Forsberg captures Mel Hall Memorial

Andy Forsberg made a couple of nice moves to take the early lead of the 18thannual Mel Hall Memorial and would go on to collect his third consecutive Memorial win on Saturday at Marysville Raceway.

It was Forsberg’s 30th-career victory with the storied series.

Michael Ing and Geoff Ensign were the pole sitters who led the field to green for the 30-lap feature event, but the race’s first start would be called off as Billy Wallace would spin in turn three and put the field back in double file formation.

The second start would go off with no hitches and fans would be in for a treat as Ing, Ensign, and Forsberg ran threewide for the first two circuits. Then Forsberg was able to clear his challengers and begin opening up a lead.

On an immaculately prepared surface, Forsberg looked very strong out front as he awed the crowd as he carved his way through lapped traffic.

Behind Forsberg the action would be superb. Ing, Ensign, Tyler Seavey, Colby Wiesz and Brad Bumgarner would race in a tight wheel-to-wheel battle for second place until the race came to a halt on the 15th lap for Adam Brenton, who had a roll-over crash in turns three and four. Brenton would escape from his car unharmed.

Under the red, Bumgarner dropped

out of the race with car issues. Back underway, Forsberg would get out to a strong restart as he quickly gapped the lead pack and began chasing down the rear of the field.

Behind him, Wiesz would make a couple of nice moves to get by Seavey and Ensign to overtake the second spot, while Seavey and Ensign each jockeyed for third as Ing sat right behind the duo looking for an opening to sneak on the podium.

Upfront it was all Forsberg as he was able to keep Wiesz at bay. Wiesz would hang on for second and Seavey used a last lap pass to secure a career-best third place finish with the series.

Ensign finished fourth and Ing fifth.

“A lot of people wonder why I chose to come to Marysville and race tonight, and it’s to hold this little flag right here,” Forsberg said in regard to the commemorative flag given out to the winner on the night. The flag was a staple when Mel Hall promoted the speedway.

“It may not seem like much, but this was what it was all about when I was a little kid. We didn’t have all these great media types, and I would know how my dad did if he had one of these when he got home from the races. It’s cool to win this deal again.”

Kurt Nelson came home sixth, followed by Jake Haulot, Tanner Carrick, Mike Monahan, and Korey Lovell.

A total of 21 Civil War Series cars checked into the pit area on Saturday night and the night was kicked off with Geoff Ensign earning quicktime honors with a lap of 12.520 seconds on the quarter-mile track.

In the three heat races, wins would go to Ensign, Forsberg, and Wiesz. Ing earned the Dash win and led the field to green.