Story By: PJ PETERSON / PHR RACING – PLACERVILLE, CA – Returning to CA after spending last weekend in Las Vegas, NV, Andy Forsberg and company were on their game at the Placerville Speedway season opening event as Forsberg led all 25-laps and claimed the win at the Tribute to Al Hinds to raise the curtain on the 2025 season at the track he has called home.
“This race is always super cool to win,” Andy Forsberg said. “I am the old guy in the field now, and one of the few in the pits currently who knew Al and knew what he was about. It’s great that we have a race in his honor still and it is event better to pick up the win.”
With 30 cars jammed into the Placerville Speedway pit area, Forsberg got off to a great start to the night as he timed Meridian Cameras/Oroville Tax/Pacific Highway Rentals backed No. 92 in 4th fastest in time trials.
Lining up in the second row of his heat race, the Auburn, CA driver flexed some early muscle as he powered his way to the top spot and never looked back. Racing to the win, Forsberg automatically earned the pole for the feature event and was able to forego the redraw.
Leading the field to green on a fast and hooked up Placerville Speedway surface, Forsberg was extremely strong out front as he paced the likes of Tony Gomes, Austin Wood, and Tanner Carrick.
With cautions keeping him out of traffic at times, Forsberg was still able to maneuver through the back of the field when he did it approach it on a pair of occasions.
While he thought he was en route to an easy win, late in the race Austin Wood got his entry wound up and closed in the track champion. Taking a shot on the white flag lap in turns one and two, Forsberg was able to answer the challenge and then beat the youngster in a drag race to the checkered flag to claim the win.
“I’ll be honest, I was Wood poke his nose under me getting into one and two and I assumed he used his one bullet but then he came with a head of steam out of three and four and luckily I had enough momentum,” Forsberg added. “He is a really talented up and comer and last year I like to think I had a few conversations with him to try and help him in the right direction and out of all of the younger generation drivers that I’ve tried to help I think we actually listened and did a really good job.”