FORSBERG NABS 2ND CAREER TROPHY CUP WIN

By Ron Rodda
VSP Contributing Racing Writer:

Tulare, CA. – Auburn, CA. driver Andy Forsberg is running his last event ever for his long time car owner, and he made the most of a pole assignment to win the opening night main of the 16th Annual Trophy Cup. His prior main event Cup win was in 2000 at Watsonville.

A 68 car field of winged 360’s checked in and Tim Kaeding again set fast time, bettering last year’s top mark with a 13.502 to take the 150 points available in qualifying. The top 48 cars ran one of six heats, inverting six by time and moving the top 3 into the A main. The cars ranked 49 and higher ran one of a trio of non-qualifier heats.

After all heats, the non-qualifier cars ran a pair of D mains, moving the top 2 from each to a 12 lap C main that included the last two from each of the six heats. Randy Hannagan, Ronnie Day, Davey Pombo, Mike Reinke, Roger Crockett, and Zach Zimmerly took the top 6 C main spots to move into the B main.
A talent laden B main inverted 6 by points and moved the top six finishers to the night’s 30 lap headliner. Mike Henry led 16 of the 20 laps from the outside front row before sixth starting Tim Kaeding drove around him on the top of turn 4 for the win. Henry followed to the line with Kyle Hirst, Tommy Tarlton, Steven Tiner, and Craig Stidham claiming the transfers.

The A main inverted 12 by points and was run on a fast, heavy surface. Some drivers were still able to make forward progress, but no significant pressure was put on Forsberg in his flag to flag run. Bobby McMahan ran the entire race in 2nd and Hirst was 3rd in the early stages.
When Hirst bicycled in turn 2 on the 3rd lap, Henry grabbed 3rd but became a DNF after 17 laps to end his run. Henry’s mechanical issues put rim riding Cory Eliason into 3rd and he put intense pressure on B. McMahan for 2nd until the top 3 came upon a lapped car late in the race.
With only 3 yellows slowing the pace, one for Hirst’s broken axle while in the top 5, incoming point leader, Shane Stewart was still able to move forward and took 3rd from his 12th starting spot, using the top of turn 4 on lap 27 for his final pass Forsberg, B. McMahan, and Stewart filled the podium at race’s end with Tyler Walker and Tim Kaeding next in line.

Points after the opening night are:

1. Shane Stewart 278 2. Tim Kaeding 269 3. Tyler Walker 266 4. Andy Forsberg 265 5. Bobby McMahan 263 6. Bud Kaeding 263 7. Cory Eliason 257 8. Brad Furr 256 9. Tommy Tarlton 255 10. Jonathan Allard 247

Main Event finishes: D main 1–Jesse Hockett, Brett Miller, Chad Compton, Kurt Nelson, Jonathan Logan, Todd Miller, Andy Ferris, Rusty Carlisle, Steve Dyer, Koen Shaw

D main 2–Zack Zimmerly, Stan Yockey, Randy Pierce, Albert Pombo, Pat Harvey, Roberto Kirby, Jim Richardson, Jerry Wise, Jr., Steve Jaquith, Burt Foland

C main–Randy Hannagan, Ronnie Day, Davey Pombo, Mike Reinke, Roger Crockett, Steven Tiner, Miller, Anthony Simone, Brad Bumgarner, Yockey, Jason Statler, Chad Groves, Hockett, Cody Darrah, Matt Sargent

B main–Tim Kaeding, Mike Henry, Kyle Hirst, Tommy Tarlton, Tiner, Craig Stidham, Hannagan, Peter Murphy, Craig Smith, Bradley Terrell, Crockett, Brock Lemley, Mason Moore, Sean Becker, Geoff Ensign, D. Pombo, Shane Golobic, Matt Barber, Reinke, Zimmerly, Justyn Cox, Wes Gutierrez, Day, Kyle Harris

A main–Andy Forsberg, Bobby McMahan, Shane Stewart, Tyler Walker, T. Kaeding, Cory Eliason, Jonathan Allard, Bud Kaeding, Brad Furr, Brent Kaeding, Tarlton, Wayne Johnson, Kyle Larson, Henry Van Dam, Stephen Allard, Paul McMahan, Mark Dobmeier, Andy Gregg, Steven Tiner, Cameron Mendes, Henry, Hirst, Greg DeCaires, Craig Stidham

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