PLACERVILLE, Calif. — Placerville Speedway opened its 55th season on Saturday night despite strict COVID-19 restrictions which included an empty grandstand.

Justyn Cox picked up his eighth Placerville win after starting on the front row of the 30-lap feature. Cox drove the C & M Motorsports No. 7c ahead of Colby Copeland and Michael Faccinto.

The race failed to complete a full lap before the yellow caution lights came on for a Devon Bordon spin in the third turn forcing a complete restart.  The race quickly became a battle between Cox, and polesitter Tony Gualda with Andy Forsberg joining the group.

With a pronounced two groove track, it was a matter of which lane the trio would choose as to who held what spot. It would be Cox who would have a slim advantage as the veteran Forsberg, the track winningest sprint car leader, was calculating a move to get to the top spot.

Unfortunately for Forsberg, he may have pushed a little too hard when he got sideways in turn one on the seventh lap and got clobbered by Ryan Robinson bringing out the race’s second caution. The impact damaged Forsberg’s rear end, ending his night and severely damaged the small wing on Robinson’s car, who was able to keep going without losing a position.

On the restart, Robinson’s car would not handle as well as prior to the wing damage and both he and Gualda would begin to lose positions.  The race would go to lap 11 before the next slowdown. This time it was Chase Johnson who would jump the turn-one cushion and then come to a stop on the backstretch to bring out the yellow flag.

The restart was short lived, as D.J .Netto would do a slow spin in the first turn, much like Forsberg, but quickly gassed his car, overshooting the inside berm.

With 22 of the original 24 starters still running, the field would click out several green flag laps with Michael Faccinto quietly moving into the runner up spot closely followed by Copeland. It was Cox, however, who would show his expertise in dealing with lapped traffic in keeping the point position.

One last caution with four laps to go, bunched the field back up, but it would also give Cox a clear track to race to the winner.

Coming out on the losing end was Faccinto as the restart put Copeland right on the tail of the second-place runner. Copeland made a bold outside move coming to the checkered to nip Faccinto by a car length.

The finish:

Justyn Cox, Colby Copeland, Michael Faccinto, Ryan Robinson, Tony Gualda, Blake Carrick, Sean Becker, Mitchell Faccinto, Tanner Carrick, Willie Croft, Shane Hopkins. J.J. Hickle, Zane Blanchard, Joey Ancona, Jodie Robinson, Bubba DeCaries, Bobby Butler, Devon Bordon, Kalib Henry, Michael Ing, Chase Johnson, D.J. Netto, Andy Forsberg, J.J. Ringo