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The 1998 California Sprint Car Civil War Race Series; a Season Review

6 December 1998

ROSEVILLE,CA - Looking back at the 1998 California Sprint Car Civil War Race Series, El Nino was the dominant force as it wreaked havoc on dirt tracks throughout California and affected or postponed nearly half of the 1998 Civil War Campaign. Despite the inclement weather, all 13 of the scheduled Civil War events took place and when mother nature wasn't dominating the headlines 17-year-old Roger Crockett of Rio Linda was doing just that.

Tossing himself between his father Brian's number 11 mount and the Roger Henderson owned number 7n machine, Crockett used consistency to drive his way to the top of the 1998 Civil War Championship, one that saw a total of 125 different drivers representing all five of the western states compete in and earn accumulative points towards the title.

Setting his sights on the championship title early in the season, Crockett approached the 13-race, 5-track campaign with consistency as a goal, a goal that led to a season ending 63-point advantage over Chico resident and season-long rival Shane Scott. While Crockett distanced Scott for the driver's title, Scott's car owner, Slim Danielson claimed the championship in the car owner category since Crockett piloted two different machines throughout the season.

Competing in all but one of the scheduled Civil War events, Crockett logged several impressive finishes along the championship trail which included fast time on four different occasions, two heat race victories, one B-main event win. He placed in the top five in feature event competition a total of seven times and in the top 10 on 11 occasions. Crockett's success in feature finishes included one victory, two 2nd places, three 3rds, one 4th, two 7th places, one 8th and one 10th.

Scott, finishing second in the season-end point standings, clocked fast time on one occasion, won two heat races and one B-main. He placed in the top five a total of nine times and the top ten 11 times. Scott's success at the finish line included three feature victories (Petaluma, Marysville, Chico). He scored two 3rd place finishes, one 4th, one 7th and two 8th place outings. A pair of nights in which mechanical woes sent him to the pits cost Scott valuable points, distancing him from Crockett as the challenge wound down to the final events. Both Crockett and Scott neglected to compete in the series finale as their dominance in the point standings allowed them to make "a gentlemen's'" agreement to race together in a conflicting event.

Chad Riolo of Roseville finished third in the point standings with 23-points between he and Scott. Riolo's success included one heat race victory and one B-main win. He finished in the top five in feature event competition four times and in the top ten seven different times. Top ten feature finishes included one second place, two 4th places, one 5th, one 7th and two 9th places.

Jeff Halleib of Grass Valley also was a top contender in the 1998 Civil War. Halleib finished fourth overall with 22-points separating him from Riolo. Halleib scored a heat race victory and placed in the top five in feature event competition on one occasion and in the top ten six times. His best feature finishes included one 5th, one 6th, three 8th places and one 10th.

Grass Valley driver Billy Wallace rounded out the top five in the campaign. Wallace, despite his share mishaps and hard-luck, powered his Larry Wallace #6w to within 12-points of Riolo and four points ahead of Sacramento's David Robinson Jr. During his Civil War stint, Wallace picked up one heat race win and placed in the top ten two times finishing 8th and 9th respectively.

Robinson, the 1998 Placerville Speedway track champion finished sixth in the 98 Civil War series. Robinson won two heat races and one B-main during the run. He finished in the top five in feature event competition four times and in the top ten five times. Robinson's success in feature competition included two victories, one of which was the prestigious "Pacific Sprint Cup" in Chico with the other at his home track of Placerville. Robinson also logged one 2nd place finish, one fifth and one ninth. The driver often referred to as "powerfeed" was in the third position entering the final event but his decision to race a conflicting event combined with much success of those drivers that were following close behind him set him back to sixth in the ranks.

Mark Hall of Grass Valley finished seventh behind Robinson. Hall claimed one heat race victory, placed in the top five two and in the top ten five times. Feature finishes included one win (Marysville) one 2nd place, and three 6ths. Hall was trailed in the ranks by Roseville's Jeff Young who won three heat races and placed in the top ten three times with 7th, 9th and 10th place finishes.

Former Northern Auto Race Club regular Kyle Schild of Sacramento finished ninth in the Civil War point standings. Schild won two heat races, one B-main and placed in the top ten two times with 4th place and 6th place finishes. Colfax racer Colby Weisz rounded out the top ten drivers in the point standings. Weisz clocked fast time on one occasion, scored one heat race victory and one B-main event. He placed in the top five twice and in the top ten three times with one victory, one 5th and one 6th place finish.

In addition to the top ten drivers, the 1998 Civil War Series had a number of drivers who raced the series on a part-time basis and many of these drivers had success during there appearances. In addition to Crockett, Scott, Robinson, Hall and Weisz, additional names to add to the list of feature event winners include Casey Kahne of Enumclaw, Washington. Kahn was the season opener at Marysville. Bobby McMahan of Rio Linda picked up a victory at Placerville Speedway. Rookie driver Mike Henry of Fair Oaks won a feature event at Chico while David Lindt Jr. of Sebastopol scored a win at Petaluma. All together 10 different drivers picked up feature event victories in the 1998 Civil War campaign.

Plans are now in works to complete and release the 1999 California Sprint Car Civil War Civil War Race Series schedule, one that is sure to bring excitement to at least five different California tracks, one of which will be entirely new to the Civil War Series. Look right here for all the details that are soon to come regarding California's premier traveling series for 360 cubic inch powered sprint cars.