There were 25 GSC entrants on Friday night and Tulare’s Brian Coelho earned quick time honors with his 13.578 qualifying run. J Allard ran a 13.674 and previous week Santa Maria winner Kyle Hirst ranked third at 13.840. Also breaking into the 13’s were Shain Matthews at 13.885, Day at 13.939 and Tommy Tarlton at 13.957. Becker just missed in 7th as Statler, Jason York and Forsberg completed the quickest ten. Four cars each transferred from the four qualifying heat races and six more came from the B Main to complete a 22 car A Main event grid. Chico regular John Gray won heat 1 from the outside front row ahead of pole starter Lawrence Edlund and Coelho. Murphy also won from the outside front row in heat 2 ahead of Allard and Tarlton. Usual Rebel Cup 360 racer Monty Ferriera won heat 3 from the pole ahead of third starter Mike Faria and Charlie Louden. Danny Faria Jr impressed with his drive from 4th to win heat 4 ahead of Ricci Faria and Shain Matthews. Several of the faster cars finished outside the top four in the heat action and had to battle through the B Main. The scratch of Tommy Fogarty left just 8 cars to battle for six spots and Day won from the outside front row ahead of fourth starter Statler, Becker, Hirst, Jim Skinner and Kevin Pylant. Pylant returned to action after missing a couple weekends. The A Main had an 8 car inversion from the heat transfers putting D Faria Jr and Ballou on the front row ahead of Forsberg, Jason York, Tarlton, Matthews, Allard and Coelho. After a restart, the talented field ripped off 30 straight green flag laps and it was Faria Jr in front all the way. Forsberg started third and finished second behind the $3000 winner. Allard battled from 7th to finish third ahead of Ballou, Tarlton, 11th starting Becker, York, R Faria, Coelho, York and Day.

The field for Saturday night was 24 cars with the Key-Edlund team electing to enter a second car for Davey Key in addition to the series regular ride for Lawrence Edlund. The fourth car to run, Statler became the only racer in the 13’s with a 13.980 qualifying run. Allard was second at 14.046 and Matthews jumped up to third at 14.172. Former Outlaw Kart superstar Becker ranked fourth at 14.180 and Friday night fast timer Coelho had a 14.193. Day was sixth ahead of Forsberg, Ballou, Hirst and Skinner. Again four transfers from each of four six car inverted heat races and six more from a B Main. Pylant had the pole for heat 1 and won with sixth starter Statler second ahead of Coelho. Edlund captured heat 2 from second starting as Allard came from sixth to finish second ahead of fellow third row starter Day. Matthews turned heads when he won heat 3 from sixth ahead of fourth starter Faria Jr, the Friday night feature winner. Fifth starter Forsberg ran third. Becker also came from sixth to get a heat win in heat 4 as he chased down outside front row starter R Faria. Ballou started fifth and ran third. Ferriera was a B Main scratch so 7 cars battled for six transfers. Outside front row starter York won ahead of Skinner, Gray and Tarlton. Sixth quick Day was the feature winner ahead of fast timer Statler, 8th quick Ballou, fourth quick Becker, Tarlton, Matthews, Faria Jr, Allard, Skinner, R Faria and Coelho. Allard is now 71 points back of Becker and 15 ahead of Hirst. Forsberg was 20th on Saturday night and stands sixth in points, 7 behind the absent Kaeding. The series runs July 23rd in Watsonville and finishes up their season July 29-30 in Chico.

There were 18 Bandit unwinged 360 sprint cars and Sheridan’s 16.413 lap paced time trials on the 3/8 mile clay oval. Peter Murphy put a Tarlton team car in second at 16.503 and Davey Pombo Jr ran a 16.585. Forsberg ran his family car in the unwinged action and he timed in 4th at 16.840. Greg Porte ran a 16.993. Forsberg then out dueled Sheridan in heat 1 and Murphy came from the back to win heat 2 over John Burnett. Usual SCRA series racer Chad Boespflug returned to his hometown action and won heat 3 ahead of D Pombo Jr and Jonathan Logan. Everyone started the 25 lap feature and it was Sheridan the winner ahead of Forsberg, Murphy, Chaney, Burnett, Jimmy Reeves, John Iturriria, Boespflug, Ray Knight, Rusty Carlile and Josh Davis.

The delayed round one of the VRA/Bandit unwinged 360 sprint car Grand Slam Series runs on July 30th here at Kings Speedway with the IMCA Modifieds and Hot Stocks also in action as the Western Dirt Late Model Tour event scheduled for that night has been moved to Santa Maria Speedway.

Summary Friday Fast Time-Brian Coelho 13.578 Heat 1-John Gray, Lawrence Edlund, Coelho, Jason York, Jim Skinner. Heat 2-Peter Murphy, Jonathan Allard, Tommy Tarlton, Andy Forsberg, Kevin Pylant. Heat 3-Monty Ferriera, Mike Faria, Charlie Louden, Robert Ballou, Kyle Hirst. Heat 4-Danny Faria Jr, Ricci Faria, Shain Matthews, Doug Lippincott, Doug Moles. B Main-Ronnie Day, Jason Statler, Sean Becker, Hirst, Skinner, Pylant, Mark Barroso, Moles. A Main-D Faria Jr, Forsberg, J Allard, Ballou, Tarlton, Becker, York, R Faria, Coelho, York, Day, Gray, Skinner, Matthews, Louden, Murphy, Ferriera, Pylant, Lippincott, M Faria, Hirst, Edlund.

Saturday

Bandit Sprint Car Fast Time-Danny Sheridan 16.413 Heat 1-Andy Forsberg, Sheridan, Rusty Carlile, Evan Suggs, Josh Davis. Heat 2-Peter Murphy, John Burnett, Derrick Hearon, Jimmy Reeves, Greg Porte. Heat 3-Chad Boespflug, Davey Pombo Jr, Jonathan Logan, Albert Pombo, Arron Chaney. Main-Sheridan, Forsberg, Murphy, Chaney, Burnett, Reeves, John Iturriria, Boespflug, Ray Knight, Carlile, A Pombo, Davis, Porte, D Pombo, Darren Simas, Suggs, Logan, Hearon.

Winged 410 Sprint Car Fast Time-Jason Statler 13.980 Heat 1-Kevin Pylant, Statler, Brian Coelho, Kyle Hirst, Davey Key. Heat 2-Lawrence Edlund, Jonathan Allard, Ronnie Day, Peter Murphy, Jim Skinner. Heat 3-Shain Matthews, Danny Faria Jr, Andy Forsberg, Tommy Fogarty, Doug Lippincott. Heat 4-Sean Becker, Ricci Faria, Robert Ballou, Charlie Louden, Tommy Tarlton. B Main-Jason York, Skinner, John Gray, Tarlton, Key, Mark Barroso, Lippincott. A Main-Day, Statler, Ballou, Becker, Tarlton, Matthews, D Faria Jr, Allard, Skinner, R Faria, Coelho, Murphy, Edlund, Louden, Hirst, Fogarty, Statler, Pylant, Key, Barroso, Gray, Forsberg.