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NARC
NARC SPRINT CARS IMPLEMENTS SEVERAL RULE CHANGES, INCLUDING FORMAT
(1/20/23) Sacramento, CA ... The Northern Auto Racing Club rolled out its 2023 sprint car rulebook which features safety, equipment and format changes.
On the safety side of the racing business, fire suppression systems are required on every car by May 1st, and rock screens are required beginning at the NARC season opener on March 18th at Silver Dollar Speedway. The fire suppression rule is being mirrored by all sanctioning bodies and local tracks on the left coast.
Dish wings are no longer allowed. In addition, NARC will begin migrating to Hoosier's newly-designed asymmetrical rear drive tires as the season progresses. This includes the D15A and Medium right rear and the D12A left rear.) Front tire specs will not change. Hoosier HTW's can no longer be run.
The traveling sanctioning body, which will visit 15 different tracks this season to crown a "King of the West" champion, also announced a race format change. It is similar to what some other regional associations around the country currently are utilizing (AllStars). Heat races will be lined up straight up by time, except the fastest qualifier in each heat, which will invert to the fourth starting position. The heat race winner and the fastest qualifier from each heat will transfer to the dash, which determines the first three or four rows of the feature event (depending on number of heat races). Full details are spelled out in the 2023 rulebook.
The NARC General and Technical rule books, along with the 2023 membership forms can be downloaded at: https://wp.me/P8HUv9-iG.
PROPER TIMING: REUNION WITH BATES-HAMILTON RACING LEADS COX TO NEXT CHAPTER WITH NARC
(1/7/2023 – Alex Nieten) Sacramento, CA… Last year Justyn Cox found himself somewhat discouraged and uncertain of his racing future when the door opened to reunite with a former team where he’d experienced success, leading to Cox getting a second chance at a NARC Sprint Car championship in 2023.
After an underwhelming start to 2022 with his own team, Cox shelved his family car and wasn’t sure what would come next. Then in the fall, Bates-Hamilton Racing and Tim Kaeding decided to go in different directions.
Cox was familiar with the team owned by Joshua Bates and Roger Hamilton, having filled in for an injured Kaeding in the No. 42X back in 2018. Cox helped them secure the SCCT owner’s championship, and the pairing nearly won Trophy Cup.
With their past success and his own car on the sidelines, Cox decided to reach out.
“It was kind of just proper timing,” Cox said. “I hate to see anyone lose a ride, but when I saw that happened, I was kind of sitting idle. I had big plans for my own team, but it just wasn’t going the way that I thought it should. I just wasn’t enjoying racing at the time.
“When I decided to park my own team for a while and take a break, it was probably about a month after that they parted ways with TK,” Cox continued. “I thought it was maybe a good time to call them and see about getting in the car. There were some big races coming up. I just wanted to see if I still enjoyed racing maybe from a different outlook. Sometimes driving for people can open your eyes in a great light or a negative light.”
The light he found was bright and reassuring. BHR decided to bring him back aboard for a few races. Their first night reunited was October’s Morrie Williams Memorial at Keller Auto Speedway. In the second of the twin-20 lap features, Cox lined up on the front row and stayed near the top of the leaderboard the entire race, ultimately finishing second after nearly stealing the win in the final corner. The result marked his best finish to date with NARC.
After the early success, the team decided to pencil in a few more nights with Cox behind the wheel.
“Originally it was just going to be the Williams race and Trophy Cup,” Cox recalled. “It kind of just seemed to progress from there. I think running off the bat with a podium at the Williams race helped propel a little bit of excitement in the team.”
Cox went on to wheel the car for the final four races of the NARC campaign, picking up a trio of top-tens to close out the season. The consistency was encouraging for the team and revitalized Cox who had been combating some confidence issues after the first half of the year with his family car hadn’t gone according to plan.
“It was really encouraging because I’ve had a rough year for me,” Cox admitted. “I picked up a win at a local Watsonville show, but I just wasn’t competitive in my own stuff. For whatever reason, things weren’t clicking right. When you get in a slump, it’s really tough mentally to get out of it. So, to kind of hop back in at Hanford, which is one of my favorite tracks, and find speed in the second race felt really good… It kind of made me hungry to do it a lot more.”
Racing a lot more with the team is exactly what Cox is now set to do with the 2023 season on the horizon. The team was pleased enough with Cox’s performance that they decided to bring him back as their full-time driver for this year with their focus on a NARC title run.
“I think it was after Kern (County Raceway Park), where we had a really good run there from the back,” Cox said. “Roger was just really happy, and I wasn’t actually scheduled to run Stockton the following weekend. So, I kind of thought Kern was my last race. After the run, Roger was really happy and mentioned he’d really like me to run Stockton, so him and Josh put something together and got me back there.
“Stockton was going okay until I had an issue,” Cox continued. “I almost thought that was the end of it. Roger came down from the stands and pulled me aside and said he’d really like me to be his driver. We just had to work out a couple details and make sure his sponsors were okay with it and obviously Josh and Scotty (Taylor) and everybody involved. I think I heard a week into December that it was going to happen. It was just a big weight off my shoulders to hear from Josh and Roger that they believed in me and thought I was a good fit.”
This season will mark Cox’s second attempt at completing the full NARC campaign. The Clarksburg native’s rookie campaign came back in 2016 when he impressed by finishing third in points and claiming Rookie of the Year honors.
While it will be his sophomore try at tackling the entire NARC season, it’ll be Cox’s first with BHR. Back when he helped them wrap up the SCCT owner’s title, the team primarily focused on 360 racing and has since shifted their focus more towards 410s. Cox is looking forward to chasing a title with a team he has a history with and has built a solid rapport.
“The dynamic is good,” Cox said. “It’s all positive vibes. We’re all there to obviously do well but also enjoy what we’re doing. We’re very blessed to be at the racetrack. Those guys put in a lot of hard work. Josh spends a lot of hours at the shop. Scotty comes all the time to the shop to help and so does Roger. They’re just dedicated to the sport. They love it.”
The BHR team has become one of the steadiest forces on the NARC tour since adding some 410 engines to the shop. Over the past two seasons they collected three series victories with Tim Kaeding and finished third in points in 2021, narrowly missing the runner-up spot by just a point.
Heading into the season Cox has one main goal for the NARC campaign at that is to, at the least, replicate his points finish in 2016 by claiming one of the top-three spots. Another item on the bucket list he’ll have a chance to cross off this season is winning a NARC race. He’s finished third and second in his career, but the top spot of the podium has eluded him through 42 career feature starts. While he’ll be happy to get a win at any track, Cox has one particular race circled where an inaugural series victory would be a storybook moment.
“I think I’m kind of known as the guy that can run Placerville really well, so if we can pick off a Bradway (Memorial), that would mean the world to Josh, Roger, and Scotty,” Cox said.
“They’ve made it known that they want to win the Bradway. They almost did last year with Kyle (Hirst). I’ve done it with the SCCT portion, so if I can back it up and win the NARC side, especially if that was my first one, I could quit that day. That would be amazing. The Bradway, as a whole, is such a special race.”
Cox is also looking forward to the huge Pacific Northwest swing in mid-June that concludes with the $50,000 to win Dirt Cup at Skagit Speedway. Even though he’s from California, much of Cox’s early sprint car experience came in the Northwest driving for Harley Van Dyke.
“I’m really looking forward to the Northwest swing,” Cox commented. “I’ve spent a lot of years going to Oregon. I’ve always ran the Northern Speedweeks, and I kind of got my feet wet in the Northwest. My rookie year in a sprint car I won the Rookie of the Year award for the ASCS Northwest region.”
Just a tad more than two months remain before the 2023 NARC season receives the green flag at Silver Dollar Speedway. With Cox fitting in so well in the Bates-Hamilton Racing organization and the team’s success over the past few seasons, the combination will be one to watch throughout the duration of the campaign. After the uncertainty that came with parking his family car last summer, Cox couldn’t be more appreciative of the opportunity.
“I’m just excited and humbled to do this with Josh, Roger, Scotty, and Bates-Hamilton Racing as a whole,” Cox said. “I’m excited to hopefully find a home with a team. I’ve had great opportunities over the years and it’s been great, but to finally get to that extra little hump of a team that runs 410s is just a dream come true.”
NARC SPRINT CARS ROLL OUT FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEMS RULE: EFFECTIVE MAY 1, 2023
December 26, 2022
Jim Allen(12/27/22) Sacramento, CA … The Northern Auto Racing Club (NARC), sanctioning bodies and sprint car race promoters throughout California and the left coast have agreed to implement a fire suppression system rule in 2023. Effective May 1, 2023, all sprint cars will be required to run a fully functional system meeting a SFI 17.3 specification.
The safety-enhancing rule was discussed in depth with representatives of all major sanctioning bodies and dirt tracks at the Reno RPM Workshop and all agreed on the date moving forward. This includes the Sprint Car Challenge Tour, Kings of Thunder, Skagit Speedway and all tracks on the 2023 NARC 410 sprint car schedule.
The equipment specifications mirror what most major sprint car sanction bodies are requiring during the 2023 season.
A complete breakdown of the rule will be published in the NARC rulebook in early January. Listed below is the baseline for the rule:
A fire suppression system that meets the SFI 17.3 specification must be installed and functional in all race cars at all times when competing at Northern Auto Racing Club events after May 1, 2022.
The fire suppression system must include a thermal trigger and a manual trigger. Both triggers must be mounted in the driver’s compartment. The thermal trigger must be in the lower area of the drivers compartment forward of the seat near the area of the fuel pump. The manual trigger must be mounted within reach of the driver on the forward left-hand side of the cockpit. A minimum of one nozzle must be mounted in the lower area of the cockpit forward of the seat.
The DOT approved cylinder manufactured of aluminum or steel must be securely mounted to the frame per the manufacturer’s instructions. The cylinder must have a minimum capacity of five-pounds.
The system must be fully charged and display a legible and valid SFI 17.3 and manufacturer label, easily viewable at any time by NARC and/or race track officials. Cylinders that are beyond useful certification date must be inspected, serviced and re-labeled by the manufacture.
If a nozzle is connected to the cylinder with a line, the line must be steel or steel reinforced and must be triggered at the end of the line.(NOTE: SFI is a certification that demonstrates that the manufacturer certifies the racing equipment has been laboratory tested to meet or exceed SFI safety specifications. This gives consumers and sanctioning bodies a way to differentiate a certified product from one that is untested.)
Approved Manufacturer’s:
Lifeline Fire & Safety USA
Safecraft Safety Equipment, Martinez, CA
Safety Systems Inc. (Firebottle), Ft Myers, FL
Spa Technique Inc. Indianapolis, IN
GOING OUT ON TOP?: CROFT MULLING FUTURE AFTER CAREER-BEST NARC CAMPAIGN
(12/10/2022 – Alex Nieten) Sacramento, CA… Heading into 2022, Willie Croft planned for this to be his last year as a full-time competitor to cap an excellent career, but after a personal-best finish of second in NARC 410 Sprint Car points, he isn’t quite sure if he’s ready to hang up the helmet.
Long before he became one of the most familiar names in California, Croft’s passion for sprint car racing began as a young fan in the stands.
“When I grew up, my uncle took us to the sprint car races, his kids and myself,” Croft said. “Once they moved out of town, I would spend my summers down there, and he would take me to Baylands and some San Jose stuff. Before he moved out of the Sacramento area we would go to Placerville on a weekly basis. That’s kind of how I got involved in racing. I knew from the very beginning this is what I wanted to do.”
As he aged into his later teenage years, Croft slightly faded away from the sport as he discovered other interests as many high schoolers do. However, a chance encounter at one of his friend’s garages reignited his fire for racing.
“One of my friends, one day we were at his house, and I was walking by the garage that was open and there was a sprint car in there,” Croft reflected. “I was like, ‘Where’d this come from?’ My buddy Jason was like, ‘My dad is helping this guy, Rick Hirst.’ It wasn’t my father-in-law, Rick Hirst. There’s actually another Rick Hirst who raced.
“So, one thing led to another and I met this guy, Rick,” Croft continued. “I found myself, whenever went over to Jason’s, working on this car rather than hanging out. We were really heavy into skateboarding at that time, so instead of doing any type of skateboarding or going downtown to skate for the weekend, I was helping Rick with his car and then eventually going to the races with them.”
After his introduction to the hands-on, mechanical side of the sport, Croft would go on to meet a handful of personal influences as he navigated the early parts of his career as a crew member and, eventually, the beginning of his time behind the wheel.
“I met Mike Wasina from there and was helping Wasina when Rick wasn’t racing,” Croft said. “I ended up actually buying my first racecar from Mike Wasina and an engine and open trailer. I met Roger Crockett and Brian Crockett, who let me actually keep my car at their house and helped mentor me, how to maintenance a car and what not.
“Meeting Rod Tiner, I learned a lot more from Rod and going racing with him and his brother, Randy Tiner, at certain races,” Croft continued. “I was learning and talking to Rod on the way home, asking, ‘Why’d you do this or why’d you do that?’
‘One of my best friends is Paul Silva,” Croft added. “Once Paul started, I helped him quite a bit in the very beginning. I still do when I don’t race, whether it’s Knoxville Nationals or whatever it may be. Learning from Paul I learned how to be organized, how to be clean, how to have everything sorted. He does everything 100%, in my mind, correct. It kind of taught me a lot, opened my eyes up and helped me with my own program on how to be 100% ready.”
Croft has maintained that mindset of being fully prepared through the duration of his more than two decades racing sprint cars. The approach has helped him remain one of the steadiest forces of the California circuit year in and year out and construct quite the resumé.
In 2004 Croft scored his first NARC victory, topping the prestigious Mini Gold Cup at Silver Dollar Speedway. Among his dozens of overall sprint car wins are also a Faria Memorial (2016), Dave Bradway Jr. Memorial (2018), and three Trophy Cup features. Croft added his name to the list of Trophy Cup champions in 2014.
Throughout his career, Croft primarily wheeled his familiar, personally owned No. 29, but his talents also landed him opportunities driving for famed car owners such as Clyde Lamar and Kevin Rudeen.
Croft entered 2022 aiming to make one last run at a NARC title aboard the No. 29 after posting a best effort of third on two occasions in 2007 and 2013. Early on, Croft appeared poised to battle eventual champion, Dominic Scelzi, down to the final race. He posted seven top-fives in the first 10 races including a victory at Willamette Speedway in Oregon. Bad luck plagued the second half of his season, but he still held on to the runner-up spot in the final standings.
A challenge Croft battled throughout the year is a rotation of crew members. Croft serves as his own crew chief and maintains his car throughout the week, but during the year he didn’t have a set team traveling with him to each race. While the lack of a consistent crew created some difficulties in race day routine, Croft found himself feeling appreciative of the fact that a variety of capable hands were willing to help when needed. The experience reminded him of his own path.
“It’s pretty rewarding,” Croft said. “I always think back to myself as a crew guy when I first came around the sport. I ate and breathed it. Sprint car racing is all I wanted to be around. I wanted to learn anything and everything I could learn, and I had really good people to learn from, the likes of Mike Wasina, Rod Tiner, and Brian Crockett.
“That was me looking up to them, and, you know, it’s so weird, I don’t look at some of these younger people looking up to me in that way but maybe they do,” Croft continued. “It’s pretty gratifying to have guys that want to come help me, that want to go win races and work in my tough environment that I try to keep. I try to keep a standard of having everything organized and clean. It’s that part of me that I can’t do anything without knowing I’m 100 percent prepared.”
Croft’s efforts as a crew chief adjusting to a different team through the season didn’t go unnoticed. At the NARC Championship Awards Banquet, Croft was presented the Billy Albini Mechanic of the Year. The recognition filled Croft with emotion and provided one of the top moments of his career.
“I still think about it every day,” Croft said. “I think about that moment and how much that trophy really means to me. Billy Albini was one of the best. I feel fortunate to have been able to talk to him even just in passing… I was really caught off guard. I still get a little emotional thinking about it. It’s just a really, really cool award to have. The trophy goes back, but I still have the ring. I still have the memory of being on it that’s going to stick with me for a lifetime.”
Now, Croft sits in somewhat of a limbo as 2023 looms. A variety of factors are in play that he must consider before deciding on what, if any, racing plans he’ll make.
Croft owns a business, Amerikote Powdercoating, which occupies much of his time. This year he sadly lost one of his longtime supporters when Dave Wasney with Holey Smokes BBQ passed away. Croft also continues to have a major role in his son, Cole’s, blossoming racing career in karts. Cole has the same passion for the sport his father showed at a young age, and Willie puts plenty of time into working with him as he makes his own way towards sprint cars.
“It’s a little hectic at times. I’m not going to lie,” Croft said of balancing his son’s racing. “I’m putting myself in a position where I’m trying to do anything and everything I can do to give him the best equipment, the best car and setup that I can give him, but I don’t know anything about them (the karts). They’re not like a sprint car. They’re opposite of how you set a sprint car up.”
Though Croft remains uncertain of his racing future, he is confident in one area. If he does decide to continue competing, the 50-year-old plans to race often with the NARC 410 Sprint Cars and potentially try to challenge for a championship.
“I wish I could just say I’m going to run the NARC schedule again because I had a lot of fun, and there’s a lot of good people in the sport that run that series,” Croft explained. “There’s a lot of camaraderie, and that’s what I want to do. If I’m going to race, I want to race with the people I like racing with and the people that look out for us as a series with Jim (Allen) and Brent (Kaeding). I feel like that’s where my heart is. If I can make it happen, that’s awesome but I just don’t know.”
It won’t be long before the NARC season opener in March is around the corner and Croft is faced with making his decision. Everyone who has watched sprint cars in California over the past two decades knows this local legend has nothing more to prove, but how does the man himself feel about his career? Will he be satisfied? Overall, he’s conflicted. Like any racer, there is always one more event he’d like to check off the bucket list. However, if he does choose retirement, Croft feels complete and happy with the career he’s put together and the invaluable relationships he’s formed along the way.
“Thinking back to when I was asked, ‘If you race sprint cars, what level do you want to compete at?’” Croft recalled. “I said, ‘I just want to win a Golden State Challenge (NARC) race.’ So, to have done that, winning Trophy Cup, Mini Gold Cup, some of the other races, it’s pretty satisfying. But, then I think about it and I want to win an Outlaw race. I think that’s a top prize in sprint car racing is winning an Outlaw show.
“I don’t know. I really don’t know,” Croft added on if he’s content with his career. “I guess I’ll know 10 years from now or something like that when I sit back and think about. It’s tough. Are you ever satisfied? I’m probably not. I probably would want to win some of these other races before I was completely satisfied.
“You know what, though? It is what it is,” Croft continued. “I’ve had a lot of fun. I’ve met a lot of good people. I still want to be around it. I will be around once my son does get into it. So, am I satisfied? Yes, in that aspect. I am satisfied to be able to live my dream and meet great people, meet my wife, but you always want to do better and you always want to win more, and you always want to win the bigger races.”
NARC 2023 SCHEDULE: CALIFORNIA STAPLES, HUGE NORTHWEST SWING HIGHLIGHT CAMPAIGN
(12/5/2022) Sacramento, CA… The NARC 410 Sprint Cars are set for another busy campaign in 2023 with the unveiling of a 24-race schedule for the West Coast’s best drivers and teams as the series enters its 63rd season of racing.
For the second straight year NARC will visit all three states that comprise the West Coast at tracks as far south as Bakersfield and all the way up north nearly to the Canadian border. Overall, 13 different facilities are on the calendar.
Teams will compete for more than $800,000 in prize money throughout the entirety of the schedule, plus another $50,000 in product and cash awards up for grabs. Shares of a lucrative championship points fund will also be on the line.
March-ing Into Chico
The season opener will see the revitalization of a historic, fan-favorite race.
On March 18th the series kicks off the 2023 campaign with the return of Mini Gold Cup at Chico’s Silver Dollar Speedway.
Originally starting in 1987, the Mini Gold Cup has been a spring staple in California but took a brief hiatus after the 2019 edition. Throughout its history, the event has alternated between NARC and World of Outlaws sanctioning. With the 2023 edition being a NARC event, it again gives locals a shot at Mini Gold Cup glory and placing their name alongside some legends of sprint car racing.
The Classics
The state of California has established a handful of “Classic” races that have become fan-favorites, and per usual some of those coveted events have found a home on the NARC schedule.
The first of five Classics on the calendar is on the second weekend of April and will be the third edition of the Anthony Simone Classic at Keller Auto Speedway in Hanford on April 8th. The night honors the versatile driver known as “Mr. Excitement” and offers a $10,000 payday to the winner.
The very next weekend will be another lucrative event as Tulare’s Thunderbowl Raceway will host the second Dennis Roth Classic. As a nod to Roth’s iconic car, the feature winner will again be awarded $8,300. The Roth Classic has grown by a day for 2023 and will showcase two nights of racing on April 14th and 15th with the winner of the latter taking home the big check.
The wildly popular Peter Murphy Classic is set for May 12th and 13th and will take place at the site of the two aforementioned Classics. Night one will be at Thunderbowl Raceway with Keller Auto Speedway taking center stage for the $11,000 to win finale. Like last year, NARC will be joined by the Sprint Car Challenge Tour both nights.
Another one of the most anticipated races of the campaign can be found in July as the Howard Kaeding Classic continues as a summertime staple. Unlike recent years, the event will now feature two nights of the NARC 410 Sprint Cars at Ocean Speedway as opposed to 410s only partaking on the final night. “The HK” is slated for July 14th and 15th.
On August 26th the series heads to Stockton Dirt Track for the Champions Classic. After a cancellation this year due to the tire shortage, teams will be eager for its return and to fight for a $6,000 payday by visiting victory lane.
A Busy Road To Dirt Cup
For the second straight year NARC will hit the Road to Dirt Cup, but this year’s edition will include a few more stops and double as the Fastest Four Days in Motorsports.
In lieu of making a pair of trips to the Pacific Northwest like in 2022, the series will make one extended journey to make logistics easier on the teams.
The four straight nights of action begins on Thursday, June 15th at Central Point, Oregon’s Southern Oregon Speedway. The next night it’s up to Douglas County Dirt Track in Roseburg, Oregon, a track that was converted from pavement to dirt over the off-season under the new promotional leadership of Roseburg Racing Promotions. Night three is a visit to Lebanon, Oregon’s Willamette Speedway, where Justin Sanders set a new track record when NARC invaded last year. And the Road to Dirt Cup meets an end at Grays Harbor Raceway in Elma, Washington on June 18th.
Overall, the trip promises to provide four fantastic nights of racing at four different facilities and will feature a special bonus to any driver that can sweep all four events.
Dirt Cup
After a wildly successful 2022 Jim Raper Memorial Super Dirt Cup, NARC will again support the West Coast crown jewel as it enters its second year of a return to 410 sprint cars at Burlington, Washington’s Skagit Speedway.
The Dirt Cup will again feature a trio of nights (June 22nd – 24th) with the final night’s winner taking home a whopping $50,000.
Last year the race attracted more than 40 competitors as promoters Peter Murphy and Kevin Rudeen restored a ton of prestige to one of the most historic events on the left-coast.
*On Tuesday, June 20th there will be a Dirt Cup Tune-Up race at Skagit, but it will not be a NARC event.
Making History
A pair of historic races with winners lists that read like a California Hall of Fame will again be a part of the NARC campaign with many drivers hungry to add their names in one of those coveted slots.
The 32nd Annual Dave Bradway Jr. Memorial Race will occur on June 3rd at the scenic Placerville Speedway, marking the third straight year the El Dorado County track has hosted one of the most prestigious races in California. With lap money and other awards, this show features one of the largest one-day purses of the year.
The season finale will see a historical race enter another decade of existence as Stockton Dirt Track hosts the 40th Tribute to Gary Patterson on November 4th.
And More
A few other racetracks and events help complete the 2023 schedule.
Petaluma Speedway has a pair of dates with the Salute to First Responders set for May 20th and the Salute to Baylands Raceway Park scheduled for July 8th.
The second race of the season will be the fourth annual Asparagus Cup on April 1st at Stockton Dirt Track with the SCCT joining the card.
Silver Dollar Speedway’s second and final NARC race of 2023 will be on April 29th as the series will again partake in the David Tarter Memorial.
The fourth edition of the Morrie Williams Memorial will be run on September 30th at Keller Auto Speedway. The unique event will again showcase a twin-20 lap features to conclude the evening.
NARC will make its lone trip to The Dirt Track at Kern County Raceway Park on October 28th for the Halloween Spectacular.
NARC 410 Sprint Cars 2023 Complete Schedule
March 18: Silver Dollar Speedway (Chico, CA) – Mini Gold Cup
April 1: The Stockton Dirt Track (Stockton, CA) – Fourth Annual Asparagus Cup w/SCCT
April 8: Keller Auto Speedway (Hanford, CA) – Anthony Simone Classic ($10,000 to win)
April 14: Thunderbowl Raceway (Tulare, CA) – Dennis Roth Classic
April 15: Thunderbowl Raceway (Tulare, CA) – Dennis Roth Classic ($8,300 to win)
April 29: Silver Dollar Speedway (Chico, CA) – David Tarter Memorial
May 6: RAIN DATE
May 12: Thunderbowl Raceway (Tulare, CA) – Peter Murphy Classic w/SCCT
May 13: Keller Auto Speedway (Hanford, CA) – Peter Murphy Classic ($11,000 to win) w/SCCT
May 20: Petaluma Speedway (Petaluma, CA) – Salute to First Responders
June 3: Placerville Speedway (Placerville, CA) – 32nd Annual Dave Bradway Jr. Memorial
June 15: Southern Oregon Speedway (Central Point, OR) – Fastest Four Days in Motorsports/Road to Dirt Cup
June 16: Douglas County Dirt Track (Roseburg, OR) – Fastest Four Days in Motorsports/Road to Dirt Cup
June 17: Willamette Speedway (Lebanon, OR) – Fastest Four Days in Motorsports/Road to Dirt Cup
June 18: Grays Harbor Raceway (Elma, WA) – Fastest Four Days in Motorsports/Road to Dirt Cup
June 22: Skagit Speedway (Burlington, WA) – Super Dirt Cup
June 23: Skagit Speedway (Burlington, WA) – Super Dirt Cup
June 24: Skagit Speedway (Burlington, WA) – Super Dirt Cup ($50,000 to win)
July 8: Petaluma Speedway (Petaluma, CA) – Salute to Baylands Raceway Park
July 14: Ocean Speedway (Watsonville, CA) – Night One of the 13th Annual Howard Kaeding Classic
July 15: Ocean Speedway (Watsonville, CA) – Night Two of the 13th Annual Howard Kaeding Classic
July 29: OPEN
August 26: The Stockton Dirt Track (Stockton, CA) – Champions Classic ($6,000 to win)
September 30: Keller Auto Speedway (Hanford, CA) – Morrie Williams Memorial Twin-20s w/SCCT
October 28: The Dirt Track at KCRP (Bakersfield, CA) – Halloween Spectacular
November 4: The Stockton Dirt Track (Stockton, CA) – 40th Annual Tribute to Gary Patterson w/SCCT
November 5: Championship Awards Celebration at Brookside Country Club (Stockton, CA)
SANDERS CRUISES TO TRIBUTE TO GP TRIUMPH, SCELZI WRAPS UP SECOND STRAIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
(11/5/2022 – Alex Nieten) Stockton, CA… On Saturday night in Stockton, two of the best sprint car drivers in California shared a jubilant victory lane celebration.
The Central Valley 3/8ths mile hosted the 39th edition of the Tribute to Gary Patterson, and Aromas gasser, Justin Sanders, dominated the Fujitsu Feature en route to his 13th career series victory while Dominic Scelzi sealed his second straight NARC Fujitsu General Sprint Car championship.
For Sanders, the outcome was rarely in doubt as the pilot of the Farmers Brewing Co./Mittry Construction led all 25 laps and didn’t face much of a challenge on the hooked up Stockton surface. The victory marked his second at the track and second in the Tribute to GP after claiming the 2020 edition, as well.
“This car was great all night,” Sanders commented. “From the minute we rolled out of the box and hot lapped the car felt really good. In qualifying we turned a good lap and that kind of sets you up for the night.”
In what’s been a year defined by his unflinching consistency, Dominic Scelzi fittingly capped his title campaign with his series-best 13th podium of the season by finishing third. The Fresno driver of the Red Rose Transportation/Whipple Superchargers No. 41 became the first driver since Kyle Hirst in 2013-14 to win two straight championships. He also became just the 10th driver in series history with multiple titles.
“Our consistency, I think, speaks volumes for this 41 team,” Scelzi said of his season. “Everyday I want to continue to grow our success. I want to be back here every year and try and do this again and again. We’ve got a long time to worry about the next championship, but back to back is pretty damn special.”
Scelzi was quick to credit his crew, led by Jimmy Carr, for his success.
“I want to thank my guys so much,” Scelzi said. “Jimmy, he came on board there in 2020, and he changed my entire career. You look at the record books from 2012 to 2019, and you don’t see a whole hell of a lot of success, and he turned us into a race team, and he turned us into an operation that could win night in and night out. Lukas (Steward) came on board last year, and he’s done a great job. My father-in-law, Mike (Patterson). Todd (Jorgensen) comes to every damn race. My good friend, Scott Martzen. It takes an army to win a championship.”
The race began by providing the only issue Sanders would face during the tilt. He led the field to green from the pole and slipped out coming out of turn four on the race’s initial start, getting sideways on the front-stretch and nearly falling out of the top-10.
However, a yellow flag for said start proved to be his savior as the caution allowed Sanders to reclaim his pole position for the complete restart.
“Man, I’m so glad that first start got called back,” Sanders said. “I hit the grease all the way on the bottom and spun down the front straightaway. Thank god there was a yellow because I wouldn’t have won this race if it wasn’t for that.”
Given a second chance after the opening start issue, Sanders would not be denied. He darted ahead on the second attempt and opened an early advantage until Willie Croft went for a nasty ride on the second lap in turns three and four after contact with Colby Copeland. Croft exited the car unharmed.
After another quick yellow for a spinning Bud Kaeding, the race entered a long run with Sanders driving away from the field on the restart.
Second starting Tim Kaeding looked as if he may present Sanders a challenge as the leader entered traffic. Sanders got stuck behind a slower car for multiple laps just before the halfway point allowing Kaeding to close. Before the Roth Motorsports driver could pounce, Sanders expertly sliced by a pair of lapped cars to give himself some breathing room as Scelzi slipped by Kaeding for second.
TK wheeled back around Scelzi just before one last yellow flew for a slowing Max Mittry with 7 circuits remaining.
The caution made no difference, though, as Sanders powered ahead on the restart and won by nearly three seconds.
“I tried to go where the lapped cars weren’t,” Sanders said of his race. “I tried to power through the holes as best as I could. My car was really good everywhere I went. I just tried to keep my foot down and the car as straight as possible. This is awesome. It feels really good to get another win before the end of the year.”
Tim Kaeding and Dominic Scelzi chased Sanders to the line to round out the podium, and the balance of the top-10 included Bill Balog, Shane Golobic, Ryan Timms, Tanner Carrick, Colby Copeland, Mitchell Faccinto and Justyn Cox.
Max Mittry finished 11th and claimed 2022 Rookie of the Year honors.
FUJITSU GENERAL USA FEATURE (25 laps): 1. Justin Sanders 2X 2. Tim Kaeding 83 3. Dominic Scelzi 41 4. Bill Balog 7 5. Shane Golobic 17W 6. Ryan Timms 57 7. Tanner Carrick 83T 8. Colby Copeland 5V 9. Mitchell Faccinto 21 10. Justyn Cox 42X 11. Max Mittry 2XM 12. Austin McCarl 88 13. Bud Kaeding 69 14. Dylan Bloomfield 83V 15. Billy Aton 26 16. Blake Carrick 38B 17. Richard Brace Jr. 2R 18. Josh Young 1 19. Willie Croft 29
SWIFT METAL FINISHING HARDCHARGER: Colby Copeland
ARP FAST QUALIFIER (19 Cars): Justin Sanders – 12.812
BROWN AND MILLER RACING SOLUTIONS HEAT ONE (8 laps): Golobic, Sanders, Timms, T. Carrick, B. Kaeding, B. Carrick, Young
KIMO’s TROPICAL CAR WASH HEAT TWO (8 laps): Balog, Mittry, Scelzi, Croft, Aton, Bloomfield
DIRT.TRAVEL CLUB HEAT THREE (8 laps): Cox, T. Kaeding, Copeland, McCarl, Faccinto, Brace Jr.
SUNNYVALLEY “POWERED BY BACON” TROPHY DASH (6 laps): Sanders, T. Kaeding, Scelzi, Balog, Cox, Golobic
STOCKTON’S TRIBUTE TO GP SET TO PUNCUATE 2022 NARC SPRINT CAR CAMPAIGN
(10/31/2022) Sacramento, CA… Another season of NARC Fujitsu General Sprint Car racing will come to an end this Saturday, November 5th as Stockton Dirt Track hosts the 39th Annual Tribute to Gary PaAnother season of NARC Fujitsu General Sprint Car racing will come to an end this Saturday, November 5th as Stockton Dirt Track hosts the 39th Annual Tribute to Gary Patterson.
After beginning in April, visiting 12 different tracks, and journeying to three states, the 2022 campaign will conclude with NARC’s 23rd overall trip to Stockton on a night one of the most admired racers to hail from California is honored.
Patterson, known as “The Preacher,” raced as a true outlaw in his day, venturing wherever he felt on a given weekend, and was widely respected for his talent behind the wheel. “GP” wheeled a variety of cars to victory lane at a variety of racetracks until he unfortunately passed in an accident at Calistoga Speedway in 1983. As one of the most notorious figures not only of west coast sprint car racing, but racing across the country, an event was born to honor him and approaches four decades of existence with its running this Saturday.
The night will be full of celebration as the event doubles as Triple Crown Championship Night with the Sprint Car Challenge Tour and Hunt Magnetos Wingless Sprints also capping their campaigns at the central valley 3/8ths mile.
Championship Chase
Even after a DNF this past weekend in Bakersfield, a second consecutive NARC championship is all but in Dominic Scelzi’s hands. All the Fresno native needs to do Saturday is complete a qualifying lap which will guarantee him, at the least, 75 show up points and make his gap atop the standings insurmountable.
Willie Croft still firmly holds the second spot, and barring any severe misfortune at Stockton, he should finish runner-up.
In the fight for the final step on the points podium, Bud Kaeding put a little more distance between himself and Mitchell Faccinto, but the gap is still close enough where Faccinto could pass Kaeding on Saturday.
Who to Watch
The Kaeding brothers, Tim and Bud, are a threat anywhere but especially when they roll into Stockton.
In Tim’s last nine NARC starts in Stockton, he’s bagged a pair of wins, notched six top-fives, and finished no worse than eighth. One of those wins (2016) came aboard a Roth Motorsports No. 83, the same car the San Jose driver will wheel on Saturday.
Bud is also a two-time Stockton series winner, picking up victories in the same years as Tim, 2016 and 2019. The latter of those is his most recent NARC victory, so the Campbell native will look
to end the winless drought at a track that’s been good to him. Bud’s most recent podium also occurred at the 3/8ths mile this past July.
Anytime a race is hosted at Stockton, Shane Golobic is guaranteed to be a contender. The Fremont native is the track’s winningest driver since it opened in 2013 with a pair of his overall victories coming in NARC competition. Back in July he nearly won another, falling just short to D.J. Netto. He’s fresh off his first series victory of the year and looks to cap the season with back-to-back triumphs.
Bill Balog is expected to make his second NARC appearance of the year and the fifth of his career. The 10-time IRA Sprints champion will wheel a Snow Racing entry. Back in 2017, the North Pole Nightmare made his NARC debut driving for Clayton Snow at none other than Stockton and earned a top-five.
Other drivers expected to compete include Redding’s Max Mittry, Aromas’ Justin Sanders, Benicia’s Billy Aton, Oklahoma’s Ryan Timms, and more.
Fan & Competitor Info
The NARC-King of the West Hoosier Tire format will feature ARP Fast Time Qualifying, 8-lap Heat Races, a 6-lap Sunnyvalley Bacon Trophy Dash, and the Fujitsu General USA 25-lap Feature.
The pit gate will open at 1:00 P.M. The front gate will open at 3:00 P.M., and racing is scheduled to kickoff around 6:00 P.M.
Pit passes are $40. General Admission tickets are $30. Kids 4 and under will be admitted for free. Tickets can be purchased at the gate or online in advance for the discounted price of $25 via the following link. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/nov-5th-triple-crown-championship-finales-at-the-stockton-dirt-track-tickets-431216950507.
The Stockton Dirt Track is located on the San Joaquin County Fairgrounds at 1658 S Airport Way Stockton, CA 95206. For more information call 209-466-9999 or visit stocktondirttrack.com.
The Tribute to GP can be viewed live on floracing.com along with every NARC Fujitsu General Sprint Car Series race.
