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AMERICAN VALLEY FAIR RACES

American Valley Speedway traditionally has races on the last day of the Plumas County Fair.

QUINCY (Aug. 16) – Folks on Sunday can enjoy what the fair has to offer then go right next door to the speedway and watch an evening of racing.

And that’s exactly what a bunch of them did and they see an evening full of exciting racing.

“Me and Pearson, we always run good together, we’re usually always up front together so I’ve just got to thank BMS Motorsports, my mom and dad, wife and everybody that helps out. My son, he comes out to the shop all the time and gives us a hand. It makes it fun for me so I enjoy it a lot,” Jeff Olschowka said after winning the IMCA feature race.

When the IMCA main began 16-cars took the green and followed Bill Pearson into the first turn. Then things slowed as one car spun and two others may have been involved in Turn 4.

Then Eli Zucker’s car stopped and had to be towed to the pits.

When racing resumed Pearson once again led the charge while Olschowka, who was in second, gave chase with Richard Papenhausen holding down third.

Soon the duo of Pearson and Olschowka, who were engaged in a side-by-side, place-swapping duel gapped the field. Then there was a quick caution after James Riggs spun in Turn 1.

After the green Olschowka took the outside line, Pearson held going down the backstretch but lost the point. Then Pearson retook the lead as the duel continued all around the track.

 

American Valley Speedway - Bill Pearson and Jeff Olschowka battle for the IMCA lead.

For much of the IMCA feature Bill Pearso (7n) and Jeff Olschowka (121) engaged in a side-by-side, place swapping duel for the lead.

By lap 16, when there was another caution, Olschowka was in the lead but Pearson was close behind. That caution was for Matt Murphy, who apparently lost a wheel and went straight into the barrier by the pit entrance.

After the clean up racing resumed and Olschowka pulled away while Papenhausen took second from Pearson.

 

American Valley Speedway - Jeff Olschowka wins the IMCA feature.

Jeff Olschowka wins the IMCA feature, his second win of the night.

For Quincy resident Olschowka this meant a sweep of the night for him as he won an earlier race as well.

For Pearson the night wasn’t too bad as he won the money that was the prize for the IMCA Trophy Dash.

 

Several Late Model racers apparently said they would show up and help round out the show. Sadly one five made the trip and one of the owner/drivers put Olschowka into one of his cars.

When the green waved Paul Guglielmoni was on point with Olschowka closing in. However thing slowed after one car spun in turn 4.

 

American Valley Speedway - Jeff Olschowka (96x) takes the lead from Paul Guglielmoni.

Jeff Olschowka (96x) takes the inside line to grab the lead from Paul Guglielmoni during the Late Model feature.

Once things got organized the green waved again and Guglielmoni briefly held the lead until Olschowka swept past him. Behind the leader Duane Cleaveland would work his way into second but there was no catching Olschowka as he won his first race of the night.

American Valley Speedway - Jeff Olschowka wins the Late Model main.

Scoring his first of two victories for the night, Jeff Olschowka takes the victory in the Late Model main.

 

“We had to work our way forward, these guys aren’t slouches. I’ve got to thank Matt Micheli, he owns this thing, without him I couldn’t be here. We brought both mods and late models up tonight,” Olschowka said after the race.

When the 13 Hobby Stocks began their race Sketter Bethal was on point but things quickly stopped after two cars tangled. Then everyone resumed their places and the green waved again.

Once again Bethal was on point followed by Dan Dias and Joe Blackwell. Then Blackwell used a outside move to take over second while Richard Longare had moved up to third.

A caution on Lap 3 came out after Nathen Howard had a flat and limped into the pits followed by Colby Russell, who also had a flat.

When racing resumed Bethal took off followed by Blackwell, Steve Gorden and Longare, who soon took the point. Behind him Jared Morris was on the move, took over second and began to challenge for the lead.

Then on lap 7 there was another caution as one car stopped in Turn two and another spun. One of those cars is actually an El Camino that lost a wheel but wound up out of harm’s way on the infield.

Once racing resumed Morris used an inside move to take the lead with Longare trying to catch him.

American Valley Speedway - Hobby Stock leader Jared Morris (33) is chased by Richard Longare.

Hobby Stock winner Richard Longare (07) chases then leader Jared Morris during their feature race.

 

The final caution, on lap 12, was caused when Bethal slows in Turn and would be pushed to the pits.

With three to go Morris took off with Longare giving chase. As they took the white flag it appeared to that Morris was going to win the contest but he spun out of contention in Turn 2 giving the victory to Longare.

 

American Valley Speedway - Richard Longare wins the Hobby Stock main.

Richard Longare wins the Hobby Stock Main.

“That was fun, that’s racing, you never know what’s going to happen so you just hang in there,” Longare said after the race. “He just lost it, got loose, kind of tucked it and came around for the checkered. It was a good surprise, that’s a blast.”

