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R.I.P Christian Stover

Written By: Troy Hennig / Silver Dollar Speedway

For Immediate Release

(Chico, CA 4-2-09)…On behalf of the Silver Dollar Speedway, Placerville Speedway and everyone involved with Handy Racing Promotions, we would like to convey to the family of Christian Stover our condolences and deepest sentiments of sympathy on his tragic death Thursday night. Christian was a bright young man and an exciting driver to watch last year at our racetracks. “He always had a smile on his face and seemed to enjoy the camaraderie of our tight knit Northern California racing community, who in turn, took him in as one of our own,” said Troy Hennig, Announcer at Silver Dollar Speedway.

Christian was scheduled to race at tomorrow’s first point’s race in Chico and then travel to Antioch on Saturday night for the King of California Series. His good friend Willie Croft will take the checkered flag and circle the speedway for a memorial lap and we are also planning a missing man formation at the start of our winged 410-sprint car main event at Chico. “Christian was just a great kid,” said Croft. “He was one of the most polite, easy going, fun to hang out with people that I had ever met. My heart goes out to his family.”

“Christian was a promising young racer that turned many laps at our events last season and displaying all the qualities of a true sportsman," said Bill Sullivan, Director of Communications for Handy Racing Promotions. “We are truly shocked and heart broken to learn this tragic news. On behalf of all the associates of Handy Racing Promotions our thoughts and prayers go out to the Stover family in this time of loss.” Christian Stover will be deeply missed.

It is reported that Christian was involved in a four-wheeler quad accident Thursday night. Christian was just seventeen years old at the time of his accident. No further details are available at this time.

The words below have been taken from his website http://www.stoverracing.com

“The racing bug bit Christian early on in his life. He began racing bicycles competitively at the age of three. This made him one of the youngest BMX competitors ever. After watching one of his friends race his kid kart at Cajon Speedway Christian persuaded his dad to send him to an Apex Racing School taught by Dave DiMond. That was all it took for the then 8 year old from Lakeside, California to realize what he wanted to do with his life: RACE. Christian's dad and grandpa, along with their friend Garold, (a former karter himself), began working diligently in the garage making sure to give Christian every opportunity possible to win.

When not racing or competing vigorously on the racing circuit, Christian enjoys many activities outside the sport. His hobbies include golf, wake boarding, and enjoying time with friends and family.”

*Racing fans can support the Stover family by sending cards to:*

Stover Family

P.O. Box 158

Alpine, CA 91903

In lieu of flowers or gifts, the family has asked race fans to send donations to:

Racers For Christ / in memory of Christian Stover

“I’m a fan first and a photographer second,” said Brian Simonseth, echoing a settlement that constitutes the echos of 99 percent of photographers who ever crouched in a turn and aimed a lens at an approaching Sprinter. Simonseth has been has been taking photos in the Northwest for over 30 seasons.

“I come from a huge family and at family get togethers we always wanted pictures so I just started taking pictures of them. I was watching a race at Skagit Speedway from the tower and owner Steve Beitler just asked me to take pictures there one night and the next week I started taking pictures from the pits and tower. Three years ago, I was asked to take pictures at Deming Speedway.”

For Simonseth, being a fan sometimes gets in the way of a shot. “When something happens on the track, I just watch it instead of taking pictures of it and the Staff at Skagit and Deming has let me know it.”

Aside from Flat Out; his work has been featured in Sprint Car and Midget Magazine; Australian publications and “loads of adds in magazines/newspapers; numerous drivers web-sites; calendars; newspapers; racetrack programs and at Sprint Car Hall of Fame.”

Simonseth is a fixture at Skagit and Deming but is liable to turn up through-out the Western U.S. and Canada – either as a fan or a photographer!