2022 NARC King of the West Fujitsu 410 Sprint Car Series Championship Points Standings (After 19 events in 20-race series - 10/31/22)
Dominic Scelzi, Fresno - 2096 Willie Croft, Colfax - 2031 Bud Kaeding, Campbell - 2008 Mitchell Faccinto, Hanford - 2000 Shane Golobic, Elk Grove - 1951 Justin Sanders, Aromas - 1938 Max Mittry, Redding (R) - 1926 Billy Aton, Benicia - 1765 Joel Myers Jr, Sebastopol - 1490 Tim Kaeding, San Jose - 1463 Corey Day, Salinas - 1407 Logan Forler, Boise, ID - 1382 DJ Netto, Hanford - 1269 Tanner Holmes, Jacksonville, OR (R) - 904 Nick Parker, Tucson, AZ (R) - 878 Tanner Carrick, Lincoln - 836 Chase Johnson, Penngrove - 815 Blake Carrick, Lincoln - 813 Dylan Bloomfield, Discovery Bay 715 Garen Linder, Central Point, OR - 708
The NARC Fujitsu General USA Racing Series is also sponsored by Hoosier Racing Tires and Floracing.com. Associate and product award sponsors include Automotive Racing Products (ARP), Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, Bullet Impressions, Dirt.Travel, FK Rod Ends, Johnstone Supply, Kaeding Performance Center, Kimo's Tropical Car Wash, KSE Racing Products, Maxim, Mettec Titanium, Pyrotect, Roth Motorsports, Safecraft Safety Equipment, Saldana Racing Products, Schoenfeld Headers, SCI Racing Products, Scelzi Enterprises, Starr Property Management, Swift Metal Finishing, Sunnyvalley Bacon, System 1 Ignition, Ultra Lite Brakes, Vortex Wings, Wilwood Disc Brakes, and Winters Performance Products.
SOCIAL MEDIA INFORMATION Website: www.NARC410.com Facebook: NARCKingoftheWest Facebook (history page): NARCSprintCarHistory Twitter: NARC410 Instagram: NARC410 YouTube: NARC410 TikTok: NARC410 Live Stream PPV: Floracing.com
UPCOMING EVENTS: November 6th - Championship Celebration @Brookside Country Club (Stockton, CA)
KERN COUNTY KING: GOLOBIC DOMINATES FOR THIRD NARC KCRP TRIUMPH
(10/29/2022 – Alex Nieten) Bakersfield, CA… If there’s a NARC Fujitsu General Sprint Car race at Kern County Raceway Park, Shane Golobic can be counted on the be at the front as much as you can count on the sun to rise in the east and set in the west.
On Saturday night, Golobic led all 30 laps of the Fujistu Feature en route to his third series victory in five starts at the Bakersfield bullring. The other two attempts resulted in podiums, meaning Golobic owns an eye-popping 1.6 average finish in NARC competition at the facility. The Rocklin gasser’s trio of KCRP triumphs puts him atop the track’s NARC win list.
The victory also comes a week after Golobic claimed his third Trophy Cup championship. It’s been a good seven days for the driver of the Matt Wood Racing/NOS Energy Drink No. 17W.
“I love this place,” a jubilant Golobic said in victory lane. “I think the worst I’ve run is like second or third. I’ve got a few wins, so I always love coming down here. It makes the drive a little bit more worth it all the way from Rocklin. When you win, it definitely makes it a little bit easier.”
Golobic led the field to green courtesy of his win in the Sunnyvalley Bacon Dash with Corey Day alongside.
The race got off to a rocky start as a flurry of stoppages interrupted the early laps. Yellows for Craig Stidham and Dominic Scelzi and a red for Willie Croft (he was unharmed) all happened within the first five laps.
After the Scelzi caution, the race got into a rhythm as Golobic jumped ahead with Day in pursuit. The cars at the very front of the field stayed mostly in line on the hooked up surface, but a few drivers made some moves further back as Cole Macedo charged into the top-five, and Justyn Cox roared into the top-10 from the tail.
Golobic entered traffic around the halfway point of the feature. He and Day sliced through lapped cars, and Golobic masterfully handled the traffic. Just as it seemed Day would be able to close in, Golobic would put another car between them. With the track as fast as it was, Golobic knew the slower cars could make or break his race.
“I kind of knew lap traffic was going to be where the race was won or lost,” Golobic explained. “In our case, that would’ve been us losing the race if I didn’t make the right moves there or just got caught up behind anybody. Luckily it all went pretty smooth.
“The pace slows down so much in traffic with slower cars,” Golobic added. “And I know both Corey (Day) and Justin (Sanders) are really aggressive racers in traffic and they’re going to make moves so you better do the same. I just had to pick them off one at a time, try and make good, smart decisions, and we were able to do that.”
After working through heavy traffic, one final yellow flew with just seven laps to go setting up a quick blitz to the finish. Even though it put Day on his tail, the clear track proved to be too valuable as Golobic pulled away and comfortably claimed his 14th career NARC victory with a 1.234 second advantage.
“We’ll have a couple of NOS Energy Drinks to get us home and be able to crawl into bed and see my kids in the morning,” Golobic said with a smile.
Finishing runner-up was Corey Day aboard the Jason Meyers Racing/Four CCCCs Construction No. 14. The 16-year-old is on a roll in NARC competition as the result marked his third straight series podium and sixth in his last 10 races dating back to June. The second-generation racer owns a 2.9 average finish over that span.
“I really didn’t need that yellow there,” Day said of what might’ve helped him win. “We we’re getting through lap traffic, and he got hung up behind one of them and I got to him, and then he’d get back away and get to another one and I’d get to him. Right as I got close to him to where I could probably have tried to make a move there was a yellow.”
Completing the podium was a hard-charging Justin Sanders. The Aromas native wheeled the Mittry Construction/Farmers Brewing Co. No. 2X from eighth to the top-three for his seventh NARC podium of the year.
“I’m happy with the podium” Sanders said. “I felt like I had one of the best cars. I could pass guys kind of high and low and got on the outside of Corey there on that last restart but couldn’t make a move. The bottom was still a little too fast.”
Completing the top-10 was Tim Kaeding, Cole Macedo, Bud Kaeding, Carson Macedo, Justyn Cox, Ryan Timms, Max Mittry.
FUJITSU GENERAL USA FEATURE (30 laps): 1. Shane Golobic 17W 2. Corey Day 14 3. Justin Sanders 2X 4. Tim Kaeding 83 5. Cole Macedo 121 6. Bud Kaeding 69 7. Carson Macedo 21T 8. Justyn Cox 42X 9. Ryan Timms 5T 10. Max Mittry 2XM 11. Mitchell Faccinto 12. Ryan Bernal 22 13. Billy Aaron 26 14. Burt Foland Jr. 4 15. Dylan Bloomfield 83V 16. Jo De Wees 63D 17. Craig Stidham 36 18. Dominic Scelzi 41 19. Willie Croft 29
METTEC TITANIUM LAP LEADERS: Golobic 1-30
SWIFT METAL FINISHING HARDCHARGER: Justyn Cox 14th to 8th
ARP FAST QUALIFIER (20 Cars): Ryan Bernal – 11.935
BROWN AND MILLER RACING SOLUTIONS HEAT ONE (10 laps): Stidham, Scelzi, Mittry, Bernal, Cox, Aton, Montgomery (DNS)
KIMO’s TROPICAL CAR WASH HEAT TWO (10 laps): Co. Macedo, Golobic, Day, Timms, Faccinto, Croft, De Wees
DIRT.TRAVEL CLUB HEAT THREE (10 laps): T. Kaeding, B. Kaeding, Ca. Macedo, Sanders, Bloomfield, Foland Jr.
SUNNYVALLEY “POWERED BY BACON” TROPHY DASH (6 laps): Golobic, Day, Scelzi, T. Kaeding, Bernal, Stidham
NARC SPRINT CARS BOUND FOR BAKERSFIELD AS KERN COUNTY RACEWAY PARK HOSTS SEASON’S PENULTIMATE RACE
(10/24/2022) Sacramento, CA… Just a pair of races remain of the 2022 NARC Fujitsu General Sprint Car campaign, and the first of the two is slated for this Saturday, October 29th at The Dirt Track at Kern County Raceway Park (KCRP) in Bakersfield.
This weekend’s Sprint Car Showdown will be the series’ lone trip to the racy bullring this year and first since Halloween weekend of 2021. The quarter mile’s tight confines routinely produces some of the most intense, wheel-to-wheel action of the season.
Saturday’s Fujitsu Feature will pay $3,500 to the winner, and on top of the standard $500 to start, each team who makes the trip will receive a $100 Amazon gift card (courtesy of Fujitsu General Heating & Air products) as a thanks for their travels.
Championship Chase
Fresno’s Dominic Scelzi is so close to his second straight NARC title, and he can effectively seal the deal this weekend. “The Dominator” currently holds a 54-point advantage over Colfax’s Willie Croft. Assuming Scelzi shows up to the season finale at Stockton on November 5th and earns, at the very least, the 75 show up points, all he needs to do is leave Kern County with a 43-point advantage. At that point, Croft could only tie him at Stockton, and even if Croft wins the final two races, Scelzi would still own the most wins tie breaker.
Behind the top-two, the battle for the final step on the points podium has tightened considerably. Campbell’s Bud Kaeding currently holds the spot, but Hanford’s Mitchell Faccinto trails him by only three markers.
Completing the top-five is Fremont’s Shane Golobic.
Who to Watch
The three current sprint car titans of California, Dominic Scelzi, Shane Golobic, and Justin Sanders have ruled KCRP in recent NARC competition. The trio have combined to win the last five series events at the Bakersfield bullring.
Most recently it was Justin Sanders picking up the win there, topping last year’s lone appearance in October. To nobody’s surprise, the drivers who completed the podium that night were Scelzi and Golobic.
In 2019 it was Scelzi sweeping the pair of Kern races aboard the Roth Motorsports car. The reigning champion hopes to add one in his family’s Scelzi Motorsports No. 41 this weekend. Factoring in his runner-up last year, Scelzi’s average finish in his last three series events in Bakersfield is 1.33.
Golobic claimed the two 2018 events while partnered with Tarlton Motorsports. The Fremont native is fresh off earning his third Trophy Cup title and will look to follow it up with a NARC victory behind the wheel of the Matt Wood Racing No. 17W.
An Oklahoma invader will be one to keep an eye on. After his top-10 points performance at Trophy Cup, Ryan Timms plans to set up shop in the Golden State for a little while longer and compete with California’s best on Saturday. It will mark Timms’ fourth career series appearance and first since competing at the same track last October.
Bud Kaeding will happily welcome the trip to Kern County in his pursuit to maintain a top-three position in points. In the last six NARC races at the facility, the 2017 series champion has finished no worse than ninth and owns top-five results in half of those outings.
Others expected to compete include San Jose’s Tim Kaeding, Hanford’s Mitchell Faccinto, Clovis’ Corey Day, Redding’s Max Mittry, Iowa’s Austin McCarl, Benicia’s Billy Aton, Discovery Bay’s Dylan Bloomfield, and more.
Fan & Competitor Info
The NARC-King of the West Hoosier Tire Format will feature ARP Fast Time Qualifying, 10-lap Heat Races, a six-lap Sunnyvalley Bacon Trophy Dash, and the 30-lap Fujitsu Feature.
Kern County Raceway Park is located at 13500 Raceway Blvd Interstate 5 and S Enos Ln, Bakersfield, CA 93311.
Tickets can be purchased at the gate on the day of the race. For more information visit kernraceway.com or call 661-835-1264.
The Sprint Car Showdown at Kern County Raceway Park can be viewed live on floracing.com along with the entire NARC Fujitsu General Sprint Car schedule.
2022 NARC King of the West Fujitsu 410 Sprint Car Series
Championship Points Standings (After 18 events in 20-race series - 10/24/22)Dominic Scelzi, Fresno - 1998
Willie Croft, Colfax - 1934
Bud Kaeding, Campbell - 1898
Mitchell Faccinto, Hanford - 1895
Shane Golobic, Elk Grove - 1834
Justin Sanders, Aromas - 1825
Max Mittry, Redding (R) - 1820
Billy Aton, Benicia - 1662
Joel Myers Jr, Sebastopol - 1490
Logan Forler, Boise, ID - 1382
Tim Kaeding, San Jose - 1351
Corey Day, Salinas - 1293
DJ Netto, Hanford - 1269
Tanner Holmes, Jacksonville, OR (R) - 904
Nick Parker, Tucson, AZ (R) - 878
Tanner Carrick, Lincoln - 836
Chase Johnson, Penngrove - 815
Blake Carrick, Lincoln - 813
Garen Linder, Central Point, OR - 708
Kerry Madsen, Knoxville, IA - 687The NARC Fujitsu General USA Racing Series is also sponsored by Hoosier Racing Tires and Floracing.com. Associate and product award sponsors include Automotive Racing Products (ARP), Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, Bullet Impressions, Dirt.Travel, FK Rod Ends, Johnstone Supply, Kaeding Performance Center, Kimo's Tropical Car Wash, KSE Racing Products, Maxim, Mettec Titanium, Pyrotect, Roth Motorsports, Safecraft Safety Equipment, Saldana Racing Products, Schoenfeld Headers, SCI Racing Products, Scelzi Enterprises, Starr Property Management, Swift Metal Finishing, Sunnyvalley Bacon, System 1 Ignition, Ultra Lite Brakes, Vortex Wings, Wilwood Disc Brakes, and Winters Performance Products.
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Website: www.NARC410.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NARCKingoftheWest
Facebook (history page): https://www.facebook.com/NARCSprintCarHistory
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NARC410
Instagram: www.instagram.com/narc410
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Live Stream PPV: Floracing.comUPCOMING EVENTS:
November 5 - Stockton Dirt Track - Tribute to GP Championship NightNovember 6th - Championship Celebration @Brookside Country Club (Stockton, CA)
BATTING 1.000: ABREU TOPS THRILLING DENNIS ROTH CLASSIC AND COMPLETES WEEKEND SWEEP
(10/15/2022 – Alex Nieten) Tulare, CA… Leading into this weekend, Rico Abreu hadn’t raced with the NARC Fujitsu General Sprint Cars all year, but he made the absolute most of the only two series appearances he expects to make in 2022.
On Saturday night, Abreu completed a weekend sweep of two of the year’s most lucrative events as he came out on top of the inaugural Dennis Roth Classic at Thunderbowl Raceway following his Anthony Simone Classic triumph on Friday. For the second straight night, the main event produced a 30-lap slugfest with some of the left-coast’s best throwing haymaker after haymaker and Abreu prevailing late.
The Simone netted Abreu $10,000, and the latter earned him another $8,300, totaling nearly $20,000 for two day’s work in his home state. He also took home 30 pounds of ribeye courtesy of the Roth win. Abreu now owns 17 career NARC wins in 69 starts, upping his winning percentage to just a touch under 25%. It was Abreu’s fourth series win at Tulare, his personal best. With Abreu planning to head back east after next weekend’s Trophy Cup, he’ll finish up his 2022 NARC endeavors with a perfect two-for-two record.
“Dennis and Teresa (Roth) have been supporters of sprint car racing for longer than I’ve been alive, so it’s a pleasure to be standing up here talking to all of you guys at one of my favorite tracks in the country,” said a grateful Abreu in victory lane.
The win would by no means come easy as the front few rows were loaded with talent. Abreu started eighth, and some of the drivers lining up ahead of him included defending NARC champ, Dominic Scelzi, this year’s All-Star Circuit of Champions runner-up, Justin Peck, a pair with seven combined NARC titles between them in Jonathan Allard and Kyle Hirst, and perhaps the country’s best young talent, Corey Day.
Scelzi and Peck led the field to green, but a quick red flag flew on lap two as Max Mittry flipped in turn four and collected Bud Kaeding. Both were okay, and Kaeding was able to rejoin.
When the green flag again flew, Abreu began his charge. Just four laps in, he had already sliced his way up to fourth from eighth in the Rowdy Energy No. 24. Ahead, Scelzi paced the field until the action was slowed for Bud Kaeding spinning in turn four.
On the ensuing restart, Abreu utilized a great jump to leap from fourth to second by the time the field exited turn two. However, the St. Helena gasser couldn’t quite keep his momentum up after the move, and Peck and Day slipped back by.
Those three began a war for the runner-up spot allowing Scelzi to distance himself heading into the race’s halfway mark. Just like the night before in Hanford, it was sliders and crossovers galore as the battle narrowed to just Abreu and Day while Peck faded into the clutches of Justin Sanders.
Eventually, Abreu was able to secure second and quickly closed on Scelzi as he navigated traffic. With just 12 laps to go, Abreu made an amazing move as he split two lapped cars heading into
turn one and managed to complete a slider on Scelzi for the top spot. Scelzi crossed over heading out of turn two. The next time around Abreu threw a turn three slide job, but Scelzi again countered. A red flag for a flipping Jake Morgan temporarily halted the intense battle. Morgan was okay.
One more yellow slowed the race with nine to go, but when the green flag came back out after the final caution, the battle was on.
Abreu and Day traded sliders for second. Day edged ahead and tossed a slider at Scelzi for the lead, and Scelzi promptly drove back by out of turn two. Abreu rallied and came back to again duel with Day. Things got a little ugly with six to go as Abreu made contact with Day in turn one, sending Day sliding into the fence. Miraculously, Day saved the car without losing the third position.
With Day a ways behind him, Abreu set his sights on Scelzi with just five laps to go. Abreu steadily closed in, and with three laps to go he capitalized on a huge run out of turn two, launching a massive slide job on Scelzi into turn three and clearing him by enough that Scelzi couldn’t cross him over.
“The pace changes when you catch lap traffic,” Abreu detailed of he and Scelzi’s battle. “You’re kind of sitting in the cat-bird seat being in second. You don’t know where to run. The top gets dirty when lapped cars throw crumbs up there, and you can slip one lap, and someone can get a run off of four and break someone’s momentum very quickly. It’s just how it goes in sprint car racing. I know Dominic has been in that position before. He’s one of the best cars in California right now.”
After abreu took the top spot, Scelzi made one final attempt to snatch the lead back with a turn three slide job but fell just short. Abreu went on to win by just under seven tenths of a second to collect another strong payday.
“Again, thank you Dennis and Teresa for all you do for sprint car racing,” said the inaugural Dennis Roth Classic champ. “This is from the bottom of my heart. I always make sure to walk up to Dennis Roth if I see him at the races. He’s just an unbelievable person.”
Finishing second was Dominic Scelzi, who was driving a tribute car that paid homage to Dennis Roth’s first sprint car driven by Todd Ventura. It was Scelzi’s series leading 12th podium of the year and he extended his points lead, but the lifelong friend of the Roth family only wanted to win and couldn’t help but be disappointed after leading the opening 27 circuits.
“It was a great race, just not from where I was sitting,” Scelzi said. “It’s really hard to get pumped up and excited to come to a second place interview after racing your absolute ass off from lap one to lap 30 and just coming up short. We just got beat. Hats off to Rico. It was a hell of a race.”
Competing the podium was Corey Day aboard the Meyers Constructors/Four CCCCs Construction No. 14, his second straight top-three and sixth of the year with NARC.
“If things go different in two or three spots that race, I think we’d be standing on the top step, but that’s how it goes,” Day said. “Definitely not disappointed with this. We started fourth and ended up third. We went forward and that’s the biggest thing.”
The remainder of the top-10 included Justin Sanders, Justin Peck, Shane Golobic, Tim Kaeding, Austin McCarl, Tanner Carrick, and Justyn Cox.
FUJITSU GENERAL USA FEATURE (30 laps): 1. Rico Abreu 24 2. Dominic Scelzi 41 3. Corey Day 14 4. Justin Sanders 2X 5. Justin Peck 17 6. Shane Golobic 17W 7. Tim Kaeding 83 8. Austin McCarl 88 9. Tanner Carrick 83T 10. Justyn Cox 42X 11. Willie Croft 29 12. Mitchell Faccinto 21 13. Dylan Bloomfield 83V 14. Jonathan Allard 0 15. Kyle Hirst 83JR 16. Ryan Bernal 22 17. Mitchel Moles 01 18. Logan Forler 2L 19. Craig Stidham 36 20. Blake Carrick 38B 21. D.J. Netto 88N 22. Billy Aton 26 23. Jake Morgan 45 24. Bud Kaeding 69 25. Max Mittry 2XM
METTEC TITANIUM LAP LEADERS: Scelzi 1-27, Abreu 28-30
SWIFT METAL FINISHING HARDCHARGER: Tim Kaeding 25th to 7th
ARP FAST QUALIFIER (25 Cars): Dominic Scelzi 13.595
BROWN AND MILLER RACING SOLUTIONS HEAT ONE (8 laps): Mittry, Scelzi, Netto, Cox, T. Carrick, Faccinto, Aton, T. Kaeding, Croft
KIMO’s TROPICAL CAR WASH HEAT TWO (8 laps): Day, Allard, McCarl, Abreu, B. Carrick, Forler, Morgan, Bloomfield,
DIRT.TRAVEL CLUB HEAT THREE (8 laps): Peck, Hirst, Golobic, Sanders, Stidham, Moles, B. Kaeding, Bernal
SUNNYVALLEY “POWERED BY BACON” TROPHY DASH (6 laps): Scelzi, Peck, Allard, Day, Hirst, Mittry
RICO RETURNS: ABREU EMERGES AS ANTHONY SIMONE CLASSIC WINNER AFTER NARC RACE OF THE YEAR
(10/14/2022 – Alex Nieten) Hanford, CA… On a night when the NARC Fujitsu General Sprint Cars were honoring a man known as “Mr. Excitement,” the main event surely had the late Anthony Simone smiling from above.
Excitement might be an understatement to describe the Fujitsu Feature of Friday’s second Annual Anthony Simone Classic. The final 15 circuits of the 30-lap finale saw 12 unofficial lead changes between four different drivers. It was slider after slider and crossover after crossover that saw some of the sport’s best in Rico Abreu, Corey Day, Dominic Scelzi, and Justin Sanders waging war around the 3/8ths mile for a $10,000 payday. Ultimately, it was Abreu emerging as the winner.
With his 2022 schedule primarily focusing on racing with the World of Outlaws, All-Stars, and other major races out east, Friday was Abreu’s first NARC appearance of the year aboard the Rowdy Energy No. 24. It was his third series victory at Keller Auto Speedway and 16th overall with NARC in his 68th career feature start.
For Abreu, the celebration included not only the joy of topping one of the most entertaining races of the year that included a stout paycheck, but also the emotion of collecting another victory at the place where his sprint car career began.
“Man, I’m out of breath. That was a hell of a race,” said a winded Abreu. “My first race ever in a sprint car was at Hanford in March of 2011. This place always has a special spot in my heart. I really struggled here through the beginning of my career. Then as I matured as a driver I learned to slow everything down and breathe while I’m racing.”
Dominic Scelzi and Mitchel Moles led the field to green to kickoff the 30-lap tilt. The early pace of the race was slowed by a few cautions and one red flag for Mauro Simone getting upside down. He was unharmed.
As the field progressed through the first half, Scelzi led while Corey Day wasted no time making moves as he sliced through the field from his 15th starting spot. The Clovis teenager had made it all the way up to third before getting too sideways with 22 laps to go in turn four and nearly bringing the car to a halt.
Despite Day’s save, the yellow flag flew but was deemed an inadvertent yellow, allowing Day to blend in line where he would’ve if the race stayed green, lining him up seventh for the ensuing restart.
Scelzi brought the field back to green and continued to control the race on the bottom groove. Battles in and around the top-five raged on leading to the race’s halfway mark, and when the second half of the main event commenced, the brawl for the lead broke out.
With 13 laps to go, Abreu threw a turn one slider at Scelzi, and Scelzi promptly crossed over to regain the spot down the backstretch. The next time around, Abreu launched another turn one slide job. Scelzi couldn’t manage to crossover, but he returned the favor with a slider of his own in turn one on the next lap.
Scelzi crept away after the move as Abreu, Cole Macedo, Justin Sanders, and Day threw haymakers for the runner-up spot.
Abreu maintained second, and with six laps left, he gathered momentum for yet another turn one slide job. Scelzi matched the move in turn three, but Abreu ducked underneath him exiting turn four.
The next lap was nearly disastrous as Scelzi slid in front of Abreu in turns three and four and was bringing Justin Sanders with him. Sanders nosed ahead of both for just a moment, and Abreu launched off the cushion and between both of them, creating a wild three-wide battle, and Abreu powered away down the front stretch. After the hold-your-breath moment, Abreu was able to get a small amount of breathing room with just four laps to go.
The breathing room didn’t last long as Day roared back into second with three laps to go. Then, as Abreu and Day crossed the stripe with two to go, Day threw a massive turn one slider to clear Abreu. Day left a gap heading into three, and Abreu returned the favor. On the last lap, Abreu rolled the bottom in turns one and two while Day ripped the cushion and built momentum. In the final set of corners Abreu slid himself to protect, and Day followed in his tracks sliding across the track but with no opening to pass. Ultimately, Abreu held on to win by just a couple car lengths.
“I just kept telling myself all night that we’ve just got to be there the last 10 laps,” Abreu said of his strategy. “My car was really, really good. It was kind of just floundering around lane choice there, and I caught Dom (Scelzi) on the top, and he kind of fishtailed up there. I got to the bottom off of (turn) two a couple times and could just run across from him.
“You get into some tense battles like tonight, and you just sense there’s cars behind you,” Abreu added. “You know if you slip up these guys here are all good enough to win this race. It was just a matter of who minimized their mistakes.”
Corey Day’s valiant drive aboard the Meyers Constructors/Four CCCCs Construction No. 14 not only earned him the runner-up spot, but it was also worth the night’s Swift Metal Finishing Hardcharger as he advanced 13 spots.
“I was just kind of hammering in,” Day said of his all-out approach. “When it curbs up around the top like that, that’s my style. Noisy had the car really good for it to be able to do that.”
Completing the podium was Justin Sanders in the Farmers Brewing Co./Mittry Construction No. 2X. It marked Sanders’ sixth NARC top-three of the season.
“I feel like I won the normal man’s race,” Sanders joked. “You got Rico who is an Outlaw guy, and Corey Day is the next Kyle Larson, so I guess I won the normal California race. I’ll take it.”
The balance of the top-10 included Dominic Scelzi, Cole Macedo, Shane Golobic, Austin McCarl, Kyle Hirst, Mitchel Moles, and Tim Kaeding.
FUJITSU GENERAL USA FEATURE (30 laps): 1. Rico Abreu 24 2. Corey Day 14 3. Justin Sanders 2X 4. Dominic Scelzi 41 5. Cole Macedo 21T 6. Shane Golobic 17W 7. Austin McCarl 88 8. Kyle Hirst 83JR 9. Mitchel Moles 01 10. Tim Kaeding 83 11. D.J. Netto 88N 12. Mitchell Faccinto 21 13. Dylan Bloomfield 83V 14. Justyn Cox 42X 15. Jonathan Allard 0 16. Bud Kaeding 69 17. Blake Carrick 38B 18. Billy Aton 26 19. Willie Croft 29 20. Tanner Carrick 83T 21. Craig Stidham 36 22. Bill Balog 7 23. Justin Peck 17 24. Kaleb Montgomery 2K 25. Mauro Simone 10.
METTEC TITATIUM LAP LEADERS: Scelzi 1-18, 20-24. Abreu 19, 25-30
SWIFT METAL FINISHING HARDCHARGER: Corey Day 15th to 2nd
ARP FAST QUALIFIER (31 Cars): Mitchell Faccinto 13.544
BROWN AND MILLER RACING SOLUTIONS HEAT ONE (6 laps): T. Kaeding, Hirst, Balog, Faccinto, Myers Jr., B. Carrick, Mittry
KIMO’s TROPICAL CAR WASH HEAT TWO (6 laps): Scelzi, Macedo, Carrick, Allard, Montgomery, Shaw
DIRT.TRAVEL CLUB HEAT THREE (6 laps): Abreu, Peck, Croft, Netto, Aton, Danell
KAEDING PERFORMANCE HEAT FOUR (6 laps): Bloomfield, McCarl, Day, Golobic, Stidham, Simone
METTEC TITANIUM HEAT FIVE (6 laps): Sanders, Moles, B. Kaeding, Cox, Forler, De Wees
SUNNYVALLEY “POWERED BY BACON” TROPHY DASH (8 laps): Scelzi, Moles, Abreu, Peck, Bloomfield, Macedo, Sanders, McCarl, T. Kaeding, Hirst
STARR PROPERTY MANAGEMENT SEMI (12 laps): Montgomery, Stidham, Aton, B. Carrick, Myers Jr., Forler, Shaw, Danell, Simone, De We
NARC SET FOR CENTRAL VALLEY DOUBLE HEADER WITH ANTHONY SIMONE CLASSIC AND DENNIS ROTH CLASSIC
(10/10/2022) Sacramento, CA… The final double header weekend of 2022 for the NARC Fujitsu General Sprint Cars is set for this weekend as on Friday, October 14th Hanford’s Keller Auto Speedway hosts the Anthony Simone Classic, and on Saturday, October 15th the inaugural Dennis Roth Classic will take place at Tulare’s Thunderbowl Raceway.
The pair of races will be NARC’s final appearance of the year at the two central valley facilities, and the latter of the two will present an opportunity at a stout payday. On Saturday at Tulare, as a nod to Roth Motorsports’ iconic car number, the Dennis Roth Classic will pay $8,300 to win and $830 to start.
Friday pays tribute to versatile Anthony Simone who we unfortunately lost early last year. Nicknamed “Mr. Excitement,” Simone was known for a thrilling driving style and being one of the most fun presences in the pit area. The event also doubles as ladies night at Keller Auto Speedway meaning free admission for all ladies who attend. Friday’s format will be unique with full details to be found below in the Fan & Competitor Info section.
On Saturday, in addition to offering a lucrative purse, the Dennis Roth Classic will hand out some "meaty" bonuses on a night the man who has long fielded the Beef Packers car is saluted. The Fast Qualifier will take home 10 pounds of New York Strip Steak. Each Heat Race winner will load a 20-pound ice chest of Tri-Tip in the hauler at night’s end. Per usual, the Sunnyvalley Bacon Dash winner will be awarded 10 pounds of Sunnyvalley Bacon. And finally, the Fujitsu Feature winner will be given 30 pounds of Ribeye. If a driver can sweep the night, they likely won’t have to visit the meat department in the grocery store for at least a year.
Championship Chase
The standings didn’t shake up too much at this past weekend’s Morrie Williams Memorial as the top-five contenders all finished within six spots of each other in the points paying feature. Dominic Scelzi slightly stretched his advantage over Willie Croft, upping it by five markers to a total of 39.
Behind the top two it’s still Bud Kaeding, Mitchell Faccinto, and Max Mittry rounding out the top-five.
Who to Watch
A pair of drivers will each be making just one appearance this weekend and will be worth keeping an eye on.
While Kyle Hirst doesn’t spend much time behind the wheel these days, the four-time NARC champion is reuniting with Roth to strap back in a No. 83 on Saturday with hopes of what would be a popular victory. Hirst won three of his titles with Roth and has been one of the toughest competitors in a 410ci sprint car at the Thunderbowl over the years. The Paradise native is a six-time series feature winner at Tulare.
“Dennis is one of the biggest guys in my career,” Hirst said. “I’m pretty excited for him. To have a Dennis Roth Classic race is pretty cool, and I look forward to being back in the 83 for that. Hopefully I can put it up front, go bang the boards at Tulare, and try to get him another win.”
On Friday in Hanford, Tarlton Motorsports tentatively plans to field a second entry for Lemoore native Cole Macedo. With racing wrapping up in Ohio, this year’s Attica-Fremont champion is headed home with hopes of scoring his first career NARC victory. Through 12 career series starts, Macedo’s best finish is a fifth at none other than Keller Auto Speedway.
Among those expected to be on the roster for both nights, Fremont’s Shane Golobic stands out as someone who could find himself on the podium for each event. Golobic is coming off scoring his third top-three in his last five series events in Hanford. The team NOS Energy Drink driver has also podiumed in six of his last seven series features at the Thunderbowl and owns a 2.7 average finish over that stretch.
The late season central valley stretch continues to favor Fresno’s Dominic Scelzi as he looks to seal the deal on his second straight NARC championship. Scelzi is a four-time series winner at Keller Speedway and picked up a top-five there at this past weekend’s Morrie Williams Memorial. “The Dominator” has won three straight series events at the Thunderbowl, most recently the opening night of May’s Peter Murphy Classic. If he can claim Saturday’s Dennis Roth Classic, he’ll join Brent Kaeding as the only other driver to win four straight NARC races in Tulare.
While the stats might lean in Scelzi’s favor, Willie Croft is no slouch at either facility and can’t be counted out as he attempts to earn his first championship. Croft topped a 2016 NARC show at the Thunderbowl, is a former winner of the facility’s famed Trophy Cup, and owns a World of Outlaws podium there.
Kerry Madsen is due for a NARC win as he’s been banging on the door multiple times this year and nearly broke through this past weekend before the cushion bit him with just a few laps to go. The Roth Motorsports driver plans to compete on both nights and should be in contention to put the Roth machine in victory lane at the race honoring Dennis himself. The “Madman” owns three top-fives with the World of Outlaws at Tulare.
Other drivers expected to compete include Chico’s Jonathan Allard, Hanford’s Mitchell Faccinto, Redding’s Max Mittry, Aromas’ Justin Sanders, Sebastopol’s Joel Myers Jr., Clovis’ Corey Day, Hanford’s D.J. Netto, and more.
Fan & Competitor Info
Friday’s NARC King of the West Hoosier Tire format will feature ARP Fast Time Qualifying, either four six-lap Heat Races (if less than 30 cars) or five six-lap Heat Races (if 30 or more cars). The heats will be lined up straight up on qualifying times, and the top-two finishers will advance to the eight-lap Sunnyvalley Bacon Dash. If the four heat race format is used, the two fastest qualifiers who did not finish in the top-two of their heat but did transfer will also make the dash and start no better than ninth and tenth. The Dash finish, Heat Race finishes, and Semi finish will set the lineup for the night’s 30-lap Fujitsu Feature.
Saturday’s NARC King of the West Hoosier Tire format will feature ARP Fast Time Qualifying, 10-lap Heat Races, a six-lap Sunnyvalley Bacon Dash, a Starr Property Management Semi if necessary, and the 30-lap Fujitsu Feature.
General Admission tickets for Friday’s Anthony Simone Classic in Hanford will be $20. Seniors (ages 62+) and Juniors (ages 7-17) will be admitted for just $15. Military and ladies get in free! Tickets can be purchased at the gate on race day or in advance via the following link: https://www.myracepass.com/events/431445/tickets/
For Saturday’s Dennis Roth Classic in Tulare, Adult Grandstand tickets will be $30, and Adult Bleacher tickets are $25. Seniors will be admitted to the Grandstand for $28 and the Bleachers for $23. Kids (ages 6-12) Grandstand tickets are just $15 and $13 for the Bleachers. Kids 5 and under are free. Pit passes are $45. Tickets can be purchased at the gate on the day of the race.
On Saturday at Tulare the front gate will open at 4:00 P.M. Hot laps are slated for 5:00 P.M. Qualifying is scheduled to begin at 6:00 P.M. with racing to following at 7:00 P.M.
Keller Auto Speedway is located on the Kings County Fairgrounds at 801 South 10th Avenue Hanford, CA 93230. For more information visit racekingsspeedway.com or email kellerautospeedway@yahoo.com.
Thunderbowl Raceway is located at 620 South K Street Tulare, CA 93274. For more information visit thunderbowlraceway.com or call (559) 688-0909.
Both the Anthony Simone Classic and Dennis Roth Classic can be viewed live on floracing.com along with the entire NARC Fujitsu General Sprint Car schedule.
2022 NARC King of the West Fujitsu 410 Sprint Car Series
Championship Points Standings (After 16 events in 20-race series - 10/9/22)Dominic Scelzi, Fresno - 1771
Willie Croft, Colfax - 1732
Bud Kaeding, Campbell - 1706
Mitchell Faccinto, Hanford - 1686
Max Mittry, Redding (R) - 1654
Shane Golobic, Elk Grove - 1614
Justin Sanders, Aromas - 1600
Billy Aton, Benicia - 1365
Joel Myers Jr, Sebastopol - 1400
Logan Forler, Boise, ID - 1195
Tim Kaeding, San Jose - 1136
DJ Netto, Hanford - 1069
Corey Day, Salinas - 1066
Tanner Holmes, Jacksonville, OR (R) - 904
Nick Parker, Tucson, AZ (R) - 878
Chase Johnson, Penngrove - 815
Garen Linder, Central Point, OR - 708
Kerry Madsen, Knoxville, IA - 687
Colby Copeland, Roseville - 670
Tanner Carrick, Lincoln - 633The NARC Fujitsu General USA Racing Series is also sponsored by Hoosier Racing Tires and Floracing.com. Associate and product award sponsors include Automotive Racing Products (ARP), Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, Bullet Impressions, Dirt.Travel, FK Rod Ends, Johnstone Supply, Kaeding Performance Center, Kimo's Tropical Car Wash, KSE Racing Products, Maxim, Mettec Titanium, Pyrotect, Roth Motorsports, Safecraft Safety Equipment, Saldana Racing Products, Schoenfeld Headers, SCI Racing Products, Scelzi Enterprises, Starr Property Management, Swift Metal Finishing, Sunnyvalley Bacon, System 1 Ignition, Ultra Lite Brakes, Vortex Wings, Wilwood Disc Brakes, and Winters Performance Products.
