PENNGROVE, CA (5-1-10) – Two time Petaluma Speedway champion Alissa Geving of Penngrove continued her campaign in the 2010 Golden State Challenge King of California Sprint Car Series Saturday night. For the first time in her racing career, Geving took to the fast bullring Santa Maria Speedway in Nipomo, California for the sixth round of the traveling series for 410 sprint cars.

In her first venture on the high banks of Santa Maria, Geving was amidst one of her strongest runs of the year in the Golden State Series but a mechanical woe forced her our of the 30-lapo feature event just after the green flag. Despite the disappointment for the 18-year-old open wheel ace and her team, Geving still advanced in the series point standings.

In qualifying on Saturday night, Geving clocked in the seventh position, turning an impressive 14:042 second lap. The strong qualifying lap positioned her to later compete in the prestigious dash midway through the program to determine the fate of her starting position in the 30-lap A-feature.

In heat race competition, Geving finished in fifth place in the opening heat of the evening, further securing her position for the eight car dash that would determine her starting position for the eight car dash. The dash determined the first four rows of the 30-lap feature event later in the program and features the best of the best in an evening’s race program.

Starting in the seventh position, Geving fought off the challenges of Peter Murphy and Kyle Larson to secure a fifth place finish at the checkered flag behind Tommy Tarlton, Zach Zimmerly, Jonathan Allard and Bobby McMahan. The finish placed Geving on the inside of the third row in the starting line up of the feature event.

“The car was great all night,” said Geving. “I was hooked up in qualifying, did really good in the dash. I really think I had a top three car for the night.”

As the field was preparing for the feature event it was noticed that a bolt that mounts Geving’s brakes onto the rear end of the car was broken off. The damage was noticed far too late to make the necessary repairs, forcing her to call her night short due to the safety issue it posed. Geving took the green flag for the feature event, then pulled off the track surface. She was scored in the 21st starting position at the end of the night.

“Pulling out of the feature was really disappointing but I would rather be disappointed then be unsafe,” said Geving. “Fortunately it was noticed before we started racing. It could have been a really bad safety issue at speed. Now I get to go back to Chico this week so I am really excited.”

Despite the DNF, Geving advanced a position in the point standings of the Golden State Challenge Series where she now sits in the seventh position. This coming weekend she returns to Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico to compete in the Dave Bradway Jr. Memorial.

Those interested in sponsorship opportunities can contact team owner Gary Geving at: gary3x@yahoo.com. Media inquiries can also be sent to sullivanimages@sbcglobal.net.

[News Source]