades of the old Forsberg-Becker rivalry but Becker could only make it to Forsberg tail and no further. The No. X1 took the checkered with a full car and a half advantage. Forsberg picked up $4,500 for his efforts.
Thirty-two cars signed into the pit area
The finish:
Andy Forsberg, Sean Becker, Mitchell Faccinto, Kalib Henry, Shane Golobic, Justin Sanders, Tony Gualda, Kyle Hirst, Ryan Robinson, Ryan Bernal, Kyle Offill, Jimmy Trulli, D.J. Netto, Tim Kaeding, Justyn Cox, Mike Benson, Blake Carrick, Colby Johnson, Tanner Carrick, Chris Master, Willie Croft, Cody Lamar, Lucas Ashe, Chase Johnson