SOCIAL MEDIA INFORMATION
Website: www.NARC410.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NARCKingoftheWest
Facebook (history page): https://www.facebook.com/NARCSprintCarHistory
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NARC410
Instagram: www.instagram.com/narc410
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TikTok: NARC410
Live Stream PPV: Floracing.comUPCOMING EVENTS:
October 29 - The Dirt Track at Kern County Raceway Park (Bakersfield) - Sprint Car Showdown
November 5 - Stockton Dirt Track - Tribute to GP Championship NightNovember 6 - Brookside Country Club (Stockton) - Championship Celebration
PHENOM DAY NOTCHES ANOTHER NARC WIN, ALLARD SCORES EMOTIONAL VICTORY IN MORRIE WILLIAMS MEMORIAL TWIN FEATURES
(10/8/2022 – Alex Nieten) Hanford, CA… Two features, two vastly different stories as the NARC Fujitsu General Sprint Cars visited Keller Auto Speedway for the Morrie Williams Memorial.
The first saw perhaps the nation’s top young sprint car talent collect yet another victory as he continues his rise to stardom. The latter provided one of the most emotional celebrations in NARC history as a series legend took a storybook trip to the winner’s circle.
In the opening twin-20 lapper Corey Day capitalized on some good fortune to earn his sixth series victory in only his 23rd career start, and then Jonathan Allard followed it up by dominating the second 20-lapper in none other than the car that helped him establish his legacy, the Williams Motorsports No. 0.
The first feature looked like it would be all Kerry Madsen as he wheeled the Roth Motorsports machine from row two to the lead by the end of the opening circuit, taking the top sport from polesitter, Day.
“When you start on the front row, it’s hard to gauge what people are doing behind you and where the fast line is,” Day said of losing the early lead to Madsen. “I definitely thought in my head that race was going to be won on the top, and it wasn’t he drove right by me on the bottom.”
The “Madman” expertly worked traffic in the early going, only being slowed by a mid-race yellow and then a nasty red flag as Ryan Bernal and Craig Stidham flipped entering turn one. Both were unharmed.
As the laps waned, Day began to search on what had been a bottom dominant track. It appeared the Clovis native cost himself a chance at victory when the turn two cushion tripped him up inside of five laps to go, giving Madsen more breathing room. However, on the next trip around, the same spot bit Madsen as he negotiated a slower car. Madsen wasn’t as lucky as Day as his incident sent him flipping, ending his night.
“I definitely got a Christmas gift on that one with him (Madsen) taking himself out,” Day admitted. “He just got in there a little too hard behind the lapped car and slid too hard into the cushion and turned it over.”
On the restart, the new leader Day pulled ahead in his Meyers Constructors/Four CCCCs Construction No. 14 as runner-up Tim Kaeding attempted to run him down. Ultimately, Day would not be denied after inheriting the lead as he cruised to the checkered flag with a 2.066 second advantage, marking his fourth NARC win in his 10th start of 2022.
Completing the podium in the first main event was Tim Kaeding in the Works Limited No. 57 and Shane Golobic in Matt Wood’s NOS Energy Drink/Elk Grove Ford No. 17W.
Courtesy of the full-field invert based on the first feature’s finish (excluding lapped cars), Jonathan Allard started on the front row of the second next to Justyn Cox who was reunited with Bates Hamilton Racing.
Allard darted ahead from the outside as the green flag flew aboard Morrie Williams’ iconic ride with backing from Allard’s New Zealand racing family, the Daltons. The three-time NARC champion immediately glued the No. 0 to the bottom as the field sliced and diced behind him.
A few challengers, Justyn Cox, Bud Kaeding, and Austin McCarl, all appeared that they might give Allard a strong fight at various times throughout the second feature, but every time one of them would muster a run, Allard would stretch the lead again.
The veteran continued to piece together solid laps on the bottom as the battle raged for runner-up behind him and the laps dwindled. Inside of five laps to go, Cox secured the second spot and began to charge at Allard. The white flag flew with Cox just behind him. The duo entered turns three and four for the final time, and Cox let it all hang out on the cushion, drawing even with Allard and bringing the crowd to their feet, but the grip on the bottom proved too strong as Allard pulled ahead and took the checkered flag.
“The biggest thing is I was trying not to make any mistakes. At my age, that happens quite a bit,” Allard said of his race with a smirk. “We’ll take what we can get, and I was just trying to get the car where it needed to be.”
Allard’s 41st career series victory might just be the most special of all. It was Morrie Williams who took a chance on him in 2005 when he didn’t have a ride. It was Morrie Williams’ car he drove to his three NARC championships. It was Morrie Williams who helped Allard cement his status as a sprint car legend. And Allard, reunited with the Williams Motorsports team for the first time in nearly a decade, drove the No. 0 to a win in his first NARC California appearance in three years in the racing honoring Morrie himself.
“As they say, I’d rather be lucky than good any day,” a humble Allard said, crediting the invert for some help. “The guys have been working so hard to try to make me feel comfortable, but it’s going to be a lot of work to keep getting up to speed with these guys. We’ve got a few features to run in a row to try to sort things out. I definitely think Morrie was looking after me tonight.”
Rounding out the podium in the second feature was Justyn Cox in Josh Bates and Roger Hamilton’s Teichert/Vinyltech No. 42X and Austin McCarl in the Country Builders Construction No. 88.
Corey Day claimed the Morrie Williams Memorial overall championship courtesy of his win in the first feature and a fourth-place result in the second.
FUJITSU GENERAL USA FEATURE ONE (20 laps): 1. Corey Day 14 2. Tim Kaeding 57 3. Shane Golobic 17W 4. Dominic Scelzi 41 5. Mitchell Faccinto 21 6. Justin Sanders 2X 7. Max Mittry 2XM 8. D.J. Netto 88N 9. Willie Croft 29 10. Bud Kaeding 69 11. Andy Forsberg 92 12. Dylan Bloomfield 83V 13. Austin McCarl 88 14. Jonathan Allard 0 15. Justyn Cox 42X 16. Kurt Nelson 72W 17. Cody Key 18. Burt Foland Jr. 4 19. Connor Danell 5D 20. Kerry Madsen 83JR 21. Ryan Bernal 22 22. Chase Johnson 24 23. Craig Stidham 36 24. Kaleb Montgomery 2K
FUJITSU GENERAL USA FEATURE TWO (20 laps): 1. Jonathan Allard 0 2. Justyn Cox 42X 3. Austin McCarl 88 4. Corey Day 14 5. Justin Sanders 2X 6. Bud Kaeding 69 7. Tim Kaeding 57 8. Dylan Bloomfield 83V 9. Dominic Scelzi 41 10. Shane Golobic 11. Willie Croft 29 12. Max Mittry 2XM 13. Mitchell Faccinto 21 14. Kurt Nelson 72W 15. Cody Key 15 16. D.J. Netto 88N 17. Andy Forsberg 92 18. Connor Danell 5D 19. Burt Foland Jr. 4
METTEC TITATIUM LAP LEADERS FEATURE ONE: Madsen 1-17, Day 18-20
METTEC TITATIUM LAP LEADERS FEATURE TWO: Allard 1-20
SWIFT METAL FINISHING HARDCHARGER FEATURE ONE: Cody Key
SWIFT METAL FINISHING HARDCHARGER FEATURE TWO: Corey Day
ARP FAST QUALIFIER (30 cars): Tim Kaeding 13.771
BROWN AND MILLER RACING SOLUTIONS HEAT ONE (8 laps): T. Kaeding, Scelzi, Faccinto, Bloomfield, Netto, Forsberg, K. Nelson, C. Nelson, Key, Myers Jr.
KIMO’s TROPICAL CAR WASH HEAT TWO (8 laps): Mittry, Madsen, Sanders, Croft, Bernal, Cox, Danell, Montgomery, Shaw, Hodges
DIRT.TRAVEL CLUB HEAT THREE (8 laps): Day, Golobic, B. Kaeding, Stidham, McCarl, Allard, Johnson, Coelho, Foland Jr.
SUNNYVALLEY “POWERED BY BACON” TROPHY DASH (4 laps): Day, Kaeding, Madsen, Golobic, Scelzi, Mittry
STARR PROPERTY MANAGEMENT SEMI (10 laps): Johnson, Montgomery, K. Nelson, Danell, Key, Foland Jr., Coelho, Hodges, C. Nelson, Shaw, Myers Jr.
RIGHTFUL REUNION: ALLARD CLIMBING BACK IN THE ZERO FOR MORRIE WILLIAMS MEMORIAL
(10/7/2022 – Alex Nieten) Hanford, CA… Back in early 2005, Jonathan Allard was without a ride when a door opened that would forever change his career.
Up until that year, Allard only knew car owner Morrie Williams personally through some occasional pit area small talk. As sprint car season got underway in California, Williams’ driver at the time, Dennis Moore Jr., suffered an injury. In need of a new wheelman, Williams struck a deal with Allard, leading to him climbing aboard the Williams Motorsports No. 0 and marking the beginnings of one of the most dominant pairings in west coast history.
“I got to meet Morrie a few times around the tracks in California,” Allard explained. “I didn’t know him other than a passing hello. I found myself without a ride and was helping my brother (Stephen) at Silver Dollar (Speedway) one night a few races into the season. Morrie’s driver, Dennis Moore, had a car crash into him and broke his arm. They needed a driver, and I was available. We never looked back from there.”
It didn’t take long for Allard to get acquainted with his new team. In his first start with the NARC Fujitsu General Sprint Cars (then Golden State Challenge Series), Allard finished second. In 21 series starts that year, Allard and Williams won a trio of races, notched 11 podiums, and logged 15 top-fives. Despite missing the first two events of the season prior to Moore’s injury, Allard led the series in the podium and top-five categories. Also among his accomplishments that year were three top-fives with the World of Outlaws and the first of his now four Dirt Cup victories, all of which would come in Williams’ iconic car. Allard even made the Knoxville Nationals main event twice (2009 & 2012) driving for Morrie.
The very next year they engineered a dominant season as Allard won a whopping seven of the 19 NARC races in 2006 and ultimately claimed his first series championship. They would also go on to earn the 2008 and 2012 titles.
On top of creating a wildly successful driver to car owner dynamic, Allard and Williams formed a strong friendship throughout their time together, one built through Williams’ genuine care for Allard not only as a driver but also as a person.
“Morrie was much more than the typical car owner for me,” Allard said. “He was a friend and a mentor. Morrie was always a steady guide to center us as a team and myself personally. He allowed me the ability to make mistakes inside the car which allowed me to understand myself better.
“Morrie allowed the team to work towards success with guidance and a nudge once in a while when needed,” Allard added. “Morrie never moved us in a direction through force, and that is rare in motorsports.”
Allard became like family to Morrie, his wife, Katie Williams, and the race team as their connection stretched beyond the racetrack.
After nearly a decade of dominance, Allard and the Williams team amicably parted ahead of 2014. Despite going different directions, Allard and Morrie remained close the entire way to the day the racing community sadly lost Morrie in 2019.
The very next year, the Morrie Williams Memorial was born and held at Hanford’s Keller Auto Speedway. Unfortunately, travel restrictions under the height of the COVID-19 pandemic didn’t allow Allard to attend as he was with his wife in New Zealand, where they share a home.
Now, with those travel troubles erased, Allard is back in the states and set to strap back in the No. 0 this weekend for the third annual Morrie Williams Memorial in a reunion that couldn’t be better scripted in fiction.
While this Saturday will mark Allard’s first NARC start in the Golden State in three years, the Chico native did get his feet wet during a brief stint with the team in June. The four-time Dirt Cup champion flew back and competed at the 50th Annual Jim Raper Memorial Dirt Cup in Washington as Peter Murphy and Kevin Rudeen returned 410ci sprint cars to the event. The on-track performance didn’t go as he’d hoped, but Allard came away happy after getting some laps and getting to reunite with the team.
“While it was disappointing for me performance wise, I considered it a success,” Allard commented. “Spending time with Katie and Ashley (Smith, crew chief) and the Williams Motorsports family definitely made me feel like I was finally back home. The Dalton’s racing family put this together with the Williams team, and I find myself in the best spot to enjoy what Morrie build and loved.”
Fortunately for Allard fans, he and the Williams crew plan for this year to be the beginning of another extended run together. During the last few years in New Zealand, Allard has continually proven he still has plenty left in the tank, collecting a healthy tally of checkered flags in the Dalton’s sprint car.
And while Allard hopes for a strong effort in Hanford on Saturday as he continues through the early stages of another tenure with Williams Motorsports, this weekend might be more about enjoying the moment. The evening promises to be full of emotion as Allard gets the opportunity to submerge himself back in the Golden State racing community where he is beloved and primarily recognized for the extensive resumé he constructed in Morrie’s machine. It wasn’t all that long ago that Allard only dreamed of again driving the zero car, and now not only is it a reality, but he also gets to do so at the race that honors his late friend.
“I am so excited for the weekend,” Allard said. “I know we have some work to do to get up to speed again, but I hope that I have a few guys upstairs looking down to help with that. It will be emotional for me. Fortunately, I have the best around me with Katie to get the best out of us as a team. Katie has always contributed so much to this team, and we’re looking forward to what the future holds for the Williams Motorsports 0.”
(10/3/22) Sacramento, CA… It’s been a long two and a half months, but at long last the NARC Fujitsu General Sprint Cars return to action this Saturday, October 8th at Hanford’s Keller Auto Speedway for the Morrie Williams Memorial.
The race will serve as number 16 on the NARC calendar and the second of three at Keller Auto Speedway this season. In store for Saturday is a unique twist. Instead of one 30-lap Fujitsu Feature to conclude the program, drivers will partake in two 20-lap, $3,000 to win features with the second being lined up based on a complete invert of the first’s finish. The first feature will be set by NARC’s standard format. The driver who has the best overall performance across the two main events will earn an extra $1,000 as the Morrie Williams Memorial champion. Overall, there is more than $30,000 up for grabs.
The reason for the additional main event with the top finishers heading to the back of the second is to honor the man that the race is named for, Morrie Williams. One of the most revered car owners of the West Coast, Williams fielded the iconic No. 0 sprinter for many years and saw some of the sport’s top talent take his machine to victory lane before he sadly passed in 2019. The late legend enjoyed formats that emphasized drivers having to work their way forward, so the race in his honor provides just that in the second feature.
Williams’ zero car helped pave the path to a wildly successful career for one driver in particular, Jonathan Allard, and “JA” has reunited with the Williams crew this year and will have the honor of driving the car on Saturday with longtime team crew chief, Ashley Smith, on the wrenches.
“It’s quite a team bond with Ashley and the whole family with Katie and Morrie,” Allard said. “And now we’ve brought Dalton’s (Landscaping) on board, and they’re part of my racing family down in New Zealand, so it’s quite special to bring the two groups together and have them a part of this.”
Championship Chase
As the west coast’s premier 410 sprint car series hits the home stretch, Fresno’s Dominic Scelzi continues to lead the standings in his bid for back to back titles.
Colfax’s Willie Croft sits second in points still with a realistic shot at his first NARC championship just 34 markers behind Scelzi.
Behind the top-two it’s 2017 champ Bud Kaeding (-59 points behind the lead) in third, Mitchell Faccinto (-79) in fourth, and 16-year-old Max Mittry (-105) completing the top-five.
Who to Watch
With Jonathan Allard returning to California aboard the Williams No. 0, he’ll undoubtedly be hungry with hopes of honoring Morrie with a trip to victory lane. The Chico native owns a trio of NARC wins at Keller Auto Speedway, all three of which he earned in Williams’ car.
As Dominic Scelzi continues to chase his second consecutive championship, he’s heading to perhaps the ideal track to contribute to that effort. Keller Auto Speedway is the winningest track on Scelzi’s NARC resumé with four of his 19 series triumphs coming at the 3/8ths mile. The Scelzi Motorsports driver has won half of the past six NARC races there including May’s Peter Murphy Classic.
One of the hometown heroes with a strong chance at victory this Saturday will be Hanford’s own Mitchell Faccinto. The Tarlton Motorsports pilot is still seeking his first NARC victory of 2022, and fortunately for him, two of his three career series wins were at his home track. The 30-year-old claimed both the 2017 & 2018 editions of the Cotton Classic and looks to make it a trio of Keller Auto Speedway NARC triumphs this weekend.
Two young guns will all be eying their first career NARC wins and have a solid chance in Hanford. Leading series Rookie of the Year candidate, Redding’s Max Mittry, finished a season-best 6th in May at Keller Auto Speedway. Just last weekend Sebastopol’s Joel Myers Jr. notched his first every sprint car victory, and one of his three career NARC top-fives came last October in Hanford.
Other drivers expected to compete include Campbell’s Bud Kaeding, Benicia’s Billy Aton, Clovis’ Corey Day, Fremont’s Shane Golobic, Aromas’ Justin Sanders, Hanford’s D.J. Netto, Roseville’s Colby Copeland, and more.
Fan & Competitor Info
The NARC-King of the West Hoosier Tire format will feature ARP Fast Time Qualifying, eight-lap heat races, a six-lap Sunnyvalley Bacon Trophy Dash, a Starr Property Management Semi if necessary, and the pair of 20-lap Fujitsu Features.
After the conclusion of the first feature, drivers are to park in the infield to prepare for the second. Driving to the pits will result in starting in the back of the second feature regardless of finish in the first. No tire changes are permitted between the first and second feature.
General Admission tickets for the Morrie Williams Memorial are $20. Seniors (ages 62+) and Juniors (ages 7-17) will be admitted for just $15. Tickets can be purchased at the gate or via the following link: https://www.myracepass.com/events/402015/tickets/
Keller Auto Speedway is located on the Kings County Fairgrounds at 801 South 10th Avenue Hanford, CA 93230. For more information visit racekingsspeedway.com or email kellerautospeedway@yahoo.com.
The Morrie Williams Memorial can be viewed live on floracing.com along with the entire NARC Fujitsu General Sprint Car Series schedule.
2022 NARC King of the West Fujitsu 410 Sprint Car Series
Championship Points Standings (After 15 events in 20-race series - 10/1/22)Dominic Scelzi, Fresno - 1659
Willie Croft, Colfax - 1625
Bud Kaeding, Campbell - 1600
Mitchell Faccinto, Hanford - 1575
Max Mittry, Redding (R) - 1545
Shane Golobic, Elk Grove - 1501
Justin Sanders, Aromas - 1490
Billy Aton, Benicia - 1470
Joel Myers Jr, Sebastopol - 1313
Logan Forler, Boise, ID - 1195
Tim Kaeding, San Jose - 1021
DJ Netto, Hanford - 961
Corey Day, Salinas - 949
Tanner Holmes, Jacksonville, OR (R) - 904
Nick Parker, Tucson, AZ (R) - 803
Chase Johnson, Penngrove - 721
Garen Linder, Central Point, OR - 708
Colby Copeland, Roseville - 670
Tanner Carrick, Lincoln - 633
Geoffrey Strole, Hanford - 629The NARC Fujitsu General USA Racing Series is also sponsored by Hoosier Racing Tires and Floracing.com. Associate and product award sponsors include Automotive Racing Products (ARP), Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, Bullet Impressions, Dirt.Travel, FK Rod Ends, Johnstone Supply, Kaeding Performance Center, Kimo's Tropical Car Wash, KSE Racing Products, Maxim, Mettec Titanium, Pyrotect, Roth Motorsports, Safecraft Safety Equipment, Saldana Racing Products, Schoenfeld Headers, SCI Racing Products, Scelzi Enterprises, Starr Property Management, Swift Metal Finishing, Sunnyvalley Bacon, System 1 Ignition, Ultra Lite Brakes, Vortex Wings, Wilwood Disc Brakes, and Winters Performance Products.
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Live Stream PPV: Floracing.comUPCOMING EVENTS:
October 14 - Keller Auto Speedway (Hanford) - Anthony Simone Classic
October 15 - Thunderbowl Raceway (Tulare) - Dennis Roth Classic
October 29 - The Dirt Track at Kern County Raceway Park (Bakersfield) - Sprint Car Showdown
November 5 - Stockton Dirt Track - Tribute to Gary Patterson Championship NightNovember 6 - NARC Championship Celebration - Brookside Country Club (Stockton)
ENDING IT WHERE IT ALL BEGAN: The McMAHAN BROTHERS CALL IT A CAREER AT PLACERVILLE
(8/29/2022 – Alex Nieten) Placerville, CA… This past weekend a single night at a California quarter mile of red clay summoned decades of memories and the countless miles raced by a pair of Elk Grove brothers.
Saturday at Placerville Speedway Paul and Bobby McMahan put the final punctuation marks on two remarkable sprint car careers. The El Dorado County bullring played an instrumental role in launching those careers, and in storybook fashion the duo returned to Placerville for one final race.
“This is something I’ve been planning for probably three years when I’ve been kind of contemplating to quit racing,” Paul McMahan explained on Saturday. “I always knew I wanted to come back to Placerville. It’s a very special place to me. It’s where I got to race my first full season. I got my first sprint car win here. I’ve got a lot of friends and family that are close to here, so it’s a very special day for me to finish my career here in Placerville.”
After Placerville helped them get started in the 1980s, both went on to build excellent sprint car resumés including becoming two of the best to ever compete with the NARC (Northern Auto Racing Club) sprint cars.
Paul began by driving for his father and establishing a solid presence in California, and then he quickly became one of the state’s strongest forces when he climbed aboard Clyde Lamar’s iconic TRI-C Machine sprinter in the early 1990s, the same car he drove on Saturday. Wheeling Lamar’s No. 3C the younger McMahan competed for multiple NARC titles, earning back-to-back runner-ups in the standings in 1994 and 1995. He collected his fair share of victories during that time frame as well.
After making a name for himself on the West Coast, McMahan decided to expand his racing ventures and competed for World of Outlaws Rookie of the Year in 1997. He then constructed one of the best tenures with the Outlaws among California natives, racking up 27 victories over roughly the next two decades and finishing a best of third in points in both 2013 and 2014.
Bobby earned 1982 Placerville Rookie of the Year honors and parlayed that success into the 1986 NARC Rookie of the Year award. Bobby competed alongside his brother on the NARC tour in the 90s, taking many trips to victory lane. He didn’t race often with the series in the 2000s but returned in the 2010s, finishing in the top-10 in points five more times during the decade, bringing his total to 16 appearances among the top-10 against California’s best.
While the brothers both eventually moved to Tennessee, their friendly personalities led to them becoming beloved within the California racing community. And their reputations made Saturday all the more emotional as they came to their original home to say goodbye.
“It was good. It was a great night,” Bobby said. “It was a lot of emotions all day. All day I’d think about it and start to well up a little bit and try and compose myself. It was just an awesome night.”
“Anytime you can race with your brother it’s great,” Paul said. “We’ve done that a lot over the years but hadn’t done it in a long time, so this is pretty cool to both finish our careers here at Placerville. It all started for both of us here.”
The family, friends, and fans occupying the packed stands welcomed the brothers with cheers each and every time they hit the track. Track promoters Scott Russell and Kami Arnold organized a special presentation for Paul early in the night, and after both of their evenings ended a little early in separate B-mains, each McMahan parked on the front stretch for some closing remarks.
“I was good, and then they stopped me out there on the front straightaway and I lost it,” Bobby said of the moments after completing his final laps in a sprint car. “I really lost it. I had to stop, take some deep breaths, and try and power through that deal. That part was tough. It was really, really tough. Everything just kind of overwhelmed me at that moment.”
Adding to the emotion was the extent of support. The local community came out in strong numbers to see the McMahans, but the outpouring of congratulatory words and encouragement stretched across the nation.
“My phone’s been blowing up,” Paul said. “I got a text from Donny Schatz today, and that meant a lot to me. Joey Saldana flew in from Indianapolis to watch my last race. I’ve got friends from Nebraska that flew in, friends from Illinois, all these different people that came to see my last race is very cool and very special.”
The night also served as a welcome reminder that the same Golden State racing scene that helped shape them is alive and well and could potentially be working on forming the next Paul or Bobby McMahan.
“There’s no slow cars in this field,” Bobby said. “There’s a bunch of really good racecars and a lot of good young drivers coming up through this deal. And it makes me feel good that we have these guys that can hopefully continue to make this sport as great as it is. Sprint car racing is by far the most exciting racing there is anywhere.”
As their time on the racetrack ended on Saturday, the night was only beginning. Once the final checkered flag of the evening flew the stands emptied into the pits where the McMahan brothers waited to greet everyone who wanted to talk.
The massive gathering that surrounded their neighboring pit areas stands as a testament to the impact of these two men. The McMahans were known equally as fierce drivers on track and as two of the most approachable and genuine people to ever grace the sport.
Tears were shed and smiles exchanged, photos were taken, and memories were shared as Saturday night at Placerville Speedway became Sunday morning. And in true McMahan fashion, both Paul and Bobby treated each person as a friend as the brothers called it a career at the place where it all began.
SIMONE RACE RESCHEDULED FOR NARC SPRINT CARS AT HANFORD
(8/20/22) Sacramento, CA ... The Northern Auto Racing Club and Keller Auto Speedway announced that the Anthony Simone Classic has been rescheduled for Friday, October 14th. The original sprint car race date in April was cancelled due to high wind advisories in the Hanford, CA area.
The Anthony Simone Classic will now be part of a huge NARC Fujitsu General 410 Sprint Car Series weekend that also features the inaugural Dennis Roth Classic at the Tulare Thunderbowl Raceway on Saturday, October 15th.
The lucrative Simone Classic is unique in that it features both a winged and non-winged sprint car feature event, both sanctioned by the Northern Auto Racing Club. Teams must use the same cars for both shows with only limited adjustments allowed to the car (no front axle changes.) They have 15-minutes to convert their cars to the non-wing configuration.
With the cancellation of the August 27th show at the Stockton Dirt Track due to a shortage of Hoosier race tires, the NARC sprint cars are dark until October 8th Morrie Williams Memorial at Keller Auto Speedway in Hanford. That event features twin-20 main events with the second race totally inverted by the finish of the first.
Other events in October include the a stop at the Dirt Track at Kern County Raceway Park on the 29th. The season finale is on November 5th when the Stockton Dirt Track hosts the Tribute to Gary Patterson Championship night. The NARC Championship Celebration is on November 6th at the Brookside Country Club.
With five races remaining on the NARC schedule, Fresno's Dominic Scelzi is the current championship point leader.
STOCKTON SCORE: NETTO SURVIVES FRANTIC FINAL LAP TO CLAIM SALUTE TO LEROY VAN CONETT
(7/23/2022 – Alex Nieten) Stockton, CA… There’s just something about D.J. Netto at Stockton Dirt Track.
The 26-year-old is known for having a fearless mindset behind the wheel and a heavy right foot, a combination that suits him perfectly when aboard a sprint car on the lightning fast 3/8ths mile oval that is Stockton.
Saturday night proved as much as Netto led all 30 laps of the NARC Fujitsu General Sprint Cars’ Salute to NARC Champion LeRoy Van Conett, surviving a final lap attack from Shane Golobic to win by just a car length and take home a $6,000 prize.
Netto’s victory adds to his Stockton statistics that highlight how strong the Hanford native is at the track. His fifth overall NARC triumph is his second at Stockton after he claimed last year’s season opener. He now owns nine top-threes in 22 career NARC Stockton starts, a 41-percent podium clip. And he has finished fourth or better in 10 of his last 11 series starts there.
“Our car was good and we were able to maintain,” Netto said in victory lane. “I’ve got to thank my dad and uncle for getting me to this point and allowing me to do this and have fun with each other. Corey Guy and Doug Watts do a great job with this car and motor, and Jason Riley does great on the tires.”
Netto led the field to green courtesy of his Sunnyvalley Bacon Dash win with Golobic alongside. Netto drifted up in front of Golobic who looked to Netto’s inside out of turn two. The duo roared side by side into turn three before Netto prevailed with the lead by using a quicker top line.
The leaders set a fast pace and became slightly stretched out in the early laps. Once lap traffic became a factor just before lap 10, though, the battle at the front tightened.
Slower cars were tricky to navigate, and Golobic quickly closed the gap. Heading into turn one on lap 12 Netto tripped up on the cushion and Golobic pounced. The Fremont native dove to the inside and cruised by Netto, pulling him by five car lengths down the backstretch. Just after the pass the race’s first yellow flag flew when a shredded tire sent Dominic Scelzi’s spinning. Stockton’s official scoring determined that the lap had not been completed, handing the lead back to Netto.
“I made a mistake there in traffic,” Netto said of momentarily losing the top spot. “Traffic was very hard to judge. You’re carrying so much more speed than them, and you’re trying to judge where they’re going to go. I made a mistake there and overdrove getting into (turn) one, and that was enough for Shane to capitalize. Fortunately, I guess the yellow came out and put us back up front.”
Netto darted ahead on the restart, but Golobic again stayed within striking distance as they approached traffic. Another issue on the cushion inside of 10 laps to go nearly cost Netto as Golobic looked low, but another timely caution flew for Angelique Bell stopping in turn four.
“The yellows kept coming out at the right time,” Netto explained. “My car was good in clean air, but if I got behind somebody I got real right, so I was just trying to make smooth laps.”
The green flag brought the field back to life with just six circuits remaining, and Golobic stayed right behind Netto as the laps waned. Golobic used a diamond line in turns one and two to get a run down the backstretch each lap and found himself right on Netto’s tail tank as the white flag flew.
The two screamed down the backstretch for the final time with a slower car ahead. Netto looked low to try and clear the car but nearly drifted into them as Golobic built a run on the top. Netto slid to the top and Golobic ducked under him, but Netto had just enough momentum in his Netto Ag/Penny Newman Grain No. 88N to hold on and win by just one tenth of a second.
“I had to throw a Hail Mary there,” Netto said of his last corner move on the slower car. “So, I knew once I spun my tire getting off (turn) four that Shane had to be close, so I just tried to make the car wide coming off the corner and tried to protect the line that I felt had grip. Shane’s really good here. If you come to Stockton, you know you’re going to be running against Shane. I’m happy we were able to come out on top.”
Golobic’s runner-up marked his best finish of the 2022 NARC campaign and his fourth podium this year aboard the NOS Energy Drink/Elk Grove Ford No. 17W.
“I can’t thank my team enough,” Golobic said of his Matt Wood Racing crew. “They gave me the fastest car here, I think. It’s just a pleasure to drive.”
Completing the podium was another driver notching his best NARC result of the season. Bud Kaeding brought the Al’s Roofing Supply No. 69 home third, his first appearance in the top-three this year as he and BK Racing begin to build some momentum.
“I’m just glad to be up here,” Kaeding said. “I’m glad we’re getting going good with our whole team. We’re kind of gaining some steam here for the end of the season, hopefully, and we’ve got some results to prove it.”
The remainder of the top-10 included Tim Kaeding, Mitchell Faccinto, Dominic Scelzi, Willie Croft, Nick Parker, Dylan Bloomfield, and Max Mittry.
FUJITSU GENERAL USA FEATURE (25 laps): 1. D.J. Netto 88N 2. Shane Golobic 17W 3. Bud Kaeding 69 4. Tim Kaeding 42X 5. Mitchell Faccinto 21 6. Dominic Scelzi 41 7. Willie Croft 29 8. Nick Parker 115 9. Dylan Bloomfield 01 10. Max Mittry 2XM 11. Billy Aton 26 12. Chase Majdic 83V 13. Steven Kent 37 14. Angelique Bell 551 15. Richard Brace Jr. 2R
METTEC TITANIUM LAP LEADERS: Netto 1-25
SWIFT METAL FINISHING HARDCHARGER: Nick Parker
ARP FAST QUALIFIER (16 cars): Dominic Scelzi 12.969
BROWN AND MILLER RACING SOLUTIONS HEAT ONE (8 laps): Mittry, Faccinto, Kaeding, Majdic, Scelzi, Kent, Aton, Brace Jr.
KIMO’s TROPICAL CAR WASH HEAT TWO (8 laps): Kaeding, Netto, Golobic, Bloomfield, Parker, Croft, Bell
SUNNYVALLEY “POWERED BY BACON” TROPHY DASH (6 laps): Netto, Golobic, B. Kaeding, Faccinto, T. Kaeding, Mittry
DIRT.TRAVEL DASH (6 laps): Croft, Scelzi, Majdic, Bloomfield, Kent, Parker
NARC SET TO SALUTE SERIES LEGEND AT STOCKTON DIRT TRACK
Sacramento, CA… This weekend the NARC Fujitsu General Sprint Cars will honor one of the best to ever compete with the Northern Auto Racing Club as Stockton Dirt Track hosts the Salute to LeRoy Van Conett.
Before Brent Kaeding became the man to beat with NARC, Van Conett, nicknamed The Dragon from Galt, held that title for nearly two decades. Over a 16-year period (1969-1984), The Dragon claimed all eight of his series titles, which still ranks second all-time, and dozens of victories. Saturday’s racing represents a tip of the cap to the West Coast legend.
Van Conett will be on hand to take in the racing on Saturday and give fans an opportunity to get an autograph or a photo with the eight-time NARC champion.
The Stockton stop will be the second of a series-high four for NARC in 2022 with the remaining pair of trips set for August 27th and November 5th. Saturday’s Fujitsu Feature will award a stout $6,000 to the winner.
Joining the NARC 410 Sprint Cars this weekend will be the Tri-State Pro Stocks and California Hardtops.
Championship Chase
Dominic Scelzi continues to lead the standings, but for the first time all season Willie Croft cut a good chunk of the deficit off. Croft came home seventh at the Howard Kaeding Classic while a cut tire for Scelzi resulted in him finishing 18th. Croft also earned Fast Time at the HK, giving him an extra point and chopping off a total of 12 markers from Scelzi’s advantage. The gap between the two is down to 32 points.
Behind the top-two, Justin Sanders’ Howard Kaeding Classic win propelled him onto the standings podium. He’s now in third slightly ahead of Bud Kaeding, and a little further back is Mitchell Faccinto completing the top-five.
Who to Watch
The last two series champions, Fresno’s Dominic Scelzi and Hanford’s D.J. Netto, will be a pair to keep an eye on.
The defending titlist, Dominic Scelzi, owns a trio of NARC victories at Stockton, most recently pocketing $6,000 in last August’s Champions Classic. The Dominator has also shown consistency at the San Joaquin County oval. Excluding a lone DNF, Scelzi’s last five series starts at Stockton have yielded three podiums, a 3.2 avg. finish, and no result worse than fifth.
D.J. Netto is always a threat when he signs in at Stockton. The 2019 champion had an incredible streak ended at this year’s season opener hosted by the 3/8ths mile. Leading into that race back in April, Netto had nine straight top-four series finishes at Stockton, so he’ll look to start another impressive streak Saturday. Another noteworthy number is that eight of Netto’s 26 career podiums (31%) have come at the Central Valley facility.
Fremont’s Shane Golobic is Stockton’s all-time leader in sprint car victories. While a majority of those victory lane trips have been outside of NARC action, he does own a pair of 410 triumphs with NARC.
Two-time series champion, Tim Kaeding, will look to add to his current tally of 72 career NARC victories at a track that’s been very kind to him. In eleven series starts at Stockton, the San Jose wheelman has picked up a pair of wins, notched six podiums, and only missed the top-10 once. TK also owns an impressive seven top-10s in nine Stockton features with the World of Outlaws.
Bud Kaeding will continue to try and end his winless drought at a track where he’s found success. The Campbell driver’s most recent series win came at Stockton in August of 2019, and he won a NARC show there in 2016. In his last 45 series events Kaeding has stood on the podium in eight of them just not on the top step, a streak he hopes ends Saturday.
Other drivers expected to compete include Hanford’s Mitchell Faccinto, Colfax’s Willie Croft, Benicia’s Billy Aton, Sebastopol’s Joel Myers Jr., Redding’s Max Mittry and more.
Fan & Competitor Info
The NARC-King of the West Hoosier Tire format will feature ARP Fast Time Qualifying, 8-lap Heat Races, a 6-lap Sunnyvalley Bacon Trophy Dash, and the Fujitsu General USA 30-lap Feature.
The pit gate will open at 3:00 P.M. with the front gate following at 5:00 P.M. Racing is scheduled to begin around 7:00 P.M.
General Admission tickets will be $25. Kids (ages 5-12), seniors (ages 65+), and military with valid ID will be admitted for $20. Kids 4 and under are free.
The Stockton Dirt Track is located on the San Joaquin County Fairgrounds at 1658 S Airport Way Stockton, CA 95206. For more information call 209-466-9999 or visit stocktondirttrack.com.
The Salute to LeRoy Van Conett can be viewed live on floracing.com along with the entire NARC Fujitsu General Sprint Car schedule.
