Hollywood Entertainment Public Relations
For Immediate Release, January 2, 2012
Media Contact: Robert Duggan ; rdugganPR@yahoo.com/Robert Duggan & Associates
Smith, Smith and Sanders Looking to Dethrone Forsberg
By Robert Duggan, Hollywood Entertainment Public Relations ... HOLLYWOOD, CA (01-2-12)...Prunedale, CA hot-shoe Justin Sanders has reached an agreement to drive the potent A.A. Johnson and Sons Concrete/Smitty Boys Racing #14s... sprint car for the 2012 race season. Sanders has made a name for himself winning numerous main events since moving into the sprint car ranks in 2009. The 19 year old is excited for the opportunity to drive for a team as established as the #14s. There is one common goal with the pairing of this super elite team; winning the 2012 Civil War Title.
The Steve Smith owned #14s had a strong run this past year with Kyle Hirst at the helm. The team competed in 36 races, capturing five wins and finishing second in the Civil War point standings. The driver/team combo won the Mel Hall Memorial at Marysville. It marked the second year in a row that the car won that race. In 2010 Stephen Allard piloted the #14s to victory.
The glue that keeps this team stuck together is veteran wrench tuner Darin Smith. The Roseville, CA resident has big expectations for Sanders and this team in 2012. “This kid is not afraid of the throttle. He reminds me of Robert Ballou,” said Smith. “He has a no holds barred style of racing that is something I look for in the drivers that we want to put in this car.” Smith went on to relay a comical story about Sanders. “I had to tell this kid who Andy Forsberg and Sean Becker are and how they get up on the wheel and race their butts off,” said Smith. “He is so focused on winning at the track he doesn't get caught up in what I would call the “wow factor” of who is in what car or what driver is in that nights race. This kid is fearless.”
Smith also credits Robert “the wrench” as a big part of this team. Other drivers that Smith has helped pilot to wins include Robert Ballou, Steven Tiner, Daron Clayton and a Spec Sprint Nationals win at Orland International Speedway with Chico resident Brad Bumgarner.
Smith's goal is to knock Forsberg off his pedestal. “It is time to take that big dog down,” said Smith. “Everyone seems to bow down to him and not want to take on the challenge of dethroning the six-time champion. That is why we hired Sanders to take a big bite out of Forsberg's behind.” Smith added, “A second place finish will not be acceptable this season.”
The team is currently pursuing Marketing Partners for the 2012 season. Please contact heavydmotorsports@hotmail.com for further information about a schedule and sponsor opportunities.
WATSONVILLE -- The luck of the draw sometimes makes a big difference, and it did for Prunedale's Justin Sanders on Friday as he made his way to his second feature win at Ocean Speedway in the Taco Bravo 360 winged sprint car series.
It was one year ago to the day that Sanders captured his first feature win against the big dogs of sprint car racing. Currently sixth in the overall standings, Sanders has two top-five finishes in his first three starts this year.
"To get a win against these guys, I really had to focus on hitting my marks," the 17-year-old Sanders said after leading the entire 30-lap race. "This series is so competitive, just finishing in the top five is an accomplishment. I've learned a lot since last year -- mostly about the drivers and their driving styles."
Like last year, this season's 360 winged sprint car series remains competitive, with a different feature winner each race.
Bud Kaeding won the first round at Ocean Speedway, Tommy Tarlton, the 2009 champion, won the second round in Santa Maria and now Sanders joins the list of winners.
Sanders' chassis set-up skills, which he acquired during his early years in Micro-600 sprint racing, seem to be paying dividends.
"Justin does all his own chassis work," his father Rick said. "I check the fluids and clean the car, and Justin works his magic with the chassis setup all by himself."
Chassis setup in sprint car racing is just as much an art as it is a science. To be good in dirt track racing, the art takes precedence. But a little luck doesn't hurt, either.
The feature started with an inverted field, where the positions of the top eight qualifiers were re-ordered based on a number drawn from a hat, putting Sanders in the front.
Looking for a third consecutive win at the speedway, Bud Kaeding made daring attempts in and out of slower traffic to pass Sanders before he finished second.
"Sanders never made a mistake; he had the bottom groove dialed in," Bud Kaeding said. "The top of the race track went away, so I needed to catch him in slower traffic or wait for a mistake. That never happened."
With a handful of feature winners, Sanders and Bud Kaeding included, the question remains as to who will become a two-time victor first.
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