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SPRINT: Civil War 8/15 Preview

11 August 1998

The California Sprint Car Civil War Race Series swings back into action next Saturday night, August 15, at Twin Cities Speedway in Marysville. This event will be the third season visit to Mel Hall's quarter-mile clay oval nestled in the heart of the California farming community and the eighth round of competition for the 1998 Civil War campaign.

The California Sprint Car Civil War Race Series is dedicated to 360 cubic inch powered sprint cars. The competitive '98 series consists of 13 total events taking place on four different California tracks from the Sierra foothills to the coastal range. With seven events already in the history book, a total of 104 drivers have competed, and earned points in the Civil War series, six different drivers have posted feature event wins and the average car count has reached the 51 digit level after last weeks event at Placerville Speedway, one that hosted a total of 60 entrants. Placerville has been the site of the highest car counts in the Civil War series this season with a total of 62 drivers making the grade during the third round of competition back in May.

Leading the field into Saturday's big event will be 17-year-old Roger Crockett of Rio Linda. A second generation open-wheel racer, Crockett has led the Civil War point standings for the majority of the 1998 campaign and claimed his first victory in the series during last weeks Placerville event. After his recent victory, Crockett now leads the series point standings by a 36-point margin over Chico driver Shane Scott. Overall, Crockett has claimed 5 top-ten finishes during his Civil War championship effort, four of those being in the top five. Additionally, he has clocked fast time on two occasions during the season to earn valuable bonus points.

Although he has won two events this season, one at Petaluma and one at Marysville, Scott will have to set his sights on several more top finishes in an effort to close the gap between he and Crockett in the coming events. Overall the multi-time Silver Dollar Speedway champion has five top-ten finishes and three top fivers to maintain his second place rank in the point standings.

David Robinson Jr. of Sacramento continues to hold down the third place position in the series point standings. Currently, Robinson, who has scored three top-ten finishes and two top five positions thus far, trails Scott by 32-digits. Jeff Halleib of Grass Valley, by means of three top ten finishes and one top five showing, holds down the number four position with five points between he and Robinson while Jeff Young of Roseville rounds out the top five, just 14-points behind Halleib. Billy Wallace, Chad Riolo, Mike Wasina Jr., Mark Hall and Ricky Wondergem round out the top ten point runners.

Action is set to begin at 6:30 p.m. Saturday night with time trials. The front gates of Twin Cities Speedway will open at 5 p.m. at which time tickets will be available. Adult tickets will be $12, juniors $7 , children $3 .For any further information on this event contact the office of Twin Cities Speedway at (530) 742-9222 or the office of John Padjen Motorsports at (916) 969-7484.

CURRENT CIVIL WAR POINT STANDINGS (TOP 10)

1. ROGER CROCKETT 476
2. SHANE SCOTT 440
3. DAVID ROBINSON JR. 408
4. JEFF HALLEIB 403
5. JEFF YOUNG 389
6. BILLY WALLACE 388
7. CHAD RIOLO 382
8. MIKE WASINA JR. 362
9. MARK HALL 358
10. RICKY WONDERGEM 355