2022 NARC King of the West Fujitsu 410 Sprint Car Series Championship Points Standings (After 14 events in 20-race series - 7/18/22)
Dominic Scelzi, Fresno - 1548 Willie Croft, Colfax - 1516 Justin Sanders, Aromas - 1490 Bud Kaeding, Campbell - 1487 Mitchell Faccinto, Hanford - 144 Max Mittry, Redding (R) - 1439 Shane Golobic, Elk Grove - 1387 Billy Aton, Benicia - 1365 Joel Myers Jr, Sebastopol - 1313 Logan Forler, Boise, ID - 1195 Corey Day, Salinas - 949 Tim Kaeding, San Jose - 909 anner Holmes, Jacksonville, OR (R) - 904 DJ Netto, Hanford - 844 Chase Johnson, Penngrove - 721 Garen Linder, Central Point, OR - 708 Nick Parker, Tucson, AZ (R) - 695 Colby Copeland, Roseville - 670 Tanner Carrick, Lincoln - 633 Sean Becker, Roseville - 628
The NARC Fujitsu General USA Racing Series is also sponsored by Hoosier Racing Tires and Floracing.com. Associate and product award sponsors include Automotive Racing Products (ARP), Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, Bullet Impressions, Dirt.Travel, FK Rod Ends, Johnstone Supply, Kaeding Performance Center, Kimo's Tropical Car Wash, KSE Racing Products, Maxim, Mettec Titanium, Pyrotect, Roth Motorsports, Safecraft Safety Equipment, Saldana Racing Products, Schoenfeld Headers, SCI Racing Products, Scelzi Enterprises, Starr Property Management, Swift Metal Finishing, Sunnyvalley Bacon, System 1 Ignition, Ultra Lite Brakes, Vortex Wings, Wilwood Disc Brakes, and Winters Performance Products.
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UPCOMING EVENTS: August 27 - Stockton Dirt Track - $6000 to win Champions Classic
GETTING IT DONE: SANDERS SNARES ELUSIVE 410 WIN AT THE HOWARD KAEDING CLASSIC
(7/16/2022 – Alex Nieten) Watsonville, CA… After winning the Sunnyvalley Bacon Dash to position himself on the pole of Saturday’s Howard Kaeding Classic finale, Justin Sanders simply said all that was left to do was for him to “get it done.”
The 29-year-old has had a trying season at times as a win with the NARC Fujitsu General Sprint Cars had eluded him in seemingly every way possible. Heading into Saturday’s main event, Sanders owned seven top-fives in 13 NARC starts in 2022 including four in the top-three, just none atop the podium.
Sanders’ frustration has been evident in post-race interviews where he’s reflected on a move or two that might’ve led to a win on a night he had to settle for second or third or an unfortunate dash draw set him up unfavorably. After the checkered flew Saturday at Ocean Speedway, though, the only emotion Sanders displayed was pure joy.
The Mittry Motorsports pilot took advantage of his starting position and led all 30 laps of the Fujitsu Feature on his way to victory, the 12th of his career with NARC. In other words, he “got it done.”
The joy came out in the form of a superb set of donuts on the backstretch, slapping the panels and wings as he emerged from the car, and a wing dance where Sanders climbed atop his machine and simply laid on the wing, soaking it all in.
“It’s been such a long time since I got a big win,” Sanders said in victory lane. “I just kind of needed a break, and I just let loose on those donuts. Sorry, Demo (car owner Demo Mittry), for your motor.”
Sanders’ adjective choice to describe the win, “big,” might be an understatement. The victory earned him $7,200 total, $6,900 for the winner’s share and $300 for the Mettec Titanium laps led bonus. Sanders is also a native of nearby Aromas with countless wins at Ocean, but none had been in the NARC finale of Howard Kaeding Classic, perhaps the most prestigious event his home track hosts. Sanders had ran second twice in the race before Saturday.
Racing began with Sanders leading the field to green in the Farmers Brewing Co./Mittry Construction No. 2X, and current NARC points runner-up, Willie Croft, to his outside. A collection of cars made contact near the back of the back resulting in a flat right right tire for 2021 HK winner, Sean Becker, and necessitating the race’s first caution.
Under the yellow, NARC point leader, Dominic Scelzi, joined Becker in the work area as he suffered a flight right rear of his own.
The complete restart saw Sanders jump ahead and fourth-starting Joel Myers Jr. slide by Croft to snag the runner-up spot. Sanders found himself mired in traffic early on lap five, allowing Myers Jr. to close in.
“It’s so hard to not get worked up and start doing dumb stuff (in traffic),” Sanders said of his mindset as he navigated slower cars. “And I did that when I first caught traffic. I was sliding through the middle, kind of trying dumb moves.”
On lap 10 Myers gathered enough momentum to throw a slider at Sanders but couldn’t clear him, and the yellow flag flew just as the rest of the top-five was closing on the lead duo for Max Mittry who stopped on the exit of turn four.
Racing resumed with 21 laps to go, and Sanders wasted no time stretching his advantage to roughly two seconds. He found himself in traffic again quickly but utilized a more pragmatic approach this time around.
“The second time I got to traffic I was watching them,” Sanders explained. “I’m trying to watch, and I could see that they were kind of the same speed, so if I thought a guy was slower and going to go to the top, I’d try to roll the bottom and try to hit it and try to be methodical about my moves.”
As Sanders negotiated slower cars, his biggest challenger was working his way forward in the form of 12th-starting Blake Carrick. The Carrick Motorsports driver expertly rolled the bottom of the track, cracking the top-five on lap 14 and prying the runner-up spot from Myers Jr. just seven circuits later.
Carrick closed in on Sanders and even showed him a nose a couple times, but the duo caught slower cars at times that favored Sanders, allowing him to ease back ahead.
“I saw Blake Carrick stick his nose in off of (turn) two,” Sanders reflected. “And I was like ‘I know I didn’t lap him, so he’s got to be in second.’ So, I know he’s really good at rolling the bottom, and I knew once I got by that last car on the last lap I’d be good.”
And that’s exactly what Sanders did, clearing one final lap car before taking the checkered flag with a nine tenths of a second advantage.
“I’m just pumped to get this win,” Sanders said. “I’m just kind of speechless.”
Carrick held on to the runner-up spot. The second-place effort marked his best career NARC finish in the CVC Concrete/Carrick Motorsports No. 38B.
“I didn’t actually know I was in second until I was catching the 2X, and I figured I’d check the leaderboard,” Carrick explained. “I saw I was in second and we had nine (laps) to go, I think. I got right to him, and it was just tough on lap traffic. I went to the top a couple times to try to get around him, and I just wasn’t too good up there. I just can’t thank my guys enough. I’ve been super good the past five or six races.”
Completing the podium was Joel Myers Jr. in the All About Fire Protection/Amerikote Powdercoating No. 46JR. The effort equaled the Sebastopol native’s best finish with NARC.
“Lap traffic was pretty sketchy,” Myers Jr. said. “Everyone was everywhere. Justin had to go where they weren’t and we caught up to him. I was able to try and slide him and unfortunately couldn’t clear him and then a yellow came out. After that we just started getting tight in the cushion, and. Blake snuck by us on the bottom.”
The balance of the top-10 included Tim Kaeding, D.J. Netto (from 22nd), Shane Golobic, Willie Croft, Colby Copeland, Bud Kaeding (from 18th), and Landon Brooks.
FUJITSU GENERAL USA FEATURE (30 laps): 1. Justin Sanders 2X 2. Blake Carrick 38B 3. Joel Myers Jr. 46JR 4. Tim Kaeding 42X 5. D.J. Netto 88N 6. Shane Golobic 17W 7. Willie Croft 29 8. Colby Copeland 01 9. Bud Kaeding 69 10. Landon Brooks 5V 11. Mitchell Faccinto 21 12. Ryan Bernal 22 13. Sean Becker 83V 14. Craig Stidham 36 15. Chase Johnson 24 16. Kevin Thomas Jr. 73 17. Caeden Steele 121 18. Dominic Scelzi 41 19. Kalib Henry 17 20. Kaleb Montgomery 3 21. Nick Parker 115 22. Kurt Nelson 72W 23. Max Mittry 2XM 24. J.J. Ringo 2K
METTEC TITATIUM LAP LEADERS: Justin Sanders 1-30
SWIFT METAL FINISHING HARDCHARGER: D.J. Netto 22nd to 5th
ARP/NORM MARTIN MOTORSPORTS FAST QUALIFIER (38 cars): Willie Croft 11.498
BROWN AND MILLER RACING SOLUTIONS HEAT ONE (10 laps): Golobic, Croft, Henry, Copeland, Thomas Jr., Sanders, Bernal, Pombo, Ringo, Nelson
KIMO’s TROPICAL CAR WASH HEAT TWO (10 laps): Steele, Mittry, Nelson, Kaeding, Brooks, Netto, Becker, Aton, Dillard, Bell
DIRT.TRAVEL CLUB HEAT THREE (10 laps): Sanders, Faccinto, Scelzi, Myers Jr., Stidham, Ancona, Chisum, Kaeding, Strole
KAEDING PERFORMANCE HEAT FOUR (10 laps): Carrick, Kaeding, Parker, Ringo, Johnson, Kent, Montgomery, Shaw, Foland Jr.
SUNNYVALLEY “POWERED BY BACON” TROPHY DASH (6 laps): Sanders, Croft, Kaeding, Myers Jr., Scelzi, Nelson
WILLIAMS ROOFING SEMI: Netto, Montgomery, Becker, Bernal, Ancona, Chisum, Pombo, Dillard, Strole, Shaw, Foland Jr., Kaeding, Aton, Ringo, Kent, Sanders, Nelson, Bell
HONORING THE FAMILY LEGACY: BUD KAEDING’S PROMOTIONAL EFFORTS FOR THE HOWARD KAEDING CLASSIC
(7/14/2022 – Alex Nieten) Watsonville, CA… Most people recognize Bud Kaeding for his versatile prowess behind the wheel of both wing and non-wing Sprint Cars along with Silver Crown cars, but every summer he briefly shifts gears to promoting in a diligent effort to honor his iconic grandfather.
The Kaeding's are undoubtedly the most familiar family of racing on the West Coast, and it all began with Howard Kaeding and his utter domination of San Jose Speedway in the mid to late 20th century among other accomplishments, so it’s only right that the legendary patriarch has a prestigious weekend of racing to salute his achievements.
Eleven years ago the Howard Kaeding Classic was born at Ocean Speedway, and this weekend the 12th edition of the race will take place as it continues to elevate its status as a marquee event with each passing year.
Howard’s grandson, Bud, has played an instrumental organizational role to make the event one of the most coveted on the NARC tour. After current Ocean Speedway promoter, John Prentice, helped come up with the idea, Bud’s work began in making it a special weekend and continues to this day.
“John Prentice actually came up with the idea to put on a race honoring my grandfather,” Bud explained. “He felt it was appropriate. My grandfather is always at his races, always good to John and his family, so John came up with the idea.
“As the race kind of evolved,” Bud continued. “We tried to build it a little bit bigger and a little bit better every year as far as raising funds for the drivers with awards and part giveaways, stuff like that.”
On top of those contingency prizes, Kaeding has gathered a consistent collection of supporters that allow the purse to be very racer friendly. The NARC finale this Saturday will award a healthy $6,900 to win, but perhaps most notably is the fact that the main event will pay at least $800 to start. Put it all together and the result is a very lucrative weekend thanks to Bud’s diligence and the generous group of contributors.
“I’ve got a lot of great supporters that help the event,” Bud said. “They’ve always came back. It’s a great group of people. Nowadays they kind of know it’s that time of year, and when I call them the first thing they say is ‘I’m sending a check today.’ It’s cool because a lot of those people know my grandfather from around the track, so they’re honored to help an event in his name.”
While satisfying the racers is a big part of the equation, making the race a fun and unique experience for the fans is another major factor, one that Bud also gives plenty of attention.
The Howard Kaeding Classic has developed into more of an event than merely a race. After Friday’s racing concludes, the night is far from over. Every year a pizza party hosted by the Kaedings takes place right on the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds. Both racers and fans are welcome, and it gives those who fill the stands an opportunity to mingle with the drivers that draw them to the track in a relaxed environment.
Then on Saturday afternoon prior to the racing, a BBQ luncheon is held on the fairgrounds that is also open to both fans and race teams.
“We have High Five Pizza come in,” Bud said. “And they do a little after-hours party on Friday night for the fans and drivers and all of the teams. And then on Saturday we have the lunch with High Five catering that as well. A lot of happenings go on for it. It’s just fun to be a part of this event and fun to try come up with new gimmicks and new things to try to make something a little bit better for the next year.”
On top of creating an inviting atmosphere, the pizza party and luncheon both help benefit a good cause. The NARC Benevolent Fund goes toward aiding injured racers and their families in times of need, and a small donation is requested for each event with all proceeds going to the benevolent fund.
“With the BBQ and stuff, all of the money that is raised for that goes to the NARC Benevolent Fund,” Bud said. “We do a pretty good job every year, usually around eight to ten grand is raised, so that’s a pretty cool part.”
In the lead up to the event, Bud and Howard use a blend of modern promotional methods via social media along with routes that were more common before the rise of technology. Putting the two together, they hope, appeals to a wider audience and helps fill the Ocean Speedway stands even more every year.
“I build some flyers, and my grandfather is really old school,” Bud said. “He drives around the Campbell area and puts them in restaurants, in the streets, everywhere. He also still runs an ad in the local newspaper for the race. I build the ads, and my grandfather takes them down there and has them run them. As far as the promotional side, nowadays we’ve started doing a lot more with social media, too.”
Looking toward the future, Bud and the rest of the family are satisfied with the current status of the Howard Kaeding Classic. Aside from increasing the purse when possible, no big changes are in the works except for one potential development to restore some tradition to the HK Classic weekend.
“One thing I’d like to see is it get back to a two-day 410 race,” Bud said. “I think the proper steps are being taken in 410 racing as far as car counts getting bigger, so I think that as our car count continues to grow that we’ll be able to support a two-day 410 event there.”
The entire Kaeding family are major players in the effort to rebuild 410 racing on the West Coast, so it’s only fitting that they have their sights set on making the Friday portion of the event a 410 race once again.
Organizing and promoting may occupy a lot of Bud Kaeding’s mind this time of year, but the 42-year-old still has plenty left in the tank behind the wheel of a sprint car, and the 2017 NARC champion will be looking to add to his extensive resumé this weekend.
Kaeding, the 2014 and 2019 HK winner, is aiming for his third event triumph, which would equal him with Kyle Hirst for the most through 12 editions. And if he can pull it off, it’ll simply be the icing on an already ideal cake as his hard work continues to be rewarded in the form of a special, highly anticipated event to honor his grandfather, the Howard Kaeding Classic.
NARC SPRINT CARS HEAD TO OCEAN SPEEDWAY FOR HOWARD KAEDING CLASSIC
(7/11/2022) Sacramento, CA… A fan favorite event is on tap this weekend for the NARC Fujitsu General Sprint Cars as Watsonville, CA’s Ocean Speedway is set to host the 12th Annual Howard Kaeding Classic presented by Al’s Roofing Supply.
Racing will kick off Friday, July 15th headlined by the Ocean Speedway 360 Sprint Cars, and on Saturday, July 16th the NARC 410 Sprint Cars take center stage.
The event honors the legendary patriarch of the Kaeding family who established a legacy as one of the greatest drivers of all time along the West Coast, primarily recognized for his countless triumphs at San Jose Speedway. Talent behind the wheel of a racecar has proven to be a genetic gift among the Kaeding lineage as Brent, Howard’s son, is NARC’s winningest driver of all-time, and most recently Brent’s sons, Tim and Bud, have accomplished great things in sprint car racing across the entire country.
The race is organized in large part by Bud whose annual efforts bring in plenty of support to help make it a lucrative night for racers, and 2022 is no exception. Saturday’s Fujitsu Feature will pay $6,900 to win and a strong $800+ to simply make the show.
“I’ve got a lot of great supporters that help the event,” Bud said of the generous group. “They’ve always came back. It’s a great group of people. Nowadays they kind of know it’s that time of year, and when I call them the first thing they say is ‘I’m sending a check today.’ It’s cool because a lot of those people know my grandfather from around the track, so they’re honored to help an event in his name.”
The tradition of fan-friendly events at the Howard Kaeding Classic will also continue in 2022. After Friday’s action wraps up, the Kaeding family will host a pizza party on the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds. And on Saturday afternoon prior to the racing the annual BBQ Luncheon will take place. Donations are required for entry to both with all proceeds will benefitting the NARC Benevolent Fund.
Who to Watch
A pair of Ocean Speedway experts in Fremont’s Shane Golobic and Aromas’ Justin Sanders have come oh so close to claiming the NARC portion of the Howard Kaeding Classic, and both hope to finish the job this year. The two of them own a combined six series triumphs at Ocean Speedway and five runner-up finishes in the HK. Both are former winners of the 360 portion and are looking to claim the coveted 410 feature this year.
Fresno’s Dominic Scelzi has spent much of the past two seasons adding prestigious event victories to his resumé, but he’s still in search of a Howard Kaeding Classic win. In Scelzi’s last two series starts in Watsonville, the current NARC point leader has finished third and second, so he’ll look to occupy the remaining spot on the podium Saturday.
While Bud Kaeding flexes his promoting muscles leading up to this race, his focus will shift to snagging a third victory in the NARC portion of the HK, which would equal Kyle Hirst’s current record tally. Kaeding’s five series victories at the Watsonville bullring suggest he’s got a good shot.
Bud’s brother, Tim Kaeding, has been strong since returning from injury and will look to translate some recently built momentum into his first Howard Kaeding Classic checkered flag. At Dirt Cup a couple weeks ago, the San Jose driver picked up a win and didn’t finish worse than eighth over three nights of racing in the Bates-Hamilton Racing machine. Kaeding is a seven-time NARC feature winner at Watsonville.
Sean Becker is reuniting with Vertullo Motorsports to pilot the No. 83V this weekend. Last year the Roseville native ended a seven-year NARC winless drought with his victory in the Howard Kaeding Classic in Dave and Debbie Vertullo’s machine.
Other drivers expected to compete include Hanford’s Mitchell Faccinto, Redding’s Max Mittry, Benicia’s Billy Aton, Sebastopol’s Joel Myers Jr., Penngrove’s Chase Johnson, Hanford’s D.J. Netto, Clarksburg’s Justyn Cox and more.
Fan & Competitor Info
The NARC-King of the West Hoosier Tire Format will feature ARP Fast Time Group Qualifying, 10-lap Heat Races, a six-lap Sunnyvalley Bacon Trophy Dash, a 12-lap Starr Property Management Semi if necessary, and the 30-lap Fujitsu Feature.
Tickets can be purchased at the gate on race day.
Ocean Speedway is located at 2601 E Lake Ave Watsonville, CA 95076. For more event information visit oceanspeedway.com or call 831-668-7223.
The Howard Kaeding Classic can be viewed live on floracing.com along with the entire NARC Fujitsu General Sprint Car Series schedule.
Previous Winners of the Howard Kaeding Classic:
2011
Night One: Tommy Tarlton – King of the West
Night Two: Evan Suggs – King of the West
2012
Night One: Brent Kaeding – USAC
Night Two: Jonathan Allard – King of the West
2013
Night One: Bud Kaeding – USAC
Night Two: Jonathan Allard – King of the West
2014
Night One: Brad Furr – Civil War
Night Two: Bud Kaeding – King of the West
2015
Night One: Justin Sanders – Civil War
Night Two: Kyle Hirst – King of the West
2016
Night One: Kyle Hirst – Civil War
Night Two: Kyle Hirst – King of the West
2017
Night One: Kyle Hirst – Civil War
Night Two: Buddy Kofoid – King of the West-NARC
2018
Night One: Tanner Thorson – Civil War
Night Two: Colby Copeland – King of the West-NARC
2019
Night One: Shane Golobic – Civil War
Night Two: Bud Kaeding – King of the West-NARC
2020
Night One: DJ Netto
Night Two: Kyle Hirst – King of the West-NARC
2021
Night One: Kaleb Montgomery
Night Two: Sean Becker2022 NARC King of the West Fujitsu 410 Sprint Car Series
Championship Points Standings (After ten events in 21-race series - 6/20/22)Dominic Scelzi, Fresno - 1450
Willie Croft, Colfax - 1406
Bud Kaeding, Campbell - 1380
Justin Sanders, Aromas - 1373
Mitchell Faccinto, Hanford - 1359
Max Mittry, Redding (R) - 1346
Billy Aton, Benicia - 1282
Shane Golobic, Elk Grove - 1277
Joel Myers Jr, Sebastopol - 1200
Logan Forler, Boise, ID - 1195
Corey Day, Salinas - 949
Tanner Holmes, Jacksonville, OR (R) - 904
Tim Kaeding, San Jose - 797
DJ Netto, Hanford - 733
Garen Linder, Central Point, OR - 708
Tanner Carrick, Lincoln - 633
Chase Johnson, Penngrove - 620
Tyler Thompson, Harrisburg, OR (R) - 619
Nick Parker, Tucson, AZ (R) - 600
Kerry Madsen, Sydney, AUS - 591The NARC Fujitsu General USA Racing Series is also sponsored by Hoosier Racing Tires and Floracing.com. Associate and product award sponsors include Automotive Racing Products (ARP), Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, Bullet Impressions, Dirt.Travel, FK Rod Ends, Johnstone Supply, Kaeding Performance Center, Kimo's Tropical Car Wash, KSE Racing Products, Maxim, Mettec Titanium, Pyrotect, Roth Motorsports, Safecraft Safety Equipment, Saldana Racing Products, Schoenfeld Headers, SCI Racing Products, Scelzi Enterprises, Starr Property Management, Swift Metal Finishing, Sunnyvalley Bacon, System 1 Ignition, Ultra Lite Brakes, Vortex Wings, Wilwood Disc Brakes, and Winters Performance Products.
SOCIAL MEDIA INFORMATION
Website: www.NARC410.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NARCKingoftheWest
Facebook (history page): https://www.facebook.com/NARCSprintCarHistory
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NARC410
Instagram: www.instagram.com/narc410
YouTube: NARC410
TikTok: NARC410
Live Stream PPV: Floracing.com
UPCOMING EVENTS:
July 23 - Stockton Dirt Track - $6000 to win Salute to NARC Champion Leroy Van Conett
August 27 - Stockton Dirt Track - $6000 to win Champions Classic
THE SUN SHINES AT SKAGIT: COURTNEY CLAIMS DIRT CUP DEBUT AND HUGE PAYDAY WITH NARC
(6/25/2022 – Alex Nieten) Burlington, WA… From the beginning of the week, it was clear Tyler Courtney was going to be a threat to win the 50th Annual Jim Raper Memorial Dirt Cup in his debut in the event.
Making his first laps at Skagit Speedway on Monday, “Sunshine” won the Dirt Cup Tune Up. On his two prelims, Courtney passed a combined 25 cars in the main events to slot himself atop the standings heading into the finale by a wide 19 point margin. And then on Saturday night, he punctuated the week by claiming the 50-lap, $50,000 to win Feature aboard the Works Limited No. 57. Including lap money, Courtney pocketed $76,000, the richest payday in NARC history.
While it was technically Courtney’s second career NARC Fujitsu General Sprint Car win, it was his first with a wing on the car after he scored the wingless portion of the Anthony Simone Classic last year.
The night also marked crew chief, Paul Silva’s, first career Dirt Cup championship. Kevin Kozlowski’s No. 57 machine has now won three of the last five NARC races this season.
“I’m excited. That was badass,” Courtney said in victory lane. “What can I say? This is my first time to Skagit and got two wins out of four races… This is cool. Hopefully this event gets back to where it needs to be with Kevin (Rudeen) and Peter (Murphy) and everybody here at Skagit making it bigger and better.”
The green flag dropped with Courtney on the pole with the defending Dirt Cup champion, Dominic Scelzi, to his outside. Scelzi got the initial jump to lead the opening circuit.
About 10 laps into the main event Courtney found his first chance at the lead when Scelzi slid himself in turn one amid traffic. Courtney had a run on the top and looked to Scelzi’s outside, and the two nearly collided as Scelzi slid to the cushion before powering ahead off the corner.
A caution on lap 13 nearly brought disaster to Scelzi. Tyler Thompson slowed in turn four with an issue. The yellow flew, but Thompson’s issue forced his car to the left, almost into the path of the No. 41, but Scelzi managed to avoid him.
“Man, Dominic set a really fast pace there at the beginning,” Courtney said of the race’s early stages. “That’s what I wanted to do, but he just got the jump out of (turn) two there, and I got to following him there for a bit. I felt like we were better as the race went on.”
A few more cautions following the restart slowed the early pace of the race, but after a restart with 32 laps to go, the racing got wild.
Courtney looked low as the green initially flew but couldn’t make it work. It didn’t take long for him to rally, though, as the reigning All-Star champion closed back in on Scelzi in just a few laps. Finally, on lap 25, Courtney found the run and opening he needed, throwing a slider on Scelzi in turn one and leaving Scelzi no chance to crossover.
“We got him there in traffic, and then we got to kind of set our own pace,” Courtney said.
After completing the pass, Courtney wasted no time in speeding away at first. However, traffic soon impeded Courtney and allowed Scelzi to reel him back in. With just 15 laps to go, Scelzi tried a turn three slider but couldn’t get by, and the two nearly touched as they drove through turn four. Just as that happened, the yellow came out as Zeb Wise slowed. This caution period would become the open red for fuel and tires.
After the restart another small flurry of yellows slowed the race until the laps remaining count dwindled to just nine to go.
The restart with nine laps remaining saw Kerry Madsen and Scelzi begin to duke it out for second as Courtney capitalized by driving away. Madsen eventually came out ahead of Scelzi, but by that point Courtney was well ahead.
Courtney faced some traffic with just a few laps remaining, but none of it was enough to matter as Sunshine cruised to a three second win over Madsen and Scelzi.
“I want to thank Kevin Kozlowski for letting me come out and drive the car,” Courtney said. “And thanks to Paul, Hayden, Doug, and Tommy, everyone that worked on this thing all weekend made my life easy.”
Coming home second was Roth Motorsports driver, Kerry Madsen. The Mad Man owns a World of Outlaws victory at Skagit but was, like Courtney, making his Dirt Cup debut.
“I just wanted to drive my ass off and try to win $50,000 but came up one spot short in second,” Madsen said. “I probably needed another restart to throw a Hail Mary, but who knows? I really just want to thank Roth Motorsports for working so hard lately.”
Completing the podium after leading the first 24 laps was Dominic Scelzi in the Red Rose Transportation/Whipple Superchargers No. 41. “The Dominator’s” efforts earned him a payday of $42,000.
“He (Courtney) could get off of (turn) four really good. He could get off on turn (turn) two really good,” Scelzi said. “They were just a little bit better in the drivers seat and the race car, but it’s by far my biggest payday for a one night race, so that’s pretty cool.”
FUJITSU GENERAL USA FEATURE EVENT (50-laps): 1. Tyler Courtney 57 2. Kerry Madsen 83 3. Dominic Scelzi 41 4. Shane Golobic 57 5. Jason Solwold 18 6. Corey Day 14 7. Trey Starks 55 8. Tim Kaeding 42X 9. Willie Croft 29 10. Justin Sanders 2X 11. Tanner Holmes 18T 12. Joel Myers Jr. 46JR 13. Tanner Carrick 83T 14. Jonathan Allard 0 15. Jesse Schlotfeldt 21 16. Greg Hamilton 96 17. Zeb Wise 26R 18. Bud Kaeding 69 19. Cory Eliason 26C 20. Blake Carrick 38B 21. DJ Netto 88N 22. Logan Forler 2L 23. Mitchell Faccinto 21T 24. Max Mittry 2XM 25. Tony Gomes 8R 26. Tyler Thompson 7.
METTEC TITANIUM LAP LEADERS: Scelzi 1-24, Courtney 25-50
SWIFT METAL FINISHING HARDCHARGER: Joel Myers Jr. - 21st to 12th
STARR PROPERTY MANAGEMENT B-MAIN (20-laps): Mittry, T. Carrick, Myers, Hamilton, Allard, Forler, Kaeding, Nick Parker, Tony Gomes, Billy Aton, Luke Didiuk, Chase Goetz, Colton Heath, Justin Youngquist, Brett McGhie, Corbin Fauver, Ashleigh Johnson, T.J. Richman, Travis Jacobsen, Garen Linder, Andy Caruana, Dana Glenn.
SCORE ONE FOR WASHINGTON: STARKS OUTDUELS SCELZI TO CLAIM NARC DIRT CUP NIGHT TWO
(6/24/2022 – Alex Nieten) Burlington, WA… California might’ve claimed round one of the 50th Annual Jim Raper Memorial Dirt Cup, but Washington would not be denied as the bell rang for round two.
Fireworks boomed above the backstretch, and the Northwest crowd roared as Puyallup, Washington’s Trey Starks climbed atop his car in Skagit Speedway victory lane having emerged as Friday’s winner of the second and final Dirt Cup preliminary with the NARC Fujitsu General Sprint Cars.
It was a special night for the 26-year-old. While he’s won dozens of races in his home region, Starks had never taken a Dirt Cup checkered flag in the finale or a prelim. It also marked his seventh win in 10 total races in 2022 and his second in three races with NARC this year.
As a bonus, Starks got to battle his good friend, Dominic Scelzi, for the victory.
“It was a really good race,” Starks said. “I’m so happy to be back up on stage in front of the hometown crowd.”
Starks began the race outside the front row with Garen Linder on the pole. Starks ripped the outside in his T&C Concepts No. 55 to lead the opening circuit as Scelzi quickly jumped from sixth to third in the opening laps.
A red flag flew with 36 to go as Tanner Holmes made contact with another car out of turn four, sending Holmes on a wild flip, his second nasty crash in as many days. Holmes walked away under his own power.
On the restart Scelzi wasted no time clearing Linder with a slider to move into the runner-up spot and setting his sights on Starks. As the lead duo began to work through traffic 10 laps in Scelzi closed in. Scelzi threw his first slider attempt at Starks but couldn’t clear him.
Then, Scelzi regrouped and sent another slide job, making the pass this time and leading lap 15. Starks, though, rallied and returned the favor with his own successful slider to take the lead back.
Starks began to build a small advantage over Scelzi, but with 19 to go the red flag flew again as Zeb Wise got above the cushion in turn three and climbed the fence before getting upside down. Wise was okay.
On the ensuing restart Scelzi slid Starks in turn three, but Starks again answered, perfectly rolling the bottom in turns one and two to edge ahead of Scelzi.
“I saw Dominic more than a few times,” Starks said of their battle. “And we were able to combat every one of his moves.”
Starks took off after snagging the lead back from Scelzi. He found himself in heavy traffic as the race dipped inside 10 laps to go. Scelzi took a peak to his inside on multiple occasions in traffic but couldn’t quite challenge him.
A couple of late yellows bunched things up, but Starks pulled away each time and ultimately held on to win by just under eight tenths of a second. With how his points situation had been at the time the Fujitsu Feature started, Starks knew he needed to win to stay alive in Dirt Cup standings head into Saturday’s $50,000 to win finale..
“I knew starting on the front row we were basically going to have to win to put us in any decent position for points tomorrow,” Starks expiated “It was a hard fought race.”
Scelzi held on for second in his Red Rose Transportation/Whipple Superchargers No. 41, his 10th NARC podium of the year. Scelzi thought a longer green flag run might’ve allowed him a chance at the lead.
“I would’ve liked to have seen traffic stay,” Scelzi said. “I think in open air he (Starks) was probably better for the first four or five laps, and then I seemed to start coming back to him. The car was perfect tonight.”
Completing the podium was Shane Golobic in his NOS Energy Drink/Elk Grove Ford No. 17W. While he would’ve liked to win, Golobic stayed focused on the big picture.
“Third is not exactly what we came for,” Golobic said. “But in this format points are everything and we had a decent points night, going seventh to third. We’ll take it.”
The remainder of the top-10 included Corey Day, Tyler Courtney (from 20th), Tim Kaeding, Jason Solwold (from 17th), Justin Sanders (from 16th), Greg Hamilton, and Jesse Schlotfeldt.
Tyler Courtney is the high point man heading into Saturday’s finale and will be guaranteed a front row starting spot in the 50-lap main event.
*The Feature was shortened by three laps due to tire wear concerns.
FUJITSU GENERAL USA FEATURE (37 laps): 1. Trey Starks 55 2. Dominic Scelzi 41 3. Shane Golobic 17W 4. Corey Day 14 5. Tyler Courtney 57W 6. Tim Kaeding 42X 7. Jason Solwold 18 8. Justin Sanders 2X 9. Greg Hamilton 96 10. Jesse Schlotfeldt 21 11. Kerry Madsen 83JR 12. Tanner Carrick 83T 13. Max Mittry 2XM 14. Willie Croft 29 15. Jonathan Allard 0 16. D.J. Netto 88N 17. Blake Carrick 38B 18. Garen Linder 22 19. Tyler Thompson 7 20. Logan Forler 2L 21. Cory Eliason 26C 22. Mitchell Faccinto 21T 23. Zeb Wise 26R 24. Tanner Holmes 18T
METTEC TITANIUM LAP LEADERS: Starks, 1-14, Scelzi 15, Starks 16-37
ARP QUICK QUALIFIER (44 cars): Dominic Scelzi - 11.311 seconds
BROWN AND MILLER RACING SOLUTIONS HEAT ONE (8 laps): Netto, Linder, Mittry, Golobic, Madsen, Croft, Fauver, Caruana, Aton, McGhie, Goetz
KIMO’s TROPICAL CAR WASH HEAT TWO (8 laps): Starks, Day, Wise, Courtney, Faccinto, Schlotfeldt, Parker, Kaeding, Johnson, Allard, Robinson
DIRT.TRAVEL CLUB HEAT THREE (8 laps): B. Carrick, Sanders, T. Kaeding, Solwold, Holmes, Thompson, Heath, Glenn, Jacobson, Didiuk, Becker
KAEDING PERFORMANCE HEAT FOUR (8 laps): Hamilton, Scelzi, Eliason, T. Carrick, Forler, Ringo, Youngquist, Richman, Myers, Gomes,
STARR PROPERTY MANAGEMENT SEMI (15 laps): Allard, B. Carrick, Netto, Thompson, Gomes, B. Kaeding, Fauver, Youngquist, Myers, Aton, Heath, Glenn, Didiuk, Johnson, McGhie, Jacobson, Ringo, Goetz, Parker, Caruana, Becker.
HE’S BACK: KAEDING WINS THRILLING NARC DIRT CUP OPENER
(6/23/2022 – Alex Nieten) Burlington, WA… Just one month ago, Tim Kaeding wasn’t sure he’d ever climb back in a sprint car.
Three straight incidents in a week span left him bruised and battered, but not broken.
Kaeding took a month off to heal up, contemplating whether or not racing sprint cars, something he’s spent the last 25 years doing, was something he’d be able to continue. Well, not only did he return, he came back in ideal fashion, leading flag to flag in Skagit Speedway’s 50th Annual Jim Raper Memorial Dirt Cup 30-lap opener Thursday night and holding off D.J. Netto to win in thrilling fashion.
Emotions flowed after the checkered flew. TK gave the fans a show with some donuts on both ends of the track, car owner Josh Bates shook with excitement, and the rest of the Bates-Hamilton crew celebrated with shouts and hugs.
The victory marked Kaeding’s 72nd NARC Fujitsu General Sprint Car victory and his first prelim win at Dirt Cup since 1999.
“To win, knowing a month ago I possibly wasn’t ever going to get back in a race car, means so much,” a choked up Kaeding said in victory lane..
The field was led to green by pole sitter Joel Myers Jr. with Kaeding to his outside. Kaeding rocketed around Myers Jr.’s to lead the opening lap. The San Jose native wasted no time in building a wide advantage, stretching his lead to nearly two seconds just a few laps in.
Just as Kaeding was about to encounter traffic, the race’s first caution flew on seven for Jonathan Allard slowing in turns one and two with front end issues.
On the restart a quick red flag on the next lap brought things to a halt as Cory Eliason, Ryan Robinson, Jesse Schlotfeldt tangled in turn three. All drivers were okay, and the stoppage became an open red as teams refueled and made adjustments.
Kaeding got a solid jump on the restart, jumping ahead as the race established a rhythm. After a couple of laps, Myers Jr. began to reel Kaeding as the race approached the halfway mark. With traffic looming and Myers Jr. on TK’s tail, a battle for the lead seemed to be brewing. However, that potential duel was derailed when Myers Jr. got above the cushion in turn three on lap 14 and hit the wall, sending him flipping and ending his night.
The incident gifted D.J. Netto the runner-up spot.
When racing resumed the action was again quickly halted for a violent crash. Austen Wheatley made contact with Kerry Madsen on the backstretch, causing Wheatley to get upside down and leaving Tanner Holmes nowhere to go as Holmes came into turn three and slammed into
Wheatley. Holmes was shaken but exited the car under his own power, and Wheatley was transported to a local hospital after complaint of back pain.
One last caution for a spinning Willie Croft on lap 20 set up an 11 lap sprint to the finish.
Kaeding initially jumped ahead to a comfortable advantage, gapping Netto by over a second as the race dipped inside 10 laps to to go. As the duo approached the tail of the field, Netto began to cut into the lead each lap, until finally pulling right on Kaeding’s tail tank as the white flag flew.
Netto dipped to Kaeding’s inside in turn one, but Kaeding powered ahead down the backstretch. In turn three Netto threw one last haymaker, sticking the bottom perfectly and even inching ahead about midway through turns three and four. As the two exited turn four Netto drifted high, and Kaeding slipped through the narrow gap between Netto’s machine and the wall to win by a mere nine one-hundredths of a second in the Teichert/Vinyltech No. 42X.
“I knew D.J. was back there, I heard him coming,” Kaeding said. “I’ve got to thank the entire Bates-Hamilton team, Brad, Roger and Lori Hamilton, and Josh Bates. These guys bust their butts.”
