ROSEVILLE, CA (1-20-10) - It is with great privilege that we are proud to present our top ten winged sprint car drivers of the past decade for 410 and 360 sprints. The criteria for our list included wins and championships only. Our formula included a point system. A driver earned one point for a main event win, three points for a local championship, i.e. Chico or Placerville, and six points for a traveling championship, Civil War and King of California. While we admit there are great drivers all over the state of California this list represents the best of our drivers and series. Thank you to all the teams and drivers that have competed at HRP series and tracks and we look forward to a new decade of great racing. It is also of note that all of the wins were gathered from the website at www.openwheeltimes.com.

*Drivers of the Decade 410 Racing*
1. Tim Kaeding - Simply the best. He recorded 65 wins in the span of the past ten years. Three of those years he was predominantly on the road, so statistically speaking, those numbers could of even been better. 2001 was his best win output with eight wins at Chico and six on the King of California Series. He won the championship at Chico in 2001 and backed it up a year later with his only Golden State Championship. In 2004, he won eight times on the Golden State tour, a record until Tyler Walker won 9 races in 2009. Locally, he has won the Dave Bradway Jr., Mini Gold Cup and Gold Cup prelims. Consistently he has been a fan favorite over the years.

2. Brent Kaeding- Arguably the greatest driver in the history of California winged sprint car racing Brent Kaeding picked-up 48 main event wins during the decade and claimed a trio of Golden State Challenge King of California Series championships, in addition to winning the final Northern Auto Racing Club title in 2000. The Campbell veteran scored victory at the prestigious Mini Gold Cup in 2001 and was also a multiple-time winner of the Dave Bradway Jr. Memorial, the Pombo-Sargent Classic and the Chris & Brian Faria Memorial among others throughout the 10-year stretch. Kaeding also scored a podium on his prelim night and a fourth place finish during the finale of the Gold Cup Race of Champions in 2008.

3. Jonathan Allard- Throughout the decade Jonathan Allard tallied 42 victories in California and scored a pair of Golden State Challenge King of California Series titles, as well as the Silver Dollar Speedway 410 championship in 2002. He also won the Dave Bradway Jr. Memorial on four separate occasions and garnered back-to-back Dirt Cup triumphs in 2005-'06, as well as prelim victories at the Dirt Cup in '08 & '09. Other highlights for Allard included capturing a preliminary night main event win at the Gold Cup Race of Champions in '07 and a strong third place result during the final night of the Gold Cup in '08, in addition to a fourth place result in '09 at the event.

4. Sean Becker - The 2005 King of California and Silver Dollar Speedway champion has racked up 24 wins throughout the past decade. 2007 was his best win total with seven driving the Fisher/Main Motorsports #35. Becker started off the decade driving for Gary Perkins #23. Becker also drove consistently for the McMillen/Rolfe #10, Rod and Sandy Fauver #64, and Sperry Motorsports #51. "The Shark," won his first King of California main event in 2003 wit his biggest win probably coming in the form of the Dave Bradway Jr. memorial in 2006. The last two years Becker has been confined to the Civil War Series and Friday nights at Chico.

5. Andy Forsberg - The two-time Silver Dollar Speedway champion in 2006 and 2008, was runner up in the Golden State Series in 2004. His best win total came in '04 with five victories, three in the King of California series and two at Chico. Mainly known for his dominance in 360 racing, Forsberg has had an impact when it comes to 410 racing. The past season was the only year that Forsberg did not secure a 410 win. Forsberg won 18 times during the past decade, most of them in the family owned #92. For two seasons he piloted the Family Auto Service #98 on the King of California series.

6. Tyler Walker- Despite competing in just a couple of seasons in California during the decade Tyler Walker tallied 14 main event victories in 410 sprint car competition and claimed the 2009 Golden State Challenge King of California Series championship. During the '09 season Walker scored nine GSC wins to set an all-time single season win record with the series. Other highlights included picking-up the Chris & Brian Faria Memorial at Thunderbowl Raceway in 2008 & '09, as well as the inaugural Doug Fort Memorial in Santa Maria and the opening prelim night at the Dirt Cup in '09.

