PENNGROVE, CA (5-4-08) – Every time Alissa Geving returns to Placerville Speedway, things get a little bit better for the 16-year-old driver in her sophomore year of racing behind the wheel of the Chick-o-Motorsports, Pit Stop Usa #3x Maxim sprint car.

Saturday, May 3 was a busy day for Geving and her entire team as they departed Penngrove at 7 a.m. and headed for El Dorado County to participate in the first annual Tribute to Al Hinds Sprint Car Show and bbq at Family Chevrolet in Shingle Springs. The area auto dealership is the annual sponsor of the Tribute to Al Hinds race at Placerville Speedway and Geving was one of 16 different drivers they invited to the event that drew some 500 race fans and families who had the opportunity to meet a number of different drivers.

“I would like to thank Tony Montalbano for inviting me to the bbq at Family Chevrolet,” said Geving. “It was an honor and a blast. I have learned a lot this year and I have gained some awesome friendships. I’m proud to be part of such an awesome organization, the Civil War Series.”

Following an afternoon of meeting hundreds of area race fans and excited youngsters, Geving and the crew headed further east in the afternoon to Placerville Speedway. The return to the action packed bullring marked just her third visit in her racing career. The characteristics of Placerville Speedway are quite different that that of Petaluma and Silver Dollar Speedway which Geving and the team frequent and have mastered the set up accordingly.

In qualifying, Geving was the 19th car to take to the track. Placerville has been a challenge in qualifying during previous visits but Saturday that was not the case when she turned a lap time of 10:767 seconds, placing her 12th in the 39 car field, her best qualifying effort at the foothill speedway ever.

Gevings’ qualifying time placed her in the fouth heat race of the evening where she started on the outside of the front row, next to Sacramento driver Willie Croft. Croft took the lead of the event while Geving followed in his wake and the two top runners broke away from the field. In the closing laps Geving closed in on Croft on pair of occasions but remained patient and drove a smart race, finishing second ahead of David Robinson Jr. and Brad Furr to secure a starting spot in the 30-lap A-feature.

Starting 12th in the A-feature, Geving overtook Scott Kinney for the 11th position on the second lap and then fell victim to a dry slick race surface and an ill handling car, spinning out to draw the yellow flag. Following then restart, Geving began working her way back into the race and just after moving into the 21st position lost traction in the first and second turns to spin a second time, forcing her to the pits for the evening.

Disappointed with her night, Geving remained positive and optimistic about her third visit to Placerville Speedway. “Placerville was an overall good experience, ” said Geving. “Qualifying was the best part of the night because I finally got dialed in as opposed to past experiences. I was very happy with 12th in qualifying. The heat race went well too, I found a lot of moisture on the track and that helped me get second place. Our night ended bad but the rest was great so I’m happy.”

Geving’s father Gary, a multiple Petaluma Speedway champion who now spends his Saturday nights assisting his talented daughter in the pit area, credited Alissa for her effort Saturday night. “We just missed the set up tonight, and that’s my fault,” he said. “Alissa did a great job tonight. Each time we’ve come here she has gotten one step further. Tonight she made it into the A main and she hadn’t done that here before. This place is a lot different for us and we’re starting to figure it out so next time we’ll take another step forward.”

This Saturday, May 10 Geving and the Chick-O-Motorsports team will head back to their home track of Petaluma Speedway to resume their campaign in the 2008 All Pro Point Series championship. So far this season, Geving has had a great deal of success on the 3/8 mile track, earning one feature win, a second place and a third in the All Pro Series as well as a sixth place finish in with the Golden State Challenge Series, an event in which she competed with a 360 cubic inch motor.

Geving returns to Petaluma Speedway in the point lead of the weekly series. She has a 32-point advantage over veteran driver David Lindt Jr. of Sebastapol. Geving will return to the Civil War Series for the fourth leg of the 15 race campaign on Sunday, May 25 when the series visits Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico for a special event over the Memorial Day weekend.

Alissa Gevings’ title sponsors include Pit Stop USA, Auto Repairs Unlimited, Matt Cordiero Enterprises and A1A Muffler. Additional sponsors include Parker Stores, Sequoia Logistics, Tillet Tool, Kalembas Tire Center, Rossi Auto Body, Afex Graphics, ALC Machine Century 21st Healthy Club, Hose Doctor, Spin Tech Mufflers, Fast Lube Plus and Kaeding Performance. ALC Machine.

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