With a prelim victory under his belt, Kaeding now has the ultimate goal in the crosshairs. The two-time NARC champ is yet to win a Dirt Cup championship, but he has three runner-ups at the Northwest’s premier event. He’s tired of playing bridesmaid.
“I can run second at this place better than anybody,” Kaeding said. “This year I’m going to win this son of a b***h because I’m taking it back to California.”
Netto, making his Dirt Cup debut this week, brought his Netto Ag No. 88N home in the runner-up spot to kickoff the weekend strong.
“We needed traffic to start moving around,” Netto explained. “We got to it right there at the end, and I was like, ‘well, I’ve got one shot at this’ when I was coming to the white (flag). I was able to hit the bottom really good in (turns) one and two, which I was doing early in the race, so I knew the speed I could carry. And I thought I could get him cleared down there (turns three and four), but the top was still really fast.”
Completing the podium was Tarlton Motorsports pilot Mitchell Faccinto. The strong run was a much needed one as he ended a recent stretch of bad luck.
“I was really happy with it,” Faccinto said of his night. “It’s miles ahead of where we’ve been the last couple weeks. We’ve just been struggling a little bit, but I felt really good all night.”
The balance of the top-10 included Justin Sanders, Corey Day (from 23rd), Tyler Courtney (from 16th), Tyler Thompson, Zeb Wise, Kerry Madsen, and Jason Solwold.
FUJITSU GENERAL USA FEATURE (30 laps): 1. Tim Kaeding 42X 2. D.J. Netto 88N 3. Mitchell Faccinto 21T 4. Justin Sanders 2X 5. Corey Day 14 6. Tyler Courtney 57W 7. Tyler Thompson 7 8. Zeb Wise 26R 9. Kerry Madsen 83JR 10. Jason Solwold 18 11. Shane Golobic 17W 12. Dominic Scelzi 41 13. Nick Parker 115 14. Trey Starks 55 15. Blake Carrick 38B 16. Willie Croft 29 17. Bud Kaeding 69 18. Jonathan Allard 0 19. Austen Wheatley 44W 20. Tanner Holmes 18T 21. Joel Myers Jr. 46JR 22. Ryan Robinson 56 23. Cory Eliason 26C 24. Jesse Schlotfeldt 21
METTEC TITANIUM LAP LEADERS: T. Kaeding 1-30
ARP QUICK QUALIFIER (43 cars): Dominic Scelzi - 11.311 seconds
BROWN AND MILLER RACING SOLUTIONS HEAT ONE (10 laps): Sanders, Allard, Myers Jr., Day, Scelzi, Starks, Croft, Lemley, Linder, Jacobson, Fauver
KIMO’s TROPICAL CAR WASH HEAT TWO (10 laps): Eliason, T. Kaeding, B. Carrick, Courtney, Faccinto, Ringo, Solwold, Holmes, Caruana, Aton,
DIRT.TRAVEL CLUB HEAT THREE (10 laps): Hamilton, Schlotfeldt, Wise, Netto, Golobic, Becker, Robinson, Didiuk, Gomes, Youngquist, Johnson
KAEDING PERFORMANCE HEAT FOUR (10 laps): T. Carrick, Thompson, Wheatley, B. Kaeding, Mittry, Parker, Forler, Glenn, Sucich, Madsen
STARR PROPERTY MANAGEMENT SEMI (15 laps): Eliason, Allard, Day, Schlotfeldt, T. Carrick, Mittry, Didiuk, Linder, Forler, Aton, Tingo, Gomes, Johnson, Jacobsen, Youngquist, Becker, Lemley, Caruana, Glenn
“A DIFFERENT BEAST”: MAX MITTRY IMPRESSING DURING FIRST SEASON IN A 410
(6/22/2022 – Alex Nieten) Redding, CA… Back in April when the NARC Fujitsu General Sprint Car campaign began, Max Mittry had only one race in a 410ci sprint car, but that hasn’t slowed him down in his first campaign.
The teenager has made an immediate impact competing against the best drivers the West Coast has to offer in 2022. Earlier this year at Silver Dollar Speedway he earned Quick Time honors in just his second ever series appearance. Throughout the season so far he’s tallied four top-10s with a best result of sixth.
For Mittry, the route to racing began before he was even born as his father and now car owner, Demo Mittry, was a heavy fixture on the outlaw kart scene as the now popular sprint car stepping stone was in its earliest stages. Demo both raced and built the small but powerful machines, and shortly after Max was born, he quickly developed a passion for the sport, one that led to the young racer collecting many checkered flags as he laid the foundations of a racing career.
“I just fell in love with it,” Max Mittry said. “He (Demo) built me a kart, and I started racing and had some pretty good success, got a championship and won a lot of races.”
The quick success in the karting ranks opened the door for Mittry to give 360ci sprint cars a shot, and Mittry also wasted no time finding speed, even grabbing a podium against a loaded ASCS field at a race in Arizona at one point.
“After the kart championship, my dad said, ‘hey do you want to try a sprint car?’ And I said sure, why not,” Mittry explained. “Then I moved up to a sprint car and have been having a lot of success, a lot of consistency in them.”
Next up for Mittry came the natural progression to a 410ci sprinter when he was old enough. One of California’s best drivers, Justin Sanders, played an instrumental role in helping Mittry get started in a 410 and still plays a major role to this day.
“I wasn’t old enough the last few years to even try out a 410,” Mittry said. “As soon as I turned 16 that was the first thing that came to mind is when am I going to hope in the 410. Luckily, Justin, who is a part of our team now, he got us the hook up on a motor.”
The connection between the Mittry family and Sanders strengthened last year as they spent more time around each other and also helped each other out at times. Eventually, the Mittry crew rolled out a second car for Sanders late last year, and they remain Mittry Racing teammates today.
“We used to pit next to each other a few times,” Mittry said of how their friendship began. “He actually asked my dad to help him out when we went up to Skagit last year, and my dad ended up helping him out. Then they started talking, started getting close, and then we decided we were going to put Justin in a car at the Copper Classic in Arizona.”Sanders, who owns 11 career NARC victories, may best be known for his exploits behind the wheel of a sprint car. However, in the pit area, he’s also known as one of the better mechanical minds, capable of making a car go fast via not only the wheel and pedals but also the wrenches. Mittry points to having Sanders’ help in this area as well as his willingness to offer driving tips as a couple key catalysts to his early speed in a 410.
“He (Sanders) knows stuff that I wouldn’t even think about in a sprint car,” Mittry said. “Last year we were pretty good. We were consistently fast but didn’t have much when it came to the main event. He’s just been helping us out, getting us dialed in on both the 360 and 410.
“Also, as a driver coach, he’s running the same tracks I am on the same nights,” Mittry added. “So, he knows what the track and the car is going to do, and he relays info to me to make me better as a driver and make me faster on the track.”
Even with having Sanders’ help and producing some strong results, Mittry’s adjustment to a 410 has been anything but easy. While the power of the two cars may not be visually evident to a fan sitting in the stands, the Redding native notes that it’s easy to feel it in the seat when the accelerator is pressed.
“It’s a completely different ballgame,” Mittry said of switching to the 410. “The 360s, don’t get me wrong, they have a lot of power. They can get around the tracks pretty good, but when you get behind the wheel of a 410 it’s a different beast under the hood of that thing… You just have that main power source that’s about 150 or 200 more horsepower.”
While taming that amount of power can be difficult, Mittry has found that it does offer some benefits when it comes to keeping the car under control.
“I honestly do think it’s a little bit more comfortable to be in a 410 since you have all that power you don’t have to worry about getting balled up,” Mittry noted. “Usually, you can power out of it.”
Moving forward in the short term, Mittry is keeping realistic expectations. Even though he’s ran up front early in his NARC career, the 16-year-old remains aware that he’s competing against the best drivers the West Coast has to offer and wins are extremely hard to come by. Mittry hopes to improve but isn’t expecting to take the world by storm.
“I do want to have a few NARC podiums this year,” Mittry said. “I definitely think I can do it, just got to better myself as a driver and put myself in a better spot.”
Looking even further along, Mittry does hope to elevate his performance after he has more experience under his belt and one day add his name to the historic list of NARC champions along with battling against the country’s best drivers when he can.
“Long term goals include trying to get a championship or two and maybe run with the World of Outlaws here and there, but that’s just stuff down the road. I’ve still got to better myself as a driver before I get to that point.”
NARC DRIVERS SET TO FIGHT FOR $50,000 AT 50TH ANNUAL SUPER DIRT CUP
(6/20/2022) Sacramento, CA… The NARC Fujitsu General Sprint Cars will tackle one of the biggest races in series history this weekend as they’ll invade Washington’s Skagit Speedway for the 50th edition of the Jim Raper Memorial Super Dirt Cup.
The action kicks off with a pair of prelim nights this Thursday, June 23rd and Friday, June 24th before the $50,000 to win, 50-lap finale on Saturday, June 25th.
With a unique format planned, plenty of money up for grabs, and a loaded roster with not just the West Coast’s best drivers but some of the top talent across the country, Dirt Cup’s return to 410ci sprint cars is set to be a memorable one.
The Format
The two preliminary nights will put an emphasis on line-up inversions and accumulated points will establish the lineups for the final night on Saturday
On both Thursday and Friday points will be handed out right away for Qualifying. The Fast Qualifier will earn 200 points with a two point drop for each subsequent position. The Heat Races will be lined up with an eight-car inversion. The Heat Races will award 100 points to the winner with a three point drop for each subsequent position. The top 20 in points after Qualifying and Heat Races will be locked into the prelim Features. Those outside the top-20 will be positioned in the C-main and B-main with the C sending the top-four finishers to the B, and the B sending its top-four finishers to the Feature. The Feature will invert the top-16 in points. The Feature winner will earn 200 points with a two point drop for each subsequent position.
The top-18 in accumulated points from Thursday and Friday will be locked into Saturday’s feature. The top-six of those 18 are locked into the Pole Shuffle. The finish of the Pole Shuffle will set the top-three rows of Saturday’s Feature. The B-main will line up straight up on points and transfer the top-six finishers to the Feature. Two cars will be added to the finale via a fan choice and a promoter’s choice, totaling 26 cars. There will be a fuel/tire stop on lap 40.
Money, money, and more money
On top of already paying a whopping 50 grand to win, there will be plenty of other ways for drivers to earn some stout paydays.
Firstly, simply making Saturday’s main event will be worth $1,000.
Courtesy of generous supporters, each lap led in Saturday’s 50-lap main event will award an extra $1,000, making it possible to take home $100,000 should a driver lead every circuit.
For any 360ci sprint cars who are bold enough to take on Dirt Cup, there are some bonuses up for grabs. The highest finishing 360 of the event earns an extra $3,700 while second-highest gets $2,500 and third takes $604.
Who to Watch
Chico, California’s Jonathan Allard makes his highly anticipated return to Dirt Cup aboard the Williams No. 0 and will be one to keep an eye on. He hasn’t competed in the prestigious race since 2014, but his four Dirt Cup titles (2005, 2006, 2011, 2013) rank second all-time. All of his victories came aboard the Williams machine.
“Dirt Cup is a very special place,” Allard said. “It allowed me to buy my first house and do a lot of things in my life because of the prize money. With the history up there, it’s pretty special to be a part of it and be one of the guys who have won multiple Dirt Cup championships. It’s special to me, and we’ve got a lot of great fans up there. To go right up into there, it’s pretty neat to be able to be in this car again and represent the 0 team.”
Last year Dominic Scelzi starred in his Dirt Cup debut by finishing runner-up on night one then winning the final two nights. The Fresno, California native and crew chief Jimmy Carr have already proven that their chemistry is just as strong this year as it was during their dominant 2021, but a tall task awaits them if they plan to repeat at Dirt Cup. Last year it was still a 360 event that paid $15,000, and with the 410s on the card chasing a $50,000 payday, coming out on top of Saturday is certain to be a challenge.
One Californian especially eager to experience Dirt Cup victory is San Jose’s Tim Kaeding. The two-time NARC champ has finished runner-up in the prestigious event on three occasions (2006, 2009, 2011) and third twice (2004 & 2008). After rain washed out his planned return to the Bates-Hamilton Racing No. 42X this past weekend, he’ll now return to the seat for Dirt Cup.
Puyallup, Washington native, Trey Starks, has been on fire in limited races so far in 2022, and he’ll look to translate that momentum into his first Dirt Cup title. Starks already owns a pair of victories at the 3/8ths mile this year, one where he drove from 24th to the front. He also topped NARC just a month ago as the series visited Grays Harbor Raceway.
A pair of Washington born Dirt Cup champions will be vying for their second titles. Burlington, Washington’s Jason Solwold (2015 winner) and Snohomish, Washington’s Seth Bergman (2018 winner) are always stout at Skagit.
Dirt Cup will also draw some stars from across the country as a pair of Hoosiers in Indianapolis, Indiana’s Tyler Courtney and Angola, Indiana’s Zeb Wise plan to make the trip West. Visalia, California’s Cory Eliason intends to use the All-Star off weekend to return to his home region of the West Coast to compete in Kevin Rudeen’s machine.
Plenty of other drivers will be in attendance including some potent Californians in Aromas’ Justin Sanders, Fremont’s Shane Golobic, Sebastopol’s Joel Myers Jr., Hanford’s Mitchell Faccinto, Colfax’s Willie Croft, Redding’s Max Mittry, Hanford’s D.J. Netto, Foresthill’s Ryan Robinson, Clovis’ Corey Day, Campbell’s Bud Kaeding, Benicia’s Billy Aton, and more.
More Pacific Northwest locals plan to be in the mix including Jacksonville, Oregon’s Tanner Holmes, Harrisburg, Oregon’s Tyler Thompson, Mill Creek, Washington’s Cam Smith, Central Point, Oregon’s Garen Linder, Idaho's Logan Forler and more.
Fan & Competitor Info
On both Thursday and Friday the pit gate will open at 12:00 P.M. with the front gate following at 5:00 P.M. Racing will begin around 7:00 P.M. The only difference on Saturday will be the pit gate opening at 2:00 P.M.
On both Thursday and Friday General Admission tickets will be $35. Juniors, seniors, and military will be admitted for $30. Children (ages 3-6) will be admitted for just $10. Saturday General Admission tickets are $40. Juniors, seniors, and military will be admitted for $35. Children (ages 3-6) will still be admitted for $10.
Tickets can be purchased at the gate or online via the following link: https://skagitspeedway.showare.com.
Skagit Speedway is located at 4796 Old Highway 99 North Burlington, WA 98233. For more information visit skagitspeedway.com or call 360-724-3567.
All three nights of the Jim Raper Memorial Super Dirt Cup can be viewed live on floracing.com along with the entire NARC Fujitsu General Sprint Car schedule.
2022 NARC King of the West Fujitsu 410 Sprint Car Series
Championship Points Standings (After ten events in 21-race series - 6/20/22)
Dominic Scelzi, Fresno - 1150
Willie Croft, Colfax - 1106
Bud Kaeding, Campbell - 1080
Justin Sanders, Aromas - 1073
Mitchell Faccinto, Hanford - 1059
Max Mittry, Redding (R) - 1046
Billy Aton, Benicia - 982
Shane Golobic, Elk Grove - 977
Joel Myers Jr, Sebastopol - 900
Logan Forler, Boise, ID - 895
Corey Day, Salinas - 649
Chase Johnson, Penngrove - 620
Tanner Holmes, Jacksonville, OR (R) - 604
Colby Copeland, Rocklin - 562
Tim Kaeding, San Jose - 497
Geoffrey Strole, Hanford - 467
DJ Netto, Hanford - 433
Michael Faccinto, Hanford - 411
Garen Linder, Central Point, OR - 408
Landon Brooks, Yuba City - 407The NARC Fujitsu General USA Racing Series is also sponsored by Hoosier Racing Tires and Floracing.com. Associate and product award sponsors include Automotive Racing Products (ARP), Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, Bullet Impressions, Dirt.Travel, FK Rod Ends, Johnstone Supply, Kaeding Performance Center, Kimo's Tropical Car Wash, KSE Racing Products, Maxim, Mettec Titanium, Pyrotect, Roth Motorsports, Safecraft Safety Equipment, Saldana Racing Products, Schoenfeld Headers, SCI Racing Products, Scelzi Enterprises, Starr Property Management, Swift Metal Finishing, Sunnyvalley Bacon, System 1 Ignition, Ultra Lite Brakes, Vortex Wings, Wilwood Disc Brakes, and Winters Performance Products.
SOCIAL MEDIA INFORMATION
Website: www.NARC410.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NARCKingoftheWest
Facebook (history page): https://www.facebook.com/NARCSprintCarHistory
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NARC410
Instagram: www.instagram.com/narc410
YouTube: NARC410
Live Stream PPV: Floracing.com
UPCOMING EVENTS:
July 9 - Petaluma Speedway - Salute to Baylands Raceway Park
July 16 - Ocean Speedway (Watsonville, CA) - Howard Kaeding Classic
July 23 - Stockton Dirt Track - Salute to NARC Champion LeRoy Van Conett
NARC HITS THE ROAD TO DIRT CUP WITH TRIPS TO SILVER DOLLAR SPEEDWAY AND COTTAGE GROVE SPEEDWAY
(6/13/2022) Sacramento, CA… The NARC Fujitsu General Sprint Cars begin their northern journey to Dirt Cup this weekend on Friday, June 17th at Chico’s Silver Dollar Speedway for night one of Road to Dirt Cup followed by night number two on Saturday, June 18th at Cottage Grove Speedway.
The two nights signal the beginning of a highly anticipated week of racing that will culminate with the 50th Annual Super Dirt Cup at Washington’s Skagit Speedway on June 23rd through the 25th.
The Chico visit will be the second and final appearance for NARC of 2022 at Silver Dollar Speedway, and Saturday’s Battle at the Bullring will be the series’ first trip to Cottage Grove Speedway in more than a decade. Cottage Grove will award $5,000 to the winner.
With some lucrative bonuses on the line, drivers will be eager to park in victory lane this weekend. There are six 410ci events composing the week of Dirt Cup– Chico and Cottage Grove this weekend, the Dirt Cup tune up at Skagit on Monday (not a NARC sanctioned event), and the three nights of Dirt Cup. If a driver can win three of the six, they’ll earn an extra $10,000. Winning four of the six nets $25,000. And claiming five of the six will award a driver with $50,000!
On Friday in Chico B Mods and Hobby Stocks will join NARC. Saturday at Cottage Grove three IMCA divisions will run alongside NARC, Modifieds, SportMods, and Stock Cars.
Championship Chase
A pair of top-fives this past weekend kept Dominic Scelzi atop the standings with a healthy 44 point advantage. The driver closest to him, Willie Croft, has been on one of the best stretches of his NARC career with six straight top-five results heading into the Road to Dirt Cup. Croft will look to cut into Scelzi’s lead this weekend.
Bud Kaeding, who has only missed the top-10 once this year, sits third in points, 26 markers behind Croft.
Then it’s Justin Sanders in fourth, seven points behind Kaeding, and Mitchell Faccinto, 14 behind Sanders, completing the top-five.
Who to Watch
Aromas native Justin Sanders is a threat at any track he shows up at, and that will especially be the case this weekend. Sanders has top-two finishes in three of his last four NARC races in Chico including a pair of wins, and he’s a former winner with the Western Sprint Tour at Cottage Grove Speedway.
2017 series champion, Bud Kaeding, has quietly put together a solid season thus far and should be in the running to earn his first win of the season. The Campbell native owns a pair of NARC wins in Chico. He’s also one of few with some 410 laps at Cottage Grove, picking up top-fives with NARC there in 2009 and 2010.
Mitchell Faccinto will be another to keep an eye on this weekend as he continues to pursue his first series title. The Tarlton Motorsports wheelman from Hanford doesn’t own a NARC win in Chico, but he did already claim the prestigious Silver Cup finale at the quarter-mile this year. He’s also a former winner at Cottage Grove Speedway, topping a 2019 Western Sprint Tour show.
Many of the Pacific Northwest natives who competed during the Fastest Four Days in Motorsports also plan to race at least at Cottage Grove this weekend if not tackle both nights. Former winners at Cottage Grove Speedway– Trey Starks, Tanner Holmes, and Tyler Thompson will be a few of the Oregon and Washington drivers on The Road to Dirt Cup.
Other drivers expected to compete include Benicia’s Billy Aton, Fresno’s Dominic Scelzi, Colfax’s Willie Croft,, Clovis’ Corey Day, Tanner & Blake Carrick out of Lincoln, Sebastopol’s Joel Myers Jr., Roseville’s Colby Copeland, Fremont’s Shane Golobic, Redding’s Max Mittry, Idaho’s Logan Forler, Hanford’s D.J. Netto, and more.
Fan & Competitor Info
The NARC-King of the West Hoosier Tire Format on both nights will feature ARP Fast-Time Qualifying, 10-lap Heat Races, a six-lap Sunnyvalley Bacon Trophy Dash, a Kaeding Performance Semi if necessary, and a 30-lap Fujitsu Feature.
On Friday at Silver Dollar Speedway the pit gate will open at 1:00 P.M. with the front gate opening at 4:00 P.M. Racing will begin around 6:00 P.M.
On Saturday at Cottage Grove Speedway the pit gate will open at 12:00 P.M. with the front gate set to follow at 3:00 P.M. Hot laps are slated to start at 4:30 P.M. with racing beginning around 6:00 P.M.
Adult General Admission tickets at Silver Dollar Speedway will be $20. Seniors (ages 60+) and kids (ages 12-15) will be admitted for $15. Kids 11 and under will be admitted for just $5. Tickets can be purchased at the gate or via the following link: https://www.eventsprout.com/event/silver-dollar-speedway-2022.
Adult General Admission tickets at Cottage Grove Speedway will be $20. Seniors, Military, and juniors (ages 13-17) will be admitted for $15. Kids (ages 6-12) will be admitted for just $5. Kids 5 and under are free. Tickets can be purchased at the gate or via the following link: https://www.myracepass.com/events/398217/tickets/.
Silver Dollar Speedway is located on the Silver Dollar Fairgrounds at 2343 Fair St, Chico, CA 95928. For more information visit silverdollarspeedway.com or call (530) 891-6535.
Cottage Grove Speedway is located at 2150 North Douglas St, Cottage Grove, OR 97424. For more information visit cottagegrovespeedway.com or call 541-942-7561.
Both nights of the Road to Dirt Cup can be viewed live on floracing.com along with the entire NARC Fujitsu General Sprint Car tour.
2022 NARC King of the West Fujitsu 410 Sprint Car Series
Championship Points Standings (After ten events in 23-race series - 6/12/22)Dominic Scelzi, Fresno - 1150
Willie Croft, Colfax - 1106
Bud Kaeding, Campbell - 1080
Justin Sanders, Aromas - 1073
Mitchell Faccinto, Hanford - 1059
Max Mittry, Redding (R) - 1046
Billy Aton, Benicia - 982
Shane Golobic, Elk Grove - 977
Joel Myers Jr, Sebastopol - 900
Logan Forler, Boise, ID - 895
Corey Day, Salinas - 649
Chase Johnson, Penngrove - 620
Tanner Holmes, Jacksonville, OR (R) - 604
Colby Copeland, Rocklin - 562
Tim Kaeding, San Jose - 497
Geoffrey Strole, Hanford - 467
DJ Netto, Hanford - 433
Michael Faccinto, Hanford - 411
Garen Linder, Central Point, OR - 408
Landon Brooks, Yuba City - 407The NARC Fujitsu General USA Racing Series is also sponsored by Hoosier Racing Tires and Floracing.com. Associate and product award sponsors include Automotive Racing Products (ARP), Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, Bullet Impressions, Dirt.Travel, FK Rod Ends, Johnstone Supply, Kaeding Performance Center, Kimo's Tropical Car Wash, KSE Racing Products, Maxim, Pyrotect, Roth Motorsports, Safecraft Safety Equipment, Saldana Racing Products, Schoenfeld Headers, SCI Racing Products, Scelzi Enterprises, Starr Property Management, Swift Metal Finishing, Sunnyvalley Bacon, System 1 Ignition, Ultra Lite Brakes, Vortex Wings, Wilwood Disc Brakes, and Winters Performance Products.
SOCIAL MEDIA INFORMATION
Website: www.NARC410.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NARCKingoftheWest
Facebook (history page): https://www.facebook.com/NARCSprintCarHistory
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NARC410
Instagram: www.instagram.com/narc410
YouTube: NARC410
Live Stream PPV: Floracing.com
UPCOMING EVENTS:
June 23-25 - Skagit Speedway, Burlington, WA - $50,000 to win Dirt Cup
MAKING HISTORY: DAY COMPLETES HISTORIC WEEKEND SWEEP WITH BRADWAY VICTORY
(6/11/2022 – Alex Nieten) Placerville, CA… At just 16-years old, Corey Day continues to write his name in the West Coast racing history books.
The sprint car prodigy is hitting marks with the NARC Fujitsu General Sprint Cars that even his most talented California predecessors didn’t reach. A hard-fought battle in just his second start in the potent Works Limited No. 57 at Saturday’s Dave Bradway Jr. Memorial resulted in Day picking up his fifth career Fujitsu Feature victory in just his 19th career series start. Drivers like Kyle Larson, Brad Sweet, and Carson Macedo didn’t manage to reach that feat in their stints with NARC. In fact, none of them even won more than twice in their first 19 appearances.
Day also cemented his name next to perhaps the greatest driver in the history of the California circuit. His Placerville Speedway Bradway triumph came a day after he claimed the Pombo-Sargent Classic. The only other driver to win the two prestigious events that have more than three decades of history in the same year? None other than Brent Kaeding.
“Happy is an understatement,” Day said of his emotion in victory lane. “I can’t say enough about Paul Silva, Doug, Hayden, Kevin Kozlowski and everyone on this car for the opportunity. These guys work their tails off, and I’m the lucky guy that gets to drive it.”
Leading the field to green was Dominic Scelzi and Mitchell Faccinto. The race’s initial start was halted twice, first for a tangle between Billy Aton and Logan Forler and then for a violently flipping Chase Johnson on the second attempt. All drivers were unharmed.
After one more early yellow for a spinning Jake Morgan, the race was finally able to establish a bit of a green flag run.
Scelzi led the lap four restart, and Day quickly jumped into the runner-up spot and began to pursue the reigning series champion. On lap eight Day showed Scelzi a nose, but “The Dominator” shut the door in the next corner. Day proved he could put the Finley Farms sponsored No. 57 anywhere he wanted, heading to the high line and pouncing.
On lap nine Scelzi missed the bottom on the exit of turn four, and Day rocketed around his outside to snag the lead. Day pulled slightly ahead of Scelzi until a lap 13 caution for a spinning Max Mittry bunched the field together.
Day and Scelzi nearly touched on the restart after an attempted Scelzi slider but Day held on. The yellow flew yet again on lap 15 for an issue between Ing and Aton. Both of their nights were done.
The ensuing restart provided some of the race’s wildest moments. Scelzi jumped ahead (a jump that was deemed early by officials) and took the top spot back. In turn three Day launched a slider and cleared the No. 41, but Scelzi powered underneath him with a crossover as Tanner Carrick rolled the bottom perfectly to make it three wide for the lead down the front stretch.
Scelzi came out ahead, but when the yellow flew on lap 16 for C.J. Humphreys and John Clark slowing, Scelzi was docked two spots for jumping the previous restart. The penalty gifted the lead back to Day who had fallen to third, but with Scelzi’s penalty and the lineup revering to the previous lap before the yellow, Day leaped ahead of Scelzi and Carrick.
“I had to clean up my restarts,” Day said of what might’ve prevented him from ever falling to third. “I got a gift there on that double file when Tanner and Dominic got by me. After that I really had to clean them up. I had to get down in the grip there off (turn) four and kind of mess them up by running the opposite line that I was running and get them in the dirty air.”
Day did exactly that as, after the timely caution gave him the lead, the teenager went effectively unchallenged the remainder of the way.
A pair of yellows forced Day to show he could do better on restarts, and he did so as none of his competitors were able to mount a serious run at the top spot.
Day went on to win comfortably by 3.271 seconds over Tanner Carrick.
It all worked out, and we’re here in victory lane,” Day said with a smile.
Carrick’s runner up result in the CVC Concrete/Arai Helmets No. 83T matched his career best result with NARC. Though he was happy with the podium effort, Carrick hoped a longer green flag run might’ve given him a shot at an inaugural series win.
“I didn’t need the yellows,” Carrick said. “I got the yellows at the wrong time, and that kind of hurt me, especially on the long run. We got really good. I don’t know if their stuff was going away or what, but we were getting really good on the long runs. Short runs, I struggled. I couldn’t get going until about 10 laps in.”
A quiet charge from seventh led Shane Golobic to take the final spot on the podium, the 53rd top-three of his NARC career. The pilot of the NOS Energy Drink/Elk Grove Ford No. 17W found himself wishing he’d managed the first three quarters of the race differently to give himself a chance to win.
“I put together 30 really bad laps,” Golobic explained. “The last 10 laps I kind of got up on the wheel a little bit and got going. I just made a lot of bad decisions early and put ourselves in a bad spot multiple times. So, it was good to get back going there at the end.”
Completing the top-10 was Willie Croft, Dominic Scelzi, Mitchell Faccinto, Sean Becker, Bud Kaeding, Shane Hopkins, and Kalib Henry.
FUJITSU GENERAL USA FEATURE (40 laps): 1. Corey Day 57 2. Tanner Carrick 83T 3. Shane Golobic 17W 4. Willie Croft 29 5. Dominic Scelzi 41 6. Mitchell Faccinto 21 7. Sean Becker 5V 8. Bud Kaeding 69 9. Shane Hopkins 51 10. Kalib Henry 17 11. Logan Forler 2L 12. Max Mittry 2XM 13. Jake Morgan 45 14. Koen Shaw 88 15. Colby Wiesz 8 16. Nick Parker 15 17. John Clark 12J 18. Justin Bradway 20 19. C.J. Humphreys 85 20. Kyle Hirst 42X 21. Justin Sanders 2X 22. Ryan Robinson 56 23. Michael Ing 21M 24. Billy Aton 26 25. Stephen Ingraham 93 26. Chase Johnson 24
HOOSIER TIRE LAP LEADERS: Scelzi 1-8, 15 Day 9-14, 16-40
SWIFT METAL FINISHING HARDCHARGER: Colby Wiesz 25th to 15th
CARWASH MIKE AVILLA/ARP FAST QUALIFIER (26 cars): Willie Croft 10.637 seconds
BROWN AND MILLER RACING SOLUTIONS HEAT ONE (10 laps): Faccinto, Day, Croft, Clark, Becker, Robinson, Humphreys, Morgan, Bradway
KIMO’s TROPICAL CAR WASH HEAT TWO (10 laps): Scelzi, Ing, Carrick, Henry, Kaeding, Forler, Aton, Wiesz, Ingraham
DIRT.TRAVEL CLUB HEAT THREE (10 laps): Hirst, Golobic, Hopkins, Sanders, Johnson, Parker, Mittry, Shaw
SUNNYVALLEY “POWERED BY BACON” TROPHY DASH (6 laps): Scelzi, Faccinto, Day, Hirst, Carrick, Croft
DEBUT DOMINANCE: DAY RULES POMBO-SARGENT CLASSIC ON FIRST NIGHT IN WORKS LIMITED RIDE
(6/10/2022 – Alex Nieten) Watsonville, CA… Put a phenomenal race car driver in a phenomenal race car and good things are bound to happen.
That’s exactly what took place Friday night at the 36th Annual Pombo-Sargent Classic hosted by Ocean Speedway as Corey Day climbed aboard the Works Limited No. 57 and won in dominant fashion on his first night in the potent machine, taking the lead early on in the non-stop 30-lap main event and never looking back.
The triumph marked Day’s fourth with the NARC Fujitsu General Sprint Cars in just his 18th career series start. It was also the third different car he’s won in with the series, the other two being Jason Meyers’ No. 14 and Day’s family owned No. 41. Day also became just the second driver to win multiple NARC Fujitsu Features this year after claiming the David Tarter Memorial in Chico back in April.
After the checkered flag flew, Day was quick to offer gratitude to those who contribute to making the 57 such a strong car and who presented him to the chance to pilot it– Kevin Kozlowski (car owner) and Paul Silva (crew chief).
“I can’t thank Kevin and Paul enough for the opportunity,” Day said. “This car is legendary, and to be the one picked to drive it is pretty cool.”
Originally scheduled to start third, Day lined up on the pole after the originally scheduled pole sitter, Mitchell Faccinto, suffered a broken crankshaft while lining up for the main event.
To Day’s outside was series point leader, Dominic Scelzi, and “The Dominator” got the initial jump, rocketing around the topside to lead the opening circuit.
The high line proved dominant early on a fast racing surface at the Watsonville bullring. Scelzi led the way as the front runners approached traffic within just five laps of the green flag flying. As Scelzi fought with lapped cars, Day saw his opening and pounced.
On lap eight Day carried a huge run into turn one courtesy of ripping the cushion to perfection in turns three and four and pulled the trigger on a flawless slider. Day’s momentum propelled him to such a speed that Scelzi didn’t even have a chance to try a crossover down the backstretch.
“He (Scelzi) got to traffic there and was taking it a touch to easy,” Day said of what led to the move. “He was ahead of me enough to where I had a little clean air and could run a little bit harder than he could, him being stuck behind those guys. So, I got to him and threw a slider on him, and then lap traffic was really tough.”
The traffic Day spoke of was a challenge he’d be forced to face the rest of the way as the main event went caution free. Day moved all around the quarter-mile oval to work his way by slower cars. While Day encountered some difficulties with traffic, the drivers pursuing him, Scelzi,
Willie Croft, and Justin Sanders, we’re busy battling each other and traffic and unable to erase the deficit.
As their war raged on for runner-up, Day cruised away and the laps dwindled.
Day wound up taking the checkered flag with a 2.905 second advantage over Scelzi.
“Getting through traffic definitely wasn’t easy,” a winded Day said to sum up the race. “But, I was just trying to pick off as many as I could to have a good buffer between me and second, and it worked out. There were a couple times there where I tried the bottom and blew it there off (turn) four, and I figured Dominic or Justin, I didn’t know who was running second, would be right on me, but they weren’t. I’m super pumped.”
Scelzi’s runner-up finish marked his ninth consecutive top-three to begin the NARC campaign as the Red Rose Transportation/Whipple Superchargers No. 41 seems incapable of missing the podium this season. He’s the first to string together nine straight NARC podiums since Kyle Hirst in 2018. While he’s enjoying the consistency, Scelzi couldn’t help be a little disappointed to miss out on a possible win.
“He (Day) did an awesome job,” Scelzi said. “I just got into traffic, and I don’t really think we got too tight. I think he just did a better job in traffic… At the end of the day, Corey got by the lapped cars and we didn’t and ran second. I’m kind of tired of running second. That’s like three in a row, so let’s get back to getting first-places in a row.”
Completing the podium was Willie Croft in the Amerikote Powdercoating/Holey Smokes BBQ No. 29 as he held on for the good finish even after late contact with the fence. Croft now has five straight series top-fives and podiums in four of his last five races as he continues to chase down Scelzi for his first title.
“I got a little high in the marbles here off of (turn) four and tried to just skim the wall but hit it harder than anticipated,” Croft explained. “But overall everything was good. We had a great car all night. My guys did a great job… It’s a little hard to make up points when Dominic’s on the podium with me, but there’s a lot of races left. We’re just going to keep plugging along and just try to do the best we can every night and see what happens.”
The balance of the top-10 included Justin Sanders, Ryan Robinson, D.J. Netto, Max Mittry, Shane Golobic, Steven Kent, and Chase Johnson.
FUJITSU GENERAL USA FEATURE (30 laps): 1. Corey Day 57 2. Dominic Scelzi 41 3. Willie Croft 29 4. Justin Sanders 2X 5. Ryan Robinson 56 6. D.J. Netto 88N 7. Max Mittry 2XM 8. Shane Golobic 17W 9. Steven Kent 37 10. Chase Johnson 24 11. Bud Kaeding 69 12. J.J. Ringo 2K 13. Kaleb Montgomery 3 14. Joel Myers Jr. 83V 15. Kurt Nelson 72W 16. Koen Shaw 88 17. Billy Aton 26 18. Gauge Garcia 21X 19. Chris Nelson 72JR 20. Logan Forler 2L 21. Mitchell Faccinto 21
HOOSIER TIRE LAP LEADERS: Scelzi 1-7, Day 8-30
ARP FAST QUALIFIER (21 cars): Corey Day 10.968
BROWN AND MILLER RACING SOLUTIONS HEAT ONE (10 laps): Johnson, Faccinto, Day, Myers Jr., Nelson, Garcia, Forler
KIMO’s TROPICAL CAR WASH HEAT TWO (10 laps): Scelzi, Mittry, Kent, Montgomery, Kaeding, Shaw, Nelson
DIRT.TRAVEL CLUB HEAT THREE (10 laps): Golobic, Sanders, Netto, Croft, Ringo, Robinson, Aton
SUNNYVALLEY “POWERED BY BACON” TROPHY DASH (6 laps): Faccinto, Scelzi, Day, Croft, Mittry, Johnson
POMBO-SARGENT CLASSIC & DAVE BRADWAY JR. MEMORIAL KICKOFF BUSY JUNE FOR NARC SPRINT CARS
(6/6/2022) Sacramento, CA… This weekend a pair of big events will jumpstart a loaded June schedule for the NARC Fujitsu General Sprint Cars. On Friday, June 10th Watsonville’s Ocean Speedway hosts the 34th Annual Pombo-Sargent Classic, and the next night Saturday, June 11th the 31st Annual Dave Bradway Jr. Memorial will take place at Placerville Speedway.
