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Sean
Becker Wins His First Dave Bradway Jr. Memorial at Chico
by Troy Hennig
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(Chico, CA 5-13-06)…Sometimes
things are just meant to be. Two months before the
racing season started in California the defending King
of California Sean Becker was without a ride for the
2006 campaign. At the same time, Tom Fisher and Kyle
Main of Grass Valley, CA were in the process of looking
for a driver and deciding their plans for the season.
The Grass Valley team wanted to run a limited schedule
based around Silver Dollar Speedway’s schedule. Becker
was focused on trying to defend his title. Luckily for
the two parties involved, they were able to meet in the
middle and join forces. It so far has started out better
than a Hollywood feel-good script. The team had already
won the opening two nights of point racing at Silver
Dollar Speedway but that was nothing compared to what
this team accomplished tonight. In only their fifth race
together as a team Becker drove the #35m JEI chassis
sponsored by Cherry St. Mini Storage, A1A Muffler,
Rolling Hills Reality and Lee Watson Inc. into victory
lane and became a first time winner of the Dave Bradway
Jr. Memorial. Becker and team took home roughly $5500
for the win consisting of the $3,000 regular payday win,
an extra grand from JPM Motorsports and extra lap money
bonus that are a tradition during the Bradway Jr. event.
A record 52 Golden State Series King of California
sprint cars entered the Dave Bradway Jr. Memorial event.
Becker earned the win when he passed Chuck Gurney Jr. on
lap 21 of the 40-lap race. The track took some serious
rubber during the main event. In victory lane Becker’s
tire was worn down to the core. “I was driving so slow
just to keep the tire from wearing down too fast,”
said Becker in victory lane. “When I got out of the
car the first thing I did was look at the right rear and
give it a kiss for lasting.” Jonathan Allard, a
three-time winner of the event, finished in the second
spot. Cool, CA driver Brad Sweet finished third, a
Golden State best for him. Becker also said into George
Hague’s infield microphone, “When I first starting
talking with crew chief Lee Watson he said ‘I want to
win the Bradway’ and I said ‘you’re being pretty
optimistic since we haven’t even raced together
yet’.” He later added, “ So I am happy for him and
it’s such an honor to win this race.” It is the
teams third win in five races. This partnership shows us
that when one-door closes another will open up somewhere
down the road.
Chuck Gurney Jr. led the first lap of the main event.
Becker was second and Jonathan Allard third. With the
track in rubber down mode the field quickly stretched
out single file. Everyone was equalized due to the one
lane racetrack. However, this track went on to provide
the fans with an exciting show that wasn’t over until
the checkered flew. On lap 19 Gurney Jr. had caught the
back of the pack when his first of two fateful events
happened. Willie Croft spun right in front of Gurney Jr.
who was forced to the infield, spun around but kept
going. With the yellow waiving he moved back into the
lead with great driving ability.
Two laps after the restart Becker was able to get around
Gurney Jr. for the lead. On lap 27 the first of five
right rear blowouts occurred when
Kyle Hirst came to a stop in turn one. Four laps
later, Gurney Jr. came to a stop. His right rear tire
was flat and he would give up second place. In moved
Allard followed by Brad Sweet.
With tire issues the biggest concern of all, it was
unbelievable to find out after the races that Sweet was
given a used tire to start the race on from Johnny
Gray’s team. Sweet’s right rear tire had been raced
on during a heat race with Gray. While Sweet hung on for
the third place finish, during a post race quick
inspection of right rear tires, his seemed to hold up
the best during the main event.
More concern was felt on lap 37 when two more cars
brought out the yellow. Brent Kaeding, running sixth at
the time, and fourth place Shain Matthews each wore
through their right rear tire. With just three laps to
go Becker, Allard and Sweet along with their crews had
to be wondering how much tread was left. The three
survived the final laps and finished in their running
order. Behind them were Dennis Moore Jr. and Mike Henry.
An extra $100 was presented to the night’s hard
charger. It wound up being Jason Statler who started
20th and finished tenth. Steve Swarmer, representing the
Pennsylvania Posse, donated the money.
Brent Kaeding led all 12 laps to win the B main event
and transfer into the feature. Colby Weisz was second,
driving a car partially owned by Dave Bradway Jr.’s
brother Alan. Brian DeRuyter was third and Johnny Gray
was fourth. Kyle Hirst and Jeff Delte
were the final two transfers.
Robert Ballou won
the 10 lap C main event. Delte followed him across the
line and into the B main. It was a very impressive night
for Delte who was the only car to transfer from the C, B
and into the A main. He finished 19th in the feature
main. Throughout the night he ran 62 main event laps
between the C, B and A features. Big Daddy’s Race
Center donated money to the last place finisher of this
race.
During the night Hoserville CA, an Internet message
board fan site, donated a right rear tire and five
sleeves of tear offs to the heat race winners. The
winner also was interviewed on the front straight and
then asked to give the trophy to a young fan in the
stands. Heat race one winner Willie Croft and heat two
winner Peter Murphy were able to do this. Because of
time constraints heat race three winner Brett Rollag and
Ronnie Day were not stopped on the front stretch.
John’s Racing Photo’s and ManCamp Motorsports also
donated things to give away to the children. Gus Welty
donated money to the last place finisher in heat one.
Tom Rolfe Trucking put up $500 for the night’s fastest
lap in qualifying. For the fourth time in a row at Chico
in 2006 Jonathan Allard earned the fast time award with
an 11.902. Of the 51 cars to make a qualifying lap, he
was the only driver in the 11-second bracket.
Big thanks need to go out to Dave and Dianne Durica for
handling all of the lap sponsor money. John and Robbie
Padjen for throwing in an extra $1,000 for the main
event winner. Hoserville CA, Fast Trak Wings, Scribner
Plastics, Tom Rolfe Trucking and the countless people
who donated their hard earned money into the Dave
Bradway Jr. lap money. We are lucky to be involved with
such a great sport and so many caring people.
Results Dave Bradway Jr. Memorial Race – May 13, 2006
Fast Time: Jonathan Allard – 11.902
Heat 1: Willie Croft, Allard, Andy Forsberg, Jason
Statler, Brent Kaeding
Heat 2: Peter Murphy, Billy Wallace, Dennis Moore Jr.,
Brad Furr, Colby Weisz
Heat 3: Brett Rollag, Shain Matthews, Chuck Gurney Jr.,
Mike Henry, Jon Maiwald
Heat 4: Ronnie Day, Roger Crockett, Brad Sweet, Sean
Becker, Kyle Hirst
C Main: Robert Ballou,
Jeff Delte, Carl Droivold, Craig Stidham, Danny Ochs,
Jason York, Stuart Krum, Pat Harvey, Eddy Lewis, David
Silveria, Chris Masters, Mark Workentine, Gary Hurley
Dash: Becker, Gurney Jr., Matthews, Allard, Moore Jr.,
Sweet, Forsberg, Henry
B Main: Brent Kaeding, Colby Weisz, Brian DeRuyter,
Johnny Gray, Kyle Hirst, Delte,
Stephen Allard, Ballou,
Destiny Hays, Robbie Whitchurch, Kevin Sharrah, Doug
Lippincott, Maiwald, Andy Gregg, Tony Silveria
A Main (40 laps): Becker, J. Allard, Sweet, Moore Jr.,
Henry, Forsberg, Weisz, Crockett, Murphy, Statler,
DeRuyter, Furr, Day, Kaeding, Gurney Jr.
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