Ensign wins second Adobe Cup main event

Geoff Ensign holds off Billy Aton to follow Tanner Thorson for an Adobe Cup win.|

Geoff Ensign scored a thrilling victory in the 30 lap PitStopUSA.com Wingless Spec Sprint Main Event Saturday night at Petaluma Speedway. It was the second night of the seventh annual Adobe Cup event, and Ensign drove the No. 98 car owned by Jeff Lee to the $1,000 win.

Matthew Haulot set the early pace before surrendering the lead to Ensign on lap five. Billy Aton quickly worked his way into second and started battling Ensign for the lead. Aton made his move into first, and was leading at the lap 15 mark ahead of Ensign and Halout. A lap-20 yellow flag slowed the pace, and Ensign went to work on Aton on the restart. Ensign made a late move into the lead, and won a close battle with Aton for the thrilling victory.

Three-time Hunt Series champion Terry Schank Jr finished third, followed by Bruno Bianchi, Dennis Furia Jr, Nick Larson, Eden McCormick, Ryon Siverling, Antioch champion Bob Newberry and Scott Chapeta.

The Spec Sprints ran an ASCS format with two sets of heat races for each driver to determine points. The first round of eight-lap heat race wins were recorded by Larson, Haulot, and Ensign. Ensign also won his second heat race with the other wins going to McCormick and new champion Shayna Sylvia. The Top 8 drivers in points after the heat races qualified for their starting positions in the first four rows of the Main Event and Ensign set the fast time of 14.633, beating the 15.136 of Haulot.

The General Hydroponics Redwood Dwarf Cars ran twin 25 Main Events, and Shawn Jones had the lead when the checkered flag waved after 50 laps. Terre Rothweiler led the pack at 25 laps with Jones in close pursuit, followed by Danny Wagner. Jones made his move early in the second segment of the race with Wagner charging into second. A yellow flag waved on lap 38, but Jones continued to hold off every effort from Wagner for the impressive win.

Young Adam Teves charged to a third-place finish, followed by Michael Grenert, Rothweiler, Scooter Gomes, Eric Weisler, Marcus Hardina, Chad Matthias and Marty Weisler.

There were 36 Dwarf Cars in action for the big show, and eight lap heat race wins went to Jones, Grenert, Thomas Lieby and Wagner.

The eight-lap C Main went to Danny Marsh by a comfortable margin ahead of Brady Beck and Trevor Mendenhall.

John Peters out-dueled Joe Barket to win the 12-lap B Main as Brandon Gentry, Adam Johnson and Eric Weisler rounded out the Top 5.

The Santa Rosa Auto Body 600 Micro Sprints ran a $500 to win Main Event, and David Engstrom won a close three-car race down the stretch.

Nick Robfogel just beat Paul Alonso back to the line for second. Cody Gray finished fourth, followed by Danny Rozendahl, Brian Slubik, Tony Soper, Kyle Grissom, Justin Adiego and Jim Beck. Eight-lap heat race wins went to Rozendahl, Gray and Engstrom as 20 drivers came to compete in this division.

Last week in the first round of Adobe Cup racing, Tanner Thorson came out the big winner in the 30-lap PitStopUSA.com Winged 360 Sprint Car Main Event, earning $5,000 for his win.

Thorson put himself in a good position to win when he was one of the Top eight qualifiers after heat races, and then timed second quick in the special qualifying session.

Thorson shared the front row with 2017 champion Ensign, and raced into the lead ahead of Ensign and Becker. Becker took over second on a Lap 3 restart with Kalib Henry following closely in third. There was one more yellow flag on Lap 7, and Thorson, Becker and Henry ran closely at the front of the pack. Henry slipped past Becker for second on Lap 27, and began to put the pressure on Thorson for the lead. However, Thorson just managed to hold off Henry at the checkered flag.

Becker settled for third, followed by Justyn Cox, Haulot, Justin Sanders, Aton, Andy Forsberg, Colby Johnson and Norm Johns.

There were 28 competitors for the big money show, and they each ran two 10-lap heat races to determine points for who would run the qualifying session. The first round of heat races were won by Ryan Bernal, Ensign, Eli Deshaies and Haulot. Becker, Aton, Thorson and Klint Simpson won the second round of heats. Ensign had the quickest qualifying lap at 12.242 to grab the pole for the big money race. Thorson was second quick at 12.258. Justin Sanders won the 12-lap B Main ahead of Chase Majdic, DJ Freitas, Wayne Katen and John Clark.

Mike Learn picked up the $2,000 win in the 35-lap Bob McCoy Memorial Race for the Lumberjacks Restaurant Super Stocks. Richard Workman returned to his former home track and set the early pace ahead of Steve Studebaker and Learn. Learn and Richard Brace Jr. both got by Studebaker for second and third on Lap 6, and a caution flag waved a lap later. On the restart, Learn charged past Workman for the lead. Workman held second until being passed by new track champion Mitch Machado on Lap 14. Brace quickly took over the third spot. Learn set a rapid pace during the second half of the race, and won by nearly a straightaway ahead of Machado, Brace, Studebaker, Tim O’Hara, Workman, Ryan Peter, Gary Newman, Bill Hall and Manny Avila.

Cabinets Plus put up $100 prizes for the heat race winners, and Learn and Marysville champion Chris Warner picked up those wins. Learn got the $100 bonus money for setting the quick time at 17.667, with Warner second quick at 17.728. Learn also received an additional $100 bonus from Cabinets Plus as the driver with the fastest lap in the Main Event. He was the only driver to crack the 17-second barrier at 16.924.

UPDATED: Please read and follow our commenting policy:
  • This is a family newspaper, please use a kind and respectful tone.
  • No profanity, hate speech or personal attacks. No off-topic remarks.
  • No disinformation about current events.
  • We will remove any comments — or commenters — that do not follow this commenting policy.