The races are the first two of seven slated June events for NARC that will see the series appear in three different states. It’s the series’ first of two 2022 visits to Ocean Speedway and the lone trip to Placerville Speedway.
Both nights pay tribute to legends of California racing history. The duo of Al Pombo and Marshall Sargent were super-modified rivals who won many races in the mid-20th century, often needing to battle each other for victory in their heyday. Dave Bradway Jr. was a rising star of West Coast sprint car racing until he sadly lost his life in a racing accident in 1987. Bradway was a multi-time NARC feature winner, won the 1984 track championship at Baylands Raceway Park, and had many more accomplishments in his career that was cut short.
Courtesy of generous support from C&H Motor Parts, the 40-lap Bradway Memorial Fujitsu Feature will award $5,000 to win. Contributions from other supporters have also boosted the pay of Carwash Mike Avilla Fast Time, the Hardcharger award, lap money, heat races and more.
With racers wishing to honor fellow racers in the best way, winning the two events have become some of the most coveted on the NARC circuit with each’s win list featuring some of the sport’s best names.
On Friday at Ocean Speedway NARC will be joined by IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sport Mods, and the Western Midget Racing Midgets.
Saturday will be a complete night of sprint car action as the Sprint Car Challenge Tour 360 sprints will accompany NARC in Placerville
Championship Chase
Fresno’s Dominic Scelzi continues to lead the way in his quest for back-to-back NARC titles. The Dominator is yet to miss the podium through eight races in 2022, but he does have a few competitors not too far behind ready to pounce should he slip up.
Courtesy of four consecutive top-fives including his first series win since 2018, Colfax’s Willie Croft has jumped to second in the standings.
Completing the top-five in points is a trio of consistent drivers in Hanford’s Mitchell Faccinto, Campbell’s Bud Kaeding, and Aromas’ Justin Sanders. Sanders may be the hottest of the three after not missing the podium during the Pacific Northwest swing as he continues to rebound from a tough Peter Murphy Classic weekend.
The drivers situated second through fifth in the standings are currently separated by a mere 14 points.
Who to Watch
The bullrings will provide a prime opportunity for Fremont’s Shane Golobic to snag his first series win of the year of perhaps even sweep the weekend. The Matt Wood Racing driver has earned four of his 13 career wins and 14 of his 52 career podiums at Ocean Speedway. Golobic is a one-time series winner at Placerville, and he’s been very consistent with 11 top-fives in 17 attempts. He’s also the most recent World of Outlaws winner on the red clay oval.
When quarter miles are on the calendar Justin Sanders is always a name to pencil in as a favorite. Ocean Speedway is his home track, and his dozens of victories at the Santa Cruz county facility are highlighted a pair of NARC triumphs. Sanders also owns two series wins at Placerville, meaning four of his 11 career victories have come at the bullrings.
Ryan Robinson returns to the seat of the Mike Phulps No. 56 this weekend and should compete for his first series victory. Last year the Foresthill native set the 410 track record at Ocean Speedway in the Phulps machine, and he finished runner-up in NARC’s August Watsonville appearance. He also finished a respectable seventh in the 2021 edition of the Bradway at Placerville.
Other drivers expected to compete at least one night include Sebastopol’s Joel Myers Jr., Redding’s Max Mittry, Benicia’s Billy Aton, Idaho’s Logan Forler, Clovis’ Corey Day, Penngrove’s Chase Johnson, and many more.
Fan & Competitor Info
The NARC-King of the West Hoosier Tire Format on Friday at Ocean Speedway will feature ARP Fast-Time Qualifying, 10-lap Heat Races, a six-lap Sunnyvalley Bacon Trophy Dash, a Kaeding Performance Semi if necessary, and the 30-lap Fujitsu Feature.
The NARC-King of the West Hoosier Tire Format on Saturday at Placerville Speedway will feature Carwash Mike Avilla Fast-Time Qualifying, 10-lap Heat Races, a six-lap Sunnyvalley Bacon Trophy Dash, a Kaeding Performance Semi, and the 40-lap Fujitsu Feature.
The Placerville Speedway pit gate will open at 2:00 P.M. with the front gate following at 3:00 P.M. Racing will begin around 6:00 P.M.
On Saturday in Placerville Adult GA tickets will be $40. Seniors (ages 62+), military, and juniors (ages 12-17) can purchase tickets for $35. Kids (ages 6-11) are just $20, and kids 5 and under are free. Tickets can be purchased at the gate or via the following link: https://www.eventsprout.com/event/king-of-the-west.
Ocean Speedway is located on the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds at 2601 E Lake Ave Watsonville, CA 95076. For more information visit oceanspeedway.com or call (831) 688-7223.
Placerville Speedway is located at the El Dorado County Fairgrounds in Placerville, CA. For tickets and other information, visit www.placervillespeedway.com
The Pombo-Sargent Classic and Dave Bradway Jr. Memorial can be viewed live on floracing.com along with the entire NARC Fujitsu General Sprint Car schedule.
The Northern Auto Racing Club would like to thank Pacific Highway Rental, Jess & Tami Gallagher, Gary Scelzi Motorsports, Roseville Precision, the Bradway Family, Chicks in Crisis, the Mike Murphy Family, and the many lap sponsors for their generous support of the Dave Bradway Jr. Memorial and helping make the night all the more special for the competitors.
Pombo-Sargent Classic Winners
1988 – Brent Kaeding
1989 – Jimmy Sills
1990 – Brent Kaeding
1991 – Brent Kaeding
1992 – Steve Kent
1993 – Chuck Miller
1994 – Steve Kent
1995 – Brent Kaeding
1996 – Tim Green
1997 – Bud Kaeding
1998 – Bud Kaeding
1999 – Brent Kaeding
2000 – Brent Kaeding
2001 – Blake Robertson
2002 – Tommy Tarlton
2003 – Tommy Tarlton
2004 – Tim Kaeding
2005 – Ronnie Day
2006 – Brent Kaeding
2007 – Brent Kaeding
2008 – Brent Kaeding
2009 – Brent Kaeding
2010 – Tim Kaeding
2011 – Tommy Tarlton
2012 – Bud Kaeding
2013 – Tommy Tarlton
2014 – Kyle Hirst
2015 – DJ Netto
2016 – Shane Golobic
2017 – Shane Golobic
2018 – Justin Sanders
2019 – Dominic Scelzi
2020 – No Race – COVID2021 – Tim Kaeding
Dave Bradway Jr. Memorial Winners
1991 – Jason McMillen
1992 – Greg DeCaires
1993 – Eric Rossi
1994 – Randy Tiner
1995 – Brent Kaeding
1996 – Paul McMahan
1997 – Jimmy Sills
1998 – Randy Tiner
1999 – Brent Kaeding
2000 – Brent Kaeding
2001 – Jonathan Allard
2002 – Tim Kaeding
2003 – Jonathan Allard
2004 – Jason Statler
2005 – Jonathan Allard
2006 – Sean Becker
2007 – Brent Kaeding
2008 – Tim Kaeding
2009 – Jonathan Allard
2010 – Shane Stewart
2011 – Peter Murphy
2012 – Jonathan Allard
2013 – Rico Abreu
2014 – Rico Abreu
2015 – Bud Kaeding
2016 – Kyle Hirst
2017 – Rico Abreu
2018 – Willie Croft
2019 – Justin Sanders
2020 – No Race – COVID
2021 – Dominic Scelzi2022 NARC King of the West Fujitsu 410 Sprint Car Series
Championship Points Standings (After eight events in 23-race series - 6/5/22)Dominic Scelzi, Fresno - 925
Willie Croft, Colfax - 880
Mitchell Faccinto, Hanford - 874
Bud Kaeding, Campbell - 867
Justin Sanders, Aromas - 866
Max Mittry, Redding (R) - 833
Joel Myers Jr, Sebastopol (R) - 798
Billy Aton, Benicia (R) - 791
Shane Golobic, Elk Grove - 756
Logan Forler, Boise, ID - 694
Tanner Holmes, Jacksonville, OR (R) - 604
Colby Copeland, Rocklin - 562
Tim Kaeding, San Jose - 497
Geoffrey Strole, Hanford - 467
Chase Johnson, Penngrove - 424
Corey Day, Salinas - 414
Michael Faccinto, Hanford - 411
Garen Linder, Central Point, OR - 408
Landon Brooks, Yuba City - 300
DJ Netto, Hanford - 323The NARC Fujitsu General USA Racing Series is also sponsored by Hoosier Racing Tires and Floracing.com. Associate and product award sponsors include Automotive Racing Products (ARP), Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, Bullet Impressions, Dirt.Travel, FK Rod Ends, Johnstone Supply, Kaeding Performance Center, Kimo's Tropical Car Wash, KSE Racing Products, Maxim, Pyrotect, Roth Motorsports, Safecraft Safety Equipment, Saldana Racing Products, Schoenfeld Headers, SCI Racing Products, Scelzi Enterprises, Starr Property Management, Swift Metal Finishing, Sunnyvalley Bacon, System 1 Ignition, Ultra Lite Brakes, Vortex Wings, Wilwood Disc Brakes, and Winters Performance Products.
SOCIAL MEDIA INFORMATION
Website: www.NARC410.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NARCKingoftheWest
Facebook (history page): https://www.facebook.com/NARCSprintCarHistory
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NARC410
Instagram: www.instagram.com/narc410
YouTube: NARC410Live Stream PPV: Floracing.com
UPCOMING EVENTS:
June 17 - Silver Dollar Speedway, Chico - The Road to the Dirt Cup
June 18 - Cottage Grove Speedway, Cottage Grove, OR - The Battle at the Bullring
June 23-25 - Skagit Speedway, Burlington, WA - $50,000 to win Dirt Cup
PROTECTING HOME TURF: STARKS DOMINATES FASTEST FOUR DAYS FINALE AT GRAYS HARBOR
(5/29/2022 – Alex Nieten) Elma, WA… Entering Sunday night, Trey Starks said he could probably count on his hands how many times he’d driven a 410 sprint car at Grays Harbor Raceway, but that didn’t slow him down.
The Puyallup Washington native has countless laps and many wins at the Elma, WA three-eights mile, but many of those laps and all of those wins had been in a 360 sprint car. With the NARC Fujitsu General Sprint Cars visiting for the Fastest Four Days in Motorsports finale on Sunday, Starks added a 410 win to the resumé.
Starks dominated the Fujitsu Feature, leading all 30 laps on his way to his first career NARC win in his 11th series start and first start with the West Coast’s best since 2016. The victory earned him $7,000 as he protected home turf and prevented the California drivers from sweeping the Pacific Northwest trip.
“We like racing the 410s,” Starks said in victory lane. “We like bringing the good guys up from California and seeing if we can run with them and tonight, luckily, we could.”
Bringing the field to green was Justin Sanders with Starks to his outside. Starks wasted no time establishing that he would be a force to be reckoned with by rocketing around Sanders’ outside to lead the opening circuit.
Behind Starks, the defending NARC champion Dominic Scelzi threw a slider on Sanders and cleared him to take over the runner-up spot on the second lap and began to pursue Starks. As the leaders approached traffic Scelzi closed in about 10 laps in but couldn’t quite mount the charge he needed. Starks began to pull away.
“I know you’ve got to be really careful,” Starks said of negotiating traffic. “I started to move down in traffic and realized our car was good enough that we could pretty much go anywhere, so that was good to know, especially when you’re racing around in traffic and having to pass guys.”
The race’s first yellow flew on lap 14 for a slowing Tanner Holmes in turn 4. On the restart, Starks pulled ahead as a wild war began for the second spot. Sanders and Mitchell Faccinto challenged Scelzi as they screamed into turn one three wide. As they exited turn two, Sanders emerged ahead using the bottom.
Sanders wasted no time in giving Starks his toughest challenge. On the next lap, Sanders utilized an excellent run through the bottom of turns one and two to pull even with Starks down the backstretch. Starks fended off the challenge, but Sanders roared back the next lap in the same spot, showing him a nose as they raced toward turn three. Ultimately, Starks’ T&C Concepts/Starks Racing No. 55 proved too strong as Sanders could never gather enough of a run to clear him.
Starks pulled away from Sanders with less than 10 to go. The leaders entered traffic again as the laps dwindled, allowing Sanders to close back in, but the same traffic hindered Sanders and opened the door for Scelzi to swipe second back with just a few circuits remaining.
Meanwhile, ahead of them, Starks drove away in front of a proud home state crowd. Starks took the checkered flag with a 2.254 second advantage to win one for the Pacific Northwest locals.
“We were just fast,” Starks said. “We were decent all night, and we kind of knew what the track does. Obviously, we run here a lot, so we know which direction it moves, and we just made adjustments accordingly, and we were good enough to keep all those guys behind us.”
Scelzi hung on for second in his Red Rose Transportation/Whipple Superchargers No. 41, marking his eight consecutive podium to begin the NARC campaign. Scelzi made sure to plant a big kiss on Starks’ cheek in victory lane as the two are long-time friends.
“I’ve always had a big crush on Trey Starks,” Scelzi joked. “Before that first yellow I felt like we had something for him around the bottom, and I just got a really bad restart. I’m not sure if I spun the tires or what, but he got away, and I had to race really hard to get back to second. He (Starks) just kicked our butt.”
Sanders completed the podium, giving him an all-podium showing during the Pacific Northwest swing as the Farmers Brewing Co./Mittry Construction pilot didn’t miss the top-three all weekend. Despite the consistency, Sanders was left wanting a little more.
“I just couldn’t get a rhythm going,” Sanders said. “Once Trey got out in the lead it was hard for me to follow him. Then Dominic slid me on that second lap. I just got all balled up for about 10 laps and they pulled away. Thankfully I had that restart and was able to get back by Dominic and try to trace down Trey, and I just faded every lap from there.
Behind them, Tyler Thompson, in just his third NARC start, finished a series career-best fourth and Willie Croft completed the top-five.
The balance of the top-10 included Mitchell Faccinto, Austen Wheatley, Logan Forler, Tanner Holmes, and Bud Kaeding.
FUJITSU GENERAL USA FEATURE (30 laps): 1. Trey Starks 55 2. Dominic Scelzi 41 3. Justin Sanders 2X 4. Tyler Thompson 7 5. Willie Croft 29 6. Mitchell Faccinto 21 7. Austen Wheatley 8. Logan Forler 2L 9. Tanner Holmes 18T 10. Bud Kaeding 69 11. Joel Myers Jr. 83V 12. Max Mittry 2XM 13. Billy Aton 26
HOOSIER TIRE LAP LEADERS: Starks 1-30
SWIFT METAL FINISHING HARDCHARGER: Tyler Thompson
ARP FAST QUALIFIER: Austen Wheatley 12.643 seconds
BROWN AND MILLER RACING SOLUTIONS HEAT ONE (8 laps): Scelzi, Wheatley, Faccinto, Croft, Forler, Mittry, Aton
KIMO’s TROPICAL CAR WASH HEAT TWO (8 laps): Sanders, Starks, Thompson, Kaeding, Myers Jr., Holmes
SUNNYVALLEY “POWERED BY BACON” TROPHY DASH (6 laps): Sanders, Starks, Scelzi, Faccinto, Wheatley, Thompson
WILLAMETTE WINNING: CROFT RULES NIGHT TWO OF FASTEST FOUR DAYS IN MOTORSPORTS
(5/27/2022 – Alex Nieten) Lebanon, OR… A NARC Fujitsu General Sprint Car win has been a long time coming for Willie Croft.
Since winning the 2018 Dave Bradway Jr. Memorial, the Colfax, CA native had made 48 series starts and earned 10 top-three finishes over that span, but none of them were atop the podium. He’d led laps, just not the final one.
In start number 49 since that 2018 triumph, the narrative changed course. Croft delivered a masterful drive and dominated NARC’s first ever appearance at Willamette Speedway, leading all 30 laps on Friday night to claim the second race of the Fastest Four Days in Motorsports.
“I can’t believe it’s been four years,” a jubilant Croft said of ending the NARC winless drought.
The win marked his ninth career with the series and also his third consecutive podium after a second-place effort at Petaluma last weekend and a third-place result Thursday night at Southern Oregon Speedway.
Croft led the field to green of the 30-lap Fujitsu Feature with Colby Copeland alongside. Croft kept his car glued to the tacky bottom groove as Copeland ripped the topside looking for a run in the early laps.
Copeland built enough momentum on a couple of occasions where it appeared he may pull alongside Croft, but the bottom proved too dominant, and Copeland eventually settled in behind Croft after a few circuits. The race’s first yellow flew on lap six for a slowing Brian Boswell just as the leaders were entering traffic.
On the restart Croft pulled strongly ahead, and behind he and Copeland, Justin Sanders and Dominic Scelzi traded the third-place position before Scelzi finally claimed it. Another yellow flew with 22 laps to go for debris on the front stretch.
The restart provided more of the same story as Croft powered ahead and Copeland looked to keep pace while Scelzi and Sanders resumed their tussle for a podium position.
“It feels really good to be able to run with Scelzi, Sanders, and Copeland, just all the guys who are so fast on a week in, week out basis,” Croft said of his performance throughout the race.
The leaders entered thick traffic inside of 15 laps to go, and on a track where the bottom was the preferred line, making the correct moves was vital. And that’s exactly what Croft did as he made a key move to sneak around Billy Aton, giving him a comfortable lead and a clearer path toward the checkered flag.
“I didn’t really want to go high,” Croft said of handling traffic. “I went high around one guy, and I spun the tires really bad, skated out of the groove. And I figured if I did that, the next guy is going to do that trying to get by me, so I was just going to roll the bottom and let them get in there, get tight, slide up a little bit, and let me poke under them because I could rotate really nice.
So, that’s what I did with Aton. He gave just a little bit of an opening, and I put two wheels in the grass and passed him.”
That move ultimately proved to be the winning one as Croft drove away in his Holey Smokes BBQ/Amerikote Powdercoating No. 29 and won by more than three seconds to erase the four year NARC winless drought.
“This feels good,” Croft said. “I’m super happy to win up here in Oregon. I’ve won Medford. I’ve won here, and I’ve won Elma (Grays Harbor Raceway), which we’re at tomorrow, so I’ve got a lot off confidence… I’m a small team. We’re trying hard. We’ve got a little momentum going, and it feels good.”
Dominic Scelzi claimed the runner-up spot in his Red Rose Transportation/Whipple Superchargers No. 41 after Copeland got severely out of shape on the final lap, dropping to 10th at the finish. While Scelzi’s four-race win streak may have concluded, he kept his podium streak to begin the NARC campaign going. Scelzi has been in the top-three in all of the first seven NARC races.
“I’m just happy to be up here in the Pacific Northwest,” Scelzi said. “It’s fun what the NARC series is doing here.”
And completing the podium was Justin Sanders in the Farmers Brewing Co./Mittry Construction No. 2X. It marked his second straight night of earning a podium in his debut at a track after a second-place effort Thursday at Southern Oregon Speedway. The Aromas, CA native continues to hope for a little more luck in his dash positioning.
“It was good, but it’s a product of the dash draws,” Sanders said of his finish. “That’s like seven dashes in a row of starting sixth, and tonight was big for track position.”
Completing the top-10 was Shane Golobic, Bud Kaeding, Tanner Holmes, Max Mittry, Tyler Thompson, Mitchell Faccinto, and Colby Copeland.
FUJITSU GENERAL USA FEATURE (30 laps): 1. Willie Croft 29 2. Dominic Scelzi 41 3. Justin Sanders 2X 4. Shane Golobic 17W 5. Bud Kaeding 69 6. Tanner Holmes 18T 7. Max Mittry 2XM 8. Tyler Thompson 7 9. Mitchell Faccinto 21 10. Colby Copeland 16A 11. Joel Myers Jr. 83V 12. Sean Becker 22X 13. Billy Aton 26 14. Shane Forte 26F 15. Logan Forler 2L 16. Brian Boswell 35
HOOSIER TIRE LAP LEADERS: Willie Croft 1-30
SWIFT METAL FINISHING HARDCHARGER: Shane Golobic 9th to 4th
ARP FAST QUALIFIER (16 Cars): Justin Sanders 11.284 (New Track Record)
BROWN AND MILLER RACING SOLUTIONS HEAT ONE (8 laps): Myers Jr., Sanders, Croft, Golobic, Mittry, Becker, Faccinto, Forte
KIMO’s TROPICAL CAR WASH HEAT TWO (8 laps): Kaeding, Scelzi, Copeland, Thompson, Holmes, Forler, Aton, Boswell
SUNNYVALLEY “POWERED BY BACON” TROPHY DASH (6 laps): Croft, Copeland, Scelzi, Sanders, Myers Jr., Kaeding
THE STREAK CONTINUES: SCELZI WINS FOURTH STRAIGHT NARC RACE AT FASTEST FOUR DAYS IN MOTORSPORTS OPENER
(5/26/2022 – Alex Nieten) Central Point, OR… Entering the 2022 West Coast racing season one of the biggest questions was if Dominic Scelzi would replicate his 2021 “dream season” or if he’d “wake up.”
Well, it doesn’t appear he plans on waking up anytime soon.
Scelzi rolled to his fourth consecutive NARC Fujitsu General Sprint Car win and 19th overall in front of a packed house at Southern Oregon Speedway on Thursday night. With the victory, he became the first series winner in the Pacific Northwest since 2012 as the Oregon track kicked off the Fastest Four Days in Motorsports. It also marked his sixth consecutive podium to begin the season as he continues to extend his early season point lead in a bid for back to back championships.
“I love racing in Oregon,” Scelzi said. “It’s my first win in Oregon, and it looks like we’re going to have to come back every year.”
Scelzi started the race in second as pole sitter, Mitchell Faccinto, led the field to green. The leaders quickly got spread out early on and entered traffic on lap five. A tense moment for the leaders occurred on the sixth circuit as T.J. Winningham spun, forcing them to take evasive action and bringing out the race’s first caution.
On the next restart the leaders again became spaced out, and just as slower cars began to close the margin between Faccinto and Scelzi, the yellow again flew for Steven Snawder who slowed to a stop in turn four.
The green flag flew with 20 to go, and while the action toward the front was limited, battles were fierce throughout the field as a collection of cars jockeyed for spots in the top-10.
Scelzi pursued Faccinto as the duo navigated traffic. Scelzi matched Faccinto’s every move, passing each slower car just as quick as Faccinto to ensure he couldn’t escape.
With just 11 laps to go heartbreak struck Faccinto. The race-long leader to that point smacked the wall out of turn two, which immediately shredded his right-rear tire. Faccinto limped the Tarlton Motorsports machine back to the pits and came back equipped with a new right-rear. The issue handed the top spot to Scelzi
“I felt like I was kind of closing in on him (Faccinto),” Scelzi commented. “I was starting to diamond off of (turn) four and felt like I was closing in. I was trying to bide my time until we got to traffic. I was lucky I wasn’t too close because I think I’d have got into him there off of (turn) two. He just got right and got into the wall, unfortunate for him. They were really good. I can’t tell you I was going to pass him, but I feel like we were every bit as good as the 21. Sometimes you take a little luck.”
As the laps dwindled, Shane Golobic and Willie Croft waged war for third as Scelzi appeared to be headed toward an easy win as Justin Sanders trailed him. Then on the final lap Golobic’s left-rear tire shredded bringing out the yellow once again and necessitating a green white checkered.
Sanders got a decent jump on the restart and took a peek to Scelzi’s inside entering turn one but couldn’t quite make it work. Scelzi drove his Red Rose Transportation/Whipple Superchargers No. 41 across the line to take the checkered flag with a 1.425 second advantage.
As an added bonus, Dominic completed a night of winning for the Scelzi family.
“My brother (Gio) won by like 47 days at Selinsgrove (PA) tonight,” Scelzi said with a smirk. “I couldn’t let him outdo me.”
Sanders brought the Farmers Brewing/Mittry Construction No. 2X home second, equaling his best NARC finish of the year. The Aromas, CA native felt a long green flag run could’ve resulted in him parking in victory lane at night’s end.
“No yellows, I think,” Sanders said of what he needed to win. “I was terrible on those restarts. My car would just lay right. I was tight for about 10 laps and just couldn’t get a good run going. When I had a long green flag run I was actually able to pull up to those guys.”
Completing the podium was Willie Croft, his second straight top-three after his runner-up last weekend at Petaluma.
“I was like Justin and Dominic, just running the high side on the restart and getting tight,” Croft said of his night. “So, I wanted to go to the bottom just to try it, and I got side by side with Shane and actually, I believe, got by him at one point, but he got me back. I knew his tire was going down. I thought he was going to make it, but obviously it blew out in front of me.”
The remainder of the top-10 included Bud Kaeding, Colby Copeland, Tanner Holmes, Joel Myers Jr., Logan Forler, Max Mittry, and Garen Linder.
FUJITSU GENERAL USA FEATURE (30 laps): 1. Dominic Scelzi 41 2. Justin Sanders 2X 3. Willie Croft 29 4. Bud Kaeding 69 5. Colby Copeland 16A 6. Tanner Holmes 18T 7. Joel Myers Jr. 83V 8. Logan Forler 2L 9. Max Mittry 2XM 10. Garen Linder 22 11. Mitchell Faccinto 21 12. Jared Hood A1 13. Shane Golobic 17W 14. T.J. Winningham 9T 15. Billy Aton 26 16. Jake Wheeler 21W 17. Tyler Thompson 7 18. Steven Snawder 12
HOOSIER TIRE LAP LEADERS: Faccinto 1-19, Scelzi 20-30
SWIFT METAL FINISHING HARDCHARGER: Bud Kaeding 11th to 4th
ARP FAST QUALIFIER (18 Cars): Dominic Scelzi 11.490
BROWN AND MILLER RACING SOLUTIONS HEAT ONE (8 laps): Croft, Golobic, Scelzi, Aton, Thompson, Snawder
KIMO’s TROPICAL CAR WASH HEAT TWO (8 laps): Forler, Faccinto, Copeland, Mittry, Wheeler, Winningham
DIRT.TRAVEL CLUB HEAT THREE (8 laps): Holmes, Sanders, Kaeding, Myers Jr., Linder, Hood
SUNNYVALLEY “POWERED BY BACON” TROPHY DASH (6 laps): Faccinto, Scelzi, Sanders, Golobic, Holmes, Croft
TRYING SOMETHING NEW: FORLER CONTINUES ADJUSTMENT TO NARC WITH FAMILIAR TERRITORY AHEAD
(5/25/2022 – Alex Nieten) Sacramento, CA… After years of racing in various areas of the country and at times shining with the ASCS, Logan Forler made the decision to focus primarily on the NARC Fujitsu General Sprint Car tour in 2022, and while the transition has been tough early on, he’s ready for some racing on familiar tracks.
The series heads north this week for the Pacific Northwest edition of the Fastest Four Days in Motorsports featuring a pair of tracks in Oregon and one in Washington. An interesting career path led Forler to turning many laps around those facilities prior to his jump to focusing primarily on California this year.
While Forler now calls Idaho home, he was born in Puyallup, Washington and began his racing career in the state among the quarter-midget ranks when he was just five years old. Eventually he progressed into micro sprints and then went on to start his sprint car career in his teenage years and blended some traveling into his early experience.
“I got into sprint cars the year I turned 16,” Forler said. “My first race was actually in Texas, and we worked our way back home from Texas and then I raced around home for my first couple years.”
After some early success, Forler began dabbling in the ASCS, both with their national tour and some of their regional series in the Midwest and Northwest and began to get more laps at more racetracks. It didn’t take long before Forler was running up front, collecting his first ASCS National win in 2012. He’s since tallied a total of 27 victories across national and regional events.
Starting a family slowed Forler’s racing career in the late 2010s before he eased his way back in last year. Then, he decided to lengthen his schedule in 2022 and race primarily in California, specifically focusing on NARC. So, why did this driver who has so much experience and success in 360ci sprint cars decide to make the jump to a 410ci series in somewhat unfamiliar territory? For where he resides and his current desires in racing, it’s what made the most sense.
“This year I wanted to focus more on getting back into the 410 stuff. That’s really what I enjoy doing,” Forler explained. “And the only place to really do that is with NARC, unless you’re based out of Indiana or something and can fly back and forth, but that just wasn’t in the cards this year.”
Prior to this year, Forler wasn’t completely inexperienced in California. The 28-year-old had tallied five NARC starts, his most recent coming in 2014. He’d also made a handful of trips for local events and taken a liking to a couple tracks even with limited laps.
“I’ve always been a big fan of Placerville,” Forler said. “I think I’ve only raced there four times total, but every time I’ve been I’ve enjoyed it. I’ve also always been a fan of Chico (Silver Dollar Speedway). I’ve been to Chico quite a few times.”
While he has enjoyed some success at a couple Golden State facilities, Forler has found the transition difficult at times. California racetracks are known for having distinct set of characteristics compared to most of the country, so while Forler is an experienced racer, the tracks on the NARC calendar present a new list of challenges.
“The biggest difference I see in the racetracks is the Midwest tracks are really smooth and slick, not much of a cushion just more of a color change,” Forler noted. “That’s something I’ve been having a hard time getting used to because it’s just a lot different driving style running what they would consider a cushion in the Midwest because it’s not what they would consider a cushion in California.”
Fortunately for Forler, he’ll soon be heading to home turf for a break from the unfamiliar. The series is returning to the Pacific Northwest for the first time in a decade with dates at Central Point, Oregon’s Southern Oregon Speedway, Lebanon, Oregon’s Willamette Speedway, and Elma, Washington’s Grays Harbor Raceway all scheduled for Memorial Day weekend.
NARC will also head north again next month with trips to Cottage Grove Speedway and Skagit Speedway’s Super Dirt Cup on the calendar.
With his birthplace being Washington and his current home of Idaho, Forler has found plenty of success in the Northwest. He has won in 360 competition at four of the five tracks the series will visit. And even at the one he hasn’t, Southern Oregon Speedway, Forler posted a strong run with NARC back in 2010 by collecting a top-five.
“Yeah, I have a lot of confidence going into those tracks more so than the California stuff,” Forler said. “I have a lot of laps around those places, especially Skagit and Elma.”
While he’s armed with some confidence, Forler is staying realistic with his expectations heading north. He’s still amid a readjustment period after his break from racing, and while the California competitors may not be as experienced as him on the coming tracks, they’re still some of the best drivers along the West Coast.
“I look at more on a night-to-night basis,” Forler said. “I’m still trying to get to where I’m 100% confident in what the car is capable of because I’ve been out of racing for so long. So, I don’t know if the familiarity with those racetracks is going to help me a whole lot or not. We’ll see.”
Looking toward the future of Forler’s career, he isn’t certain what’s in store. He looks to continue focusing on 410s, but he isn’t entirely sure how many more years he’ll race. His kids are growing up every day, and Forler hopes to make racing a family tradition by helping kickstart their careers, which may take time from his own.
Before he takes a major step back from racing, though, Forler does have some goals he’d like to accomplish, specifically one that may allow fans he picked up during his years of traveling in the Midwest to see him race in person again. This season of developing his 410 program with the NARC Fujitsu General Sprint Cars may very well be a stepping stone toward that goal as Forler continues to try something new in 2022.
“I’ve always wanted to go out and do the whole All-Star tour,” Forler said. “I don’t know if that’s something that’s actually going to be feasible or not, but it’s definitely something that I would really like to do. I do want to keep racing the 410 stuff. I don’t want to drop the 410 racing. It’s where I want to stay.”
PACIFIC NORTHWEST FASTEST FOUR DAYS IN MOTORSPORTS ON TAP FOR NARC SPRINT CARS
(5/23/22) Sacramento, CA… The NARC Fujitsu General Sprint Cars haven’t visited the Pacific Northwest since 2012, but that will change in a big way this week as the series heads north for The Fastest Four Days in Motorsports.
The event will consist of four races in four days at three tracks in two states. The racing gets rolling Thursday, May 26th at Southern Oregon Speedway located in Central Point, Oregon. On Friday, May 27th it’ll be up to Lebanon, Oregon’s Willamette Speedway. The final two nights will both take place at Grays Harbor Raceway in Elma, Washington on Saturday, May 28th and Sunday, May 29th. (Note: Monday, May 30th is a rain date if needed.)
The venture will be a lucrative one with all four Fujitsu Features awarding $5,000 to the winner. There is also a whopping $40,000 bonus on the line for any driver who can sweep the mini-speedweek, meaning they’d walk away with $60,000 total. If someone wins three of the four, they’ll earn an extra $5,000.
On Sunday in Elma before the racing there will be a Drivers BBQ Luncheon in the Borden Building followed by a parade through town featuring the NARC racers and teams. Full details on both events can be found below in the Fan & Competitor Info section.
Championship Chase
Heading into the FFDM, Dominic Scelzi extended his point lead to 27 markers courtesy of his third straight victory.
Tarlton Motorsport pilot, Mitchell Faccinto, continues to hold the runner-up spot with four top-fives through five races this season.
Eleven points behind Faccinto is Shane Golobic, and he’s got Willie Croft (two points behind) and Bud Kaeding (three points behind) pressuring him for the final spot on the points podium early in the season.
Full-time drivers Justin Sanders, Max Mittry, Billy Aton, Tim Kaeding and Joel Myers Jr. complete the top-10.
Californians Invade
Many of the NARC regulars from California have few or no starts at all at the Oregon and Washington ovals, but some of the drivers have had success in limited appearances up north and will look to bring the trophies back to the Golden State.
Colby Copeland has been one of the strongest drivers with NARC in 2022, and he’ll have a good chance to continue his impressive run. The Roseville native has won at two of the three tracks on the FFDM schedule, picking up Western Sprint Tour victories at both Oregon facilities. Copeland’s Willamette Speedway triumph came just last year.
Another driver with some impressive showings up north is Colfax’s Willie Croft. He owns a sprint car win at Grays Harbor Raceway. Back when NARC more frequently visited Oregon, Croft managed to make four series starts at Southern Oregon Speedway with a best showing of fourth and not finishing worse than seventh. He also picked up an ASCS Regional top-five at Willamette back in 2014.
Other California drivers expected to make the trip north for at least part of the trip include Fresno’s Dominic Scelzi, Hanford’s D.J. Netto, Benicia’s Billy Aton, Campbell’s Bud Kaeding, Hanford’s Mitchell Faccinto, Fremont’s Shane Golobic, Clovis’ Corey Day, Aromas’ Justin Sanders, Sebastopol’s Joel Myers Jr., Yuba City’s Landon Brooks,
Protecting Home Turf
While the NARC drivers from California will be tough to beat, the Pacific Northwest natives with more laps around the tracks will look to top them in front of their home fans.
Logan Forler may be focusing primarily on NARC in California this year, but he was born in Washington and has spent a good chunk of his career racing in the Pacific Northwest and will aim for some strong runs. The former ASCS standout has wins at both Grays Harbor and Willamette, and one of his two career NARC top-fives came at Southern Oregon Speedway in 2010.
After getting his first 410 engine at the start of last year, Jacksonville, Oregon’s Tanner Holmes has made strides and is looking for success at his home tracks. Holmes has won at both Southern Oregon Speedway and Willamette. He’s also had some solid runs with the Interstate Sprint Car Series up at Grays Harbor.
Central, Point Oregon native, Garen Linder, has been competing with NARC in California early this season and will look for some good results in more familiar territory. Linder has won at both Southern Oregon Speedway and Grays Harbor. He notched his best career NARC finish with an 11th-place effort in Tulare on night one of the Peter Murphy Classic and will almost certainly crack the top-10 on home turf.
Other drivers native to the Pacific Northwest expected to compete on at least one night include Harrisburg, Oregon’s Tyler Thompson, Puyallup, Washington’s Trey Starks, Burlington, Washington’s Jason Solwold, Lake Stevens, Washington’s Austen Wheatley and more.
Fan & Competitor Info
The NARC-King of the West Hoosier Tire Format on all four nights will feature ARP Fast-Time Qualifying, 10-lap Heat Races, a six-lap Sunnyvalley Bacon Trophy Dash, a Kaeding Performance Semi if necessary, and the 30-lap Fujitsu Feature.
On Thursday at Southern Oregon Speedway the pit gate will open at 1:00 P.M. with the front gate opening at 5:00 P.M. Qualifying is slated for 6:00 P.M. and racing at 7:00 P.M. Teams are welcome to stay in the pits overnight, and fan camping is permitted on the grounds.
Adult GA tickets on Thursday will be $20. Seniors (62+) and veterans with a valid I.D. will be admitted for $15. Juniors’ tickets (ages 7-12) will be just $10. Family passes for two adults and four kids can be purchased for $60. Kids six and under are free. Tickets can be purchased at the gate or via the Ticket Hoss app.
Southern Oregon Speedway is located at 6900 Kershaw Rd, Central Point, Oregon 97502. For more information visit http://www.southernoregonmotorsports.com/ or call 458-220-6272.
