By Gary Thomas
Placerville, CA…An open wheel extravaganza will take to the El Dorado County Fairgrounds based Placerville Speedway when First Responders Night convenes this Saturday May 6th.
The stimulating night of racing on the hill is set to showcase the Thompson’s Dealerships Winged 360 Sprint Cars, the popular USAC Western States Midgets, BCRA Wingless Lightning Sprints and Mini Trucks.
We’re also set to honor our fallen friend CJ Humphreys during the night with a memorial lap and more during opening ceremonies. The entire racing community was saddened by the passing of Humphreys in February. The long-time Rescue, CA resident ranks fifth in all-time Winged 360 Sprint Car victories at Placerville Speedway, having netted 25 career triumphs.
“It’s going to be an emotional night, but also a special evening to remember CJ this Saturday,” commented Placerville Speedway Promoter Scott Russell. “He was an awesome person and an important part of our community in this area. We look forward to having the Winged 360 Sprint Cars and Mini Trucks, along with welcoming in the USAC Western States Midgets and Wingless Lightning Sprints on First Responders Night.”
Thanks to Thompson’s Family of Dealerships, Absolute Auto Glass and Motherlode Rock N Ready Mix, the winner of the Winged 360 Sprint Car main event on Saturday will walk away with a stout $3,850-to-win. The runner up in the feature will go home with $1,500; followed by the standard weekly payout down the line.
Sierra Foothills Wine Services has also upped the ante for the fast time award by adding an extra $550 to the pot. With $100 already from ADCO Driveline and $200 from Workforce Fitness Solutions, the overall fast qualifier will now claim $850 cash. Workforce Fitness Solutions has also donated $85 to each Winged Sprint Car heat race winner on Saturday. All the extra money is in memory of CJ Humphreys and his iconic No. 85 Sprint Car.
Modesto’s Tony Gomes and C&M Motorsports tallied their second Thompson’s Winged Sprint Car triumph of the season last Saturday. The combo has proven to be potent in the early campaign, having been a common sight at the front of the field. Another of the pleasant surprises of late has been the emergence of Wilton’s Ashlyn Rodriguez, who has secured back-to-back ADCO Driveline Fast Time Awards and is fresh off a runner up effort last week.
More drivers expected to take part in the fifth point race of the season for the “Winged Warriors” will include Hanford’s Michael Faccinto, Placerville’s Shane Hopkins, Dunnigan’s Luke Hayes, Shingle Spring’s Justin Johnson, Napa’s Chris Masters, Yuba City’s Seth and Drake Standley, Indiana’s Brinton Marvel, Clovis’ Dominic Gorden and others.
Race fans will also get an appetizer for what is to come later in the season at the Hangtown 100. The USAC Western States Midgets hit the red clay on Saturday for their first of two appearances this year. The “Mighty Midgets” are always spectacular on the Placerville bullring, making this weekend a can’t miss. The BCRA Lightning Sprints also shed their wings for the first time in 2023, as they tune-up for the November running of the Hangtown.
The Mini Trucks are locked and loaded for another point race during First Responders Night. Last Saturday’s win was pocketed by youngster Michael Murphy in what was a wild ending to the feature.
Tickets and Details:
Adult tickets on May 6th cost $20, while seniors 62+, military and juniors 12-17 will be $18. Kids 6-11 cost $7 and those five and under are free. Purchase tickets online at https://www.eventsprout.com/
Grandstand seating is general admission this Saturday night, except for the reserved seats marked for season ticket holders. Pit passes can be purchased at the pit gate or on Pit Pay to take advantage of the expanded seating area on the hill.
The pit gate will open at noon, with the front gate opening at 3pm. Happy Hour is offered when the gates open until 6pm in the grandstands featuring live music along with discounted Coors Light and Coors Original at the beer booth. The pit meeting will be held at 4:30pm with cars on track at 5:15. Hot laps, ADCO Driveline qualifying and racing will follow.
For those who can’t make it to the track, CaliDirt.TV will provide live flag-to-flag coverage of every Placerville Speedway point race this season. The live streaming service also includes each event with the Sprint Car Challenge Tour in 2023. Fans can purchase through a monthly membership or on a per race basis via https://calidirt.tv/
The Placerville Speedway is located on the beautiful El Dorado County Fairgrounds in Placerville, California. Take Hwy US-50 to Forni Road/Placerville Drive exit. Then go north on Placerville Drive to the Fairgrounds. The physical address is 100 Placerville Dr., Placerville, CA 95667. For more information on the Placerville Speedway log onto http://www.
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Upcoming events at Placerville Speedway:
Saturday May 6: Thompson’s Dealerships Winged 360 Sprint Cars, USAC Western States Midgets, BCRA Wingless Lightning Sprints and Mini Trucks | First Responders Night
Saturday May 20: Winged 360 Sprint Cars, Ltd. Late Models, Pure Stocks and Hunt Magnetos Wingless Tour | John Padjen Kids Bike Night presented by Pizza Factory
Images courtesy of D&P Photos and Tim Holland