By Bill Sullivan/ Sullivan Images Media
PENNGROVE, CA (5-21-11) – Penngrove’s Alissa Geving returned to her home track of Petaluma Speedway Saturday night to continue her quest towards a third championship title in the competitive All Pro Sprint Car Series at the 3/8 mile track on the Sonoma Marin County Fairgrounds. After some trying moments early in the night, Geving rallied to an impressive third place finish in the second point race of the season.
“It was a good night for the Chicko Motorsports Team,” said Geving. “ We had some trouble before the night really got started and everybody pitched in to get the car ready in time for qualifying. This new car and the great teamwork we have this season is really making us strong early in the season, I couldn’t be happier with the way things are going.”
When Geving refers to trouble before the night began, it was the type of trouble that many drivers would suffer and just give up for the night. While practicing in hot laps, Geving became trapped with another car and suffered a damaging rollover that put every member of the team to work to gear up for qualifying that wasn’t too far away.
With all of the needed repairs to the Tillett Tool, A1A Muffler, Pit Stop USA #3 A.R.T chassis, Geving took to the track to set her destiny for the night to come. In qualifying, she turned the second fastest lap of the night with a 13:246 second lap, proving the car was ready to go for the second championship point race of the season at the track where Geving follows in the footsteps of her father Gary Geving and her late grandfather, Leroy “go get ‘em” Geving.
In heat race competition, Geving started in the fourth positions and crossed the finish line behind her local rival Bradley Terrell. Although she turned the second fastest lap of the evening in qualifying, she had her work ahead of her in the feature event a number ten was drawn for the inversion for the 25 lap feature event.
Starting in the ninth position, Geving quickly pushed her way into the top five of the field. Early in the race a battle developed between the leaders which were Trent Canales, Jeremy Burt, Terrell and second year driver Geoff Ensign. As the three front runners reached lapped traffic, Geving kept them in her sights, moving in behind Chase Johnson.
Canales suffered a roll over and Burt later fell out of contention with mechanical woes which permitted Terrell and Ensign to take over the battle for the lead while Geving moved into the fourth position trailing Johnson while planning her route into the top three on a track that offered several different racing groves on this particular night.
As the top runners raced their way into lapped traffic, Geving overtook Johnson for the third position and was closing in on the top two spot for the final laps of the race.. She remained within striking distance of Terrell and Ensign into the final laps of the race and appeared to be ready to pass Ensign for second place just as a yellow flag flew when Johnson spun out and forced a restart in which the single file format worked to the advantage of both Terrell and Ensign entering the final green flag of the night.
“That was an exciting race tonight,” said Geving. “Sure I would have like to have a win but to finish third in a race like this is good. I’d like to congratulate Bradley Terrell on his first win of the year and Geoff Ensign on such a good run tonight.”
In addition to racing at Petaluma Speedway this weekend, Geving also competed at Silver Dollar Speedway on Friday night in the weekly 410 sprint car series. In the 25-lap feature, Geving finished in the eighth place position.
This coming weekend Geving will return to Silver Dollar Speedway for the fourth round of the Civil War Sprint Car Series on Sunday night, May 29. This event is one of the special events on the Civil War tour as it takes place before one of the largest audiences at Silver Dollar Speedway during the annual Silver Dollar Fair.
Geving carries the sponsorship of Tillett Tool of Santa Rosa along with the online superstore Pit Stop USA that is based in Petaluma and Napa's Matt Cordeiro Enterprises a and Auto Repairs Unlimited with A1A Performance of Santa Rosa. Associate sponsors include Golden Gate Meat Company North, K&N Filters, Keizer Aluminum Wheels, R2C, Napa Auto Parts, Flowmaster Mufflers, Allstar Performance, Santa Rosa Auto Parts, Simpson Racing Products, 21st Century Health Club, Pro Shocks, ALC Machine and JW Web Design.
To learn more about Alissa Geving visit her official website at www.chick-o-motorsports.com. Chicko Motorsports can also be found on facebook.