Then he thanked his family for their support and his sponsors, Kendall Oil, Impasse Plumbing, Harbor Oil, Cap and Andy’s Adventures out of Westwood, California and A&M Logging and Chester Auto Parts.

Capping his night Longare also won the Hobby Stock Trophy Dash and picked up the that cash award so he also swept his races.

Rounding out the show were the Mini Stocks and eight of these small cars took the green. Up front Jacob Fredrickson led the charge with Larry Whitebird holding down second

Soon Joe Wood took second followed by Kyle Belli in third. Then the top three left the rest of the pack.

Soon Belli was second while Whitebird had taken the point and opened up a small gap. Then the pace slowed after a caution came when Belli got a flat and headed for the pits.

 

Once the green waved Whitebeard and now Wood resumed the duel for first. Soon after that contact sent the truck of Robert Patterson into the backstretch K-rail and onto its side.

 

American Valley Speedway - Emergency Crew checks out Robert Patterson after his crash.

After his crash, the track’s emergency crew checks out driver Robert Patterson. He was unhurt but his truck was.

The race was stopped as the emergency crew rushed to his aid. While Patterson was OK, it took a while for the crew to get his truck away from the wall so they could put it back on its wheels.

Once racing resumed Whitebird took off with Belli in second. With one to go Belli slipped the front stretch wall but kept going although he had to settle for second behind Whitebird.

 

American Valley Speedway - Larry Whitebird wins the Mini Stock main.

Larry Whitebird takes the checkered as he wins the Mini Stock main.

Now everyone gets a couple of weeks off until August 29 when the track’s next to last race this season will be run. As usual there is a 7 p.m. starting time to the action.

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RESULTS

Late Models:

Heat: 1. Duane Cleaveland, 2. Jeff Olschowka, 3. Richard Papenhausen, 4. Matt Micheli, 5. Paul Gugliemoni

Main (20-Laps): 1. Jeff Olschowka, 2. Duane Cleaveland, 3. Richard Papenhausen, 4. Matt Micheli, 5. Paul Guglielmoni

IMCA:

Heat #1: 1. Bill Pearson, 2. Chase Nieman, 3. Matt Murphy, 4. Erica Buhr, 5. Jim Smith, 6. Scott McBeen

Heat #2: 1. Matt Micheli, 2. Jeff Olschowka, 3. Chris Nieman, 4. Bobby Higgins, 5. James Hite, 6. Mitch Machado

Heat #3: 1. Richard Papenhausen, 2. Mitch Murphy, 3. Jake Vantol, 4. Robert  Brumit, 5. James Riggs, 6. Eli Zucker

Trophy Dash: 1. Bill Pearson, 2. Richard Papenhausen, 3. Matt Micheli, 4. Chase Nieman, 5. Mitch Murphy, 6. Chris Nieman

Main (21-Laps): 1. Jeff Olschowka, 2. Richard Papenhausen, 3. Bill Pearson, 4. Chase Neiman, 5. Mitch Murphy, 6. Mitch Machado, 7. Erica Buhr. 8. Jake Vantol, 9. Chris Nieman, 10. James Hite, 11. Jim Smith, 12. James  Riggs, 13. Matt Murphy, 14. Scott McBeen, 15. Robert Brumit, 16. Duane Cleveland

Hobby Stocks:

Heat #1: 1. Richard Longare, 2. Jared Morris, 3. Joe Blackwell, 4. Dan Dias, 5. Lance Bain, 6. Mike Nichols

Heat #2: 1. Nathen Howard, 2. Steve Gorden, 3. Colby Russell, 4. Sketter Bethal, 5. Mark Hain, 6. Brittney Nieman

Trophy Dash: 1. Richard Longare, 2. Steve Gorden, 3. Jared Morris, 4. Nathen Howard

Main (15-Laps): 1. Richard Longare, 2. Steve Gorden, 3. Dan Dias, 4. Mark Hain, 5. Lance Bain, 6. Joe Blackwell, 7. Colby Russell, 8. Jared Morris, 9. Brittney Nieman, 10. Sketter Bethal, 11. Mike Nichols, 12. Nathen Howard, 13. Steve Goss

Mini Stocks:

Heat #1: 1. Kyle Belli, 2. Larry Whitebird, 3. Jacob Fredrickson, 4. Conner  McMillan

Heat #2: 1. Joe Wood, 2. Joszy Hartman, 3. Robert Patterson, 4. Billy Gibson

Main (15-Laps): 1. Larry Whitebird, 2. Kyle Belli, 3. Joe Wood, 4. Joszy Hartman, 5. Billy Gibson, 6. Conner McMullan, 7. Jocob Fredrickson, 8. Robert Patterson

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