On Friday at Willamette Speedway the pit gate will open at 1:00 P.M. with the grandstands opening at 3:30 P.M. Qualifying is set for 5:00 P.M. with racing at 6:00 P.M. Teams are welcome to stay in the pits, and fan camping is permitted on the grounds.
Adult GA tickets on Friday will be $25. Seniors, military, and kids (ages 6-12) will be admitted for $20. Tickets can be purchased at the gate or via the following link: https://www.myracepass.com/events/404532/tickets/
Willamette Speedway is located at 36606 Airport Dr, Lebanon, Oregon 97355. For more information visit http://www.trophymotorsports.com/ or send an email to willamettespeedway@hotmail.com.
On Saturday at Grays Harbor Raceway the pit gate will open at 2:00 P.M. and will open at 10:00 A.M. on Sunday to help accommodate the luncheon and parade. The remainder of the program will look the same on both nights with the drivers meeting scheduled for 4:00 P.M., wheel packing at 4:30 P.M., and racing at 6:00 P.M.
Adult GA tickets each night at Grays Harbor will be $28. Seniors, juniors (ages 7-17), and military with a valid I.D. will be admitted for $22. Children ages 2-6 will be just $5. Tickets can be purchased at the gate or online in a variety of package options via the following link: https://www.myracepass.com/tracks/1942
The Drivers Luncheon on Sunday will begin at 11:00 A.M. in the Borden Building (Dog Barn). Fans are welcome to attend. Donations are encouraged with the proceeds benefitting the Elma Raceway Hall of Fame. Drivers eat free.
Cars and haulers are to head to the parade at 12:30P.M., which will begin at 1:00 P.M. in the Elma High School parking lot.
Grays Harbor Raceway is located at 30 Elma McCleary Rd, Elma, Washington 98541. For more information visit https://www.graysharborraceway.com/ or call 360-482-4374.
The Fastest Four Days in Motorsports can be viewed live on floracing.com along with the entire NARC Fujitsu General Sprint Car schedule.
TRIFECTA: SCELZI DOMINATES PETALUMA FOR THIRD STRAIGHT NARC WIN
(5/21/2022 – Alex Nieten) Petaluma, CA… It’s been quite the eight-day stretch for Dominic Scelzi. Last weekend, the reigning NARC Fujitsu General Sprint Car champion swept the NARC portion of the Peter Murphy Classic, becoming the first driver the win the finale twice in the process.
And Saturday night at Petaluma Speedway’s Salute to First Responders, Scelzi led all 30 circuits en route to his third straight series victory. With his third consecutive triumph, he became the first person to accomplish the feat since Kyle Hirst in 2016. The win was the 18th of his career, and Petaluma Speedway became the 10th different track he’s won at in NARC competition.
As if that list of milestones wasn’t enough, Scelzi again extended his point lead as his title defense continues.
After the checkered flew, Scelzi continued to heap praise on his crew for his success.
“What can I saw about these guys?” Scelzi said of his crew. “That’s three in a row. Jimmy (Carr) has this thing on kill mode. This is not my cup of tea when we’ve got to get up on the gas like this, and we were really good tonight.”
After winning the Sunnyvalley Bacon Trophy Dash, Scelzi earned the pole for the Fujitsu General Feature, lining up next to second-starting Willie Croft. With the way the Petaluma adobe clay surface was hooked up, Scelzi made potentially the winning move on the opening lap by rocketing by Croft out of turn two to take the initial lead.
“I knew the start was going to be key,” Scelzi said. “This place is known for getting wetter and wetter as the night goes and it did that tonight.”
Scelzi quickly opened a big lead in the early going in his Red Rose Transportation/Whipple Superchargers No. 41 as Croft settled into second and Chase Johnson faced a challenge from Justin Sanders for third.
The leaders entered traffic before 10 laps were complete, and just as things were tightening as they navigated slower cars, the race’s first caution flew.
Tim Kaeding, who was running inside the top-10, had trouble with a slower car and contact between the them sent Kaeding into Ryan Robinson, ending TK’s night and hampering Robinson’s.
On the ensuing restart Scelzi again jumped out to a strong advantage. Croft and Johnson continued to pursue as heavy traffic again became a factor with just 10 circuits remaining. However, another caution for John Clark and Billy Aton colliding in turn two with nine laps to go temporarily eliminated the threat of traffic.
As the laps dwindled after the next restart, lap traffic presented Croft with one final opportunity. Scelzi struggled to get by Geoffrey Strole, swinging wide out of turn four and scraping momentum. Croft dove to his inside down the front stretch, but Scelzi hammered the top in turns one and two, clearing Croft and Strole and ultimately cruising to victory.
“I feel like Andy Forsberg right now,” Scelzi said with a laugh after the race. “It was juiced up and bouncy and all over the place.”
Croft held on to bring his Holey Smokes BBQ/Amerikote Powdercoating No. 29 home in the runner-up spot, his first podium of the year and third top-10 as he continues to chase his first series title.
“First off I’d like to thank my crew, Billy and my son, Cole,” Croft said. “Some of my guys couldn’t make it this weekend, so luckily Billy jumped in the truck and really helped us out… Things just didn’t quite go my way. I thought they were in traffic there then I just ran out of laps. The track was technical. It had slick and wet. It had moisture and a curb. It was pretty entertaining.”
The third-place spot was filled by the hometown hero, Chase Johnson in his Price-Simms/Toyota No. 24. It was his first NARC podium since July of 2019. Johnson was proud to have made some strides with his family-owned machine in front of his home fans.
“It was a good night tonight,” Johnson said. “Sure would’ve liked to be two spots better, but third with how our year’s been going so far with the 24 car is a good improvement. We’ve been struggling getting a handle on it, but we kind of got a little bit more of a handle on it now.”
Completing the top-10 was Justin Sanders, Mitchell Faccinto, Shane Golobic, Bud Kaeding, Joel Myers Jr., Landon Brooks (first series top-10), and Ryan Robinson.
FUJITSU GENERAL USA FEATURE (30 laps): 1. Dominic Scelzi 41 2. Willie Croft 29 3. Chase Johnson 24 4. Justin Sanders 2X 5. Mitchell Faccinto 21 6. Shane Golobic 17W 7. Bud Kaeding 69 8. Joel Myers Jr. 83V 9. Landon Brooks 5V 10. Ryan Robinson 56 11. Max Mittry 2XM 12. John Clark 12J 13. Billy Aton 26 14. Geoffrey Strole 09S 15. Tim Kaeding 42X 16. Angelique Bell 551 17. Adam Kaeding 3M
HOOSIER TIRE LAP LEADERS: Scelzi 1-30
SWIFT METAL FINISHING HARDCHARGER: Shane Golobic 12th to 6th
ARP FAST QUALIFIER (17 Cars): Tim Kaeding 12.433
BROWN AND MILLER RACING SOLUTIONS HEAT ONE (8 laps): Johnson, Croft, Kaeding, Mittry, Clark, Bell
KIMO’s TROPICAL CAR WASH HEAT TWO (8 laps): B. Kaeding, Sanders, Scelzi, Myers Jr. Strole, A. Kaeding
DIRT.TRAVEL CLUB HEAT THREE (8 laps): Faccinto, Golobic, Robinson, Aton, Brooks
SUNNYVALLEY “POWERED BY BACON” TROPHY DASH (6 laps): Scelzi, Croft, Johnson, Kaeding, Sanders, Faccinto
NARC SPRINT CARS HEAD TO PETALUMA FOR SALUTE TO FIRST RESPONDERS
(3/16/22) Sacramento, CA… The NARC Fujitsu General 410 Sprint Cars continue a busy month this Saturday, May 21st with Petaluma Speedway’s Salute to First Responders.
The event honors our many brave first responders and their efforts to ensure our safety and peace of mind. All first responders who present a valid ID at the gate will be admitted for the discounted price of just $10 to enjoy a night of racing from the West Coast’s best 410 sprint car drivers.
The race will mark the fifth of the 2022 NARC campaign and first visit to Petaluma of the year. The series will make one more trip to the adobe clay oval on July 9th.
Also on the card for Saturday are Modifieds, Super Stocks, and Mini Stocks.
After an off-season full of hard work to improve the historic racetrack that included reshaping the surface, facility improvements, and additional safety measures, promoter Rick Faeth is looking forward to welcoming NARC for the first time this year, and he’s planned some additional fan-friendly events for the Salute to First Responders, too.
“The track had become very misshapen over time,” Faeth explained. “So, we’ve gotten it shaped now with five degrees of banking on the straightaways and twelve degrees in the turns, and the shape is holding up really well. We’ve got eight races in so far this year. The feedback we’ve gotten from all of our local drivers has been amazing. It’s like a different racetrack.
“We’re looking forward to having the NARC Fujitsu Sprint Car series. We’ve been a big supporter of them over the course of the last decade,” Faeth added. “It’s First Responders Night. The local police and fire departments are going to come out, and we’re going to have a 1936 antique fire truck there on display, and we’re looking forward to it.”
Championship Chase
It’s impossible to lose points when you win, so Dominic Scelzi maintained his NARC point lead and extended it with his weekend sweep of the NARC portion of the Peter Murphy Classic.
He now leads a new second place driver as a pair of top-fives during the Peter Murphy Classic propelled Mitchell Faccinto into the runner-up spot as the Tarlton Motorsports drivers continues to hunt his first title.
Shane Golobic fell to third in points after trouble in Hanford on Saturday. Completing the top-five behind him are full-time series drivers Bud Kaeding and Willie Croft.
Who to Watch
The numbers immediately point to Bud Kaeding as a strong favorite. The Campbell native’s consistency at Petaluma is off the charts. In his last 16 series starts at the three-eighths mile, the 2017 NARC champion has collected three wins, posted a 3.8 average finish, and finished no worse than eighth.
It’s a home race for the native of nearby Benicia, Billy Aton. Wild Bill has always performed well with NARC at Petaluma, collecting four top-10s in six starts including his inaugural series podium back in July of 2019 when he finished runner-up after leading seven laps.
Sebastopol’s Joel Myers Jr. continues to hunt for his first series victory, and he’s taken well to the Petaluma gumbo in past appearances. Last year in just his second NARC start the Vertullo Motorsports driver finished third at the three-eighths mile. Then in July Myers Jr. appeared headed to Petaluma victory lane until an incident with lapped traffic while leading ended that bid.
Another driver that the stats favor is Fremont’s Shane Golobic. In his seven most recent NARC starts at Petaluma, Golobic has tallied a pair of wins, not missed the top-five, and owns an average finish of 2.7 over that span.
Former Petaluma NARC winners Tim Kaeding, Willie Croft, and Colby Copeland should also be in the mix.
Other drivers expected to compete include Fresno’s Dominic Scelzi, Hanford’s Mitchell and Michael Faccinto, Idaho’s Logan Forler, Hanford’s Geoffrey Strole, Penngrove’s Chase Johnson, and more.
Fan & Competitor Info
The NARC-King of the West Hoosier Tire format will feature ARP Fast Time Qualifying, 10-lap Heat Races, a six-lap Sunnyvalley Bacon Trophy Dash, and the Fujitsu General USA 30-lap Feature. The headliner will pay competitors $600 to start.
The pit gate will open at noon with the front gate set to open at 4:00 P.M. Hot laps are slated for 5:00 P.M. with racing scheduled to begin around 6:00 P.M.
Adult General Admission tickets are $25. Seniors ages 65+ can purchase tickets for $22. Juniors ages 6-11 tickets will be just $10. Kids 5 and under are free. First responders who present a valid ID will be admitted for just $10.
Petaluma Speedway is located on the Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds at 100 Fairgrounds Dr. Petaluma, CA 94952. For more information call (707) 763-7223.
The Salute to First Responders can be viewed live on floracing.com along with the entire NARC Fujitsu General Sprint Car schedule.
2022 NARC King of the West Fujitsu 410 Sprint Car Series
Championship Points Standings (After four events in 24-race series - 5/15/22)Dominic Scelzi, Fresno - 462
Mitchell Faccinto, Hanford - 441
Shane Golobic, Elk Grove - 431
Bud Kaeding, Campbell - 429
Willie Croft, Colfax - 425
Corey Day, Salinas - 414
Justin Sanders, Aromas - 413
Michael Faccinto, Hanford - 411
Max Mittry, Redding (R) - 408
Tim Kaeding, San Jose - 395
Billy Aton, Benicia (R) - 381
Logan Forler, Boise, ID (R) - 376
Joel Myers Jr, Sebastopol (R) - 371
Geoffrey Strole, Hanford - 365
Colby Copeland, Roseville - 345
DJ Netto, Hanford - 323
Chase Johnson, Penngrove - 311
Garen Linder, Central Point, OR - 302
Landon Brooks, Yuba City - 300
Kerry Madsen, Sydney, AUS - 291The NARC Fujitsu General USA Racing Series is also sponsored by Hoosier Racing Tires and Floracing.com. Associate and product award sponsors include Automotive Racing Products (ARP), Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, Bullet Impressions, Dirt.Travel, FK Rod Ends, Johnstone Supply, Kaeding Performance Center, Kimo's Tropical Car Wash, KSE Racing Products, Maxim, Pyrotect, Roth Motorsports, Safecraft Safety Equipment, Saldana Racing Products, Schoenfeld Headers, SCI Racing Products, Scelzi Enterprises, Starr Property Management, Swift Metal Finishing, Sunnyvalley Bacon, System 1 Ignition, Ultra Lite Brakes, Vortex Wings, Wilwood Disc Brakes, and Winters Performance Products.
SOCIAL MEDIA INFORMATION
Website: www.NARC410.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NARCKingoftheWest
Facebook (history page): https://www.facebook.com/NARCSprintCarHistory
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NARC410
Instagram: www.instagram.com/narc410
YouTube: NARC410Live Stream PPV: Floracing.com
UPCOMING EVENTS:
FASTEST FOUR DAYS IN MOTORSPORTS
May 26 - Southern Oregon Speedway, Central Point, OR - Fastest Four Days in Motorsprots
May 27 - Willamette Speedway, Lebanon, OR - Fastest Four Days in Motorsports
May 28 - Grays Harbor Raceway, Elma, WA - Fastest Four Days in Motorsports
May 29 - Grays Harbor Raceway, Elma, WA - Fastest Four Days in Motorsports
BETTER TO BE LUCKY THAN GOOD: SCELZI SNAGS SECOND STRAIGHT PETER MURPHY CLASSIC AFTER LEADERS TANGLE
(5/14/2022 – Alex Nieten) Hanford, CA… Dominic Scelzi summed up his 2022 Peter Murphy Classic victory at Hanford’s Keller Auto Speedway with just six words.
“Better to be lucky than good,” Scelzi said to open his victory lane interview.
The reigning NARC Fujitsu General Sprint Car champion found himself in the right place at the right time with just nine laps to go when Justin Sanders and Corey Day collided in turn four while battling for the lead, taking each other out of contention.
The incident gifted the lead to the Red Rose Transportation/Whipple Superchargers No. 41 piloted by Scelzi, who started the race from 12th, and he went on to sweep the NARC portion of the Peter Murphy Classic after claiming the opener at Tulare on Friday and Saturday’s finale in Hanford. The victory was Scelzi’s fourth NARC triumph at Keller Auto Speedway, making the three-eighths mile the winningest track on his NARC resumé.
And perhaps the most meaningful statistic to Scelzi is that he became the first driver in the Peter Murphy Classic’s eight year history to win the $11,000 NARC finale twice after he claimed last year’s edition, too.
“I would not be here if it wasn’t for Peter,” Scelzi said. “He dug me out of the darkest spot of my career as a young kid. He made me keep going, and I will forever be thankful for that.”
The race was brought to green by Justin Sanders and Kerry Madsen. Sanders darted ahead as Max Mittry ripped the topside around Madsen into the runner-up spot.
Sanders opened up a commanding lead early on as Corey Day began to charge toward the front. First Day and Colby Copeland nearly got together dueling for fourth with Day coming out on top. Then Day made quick work of Madsen and Mittry and set his sights on a distant Sanders who navigated traffic.
The race’s first yellow flew on lap 11 when Madsen spun in turn one. D.J. Netto inherited the fifth spot that Madsen had held as a result.
On the restart with 20 laps remaining Day got an excellent jump and squeezed to Sanders’ inside entering turn one. The two drifted high exiting turn two with Day completing the slider and immediately setting sail.
Behind them, Scelzi made a couple moves to power into fourth after restarting in sixth. The No. 41 machine prepared by Jimmy Carr made Scelzi’s life easier as he charged from row six throughout the race’s opening half.
“When we pushed out onto the racetrack before the feature, I saw Jimmy walk past my car and he was wearing my shirt, so I knew we were going to be pretty good,” Scelzi joked.
“It’s been amazing,” Scelzi added. It’s been incredible. He’s changed my entire life… He made a driver out of me. He taught me how to win races and how to race.”
Scelzi climbed onto the podium by passing Colby Copeland on lap 14, and shortly after disaster struck for the leaders.
Day, who had built a considerable lead, drifted high out of turn two and off track down the backstretch on lap 21. As a result, Sanders had a huge run into turn three and threw a slider, clearing Day but drifting slightly above the rubber that was starting to develop in turn four. Day stayed in the rubber and dove under Sanders, but Day’s right rear hit Sanders’ left front, sending Day on a wild slide down the front stretch and breaking Sanders’ front end. Both of their nights were done.
Their troubles were Scelzi’s good fortune as he took over the top spot.
“I felt like we were, honestly, as good as the 14 (Day) and 57 (Sanders) and we closed in on both,” Scelzi explained. “But as it started getting abrasive I felt like there was no way. I wasn’t really paying attention to how Sanders slid Corey, but I was probably half a straightaway back trying to conserve tire, hoping maybe they’d get too antsy and lose a tire. When I saw them start racing I just said ‘okay I’ve got one or two laps to get right there and hope something happens.’ And when it did I was just far enough away to miss it.”
After Scelzi inherited the lead, he drove away unchallenged on the ensuing restart to claim his 17th career NARC win with a 1.3 second advantage over Copeland.
“We got lucky tonight, but nobody’s going to give a crap in two days,” Scelzi said. “Whether we got lucky or not, we won. We got the check. We got the trophy. We got the wine. We got everything.”
Copeland’s runner-up in Larry Anaya’s Fire Protection Management No. 16A kept his perfect top-two streak alive. He’s raced in three of the four NARC races this year with finishes of first, second, and second.
“Second is obviously great with this kind of competition,” Copeland said. “Larry (Antaya) and Jim (Vanlare) gave me a great car, just need to do a little fine tuning to keep up with Dominic.”
Completing the podium was the 2019 champion D.J. Netto in his Netto Ag/Penny Newman Grain No. 88N.
The balance of the top-10 included Mitchell Faccinto, Kalib Henry, Max Mittry, Craig Stidham Willie Croft, Bud Kaeding, and Chase Johnson
FUJITSU GENERAL USA FEATURE (30 laps): 1. Dominic Scelzi 41 2. Colby Copeland 16A 3. D.J. Netto 88N 4. Mitchell Faccinto 21 5. Kalib Henry 17 6. Max Mittry 2X 7. Craig Stidham 36 8. Willie Croft 29 9. Bud Kaeding 69 10. Chase Johnson 24 11. Mitchel Moles 01 12. Robbie Price 21P 13. Michael Faccinto 56 14. Garen Linder 22 15. Dylan Bloomfield 11 16. Nick Parker 115 17. Corey Day 14 18. Justin Sanders 57 19. Joel Myers Jr. 83V 20. Shane Golobic 17W 21. Kerry Madsen 83JR 22. Landon Brooks 5V 23. Kaleb Montgomery 3 24. Tim Kaeding 42X
HOOSIER TIRE LAP LEADERS: Sanders 1-11, Day 12-21, Scelzi 22-30
ARP FAST QUALIFIER (31 Cars): Kerry Madsen 13.623
BROWN AND MILLER RACING SOLUTIONS HEAT ONE (8 laps): Faccinto, Myers Jr., Brooks, Madsen, Henry, Bloomfield, Forler, Faria
KIMO’s TROPICAL CAR WASH HEAT TWO (8 laps): Netto, Stidham, Day, Kaeding, Johnson, Moles, Kent, Shaw
DIRT.TRAVEL CLUB HEAT THREE (8 laps): Copeland, Sanders, Croft, Scelzi, Golobic, Linder, Aton, Foland
KAEDING PERFORMANCE HEAT FOUR (8 laps): Faccinto, Mittry, Montgomery, Kaeding, Price, Parker, Strole
SUNNYVALLEY “POWERED BY BACON” POLE SHUFFLE: Mittry/Brooks: Mittry, Mittry/Netto: Mittry, Mittry/Madsen: Madsen, Madsen/Day: Madsen, Madsen/Sanders: Sanders
STARR PROPERTY MANAGEMENT SEMI (12 laps): Bloomfield, Parker, Moles, Linder, Faria, Aton, Forler, Shaw, Kent, Foland Jr., Strole
BRINGING OUT HIS BEST: SCELZI CLAIMS PETER MURPHY CLASSIC OPENER
(5/13/2022 – Alex Nieten) Tulare, CA… The Peter Murphy Classic continues to bring out absolute best out in Dominic Scelzi.
It’s the race named after his friend who encouraged him to keep trying through the days he wanted to quit racing. It’s the race that same friend has worked so hard to grow into one of California’s premier events. And it’s the race where Scelzi continues to make his way into victory lane to honor his friend.
The Fresno native slid past Shane Golobic with seven laps to go and held off a hard charging Colby Copeland to win the NARC Fujitsu General Sprint Car Feature at Tulare’s Thunderbowl Raceway on the opening night of the Peter Murphy Classic and take home a $3500 check. The triumph marked some impressive milestones.
It was Scelzi’s fifth straight sprint car victory in the Peter Murphy Classic after sweeping all four in 2021, his 16th career NARC Fujitsu Feature victory and first of 2022, and he joined Brent Kaeding, Jason Meyers, and Kyle Hirst as the only drivers to win three consecutive NARC races at the Thunderbowl.
“Last year we had an amazing year,” Scelzi said. “Now everyone’s gotten better. Everyone’s worked their butt off. Nobody wants to come in here and run second or third, us included. We’ve been doing a lot of second and thirds this year. I felt like that was a hell of a race. Last year it was pretty great to get the eleven grand here, and it’s great to start off one-for-one so far.”
The field was led to green by Sunnyvalley Bacon Dash winner, Bud Kaeding, with Golobic on his outside.
The opening lap of the race was halted by a pair of yellows as Michael Faccinto spun in turn four, and then on the next attempt a pileup on the backstretch including Justin Sanders, D.J. Netto, Robbie Price, and Nick Parker brought out the caution. All drivers were okay.
On the next complete restart Golobic rolled his NOS Energy Drink/Elk Grove Ford No. 17W under Kaeding to lead lap one. Behind Golobic, Kaeding, and the fourth-starting Scelzi battled for the runner-up spot until the race’s first red flag flew for a flipping Burt Foland Jr. Foland was unharmed. The length of the early cautions necessitated an open red for teams to refuel.
A quick yellow for Corey Day again slowed the pace on the restart attempt.
Once the race resumed again Kerry Madsen and a charging Mitchell Faccinto passed Kaeding to take the third and fourth spots, but then Madsen slowed with an issue on lap eight to bring out another caution.
The race finally got into an undisturbed rhythm with less than 20 laps to go. Golobic distanced himself as Scelzi had to fend off challenges from Faccinto and Kaeding. Behind them 13th-starting Colby Copeland clawed his way into fourth in the Antaya Motorsports/Fire Management Protection No. 16A.
“The racetrack turned out great,” Scelzi said of his mid-race battles. “I was really bummed early with how wet it was and the ruts, but it actually turned out really good. There was a top and a bottom.”
Scelzi managed to get away from Faccinto and began to track down Golobic as traffic thickened inside 10 laps to go. In one set of corners a move on a slower car cost Golobic momentum, and Scelzi pounced.
Scelzi looked to Golobic’s inside down the front stretch as they crossed the line with seven circuits to go. Golobic protected, and the two nearly touched. Golobic drifted high in turn two, but Scelzi kept his Whipple Superchargers/Red Rose Transportations No. 41 glued to the bottom and caught the moisture out of turn two, launching him down the backstretch. Then in turn three Scelzi threw a slider, making slight contact with Golobic’s left front as they exited turn four.
“I don’t think we were better than Shane. I think we were equal,” Scelzi noted. “He just got to a lapped car at the wrong time.”
Scelzi drove away after making the move. A late yellow and red bunched the field back together, but Scelzi went unchallenged as he cruised to a 1.285 second victory over Copeland who passed Faccinto and Golobic on a late restart.
“We got him (Golobic) in lapped traffic,” Scelzi said of what ultimately made the difference. “He didn’t do anything wrong. Sometimes it’s just better to be running second.”
Copeland’s runner-up result marked his second straight top-two finish with NARC after winning the season opener last month.
“That yellow there definitely saved me,” Copeland said. “It let me gather my marbles a little bit and it worked out good for us. Dominic was just in his own league tonight.”
Golobic’s third-place run was his seventh consecutive top-five finish at Tulare with NARC. While it was a strong effort, he couldn’t help but be a little disappointed after leading laps and the contact with Scelzi.
“Yeah I think there was a little contact on the left-front,” Golobic commented. “He kind of put me in a spot where I had to make a decision to try and circle around him and hope for the best. And it wasn’t going to happen so I lifted. Had I made a decision sooner to maybe diamond it might’ve been better.”
Completing the top-10 was Mitchell Faccinto (from 15th), Craig Stidham (from 19th), D.J. Netto, Bud Kaeding, Chase Johnson, Michael Faccinto, and Mitchel Moles
FUJITSU GENERAL USA FEATURE (30 laps): 1. Dominic Scelzi 41 2. Colby Copeland 16A 3. Shane Golobic 17W 4. Mitchell Faccinto 21 5. Craig Stidham 36 6. D.J. Netto 88N 7. Bud Kaeding 69 8. Chase Johnson 24 9. Michael Faccinto 56 10. Mitchel Moles 11. Garen Linder 22 12. Willie Croft 29 13. Landon Brooks 5V 14. Robbie Price 21P 15. Billy Aton 26 16. Max Mittry 2X 17. Nick Parker 115 18. Logan Forler 2L 19. Geoffrey Strole 09S 20. Tim Kaeding 42X 21. Kaleb Montgomery 3 22. Steven Kent 37 23. Kerry Madsen 83JR 24. Corey Day 14 25. Burt Foland Jr. 4 26. Justin Sanders 57
HOOSIER TIRE LAP LEADERS: Golobic 1-23, Scelzi 24-30
SWIFT METAL FINISHING HARDCHARGER: Craig Stidham 19th to 5th
ARP FAST QUALIFIER (28 Cars): Justin Sanders 12.612
BROWN AND MILLER RACING SOLUTIONS HEAT ONE (8 laps): Scelzi, Croft, Sanders, Madsen, Mittry, Aton, Kent
KIMO’s TROPICAL CAR WASH HEAT TWO (8 laps): Netto, Price, Faccinto, Copeland, Kaeding, Foland Jr., Myers Jr.
DIRT.TRAVEL CLUB HEAT THREE (8 laps): Moles, Montgomery, Golobic, Faccinto, Stidham, Forler, Strole
KAEDING PERFORMANCE HEAT FOUR (8 laps): Johnson, Day, Brooks, Kaeding, Parker, Linder
SUNNYVALLEY “POWERED BY BACON” TROPHY DASH (6 laps): Kaeding, Golobic, Moles, Scelzi, Sanders, Faccinto
TULARE AND HANFORD WELCOME NARC FOR PETER MURPHY CLASSIC
(5/9/22) Sacramento, CA … This weekend will bring a double dose of the NARC Fujitsu General 410 Sprint Cars as the series will compete on both nights of the highly anticipated Peter Murphy Classic, Friday, May 13th at Tulare’s Thunderbowl Raceway and the $11,000 to win finale at Hanford’s Keller Auto Speedway on Saturday, May 14th.
This year marks the eighth edition of the popular staple of the California sprint car circuit. The two races are promoted by Murphy himself and are his way of giving back to the racing community that helped him following his career-ending crash in 2013.
Murphy’s efforts always lead to a lucrative purse, especially the Saturday portion which not only awards $11,000 to the winner, but also $1,000 to start the Fujitsu General feature event. Saturday night will be the second highest purse of the 2022 NARC season, behind only Skagit Speedway’s Super Dirt Cup. The race also helps raise money for the NARC Benevolent Fund, the not-for-profit that helps injured racer’s families in times of need.
The weekend will have no shortage of sprint car action as the Sprint Car Challenge Tour 360 Sprint Cars will join NARC in both Tulare and Hanford.
Friday and Saturday will mark races three and four of the 2022 NARC Fujitsu General Sprint Car campaign. (The April 10th race has yet to be rescheduled.)
Championship Chase
It only took two races for last year’s NARC titlist, Dominic Scelzi, to take over the 2022 point lead. Back-to-back podium finishes to kick off the campaign have given the Fresno driver the top spot with a current tally of 228 points.
Four points behind Scelzi holding the runner-up position is Aromas’ Justin Sanders, and a mere five points separate the drivers in spots two through five. Sanders (224 points) leads the way with Corey Day (223), Shane Golobic (222), and Tanner Carrick (219) just behind him.
Not much farther back are four full-time drivers in positions six through nine. Mitchell Faccinto is sixth with 217 points, and Willie Croft (213), Bud Kaeding (213), and Tim Kaeding (207) fill out the three spaces behind him.
Who to Watch
The point leader, Dominic Scelzi, stands out as a strong favorite for both nights. Last year “The Dominator” swept all four features of the Peter Murphy Classic. Scelzi also went on to claim the Chris and Brian Faria Memorial at Tulare in July last year and the opening feature of the Morrie Williams Memorial in Hanford. If Scelzi can win the opening night at Tulare, he’ll join Brent Kaeding, Jason Meyers, and Kyle Hirst as the only drivers to win three consecutive NARC events at the Thunderbowl.
“I know we’ve got points on the line both nights with NARC,” Scelzi said. “But in reality, we’re more worried about rolling in there and trying to win races… We want to hang it all out, put it on the line, and do the best job we can to, hopefully, win all four of them.”
Another former champion, Campbell’s Bud Kaeding, promises to be a threat especially at the Thunderbowl. In his last 13 NARC starts in Tulare, Kaeding has amassed two wins, eight podiums, eleven top-fives and twelve top-10s. His lone finish outside the top-10 during that stretch likely would’ve been a win if it weren’t for a final lap accident in the 2019 Peter Murphy Classic. Kaeding is also a four-time series feature winner in Hanford.
Keeping with the pattern of past champions who own impressive records at the pair of central valley tracks, 2019 titlist D.J. Netto may pick up his first win since last year’s season opener this weekend. The Thunderbowl is the site of the Hanford native’s inaugural series victory back in 2015, and he’s carrying a streak of 13 consecutive NARC top-10s at Tulare with a 5.5 average finish over that span. Netto is yet to win a NARC race at Keller Auto Speedway, but he’s been strong at his home track with his best series finishes there being a pair of runner-ups.
Former NARC winners at one or both tracks who will be aiming for more success this weekend include San Jose’s Tim Kaeding, Fremont’s Shane Golobic, Hanford’s Mitchell Faccinto, Colivs’ Corey Day, and Colfax’s Willie Croft.
Other drivers expected to compete include Hanford’s Michael Faccinto, Sebastopol’s Joel Myers Jr., Benicia’s Billy Aton, Roseville’s Colby Copeland, Idaho’s Logan Forler, Oregon’s Tanner Holmes, Yuba City’s Landon Brooks, Sacramento’s Angelique Bell and more.
Fan & Competitor Info
The NARC-King of the West Hoosier Tire format for Friday and Saturday will feature ARP Fast Time Qualifying, 8-lap Heat Races, a Sunnyvalley Bacon Pole Shuffle, a Kaeding Performance Semi and the Fujitsu General USA 30-lap Feature.
On Friday the Thunderbowl pit gate will open at 1:00 P.M. while the front gate will open at 4:00 P.M. Hot laps are scheduled for 5:00 P.M. with qualifying and racing to follow.
On Saturday in Hanford the pit gate will open at 1:00 P.M. and the front gate at 4:00 P.M. The drivers meeting is scheduled for 4:30 with cars on track for wheel pack, hot laps, and qualifying after the pit meeting.
Tickets for the main grandstands on Friday at the Thunderbowl will cost $30 while the bleachers will be $25. Seniors can purchase tickets for the grandstands for $28 and bleacher seats for $23. Kids ages 6-12 can access the grandstands for just $15 and the bleachers for $13. Kids 5 and under are free. Tickets can be purchased at the gate.
Saturday’s tickets in Hanford will cost $25 for Adult General Admission. Seniors ages 62+, military with valid ID, and juniors ages 7-17 will all be admitted for the discounted price of $20.
Tickets can be purchased at the gate or online via the following link: https://www.myracepass.com/events/394395/tickets/.
The Thunderbowl Raceway is located on the Tulare County Fairgrounds at 620 S K St, Tulare, CA 93274. For more information call (559) 688-0909.
Keller Auto Speedway is located on the Kings County Fairgrounds at 801 South 10th Avenue Hanford, CA 93230. For more information visit racekingsspeedway.com or email kellerautospeedway@yahoo.com.
Peter Murphy Classic Winners
2014: Jonathan Allard 2015: Aaron Reutzel 2016: Kyle Hirst 2017: Bud Kaeding 2018: Shane Golobic 2019: Rico Abreu 2020: canceled due to COVID-19 2021: Dominic Scelzi
2022 NARC King of the West Fujitsu 410 Sprint Car Series
Championship Points Standings (After two events in 25-race series)
Dominic Scelzi, Fresno - 228 Justin Sanders, Aromas - 224 Corey Day, Salinas - 223 Shane Golobic, Elk Grove - 222 Tanner Carrick, Lincoln - 219 Mitchell Faccinto, Hanford - 217 Willie Croft, Colfax - 213 Bud Kaeding, Campbell - 213 Tim Kaeding, San Jose - 207 Blake Carrick, Lincoln -204 Tanner Holmes, Jacksonville, OR - 202 Michael Faccinto, Hanford - 201 Joel Myers Jr, Sebastopol (R) - 199 Max Mittry, Redding (R) - 197 Billy Aton, Benicia (R) - 193 Logan Forler, Boise, ID (R) - 188 Geoffrey Strole, Hanford - 183 Angelica Bell, Sacramento (R) - 179 Colby Copeland, Roseville - 117 Sean Becker, Roseville - 112
The NARC Fujitsu General USA Racing Series is also sponsored by Hoosier Racing Tires and Floracing.com. Associate and product award sponsors include Automotive Racing Products (ARP), Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, Bullet Impressions, Dirt.Travel, FK Rod Ends, Johnstone Supply, Kaeding Performance Center, Kimo's Tropical Car Wash, KSE Racing Products, Maxim, Pyrotect, Roth Motorsports, Safecraft Safety Equipment, Saldana Racing Products, Schoenfeld Headers, SCI Racing Products, Scelzi Enterprises, Starr Property Management, Swift Metal Finishing, Sunnyvalley Bacon, System 1 Ignition, Ultra Lite Brakes, Vortex Wings, Wilwood Disc Brakes, and Winters Performance Products.
SOCIAL MEDIA INFORMATION
Website: www.NARC410.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NARCKingoftheWest Facebook (history page): https://www.facebook.com/NARCSprintCarHistory Twitter: https://twitter.com/NARC410 Instagram: www.instagram.com/narc410 YouTube: NARC410
Live Stream PPV: Floracing.com
UPCOMING EVENTS: May 21 - Petaluma Speedway, Salute to First Responders FASTEST FOUR DAYS IN MOTORSPORTS May 26 - Southern Oregon Speedway, Central Point, OR - Fastest Four Days in Motorsprots May 27 - Willamette Speedway, Lebanon, OR - Fastest Four Days in Motorsports May 28 - Grays Harbor Raceway, Elma, WA - Fastest Four Days in Motorsports May 29 - Grays Harbor Raceway, Elma, WA - Fastest Four Days in Motorsports
GOLDEN DRIVE AT SILVER DOLLAR: DAY CRUISES TO DOMINANT CHICO WIN IN DAVID TARTER MEMORIAL
(4/30/2022 – Alex Nieten) Chico, CA… The legend of Corey Day continues to grow.
The second generation driver crushed the field in Saturday’s David Tarter Memorial at Silver Dollar Speedway to pick up his third career NARC Fujitsu General Sprint Car victory in just his 15th series start at just 16 years of age. Day led all 35-laps of the Fujitsu Feature en route to what amounted to a $5250 payday factoring in the lap money he earned for pacing every circuit.
With the victory Day put his name next to the likes of Brad Sweet and Gio Scelzi on the all-time series win list, and he was quick to credit his crew for preparing a perfect race car and allowing him to do so.
“I’ve got to credit my dad again,” Day said in victory lane. “This thing basically drove itself tonight. I also can’t thank HP and Eddy enough. They made the five hour trip up here this weekend to help us.”
Day led the field to green in the Four CCCC’s Construction No. 41 with Blake Carrick alongside him. On the first circuit Landon Brooks, making just his third series start, drove around Carrick to secure second. Day distanced himself early on and just as he neared traffic the race’s first yellow flew as Tim Kaeding spun in turn two.