7. Jason Statler - The Big Guy was a consistent performer the past decade while mainly following the King of California Series. The highlight was his 2004 Golden State championship. He earned four wins that year and won the Dave Bradway Jr. The following year he won three times and captured the Mini Gold Cup and the Chris Faria Memorial. For most of the decade he sat inside the DF Rios Construction #00 but also had a brief stint piloting the McMillen/Rolfe #10. In all, Statler is credited with 13 wins.

8. Stephan Allard - The Chico driver has worked for everything he has achieved in racing. It can not be stated enough how well he did throughout the decade while never having a full time ride for more than three years at a time. He had 14 wins, but leads the category for driving for the most different car owners. He has driven for Skip Jones #1m, the Kumar #1k, the McMillen/Rolfe #10, Wright One #35, Tiner #83 and Williams #0. He also drove the Main Motorsports #35m, Key #86, and the Lee #4d along with a few other one or two night races. He won the Silver Dollar Speedway track championship in 2007 and he had a shot to win the Golden State title in 2005 before parting ways with the Kumar #1k.

9. Jason Meyers- Although running only the 2002 season full-time in California for the decade Jason Meyers won 15-main events in the state and had several highlights including winning the Mini Gold Cup twice in 2007-'08, as well as scoring a pair of preliminary night wins at the Gold Cup Race of Champions in '08 & '09. Other victories for Meyers included capturing the Tribute to Gary Patterson, the Chris & Brian Faria Memorial and a $10,000-to-win non-sanctioned event at the Bakersfield Speedway in '02. The Clovis driver also won a World of Outlaw feature at the Perris Auto Speedway in '04 and claimed the Cotton Classic at Kings Speedway in '06.

10. Steve Kent- One of California's all-time finest sprint car drivers retired after the 2006 season, but Fresno's Steve Kent still scored 13 victories during the decade and claimed big wins at a $10,000-to-win event at the Bakersfield Speedway in 2000 and also picked-up multiple victories at the Salute to Walter T Ross and the Tribute to Gary Patterson at Calistoga Speedway. Always a master of the Calistoga half-mile Kent tallied six wins at the track in the decade and won the final three Golden State Challenge Series starts of his career at the historic track. Other highlights for Kent included winning the 2001 Jim Raper Memorial Dirt Cup and also putting together a string of five straight podium finishes at the Dirt Cup from 2000-'04.

Point totals (1 point for win, 3 points local title, 6 six points traveling series)
1) Tim Kaeding 74 65 wins, Chico title 3 points, King title 6 points
2) Brent Kaeding 66 48 wins, 3 King titles 18 points
3) Jonathan Allard 54 42 wins, 2 king titles 12 points
4) Sean Becker 33 24 wins, Chico title 3 points, King title 6 points
5) Andy Forsberg 24 18 wins, 2 Chico titles 6 points
6) Tyler Walker 20 14 wins, 1 King title 6 points
7) Jason Statler 19 13 wins, 1 King title 6 points
8) Stephen Allard 17 14 wins, Chico title 3 points
9) Jason Meyers 15 15 wins
10) Steve Kent 13 13 wins

*Driver's of the Decade 360 Racing - Same Criteria as 410 Points*
1. Andy Forsberg - The Auburn driver completely dominated the decade when it came to local winged 360 racing. Forsberg won 38 times while earning four Civil War Tiles, 2000, '01, '06 and '07. He was also the 2000 Placerville Speedway track champ. Of his 38 wins, 11 of them were Civil War Main Event wins, the most of the decade. In 2006, he won 10 times between Placerville and Civil War. Add into the mix his two Chico titles driving a 410 and he collected seven Championships in 10 years.

2. David Robinson Jr. - "Powerfeed" was a force to be reckoned with in the early part of the decade. He won the Civil War Title in 2004 and back-to-back Placerville Titles in 2003 and '04. Most of his success came aboard the Family and Friend x1. Along the way he scored 21 wins, six of them being Civil War triumphs. Even more impressive was that at the start of the decade he was racing 410's for Mike Sala's #19. He was out of racing in 2006, '07 and '09. He was still the second best of the decade with our formula despite only racing for six of the ten years with the 360 series.

