|
Petaluma Speedway
PETALUMA, Calif. (August 22) - He swooped: Defending 2008 Western All-Stars Dirt Late Model Champion Chris Shannon of Merced took advantage of a break in the Western All-Stars schedule, a heavy Petaluma 3/8ths and some timely moves in traffic to make his first appearance at Petaluma Speedway a winning one as he showed the rear of his #32s Shannon Pumps mount to a star studded field of 14 others in Petaluma's final point race of the 2009 Dirt Late Model Season.
He stole: Shannon took advantage of a great start and what turned out to be the preferred line into turn 1 and grabbed the lead from his outside front row starting spot from pole sitter Jeff Decker of Morgan Hill. Shannon never looked back from there, and after a lengthy yellow and a red flag in the first two laps, the latter for a massive, track blocking pileup which saw the #70 of Petaluma's Nick Perivolaris get crossed up in front of the back half of the field coming out of turn 2 on the very first lap, Shannon flashed under starter Joe Ponti's checkered flag nearly 3 car lengths in front of Decker, who finished 2nd. Perivolaris, Livermore's Shawn DeForest and newly crowned 2009 Petaluma Speedway All-Pro Late Model Champion John Silva of Fremont rounded out the top five.
Shannon was masterful on the point all race long, hitting his spots and never wavering despite the dogged pursuit of Decker, who was there to take advantage of an opportunity that never really came in a race that saw it go 23 straight laps after early race jitters saw the 4r of Anthony Restad, the 4p of Richard Papenhausen, and the 66 of Rod Arnold rendered non-contenders due to damage sustained in the early lap yellow and red.
He split: Shortly after the Main Event, Shannon wasn't hanging around for high fives, wanting to get back on the road for the trip back to Merced. He packed up his main event winning car and hit Hwy. 101 and drove off into the night before the next main event was over, looking like a huge threat to win the upcoming now $3000.00 to win 30th Annual M. Maselli and Sons Late Model Classic on September 12th right here at the Petaluma 3/8ths.
Vacaville's Paul Guglielmoni in his VacaValley Excavating 22g won the first of three heat races over the 4r Framing Building Improvements entry of Anthony Restad and Shannon. The second heat race was won by Chico's Richard Papenhausen in his potent Mohawk Trading Company, Papenhausen Construction mount over the 70 of Nick Perivolaris and the Pink Poodle sponsored 84 of Jeff Decker. Third heat race honors went to the 17s of Vacaville's Rick Shafer over the ASI/Finish Line Towing 72 of DeForest and the Novato Auto Dismantlers 66 of Novato's Rod Arnold.
A Main Results:
32s Shannon, 84 Decker, 70 Perivolaris, 72 DeForest, 59 Silva, 66 Arnold, 17s Rick Shafer, 22g Guglielmoni, c14 McGinnis, 56 Johnson, 42 Meazell, 83 Souza, 58b Ryan Shafer, 4r Restad, 4p Papenhausen
M. Maselli and Sons Entry Form and Flyer (Now paying $3000.00 to win, and top 4 finishers paying at least $1000.00 thanks to contingency sponsors www.raceimages.net, Sayf Tee Bar, Inc. and Finish Line Towing)
|
