Emerging Star Kofoid Wins Exciting Main Event at MRP


Emerging Star Kofoid Wins Exciting Main Event at MRP

Marysville, CA (March 18, 2017) – Youth was served Saturday night when teenage sensation Michael “Buddy” Kofoid won the 25-lap main event during his first official start in the sprint car division at Marysville Raceway. While Kofoid had previously practiced at a younger age in a sprint car at Marysville, he made his first start a memorable one as he held off fellow friend and another teenage gasser Tony Gualda to get the win. The two young guns battled on the tight and lightning fast quarter-mile clay oval speedway until the checkered flag was waived. While Kofoid should get all the accolades he deserves, Gualda must also be given props for a job well done. Both kids did a great job navigating slower cars and picking the right moments to make moves on the tricky racing surface. Mason Moore had a successful night by finishing third. Moore used the Marysville pointer opener as a chance to kick start his 2017 campaign behind the wheel of the famed x1 sprint car. Billy Wallace has a strong start to the season and finished fourth. Heath Hall won a heat race tonight and finished a respectable fifth. Kofoid started the night off by turning the fastest lap in qualifying at a 12.531. A total of 18 cars entered tonight’s race.

James Castleberry led all 12 laps to win the super stock main event. Castleberry also won the lone heat race for the division. Mike Walco shadowed Castleberry all night and finished second.

The General Jerry Bartlett won the outstanding IMCA Sport Mod main event. Howard Law led the race with two laps to go but left the door open for Bartlett to make his winning move. Both Law and Bartlett didn’t have much for Phillip Shelby who had a mechanical failure with four laps to go. Shelby had led the entire race up to that point.

Law inherited the lead only to see Bartlett pass him with a lap and half to go. Bartlett is a crowd favorite. His brash personality makes for a great spectacle on and off the track. Mike Merritt drove a solid race and finished third. Jason Ferguson drove up to a fourth-place finish. Shane Devolder started deep in the field and should be commended for his fifth-place finish. A scary accident happened on lap seven in turn two when Jim Waller’s car shot thru the turn two wall. His car catapulted out of the ball park and into a nearby ditch. While it was a scary incident Waller was reported in good spirits.

Cody Spencer is two for two in 2017 at Marysville Raceway. Spencer won the opening show on February 25th. Tonight, he passed Gary Paulson with two laps remaining and went on to win the race. It was an impressive drive considering Spencer started in the rear of the field after being involved in an early accident. Paulson had a great handle on the lead for most the race and should be happy with a second-place finish. Brett Youngman came home in the third spot. Thomas Leiby and Tim Sherman Jr. had a fantastic battle for the fourth spot.

Brian Compton obliterated the other starting Hobby Stocks and won by a wide margin in the 20 -lap main event. Compton said he was using tonight as a test and tune. Obviously, Compton didn’t need the practice but showed why he is constantly the best in this division. Burl Richardson was the only driver not a lap down. He finished in the second spot.

Full results are available at www.marysvilleraceway.com