3. Sean Becker- One of the most notable Outlaw Kart racers of all-time in California Oroville's Sean Becker put together a strong decade in the 360 winged sprint car ranks bringing home a pair of Civil War Series titles, which included 11 total wins with the series, as well as a pair of weekly victories at the Placerville Speedway. Those two weekly wins at Placerville were major triumphs for Becker however, as they came in the $5,000-to-win Mark Forni Classic on back-to-back years in 2008-'09. Other highlights for Becker included winning the 2009 Pacific Sprint Cup and the Pacific Sprint Fall Nationals in 2009 at Silver Dollar Speedway.

4. Mike Henry- Always known as one of the toughest 360 drivers in the west Sacramento's Mike Henry won the Civil War Series title during back-to-back years in 2002-'03 and picked-up the Placerville Speedway championship in '02 as well. Henry scored four Civil War victories and five Placerville weekly victories throughout the decade.

5. Greg DeCaires - One of the most consistent racers in California, DeCaires started the first years of the decade racing without a wing. In 2002, DeCaires came back home in part with Lee Lindgren's #94 and the Kumar #1k. Greg scored 11 wins, three of them Civil War victories from 2002 to 2009. He scored two championships at Placerville Speedway in 2006 and '07. In 2005, he won his lone Civil War Title driving for John Taylor. These past two years he has teamed up with Mark Remund and drove the #39.

6. Colby Wiesz - The Colfax driver accumulated 17 wins during this past decade with seven of those being Civil War victories. Wiesz recently picked up back-to-back championships at Placerville Speedway driving for John Taylor. Outside of Taylor's car, Wiesz can usually be found in the family owned #21.

7. Roger Crockett- One of the strongest performers during the decade was Roger Crockett, who won a total of 22 main events split between Civil War and Placerville Speedway competition. Highlights for Crockett included claiming a pair of Pacific Sprint Cup wins at Silver Dollar Speedway and two Tribute to Al Hinds victories in Placerville. He also scored multiple preliminary night victories at the Pacific Sprint Fall Nationals and won the Silver Cup at Silver Dollar in 2009. The only thing keeping Crockett from a higher ranking is the fact that he did not claim a championship during the decade in California.

8. Billy Wallace - Grass Valley driver Billy Wallace had an amazing year in 2001. He won seven times that year on his way to the track championship, the second of his career. He has a total of 11 wins throughout the decade, four of them coming at Civil War events.

9. Joey Magaruh - During the mid 2000's, Joey Magaruh was as good as it gets in 360 racing. He won nine times between 2004, '05 and '06. In 2005 he was crowned the Placerville track champion. Three of his wins were during the Civil War Series. He has had his most success in his #47 along with the Flachman #55 and the Rick Williams #6

10. Kyle Hirst - Kyle Hirst is the second driver to make the top ten list without a championship. The Sacramento area racer Kyle Hirst claimed five Civil War wins and three victories in weekly competition at Placerville Speedway during the decade. Included in those triumphs are the $5,000-to-win Mark Forni Classic and in 2006 the $3,000-to-win Tribute to Al Hinds in '07 at Placerville. Other highlights in addition to those are a Pacific Sprint Cup win at Silver Dollar Speedway in 2008 and a pair of Pacific Sprint Fall Nationals prelim victories in '05 & '06.

Point totals (1 point for win, 3 points local title, 6 points traveling series)
1) Andy Forsberg 65 38 wins, 4 Civil War Titles, 1 Placerville
2) David Robinson Jr. 33 21 wins, 1 Civil War Title, 2 Placerville
3) Sean Becker 25 13 wins, 2 Civil War Titles
4) Mike Henry 24 9 wins, 2 Civil War Titles, 1 Placerville
5) Greg DeCaires 23 * 11 wins, 1 Civil War Title, 2 Placerville
6) Colby Wiesz 23 * 17 wins, 2 Placerville Title
7) Roger Crockett 22 22 wins
8) Billy Wallace 14 ** 11wins, 1 Placerville
9) Joey Magaruh 14 ** 11 wins, 1 Placerville
10) Kyle Hirst 8 wins
* Tie Break #1 awarded to Greg DeCaries because of his Civil War Title
** Tie Break #2 awarded to Billy Wallace for more Civil War wins, 4 - 3.
*** Tie Break importance went to championships, then civil war wins.