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FROM -
http://www1.pressdemocrat.com/article/20080306/SPORTS/803060329/1010/SPORT01
Penngrove's Geving receives sprint car honor
By BOB PADECKY
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
BOB PADECKY, PRESS DEMOCRAT COLUMNIST
Her ascendancy continues. Penngrove's Alissa Geving was given the
prestigious Paul Tyler Rising Star award Wednesday night by the
Motor Sports Press Association (MSPA) for her achievements during
the 2007 Sprint Car season.
Geving, 16 and a junior at Ursuline High School, won four main
events on dirt tracks in 2007, her first full season in Sprint Cars.
Winning two events in Antioch, Geving finished the season in second
place there, just eight points away from winning it. She won two
main events at the Petaluma dirt track. She also won five heats and
a top five season-ending placement at Petaluma. She was named Rookie
of the Year at both Antioch and Petaluma tracks.
The highlight of her 2007 season, however, was not finishing first
but finishing ninth out of 45 drivers last July at the half-mile
Calistoga track. Calistoga runs only two races a year there, as
drivers reach 150 miles an hour down the straightaway. It is
regarded as the fastest dirt track in California. It is an
intimidating track that has attracted and challenged veteran racers
for years. Geving managed to win the B-feature event and finished
ninth in the A-feature.
In order to win the award, named after a legendary motor sports
photographer who befriended countless young racers, the
qualifications were simple. The nominee had to be 18 years of age or
younger and, according to MSPA by-laws, had to achieve something
"phenomenal" during a race season. Did she?
"Oh, my, yes," said Beth Gribbin, MSPA president of the state-wide
organization that honors dirt racers along with motorcycle and
open-wheel drivers.
The awards ceremony -- the MSPA's 45th annual postseason Awards and
Green Flag dinner -- was held at an Oakland restaurant and featured
nine other award winners. None, however, were women, just as Geving
was the only female competing in Sprint Cars in 2007, as has been
her usual experience.
Fifteen at the time Geving is the youngest female driver ever to win
a Sprint Car feature event.
Geving, who maintains a 4.14 grade point average at Ursuline while
taking all Advance Placement courses, will now step up to the
ultra-competitive Civil War Series. The Civil War Series offers
bigger, faster cars, 360 cubic sprints. More than $100,000 is
available in combined winnings and championship funds at six
different tracks for a total of 15 events.
The Civil War Series allows Geving to maintain her Petaluma Speedway
weekly schedule, the Civil War Series' 15 events run on different
weekends. One of 40 drivers to compete in the Civil War Series,
Geving would like to win Rookie of the Year honors, an award almost
as significant as winning the series.
Geving's first Civil War series race is March 15th at Placerville
Speedway.
You can reach Staff Columnist Bob Padecky at 521-5490 or bob.padecky@pressdemocrat.com.
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