PLACERVILLE, Calif. — Rico Abreu won the third annual 40 lap Nor-Cal Posse Shootout at the Placerville Speedway on Saturday night.
Abreu, who finished second in Friday’s main event, picked up $7,000 driving the Rico Abreu Racing No. 24.
Shane Golobic, the only driver able to challenge Abreu, finished second in the Matt Woods Racing NOS Energy Drink No. 17w. Golobic took home $5,000 for his second-place finish while Kyle Hirst pocketed $3,000. Fourth went to Andy Forsberg just ahead of Colby Copeland.
Abreu took the lead at the drop of the green beating Kalib Henry into the first turn. The caution lights would come out quickly as Cole Macedo stopped on the backstretch.
Polesitter Henry would be an unfortunate victim as he had a right rear tire going flat. He too would pit; however, his crew wasn’t able to make the tire change before the race would resume and he would be the race’s first retiree.
The double-file restart saw Abreu joined by Willie Croft. The race would go to lap 13 before the next yellow flag. J.J. Ringo spun to a stop high off the turn-three banking. The yellow also collected the cars of Macedo, Mike Benson, Jake Morgan and Bubba DeCaries who all spun attempting to slow down for the caution. Hirst had just gotten by Croft for the second spot.
On the restart, Croft had a huge bobble in the first turn, giving up five positions. By lap 25, Abreu had caught the back of the field with two lines of slow traffic. This enabled Golobic to close in on the leader and five laps later Golobic would get around Abreu to become the race’s second leader.
Tony Gualda would bring out the next caution when he stopped on the track in turn one with a flat right-rear tire, a result of hitting the front stretch wall at the flag stand.
With Golobic leading, it became a two-car race with less than 10 laps remaining. Golobic’s No. 17w stuck to the bottom of the track, the shorter way around while Abreu picked the high line as the two diced to the finish. As Abreu was gaining momentum, it was Golobic’s car that seemed to struggle getting off the corners fast enough to keep up with Abreu’s No. 24.
On lap 35, Abreu cleanly took over the top spot and pulled away to take the checkered unchallenged.
Forsberg, the newly crowned track champion, picked up the hard charger award by finishing fourth after starting 13th.
Forty-four cars timed in with Golobic setting fast time for the second night in a row.
The Finish:
Rico Abreu, Shane Golobic, Kyle Hirst, Andy Forsberg, Colby Copeland, Justyn Cox, Michael Faccinto, Ryan Robinson, Willie Croft, Tanner Carrick, Bobby McMahan, Cody Lamar, Bubba DeCaries, Jodie Robinson, Blake Carrick, Stephen Ingraham, Mike Benson, Tim Kaeding, Jarrett Soares, J.J. Ringo, Tony Gualda, Jake Morgan, Cole Macedo, Kalib Henry