CHICO, Calif. – Kyle Hirst won the seventh annual David Tarter Memorial Friday night at Silver Dollar Speedway, making him a five-time winner of the race.
With Hirst’s win in the 35-lap feature came a handsome $3,500 payday.
While Hirst should get the accolades, it was Chelsea Blevins who stole the show. Blevins led laps six through eight before falling back to fifth place on lap 25.
However, with nine laps to go she charged back towards the front, and for a split second, passed Hirst for the lead on the bottom in turns three and four.
Hirst passed her back before the lap was completed and the next time by, he dove to the bottom going through turns three and four.
In his post-race interview Hirst gave Blevins credit and said she showed him where he needed to be. Blevins finished in second, a Silver Dollar Speedway career-best finish.
Colby Copeland was fast all night as usual. Copeland methodically moved his way to the top and finished third. Kyle Offill led the first five laps, passed Blevins to get the lead back on lap 10, and from there showed poise and led up until a lap 26 restart.
Offill fell back to a fourth-place finish, while ninth-starting Michael Ing battled Andy Forsberg all night en route to a top five finish.
Sean Becker won an extra $500 due to the Kyle Larson Racing fast time bonus. Becker’s fast lap was a 12.094-second lap. Forsberg won the eight-lap dash. Blevins won the first heat. Young Blake Carrick won the second heat. Offill grabbed the win in heat three.
A total of 24 drivers entered point race number eight in honor of David Tarter.
After the dashes were completed, the Tarter family presented a new plaque to Kyle Hirst to replace the one he had lost in the Camp Fire. Now with the win, he will have a second plaque to take home with him.
Matt Micheli dominated the 20-lap street stock event. Phil Marino ran in the second spot for majority of the race but had an issue on lap 17 and finished sixth.
Brent Lawrence, Corey Hall, Kyle Allen and Richard Workman rounded out the top five. Hall won the lone heat race. Micheli dominated the dash to get the win.
Phil Marino, doing double duty tonight, led the first few laps of the IMCA Sport Mod main event. Yet, on lap two he stopped in turn four to bring out a yellow.
The new leader was Jeremy Phillips, and once Phillips was up front it was game over. He led the final 18 laps to get the win.  Tyler Rodgers was close and challenged Phillips but ended up second, while Marino charged back to a third-place finish.
Dash winner Craig Neiman finished fourth and Shayna Neiman came home fifth.
The 20-lap main event was slowed by seven caution flags. Marino and Todd Cooper each won their eight-lap heat race.