PLACERVILLE, Calif. — Shane Hopkins has shown the impressive ability to pass cars over the last few seasons with more hard charger awards than anybody at Placerville Speedway.
Starting on the front row last night, however, he battled Tony Gomes around the midway point of the feature, before taking the lead en route to his third career Winged 360 Sprint Car triumph at the track. Hopkins’ win came aboard the familiar High Sierra Industries/ Anrak Corp. No. 21 mount.
Sharing victory lane during the Independence Day showcase were Oakley’s Nick Baldwin with the Red Hawk Resort + Casino Pure Stocks and Yuba City’s Rod Oliver with the Kings Meats Ltd. Late Models.
Despite having no fireworks due to the Esparto warehouse tragedy, the Placerville Speedway faithful filled the grandstands for what was an excellent night of racing and celebrating America.
The 30-lap finale for the Thompson’s Dealerships Winged Sprint Cars saw last week’s winner Tony Gomes jump out front. The Modesto driver had won his heat race earlier out of starting position number four, which gave him the pole for the main event.
With gorgeous temps during the evening for Independence Day, the racing remained hot and heavy with several intriguing battles taking place throughout the field. A lap 12 double file restart set up a big moment in the race, as Shane Hopkins stayed right with the leader.
Hopkins blasted to the outside through one and two and grabbed the lead down the backstretch. Gomes wasn’t done yet though and returned the favor on the next lap to move back out front. As he rounded turn two on lap 14 however, he got over the edge and dropped to third, with Hopkins and Austin Wood getting by.
Hopkins drove a great race over the remaining distance and withstood a closing Gomes over the final couple circuits to accept the Ed Entz checkered flag. Gomes and Wood kept fans on the edge of their seats over the waning laps as they fought hard for the runner up.
Behind Hopkins the top five read as Gomes, Wood, Lemoore’s Gauge Garcia and Tucson, Arizona’s Nick Parker.
