Civil War Series roars into Marysville Saturday

MARYSVILLE — The opening round of the 2013 Hoosier Racing Tires Civil War Sprint Car Series is less than a week away at Marysville Raceway Park this Saturday, March 16. The series opener is the first of 14 events at six different venues in the season to come for the Civil War Series and is surely a race not to be missed as California’s best race teams converge on one of the areas most action packed dirt tracks.

After a very successful season opener two weeks ago, Marysville Raceway promoters Paul and Kathy Hawes are well prepared for the caliber of drivers set to assault their facility Saturday night as well as the onslaught of open wheel fans that will be flocking to the north state to pack the stands to see who will take to the podium in the first segment of this competitive series.

The Hoosier Racing Tires Civil War Sprint Car Series is a unique championship campaign managed by Handy Racing Promotions in conjunction with those tracks participating in the series such as Marysville Raceway Park. Each of the tracks that host this competitive tour during the season agree that their 360 sprint car division will “go dark” on the dates in which the series participates at one of the tracks on the tour.

This program format has proven successful over the last two decades and allows a driver to compete for the prestige of a championship title in a traveling campaign without forfeiting the same opportunities at his or her weekly track. At the same time the format produces impressive car counts for each race that pays a minimum of $2000 to the winner excluding bonus and additional contingency winnings, all of which will be unveiled this weekend in Marysville.

After a hiatus, Marysville Raceway Park brought the Hoosier Racing Tires Civil War Series back to its house last season, much to the delight of area race fans. Although its season opening event fell victim to Mother Nature last year, it’s sole event in May of 2012 brought filled the grandstands to capacity and brought 38 of the state’s best race teams to pay tribute to the late MRP promoter with the annual Mel Hall Memorial. Elk Grove native Kyle Hirst took home the victory in the 2012 Marysville event being chased to the line by series champion Andy Forsberg, Steven Tiner and Colby Wiesz in a race that truly impressed Hawes, who has made uncountable improvements to the facility over the last four years.

“The passing and dicing from front to back for all the mains made for a night when I didn’t have to be a promoter but only an enthusiastic fan again,” said Hawes, following the inaugural event. “In the A main the action was so great, the drivers so skilled that the checkered flag was waved way too soon.”

This Saturday night should fall nothing short of last year’s MRP event for the Civil War stars as they begin their competitive journey towards the coveted 2013 series championship. Topping the entry list will be defending Civil Was Series champion Andy Forsberg of Auburn. Forsberg garnered his seventh Civil War Series Championship last year and will look to kick start his pursuit of the title this Saturday night.

Forsberg’s recent event at Marysville resulted in a night of damage to his family owned sprint car and ended quite early he is expected to be in fast form this weekend back behind the wheel of the F&F Racing #X1 sprint car owned by the doctors of dirt, Steve Tuccelli and Alan Bradway.

Forsberg’s arch rival Sean “The Shark” Becker will surely be looking to take a bite out of “Mr. Excitement’s” early run at another championship Saturday night/. Becker is the most recent winner in Maysville, winning last week’s Sherm Toller Memorial over Tommy Tarlton, Greg DeCaires, Korey Lovell and Billy Wallace.

The grandstands at Marysville Raceway Park will open at 5 p.m. on Saturday and an early arrival to the speedway is suggested as attendance is expected to become of standing room only status due to the caliber of competition expected. The track is located at 1468 Simpson Lane in Marysville. To learn more about the track visit their website at http://www.marysvilleracewaypark.com/ or contact the track office at 530-743-1327.

In 2013, 111 different drivers earned points in the traveling Civil War Series. Following this weekends high octane opener, the Civil War Series will return to Antioch Speedway on March 30 and will then travel to Petaluma Speedway on April 27th.

To view the complete schedule for the Civil War Sprint Car Series visit the official website of the tour at civilwarsprints.com/. Those interested in supporting the series in the way of monetary or product sponsorship can contact series Media Director Bill Sullivan at bsullivan@handyracingpromotions.com