All Eyes on the Cup

It’s here. The one year anniversary of the biggest win in Mike Benson’s thirteen year career driving winged sprint cars. One year ago this weekend Benson was able to lead every lap of the “Calistoga Cup” and call his father from victory lane with the best Father’s Day gift Bob Benson has every received. All in all it was an incredible and emotional night for anyone who was ever involved with Benson Racing.
Defense of the “Cup” or the prospect of any victory at Calistoga Speedway whips the mostly Calistoga based team into a state of focus and determination that may be hard to understand for some people. It’s not about the money. It’s not about the trophy. For some people who have been involved with sprint car racing most of their lives dreaming about winning a race at Calistoga Speedway has become an obsession that cannot be defined in logical terms. Every member of the Benson Racing Team can be considered to be consumed by this obsession and one victory at Calistoga one year ago isn’t enough to put it to rest.
The entire Benson Racing Team looks forward to competing this weekend at Calistoga Speedway in what will be round five of the California Civil War Championship Series for 360ci winged sprint cars but the first of the year for what will be a very short four race Calistoga Speedway 2008 season. “We’re throwing everything we have at the two 360 races at Calistoga scheduled for this season” said Benson from his Calistoga shop. “We purposely went racing with the 410ci motor the past two weekends so that we could get the 360ci motor ready for this weekend. Winning last year was awesome but it’s just like guys who win their first Knoxville Nationals. It’s a huge deal but you immediately start thinking about how you can get another one. See you in Calistoga!”

410ci Three Race Highlights

The Benson Racing team competed in three 410ci winged sprint car events over the past two weekends on 5/31, 6/6, and 6/7. Here are the highlights:

Full results are here:

• http://www.johnpadjenmotorsports.com/gsc/2008/results/05/31.html
• http://www.johnpadjenmotorsports.com/silverDollar/2008/results/06/06-s.html
• http://www.johnpadjenmotorsports.com/gsc/2008/results/06/07.html

Best Finish in the Main Event: fifth place 6/6 at Silver Dollar Speedway

Best Qualifying Effort: seventh quick 6/6 at Silver Dollar Speedway

Best Heat Race Finish: third at Placerville Speedway 5/31 and Silver Dollar Speedway 6/6

All in all Benson racing transferred directly from their heat race to the main event two out of three times and transferred from the semi main to the main event with a third place finish the night they missed the transfer out of their heat race (Petaluma 6/7). Their worst main event finish of the three races came at Petaluma Speedway on 6/7 when the motor started to stumble early in the race and the team exited the race early after pulling the car into the pits to investigate the problem. Late in the week it was discovered that the 410ci motor had suffered a broken rocker arm which caused trouble they were experiencing on 6/7.