On the restart Justin Sanders jumped onto the podium in the Mittry Racing/Farmers Brewing Co. No. 2X by passing Carrick, but another yellow flew just two laps later as Max Mittry and Austin Wheatley tangled.
When racing resumed Sanders snatched second from Brooks, and a hard charging Sean Becker climbed to fourth after starting 13th. On lap 15 Day faced his only real challenge when, stuck in traffic, Sanders cleared him with a turn three slider, but a yellow for none other than Sanders’ teammate stopping negated the pass.
“I saw his (Sanders) teammate, Max Mittry, go off the edge and slow down,” Day recalled. “I was thankful for that because I knew that if he would’ve gotten the lead he would’ve probably left me. That yellow definitely saved our race there.”
On the restart Brooks stole second back from Sanders while Day drove away. As Day negotiated traffic Brooks began to fade as Sanders, Becker and a surging Dominic Scelzi went by him. Day’s lead continued to grow and grow in traffic as Scelzi began to battle with Sanders for second.
“The track was great,” Day said of what helped him in traffic. “Hats off to Colby (Copeland) and the whole track crew. It was really racy. There was a good bottom, a good top, and you could even roll through the middle there. It made getting through lap traffic a little easier with multiple lanes there.”
Ultimately Day crossed the line with a commanding margin of victory, his lead at the checkered flag a whopping 6.6 seconds, or roughly half the time it takes to circle Silver Dollar Speedway in a sprint car. Day’s David Tarter Memorial victory netted him $5250, and the wise teenager has prudent plans for the prize.
“Put it in the bank,” Day said of where the winnings will go.
Sanders held on to the runner-up spot.
Scelzi completed a solid charge from 10th to third in the Red Rose Transportation/Whipple Superchargers No. 41, his second consecutive podium to start the year in his bid for back to back titles.
“We were really good all feature long,” Scelzi said. “We just got a bad really bad start. We started on the outside, and I didn’t think that was a problem. I just got into (turn) one, and everybody sort of checked up and I kind of played it safe… To come from 10th after my crappy start I’m happy with that, another podium. We’ve got the speed. Guys like Corey and Justin, they’ve done their homework and got better, and it’s made it a lot of fun to race.”
A notable name could be found 15th in the rundown. Making his final Silver Dollar Speedway start in Clyde Lamar’s TRI-C Machine, Paul McMahan drove from 22nd to secure a solid 15th place result in his first Chico appearance since 2017.
FUJITSU GENERAL USA FEATURE (35 laps): 1. Corey Day 41X 2. Justin Sanders 2X 3. Dominic Scelzi 41 4. Sean Becker 16A 5. Tanner Carrick 83T 6. Shane Golobic 17W 7. Ryan Bernal 17WX 8. Kalib Henry 17 9. Blake Carrick 38B 10. Bud Kaeding 69 11. Joel Myers Jr. 83V 12. Mitchell Faccinto 21 13. Landon Brooks 5V 14. Willie Croft 29 15. Paul McMahan 3C 16. John Clark 12J 17. Tanner Holmes 18T 18. Tim Kaeding 42X 19. Chase Johnson 24 20. Michael Faccinto 56 21. Garen Linder 22 22. Billy Aron 26 23. Austin Wheatley 44W 24. Max Mittry 2XM
HOOSIER TIRE LAP LEADERS: Corey Day 1-35
SWIFT METAL FINISHING HARDCHARGER: Sean Becker 13th to 4th
ARP FAST QUALIFIER (30 cars): Max Mittry 12.525
BROWN AND MILLER RACING SOLUTIONS HEAT ONE (10 laps): Golobic, Wheatley, Brooks, Faccinto, Kaeding, Mittry, Johnson, McMahan
KIMO’s TROPICAL CAR WASH HEAT TWO (10 laps): Scelzi, Carrick, Sanders, Faccinto, Holmes, Linder, Foland Jr.
DIRT.TRAVEL CLUB HEAT THREE (10 laps): Becker, Henry, Croft, Clark, Aton, Fielding, Strole
KAEDING PERFORMANCE HEAT FOUR (10 laps): Bernal, Day, Carrick, Myers Jr., Kaesong, Kent, Bell
SUNNYVALLEY “POWERED BY BACON” TROPHY DASH (6 laps): Day, Carrick, Brooks, Henry, Sanders, Croft
STARR PROPERTY MANAGEMENT SEMI (12 laps): Mittry, McMahan, Johnson, Kent, Linder, Forler, Strole, Foland Jr., Bell, Fielding
NARC SPRINT CARS HEAD TO CHICO FOR DAVID TARTER MEMORIAL
(4/25/22) Sacramento, CA … The NARC Fujitsu General 410 Sprint Cars will travel to the historic Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico, California this Saturday, April 30th for the tenth annual David Tarter Memorial.
The event honors the late driver who tragically passed in 2012, less than a year after he claimed Silver Dollar Speedway’s Rookie of the Year honors. On top of being a promising talent behind the wheel, the Chico native was admired in the community, and his home track has hosted a night of racing in his honor since 2013. Saturday’s Fujitsu General USA Feature will award $3500 to the winner as a tribute to Tarter’s car number.
Proceeds and donations raised at the event will go to the David Tarter 35 Foundation which benefits the pediatric ward of Chico’s Enloe Medical Center. The foundation has already helped raise more than $20,000 for Enloe.
Saturday will mark the second race of the 2022 NARC campaign. The West Coast’s premier 410 sprint car series has made more than 200 trips to Silver Dollar Speedway since the first visit back in 1968, but this will be the first since the promising new promotional group, SLC Promotions, took the reigns.
The trio that composes the group, Brad Sweet, Kyle Larson, and Colby Copeland, are excited to welcome NARC for the special event as they continue to usher in a new era at the quarter mile dirt oval.
“Tarter was a great guy on and off the track because he would do anything for anyone to help them out,” Copeland said. “He didn’t have a very big budget at all but would give his shirt off his back if a guy needed it.
“It’s cool to help the David Tarter Memorial race keep going because he was loved by so many people,” Copeland added. “It’s awesome to see how many friends and family come out to support the Tarter race. Hopefully we can do a good job and live up to the hype the Tarter Memorial brings.”
Championship Chase
After high winds forced the cancellation of the Anthony Simone Classic, the NARC Fujitsu General Sprint Car standings look the same as they did after the season opener at Stockton early this month.
Colby Copeland leads the way courtesy of his dominant win at the NARC opener. However, with his promoting obligations this weekend Copeland will have to exit the cockpit and relinquish the points lead.
Full-time series drivers Dominic Scelzi (2nd in points), Mitchell Faccinto (3rd), and Willie Croft (5th) are primed to take over the point lead early in their championship hunts. A host of others chasing the title are also hoping to make leaps in the standings this weekend.
Who to Watch
A driver everyone will be keeping their eyes on is Elk Grove native Paul McMahan. The 1994 & 1995 NARC runner-up is flying in from his home in Tennessee and is climbing back in Clyde Lamar’s iconic TRI-C Machine with hopes to wheel it to Silver Dollar Speedway victory lane one more time as the ultimate tribute to the late car owner. Before he became a star on the World of Outlaws tour, McMahan cut his teeth in California and picked up his fair share of checkered flags in the No. 3C. McMahan is a four-time NARC feature winner at Silver Dollar Speedway with a trio of those coming in the TRI-C Machine. Also helping to honor Clyde Lamar will be a celebration of life at the track at 12:30 P.M. on Saturday.
“I’m semi-retired,” McMahan said. “But I couldn’t retire without driving Clyde Lamar’s car in Chico one last time.”
There is no track more synonymous with success on Tim Kaeding’s NARC resumé than Silver Dollar Speedway. Of TK’s 71 series victories, 18 of them have come in Chico. During one stretch of the San Jose driver’s career from 2003 to 2008, Kaeding put together a run of 20 consecutive NARC top-fives at Silver Dollar Speedway including 11 of his 18 total wins.
Aromas’ Justin Sanders has developed a reputation as one of the best on the bullrings, and he’ll look to add to that this weekend. Sanders has won in two of his last three series starts at Silver Dollar Speedway including NARC’s most recent trip for last year’s Louie Vermeil Classic finale.
A driver hungry to get to victory lane with a good shot Saturday is Colfax’s Willie Croft. Croft hasn’t snagged a NARC checkered flag since a 2018 triumph at none other than Silver Dollar Speedway. The track is also home to his inaugural series win back in 2004.
Also expected to compete this Saturday are Fresno’s Dominic Scelzi, Campbell’s Bud Kaeding, Hanford brothers Mitchell and Michael Faccinto, Benicia’s Billy Aton, Hanford’s D.J. Netto, Fremont’s Shane Golobic, Sebastopol’s Joel Myers Jr., Australian Kerry Madsen, Clovis’ Corey Day, Roseville's Sean Becker, Hollister’s Ryan Bernal, Idaho’s Logan Forler, the brothers from Lincoln Tanner and Blake Carrick, Angelique Bell from Sacramento, and more.
Fan & Competitor Info
The NARC-King of the West Hoosier Tire format will feature ARP Fast Time Qualifying, four 10-lap Heat Races, a six-lap Sunnyvalley Bacon Trophy Dash, a Kaeding Performance Semi and the Fujitsu General USA Feature.
The pit gates will open at 2:00 P.M. with the front gates following at 4:00 P.M. The drivers meeting will take place at 4:45, and cars will hit the track for wheel pack at 5:15 with hot laps and qualifying set to follow.
Adult General Admission tickets are $25. Seniors ages 60+ and juniors ages 12-15 will be admitted for $20. Kids ages 11 and under will be admitted for just $5. Tickets can be purchased at the gate or in advance via the following link: https://www.eventsprout.com/event/silver-dollar-speedway-2022.
Silver Dollar Speedway is located on the Silver Dollar Fairgrounds at 2343 Fair St, Chico, CA 95928. For more information visit silverdollarspeedway.com or call (530) 891-6535.
The David Tarter Memorial will be broadcast live on floracing.com along with the entire NARC Fujitsu General Sprint Car schedule.
NARC RACE TEAMS: Flowmaster or Spintech mufflers are required at Silver Dollar Speedway.
David Tarter Memorial Winners
2013 – Sean Becker
2014 – Kyle Hirst
2015 – Craig Stidham
2016 – Kyle Hirst
2017 – Kyle Hirst
2018 – Kyle Hirst
2019 – Kyle Hirst
2020 – cancelled due to COVID-192021 – Justin Sanders
2022 NARC King of the West Fujitsu 410 Sprint Car Series
Championship Points Standings (After one event in 25-race series)Colby Copeland, Roseville - 117
Dominic Scelzi, Fresno - 115
Mitchell Faccinto, Hanford - 113
Shane Golobic, Elk Grove - 112
Willie Croft, Colfax - 111
Justin Sanders, Aromas - 110
Tim Kaeding, San Jose - 109
Tanner Carrick, Lincoln - 108
Bud Kaeding, Campbell - 107
Corey Day, Salinas - 106
Michael Faccinto, Hanford - 105
Max Mittry, Redding (R) - 104
Tanner Holmes, Jacksonville, OR - 103
Kerry Madsen - Sydney, AUST - 102
Colby Thornhill, Emuclaw, WA - 101
DJ Netto, Hanford - 100
Billy Aton, Benicia (R) - 99
Logan Forler, Boise, ID (R) - 98
Blake Carrick, Lincoln - 97
Dylan Bloomfield, Discovery Bay (R) - 96
Geoffrey Strole, Hanford (R) - 95
Joel Myers Jr, Sebastopol (R) - 94
Josh Weisz, Colfax (R) - 93
Angelica Bell, Sacramento (R) - 92
Austin McCarl, Altoona, IA - 91The NARC Fujitsu General USA Racing Series is also sponsored by Hoosier Racing Tires and Floracing.com. Associate and product award sponsors include Automotive Racing Products (ARP), Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, Bullet Impressions, Dirt.Travel, FK Rod Ends, Johnstone Supply, Kaeding Performance Center, Kimo's Tropical Car Wash, KSE Racing Products, Maxim, Pyrotect, Roth Motorsports, Safecraft Safety Equipment, Saldana Racing Products, Schoenfeld Headers, SCI Racing Products, Scelzi Enterprises, Starr Property Management, Swift Metal Finishing, Sunnyvalley Bacon, System 1 Ignition, Ultra Lite Brakes, Vortex Wings, Wilwood Disc Brakes, and Winters Performance Products.
SOCIAL MEDIA INFORMATION
Website: www.NARC410.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NARCKingoftheWest
Facebook (history page): https://www.facebook.com/NARCSprintCarHistory
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NARC410
Instagram: www.instagram.com/narc410
YouTube: NARC410Live Stream PPV: Floracing.com
UPCOMING EVENTS:
May 13 - Thunderbowl Raceway, Tulare - Peter Murphy Classic (Night One)
May 14 - Keller Auto Speedway, Hanford - $11,000 to win Peter Murphy Classic
May 21 - Petaluma Speedway, Salute to First Responders
May 26 - Southern Oregon Speedway, Central Point, OR - Fastest Four Days in Motorsports
May 27 - Willamette Speedway, Lebanon, OR - Fastest Four Days in Motorsports
May 28 - Grays Harbor Raceway, Elma, WA - Fastest Four Days in Motorsports
May 29 - Grays Harbor Raceway, Elma, WA - Fastest Four Days in Motorsports
A NEW ERA: COPELAND’S ROLE IN REVITALIZING SILVER DOLLAR SPEEDWAY
(4/22/2022 – Alex Nieten)… When the NARC Fujitsu General Sprint Cars arrive at Chico, California’s Silver Dollar Speedway for the David Tarter Memorial next Saturday, it won’t be just another race for the series and racetrack.
While the sanctioning body has made more than 200 trips to the historic facility, April 30th will mark NARC’s first visit since SLC Promotions took command of the bullring. Last November when it was announced that the group composed of California-born racers Kyle Larson, Brad Sweet, and Colby Copeland would collectively handle promotional duties, a palpable excitement swept across the Nor-Cal sprint car scene.
The trio have set high expectations for themselves with ushering in a promising new era at Silver Dollar Speedway and helping the racing landscape in its entirety. With their racing schedules taking Larson and Sweet across the country throughout the year, Copeland has been spearheading the hands-on efforts over the past few months and looks to continue doing so for the foreseeable future.
For the Roseville native, an important role at the Butte County facility that has close ties to his family and helped shape him as a racer is a special opportunity.
“It’s been cool. My dad was actually real close with Alan Handy and John Padjen,” Copeland explained. “So, I actually started racing in the outlaw kart there in the pavilion at Silver Dollar Speedway… Justin Grant and I would race there every weekend, and I’d go back and forth with him.
“The outlaw kart deal kind of moved out of there,” Copeland continued. “And then when I started racing sprint cars that was where my first race was when they did 410 Friday nights at Chico. That’s where we mostly ran.”
As he progressed through his early racing career Copeland developed lasting friendships with both Larson and Sweet. The three grew an interest in promoting as an avenue to get more involved in the racing scene of their home region. Copeland dabbled in promotion on a smaller level, and the desire to try more intensified.
“I’ve actually done a couple of outlaw kart races up there at Red Bluff,” Copeland said. “It turned out really well. There were great car counts. The events were cool, I thought. It’s cool to try your different ideas and see them come to life.”
When it comes to ideas for Silver Dollar Speedway, SLC Promotions has wasted no time in making some of their visions a reality. After the deal became official, the new crew surveyed the facility and immediately got to work.
“It was a lot of clean up at first, trying to organize and just really see what we had bought and what we had. Those are the kind of upgrades a lot of people don’t see but we see, just cleaning and organizing,” Copeland commented. “And then we got the new fencing going and brought in some new dirt. In the concession stand we bought new equipment and brought our guy Julio in to try and make the food better. Those are definitely a few upgrades, I think, that have helped and made that area more inviting.”
Copeland and company have no intentions of slowing down on improving the Butte County bullring. They’ve prioritized hearing out feedback from both racers and fans and acting accordingly. Copeland says they’re already focused another major project.
“One that we’re trying to work on, but it’s just so expensive is getting a new sound system in there,” Copeland said. “The whole place is just hurting badly on sound. In the grandstands the amp gets too hot, and then the volume loses. It’s got no bass. The pit speakers, we hear from everybody, are horrible. You can’t hear anything in the pits to call races up or anything, so the sound system is another upgrade we’re trying to work on. It’s just super expensive, but hopefully one of these days soon we can get something new in there.”
Another potentially beneficial element of Copeland’s promotional style is his approach to race day. At the John Padjen Classic Silver Cup back in March, Copeland showed his intentions to be a diligent promoter that helps wherever he can.
On the first night of the Silver Cup rain pummeled Chico for about an hour in the afternoon. Once the skies cleared Copeland climbed aboard a tractor to help roll the surface in with the rest of his track crew. Over the course of the night, he jumped around wherever he was needed in the pit area and helped check on drivers following crashes and assisted in the ensuing clean up. Copeland takes inspiration from the better promoters he’s studied.
“People that see a promoter that puts effort into it, they want to support them,” Copeland said. “If you get a promoter out there that’s working hard, wanting a good track surface, wants the show to run great, smooth, and all that kind of stuff that’s a guy that I want to go support.”
On the actual racing side, SLC Promotions is shooting for the stars as well. One way they hope to help both the racing events at Silver Dollar Speedway and across the West Coast is add to the ongoing effort to build momentum for 410 sprint cars in the region. While all three of them have made plenty of 360 starts, the 410 division is what most helped their driving development, and it’s seen as the premier class of sprint cars in the country.
They’ve already announced plans to revive the Gold Cup Race of Champions featuring the World of Outlaws into the hugely prestigious event it once was. On a more local note, they hope to heighten NARC’s car count by offering more lucrative events that make running a 410 more worthwhile.
“We want to pay a respectable purse,” Copeland said. “We want people to think, ‘man, I’m going to move from the 360 up to the 410 to the next level.’ That’s the biggest thing is to try and get the car count up. I know the NARC series has seen some struggles but also the strides they’ve made getting more cars. So, hopefully at the show at the end of the month we can get a bunch of cars to celebrate the Brownell and Herseth Classic on Friday, and then obviously the David Tarter Memorial is usually pretty big for Saturday.”
With all these new responsibilities and major aspirations for Silver Dollar Speedway, it begs a big question – when will Copeland have time to race? The 30-year-old proved just two weeks ago that he’s got plenty of quality laps left in him by winning the NARC season opener. Unfortunately, there will be times where he’s forced to miss an occasional race. Obligations in Chico would’ve kept Copeland away from Hanford two weeks ago even if dangerous winds hadn’t forced the cancellation of the Anthony Simone Classic.
“I guess with Hanford being canceled I was probably the only one to be happy about that,” Copeland said with a laugh.
Fear not, though, Colby Copeland fans. Even though he’ll be busy with the process of revitalizing Silver Dollar Speedway, Copeland plans to strap into a sprint car any chance he gets with his sights on more checkered flags.
“I’m just going to try and race as much as I can,” Copeland said. “I just want to support all the other tracks as much as I can.”
SECOND ANNUAL $10,000 TO WIN ANTHONY SIMONE CLASSIC ON DECK FOR NARC
(4/4/22) Sacramento, CA ... The NARC Fujitsu General 410 Sprint Cars roll right into round two this weekend with the second edition of the Anthony Simone Classic this Saturday, April 9th at Hanford’s Keller Auto Speedway.
The event honors the late Anthony “Mr. Excitement” Simone who sadly passed last year and awards a whopping $10,000 to the winner. As a tip of the cap to the versatile driver, a special NARC non-wing race will take place immediately after the Fujitsu Feature concludes. The wingless event will consist only of drivers who competed in the winged portion, and like last year the teams will remove the wings and make adjustments in the work area on the front stretch.
A unique format also awaits the drivers with an emphasis on the number 10, Simone’s car number. There will be five Brown and Miller Racing Solutions five-lap Heat Races lined up straight up based on ARP Qualifying times and will take the top-two finishers to the Sunnyvalley Bacon Trophy Dash, equaling 10 cars. Those 10 cars will take part in a pill draw with the options of four, six, or eight to set the lineup for the Dash. Then, they’ll duke it out open wheel-style for 10 laps to determine the first five rows of the 30-lap Fujitsu Feature.
Keller Auto Speedway underwent a minor reconfiguration in the off-season which may throw a curve ball to the entire pit area as promoter Peter Murphy continues to improve the facility. Saturday will mark the first of three NARC visits to Hanford in 2022.
The Championship Chase
Following this past weekend’s NARC opener, a part-time driver leads the standings in the form of Roseville’s Colby Copeland courtesy of his Stockton win. Copeland doesn’t plan to race this Saturday, so he’ll relinquish the top spot.
Looking to take his place will be current runner-up and reigning series titlist Dominic Scelzi. The Fresno native opened his championship defense with a second-place run at Stockton, his sixth career podium at the facility and 11th in his last 15 series starts dating back to 2021.
Just two markers behind Scelzi is Tarlton Motorsports pilot Mitchell Faccinto. He picked up his 12th career series podium in his maiden NARC voyage aboard the No. 21 as he began the pursuit of his first championship.
Among other confirmed full-time drivers toward the front Colfax’s Willie Croft sits fifth in points (-6 behind Copeland), Tim Kaeding is seventh (-8), and Bud Kaeding is ninth (-10).
Who to Watch
This weekend is a home game for brothers Mitchell and Michael Faccinto who hail from Hanford. Two of Mitchell’s three career NARC wins have come at Keller Auto Speedway. Michael picked up a USAC Western States Midget victory at Hanford last year, and his first two career NARC feature starts came at the three-eighths mile, including his debut in his current ride, the Mike Phulps No. 56, last season.
“Getting an early season win at Hanford for the Simone would be huge for this team (Tarlton Motorsports),” Mitchell Faccinto said heading into the weekend. “With the different track layout, we were able to at least get one night on it before we start points racing which will help. Even though we struggled a little during the World of Outlaws (California) swing, I have full confidence that we should be contending for wins the rest of the year.”
“We got the notes from last year, and we have a couple races under our belts now,” Michael Faccinto said. “A top-five run with the stout NARC field that is following the series this year would be a good run for our team.”
Entering the event as the defending Anthony Simone Classic winner is Fremont’s Shane Golobic after taking home the $10,000 check last year. The Matt Wood Racing pilot has also podiumed in five of his last six NARC feature starts at Hanford.
Keller Auto Speedway is tied for the second winningest track on Tim Kaeding’s extensive NARC resumé. Nine of TK’s 71 career feature wins have come in Hanford. While the San Jose driver hasn’t visited victory lane there since 2013, he has finished fourth or better in seven of his last nine series starts.
Dominic Scelzi has won a NARC feature event at Keller Auto Speedway in each of the last two years. Last year during Scelzi’s 22 overall feature win season, six of those came at Hanford.
Campbell native Bud Kaeding has chalked up four series victories in Hanford. In fact, three of his first four NARC wins came at Keller Auto Speedway. Kaeding hasn’t visited NARC victory lane there since 2012 but does own a steady record as of late with six top-10s in his last eight starts.
A driver still seeking his first Keller Auto Speedway triumph is 11-time NARC feature winner Justin Sanders. Though the Aromas racer is still in search of that inaugural victory, he’s been remarkably consistent in Hanford with three top-fives in four series starts last year, two of those being podium runs.
One of Sebastopol’s Joel Myers Jr.’s two NARC top-fives from 2021 came at Keller Auto Speedway in the Simone, and he’s hoping for a similarly strong effort to bounce back from a tough opening outing at Stockton with Vertullo Motorsports.
Also expected to compete are Hanford’s D.J. Netto, Benicia’s Billy Aton, Idaho’s Logan Forler, Lincoln’s Tanner and Blake Carrick, Oregon’s Tanner Holmes, Washington’s Colby Thornhill, and more!
Fan & Competitor Info
The NARC Hoosier Tire format will feature ARP Fast Time Qualifying, Brown & Miller Racing Solutions 5-lap Heat Races, an eight-lap Sunnyvalley Bacon Trophy Dash, a Kaeding Performance Semi, the 30-lap Fujitsu Feature and the special 20-lap wingless Fujitsu Feature
The pit gate will open at 1:00 P.M. with the front gate following at 4:00 P.M. The driver’s meeting will take place at 4:30 P.M. Cars will be on track for wheel pack/hot laps at 5:00 P.M., and racing will begin around 6:00 P.M. The new and already popular Pete’s Pub will be from 4:30-5:30 P.M. and allow fans without pit passes the opportunity to enjoy a small section of the pit area with food and drinks being sold..
Adult General Admission tickets will be $20. Kids ages 6-17, seniors ages 62 and up, and military (ID required) will be admitted for the discounted price of $15. Tickets can be purchased at the gate or via the following link https://www.myracepass.com/events/401628/tickets/. The MyRacePass app can also be used to buy tickets.
Keller Auto Speedway is located on the Kings County Fairgrounds at 801 South 10th Avenue Hanford, CA 93230. For more information visit racekingsspeedway.com or email kellerautospeedway@yahoo.com.
The Anthony Simone Classic will be broadcast live on floracing.com along with the entire NARC Fujitsu General Sprint Car schedule.
2022 NARC King of the West Fujitsu 410 Sprint Car Series
Championship Points Standings (After one event in 25-race series)Colby Copeland, Roseville - 117
Dominic Scelzi, Fresno - 115
Mitchell Faccinto, Hanford - 113
Shane Golobic, Elk Grove - 112
Willie Croft, Colfax - 111
Justin Sanders, Aromas - 110
Tim Kaeding, San Jose - 109
Tanner Carrick, Lincoln - 108
Bud Kaeding, Campbell - 107
Corey Day, Salinas - 106
Michael Faccinto, Hanford - 105
Max Mittry, Redding (R) - 104
Tanner Holmes, Jacksonville, OR - 103
Kerry Madsen - Sydney, AUST - 102
Colby Thornhill, Emuclaw, WA - 101
DJ Netto, Hanford - 100
Billy Aton, Benicia (R) - 99
Logan Forler, Boise, ID (R) - 98
Blake Carrick, Lincoln - 97
Dylan Bloomfield, Discovery Bay (R) - 96
Geoffrey Strole, Hanford (R) - 95
Joel Myers Jr, Sebastopol (R) - 94
Josh Weisz, Colfax (R) - 93
Angelica Bell, Sacramento (R) - 92
Austin McCarl, Altoona, IA - 91The NARC Fujitsu General USA Racing Series is also sponsored by Hoosier Racing Tires and Floracing.com. Associate and product award sponsors include Automotive Racing Products (ARP), Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, Bullet Impressions, Dirt.Travel, FK Rod Ends, Johnstone Supply, Kaeding Performance Center, Kimo's Tropical Car Wash, KSE Racing Products, Maxim, Pyrotect, Roth Motorsports, Safecraft Safety Equipment, Saldana Racing Products, Schoenfeld Headers, SCI Racing Products, Scelzi Enterprises, Starr Property Management, Swift Metal Finishing, Sunnyvalley Bacon, System 1 Ignition, Ultra Lite Brakes, Vortex Wings, Wilwood Disc Brakes, and Winters Performance Products.
SOCIAL MEDIA INFORMATION
Website: www.NARC410.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NARCKingoftheWest
Facebook (history page): https://www.facebook.com/NARCSprintCarHistory
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NARC410
Instagram: www.instagram.com/narc410
YouTube: NARC410
Live Stream PPV: Floracing.com
UPCOMING EVENTS:
April 30 - Silver Dollar Speedway, Chico - Tenth Annual David Tarter Memorial
May 13 - Thunderbowl Raceway, Tulare - Peter Murphy Classic (Night One)
May 14 - Keller Auto Speedway, Hanford - $11,000 to win Peter Murphy Classic
May 21 - Petaluma Speedway, Salute to First Responders
“HOLD YOUR BREATH, CLOSE YOUR EYES, AND HAMMER IT”: COPELAND ACES TRAFFIC IN DOMINANT NARC OPENER WIN
(4/2/2022 – Alex Nieten) Stockton, CA… Colby Copeland may not be pursuing a NARC Fujitsu General Sprint Car championship this year, but he made a statement on opening night at Stockton Dirt Track that he’ll be a force anytime he shows up to compete.
The pilot of Larry Antaya’s Fire Protection Management No. 16A led all 25 laps of the third annual Asparagus Cup en route to his third career Fujitsu Feature victory. The triumph marked his first with the series since June of 2019. Copeland’s trio of NARC victories have all come aboard Antaya’s machine, this latest win coming with a $6,000 check.
Dominic Scelzi led the field to green courtesy of his win in the Sunnyvalley Bacon Dash with Copeland to his outside. The reigning series champion led through turns one and two, but in the next set of corners Copeland made what ultimately proved to be the winning move.
Running a lane above Scelzi in turns three and four, Copeland ripped around Scelzi’s outside to take command and lead the opening circuit.
“It’s one of those things you’ve just got to try to go for it,” Copeland said of the pass. “It was pretty fast and hard to pass, so I knew the start was going to be crucial.”
A flurry of yellows for stopped and spun cars slowed the pace early on. During the race’s second restart Scelzi threw a slider at Copeland entering the first turn but came up a little short and had to regroup. As Scelzi pursued Copeland, Shane Golobic, Mitchell Faccinto, Willie Croft, Kerry Madsen, and Justin Sanders all jockeyed for spots behind the lead duo in the top-five.
After the early yellows, the feature event barreled toward its conclusion with a long green flag run that forced the front runners to navigate heavy traffic.
On the hooked up Stockton surface, Copeland sliced his way through slower cars as Scelzi struggled to keep pace, and a new contender climbed onto the podium. Making his first NARC start in the Tarlton Motorsports machine, Mitchell Faccinto drove around Golobic for third as the laps dwindled.
Ultimately, Copeland held on to win by a comfortable margin, but the Roseville, CA native made sure to never take his foot off the gas through the swarm of lapped cars until the checkered flag flew.
“It might not have seemed like a lot of trouble,” Copeland said of negotiating slower cars. “But when you get behind those guys, the air gets off your wing and you’re just bucking and you get tight. And you know Dominic, obviously he was the champion last year so you know he’s breathing down your neck the whole time. You’re just trying to run as hard as you can, hold your breath, close your eyes, and hammer it.”
Scelzi held on to claim second in his Red Rose Transportation No. 41, marking his 32nd career NARC podium and 11th in his last 15 Fujitsu Feature starts dating back to last year.
“Hats off to the 16A guys,” Scelzi said. “They’ve been fast. It’s good to see that there’s so many cars out here.”
Making his first NARC start in the Tarlton machine, Mitchell Faccinto completed the podium with a third place run.
“Going from fifth to third it was a good first points night out for us,” Faccinto said. “I’m excited. Obviously Tom and Tommy (Tarlton) give us great equipment to come out here and compete.”
Rounding out the top-10 was Golobic, Croft, Sanders, Tim Kaeding, Tanner Carrick, Bud Kaeding (from 16th, Swift Metal Finishing Hardcharger) and Corey Day.
FUJITSU GENERAL USA FEATURE (25 laps): 1. Colby Copeland 16A 2. Dominic Scelzi 41 3. Mitchell Faccinto 21 4. Shane Golobic 17W 5. Willie Croft 29 6. Justin Sanders 57 7. Tim Kaeding 42X 8. Tanner Carrick 83T 9. Bud Kaeding 69 10. Corey Day 14 11. Michael Faccinto 56 12. Max Mittry 2X 13. Tanner Holmes 18 14. Kerry Madsen 83JR 15. Colby Thornhill 19 16. 88N D.J. Netto 17. Billy Aton 26 18. Logan Forler 2L 19. Blake Carrick 38B 20. Dylan Bloomfield 11 21. Geoffrey Strole 09S 22. Joel Myers Jr. 83V 23. Josh Wiesz 21W 24. Angelique Bell 55I 25. Austin McCarl 88
HOOSIER TIRE LAP LEADERS: Copeland 1-25
SWIFT METAL FINISHING HARDCHARGER: Bud Kaeding 16th to 9th
ARP FAST QUALIFIER (25 cars): Dominic Scelzi 14.432
BROWN AND MILLER RACING SOLUTIONS HEAT ONE (8 laps): Golobic, Scelzi, Faccinto, Day, Netto, Aton, Carrick, Bell, Myers Jr.
KIMO’S TROPICAL CAR WASH HEAT TWO (8 laps): Copeland, Carrick, Croft, Mittry, Forler, Bloomfield, Strole, Kaeding
DIRT.TRAVEL CLUB HEAT THREE (8 laps): Kaeding, Sanders, Madsen, Faccinto, McCarl, Holmes, Thornhill, Wiesz
SUNNYVALLEY “POWERED BY BACON” TROPHY DASH (6 laps): Scelzi, Copeland, Croft, Golobic, Faccinto, Madsen
NARC SPRINT CARS OPEN 2022 SEASON AT STOCKTON SATURDAY
(3/28/22) Sacramento, CA ... The high-powered NARC Fujitsu General Sprint Cars will embark on their 63rd season this Saturday, April 2nd at Stockton Dirt Track’s $6,000 to win Asparagus Cup.
It will mark NARC’s 21st visit to Stockton since the central valley facility opened in 2013. The three-eighths mile will be the busiest track on the 2022 calendar with the Third Annual Asparagus Cup slated to be the first of four trips this year.
Joining the West Coast’s premier 410 sprint car series will be the Legends of Kearney Bowl and the NorCal Dwarf Cars.
Who to Watch
The title defense will begin this weekend for 2021 series champion Dominic Scelzi of Fresno, and the venue may be the ideal location for the "Dominator." With three victories, Scelzi is the winningest series driver through 20 races at Stockton and also owns top-fives in his five of his last seven starts.
2019 titlist, D.J. Netto of Hanford, has a wildly consistent recent record at Stockton. In his last nine series races, he’s finished no worse than fourth leading to a 2.8 average finish over that span. Netto also claimed the 2021 season opener at Stockton.
San Jose's Tim Kaeding will begin his hunt for a third series championship at a track that’s been very kind to him. In nine NARC starts at Stockton, Kaeding owns a pair of wins and six podium finishes.
Although Shane Golobic of Elk Grove has only scored a pair of NARC wins at Stockton, he is always contending for the top spot.
Now teamed with Roth Motorsports, Australian Kerry Madsen plans to be at the season opener and should be an immediate contender. While he hasn’t made a NARC start at Stockton, he’s contested half a dozen World of Outlaws feature events and come away with five top-10s and a victory. He has 28 World of Outlaw national wins to his credit.
Eight-time NARC feature winner, Willie Croft, would love to open his 2022 campaign with a momentum-building win as he pursues his first title. He’s yet to earn a NARC win at Stockton, but Croft has been strong with four runner-ups to his credit at the central valley facility.
Though he doesn’t own a NARC victory at Stockton, Hanford's Mitchell Faccinto has shown consistency in his 13 NARC appearances at the track with 11 top-10s and a best finish of second in June of 2016. He is driving the 2022 campaign for the potent Fresno-based Tarlton Motorsports team.
Also expected to compete are Campbell’s Bud Kaeding, Sebastopol’s Joel Myers Jr., Benicia’s Billy Aton, Hanford’s Michael Faccinto, Clovis’ Sean Watts, Aromas’ Justin Sanders, Iowa’s Austin McCarl, Idaho’s Logan Forler, Tanner Holmes from Oregon, and more.
Fan & Competitor Info
The NARC-King of the West Hoosier Tire format will feature ARP Fast Time Qualifying, Brown and Miller Racing Solutions 8-lap Heat Races, a 6-lap Sunnyvalley Bacon Trophy Dash, a Kaeding Performance Semi if necessary and the Fujitsu General USA 30-lap Feature.
The pit gates will open at 1:00 P.M. with the main gate set to follow at 4:00 P.M. The driver’s meeting will also begin at 4:00 P.M. followed by wheel pack at 4:30 P.M. Qualifying is scheduled to start at 5:00 P.M.
Pit passes are priced at $40. Adult GA tickets are $25. Kids ages 5-12, seniors ages 65+ and military (valid ID required) will be admitted for the discounted price of $20. Kids 4 and under are free. Tickets can be purchased on race day at the gate or in advance via the following link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/narc-kws-410-sprint-car-series-legends-of-kearney-bowl-norcal-dwarf-cars-tickets-289266884037.
The Stockton Dirt Track is located on the San Joaquin County Fairgrounds at 1658 S Airport Way Stockton, CA 95206. For more information call 209-466-9999 or visit stocktondirttrack.com.
The Asparagus Cup can be viewed live on floracing.com along with the entire NARC Fujitsu General Sprint Car schedule.
FINAL 2021 NARC King of the West Fujitsu 410 Sprint Car Series
Championship Points StandingsDominic Scelzi, Fresno - 2229
DJ Netto, Hanford - 2164
Tim Kaeding, San Jose - 2163
Bud Kaeding, Campbell - 2145
Sean Becker, Roseville - 2115
Billy Aton, Benicia (R) - 2078
Sean Watts, Clovis - 2026
Justin Sanders, Aromas - 1936
Shane Golobic, Elk Grove - 1758
Joel Myers Jr, Sebastopol (R) - 1548
Geoffrey Strole, Hanford (R) - 1445
Corey Day, Salinas (R) - 1350
Austin McCarl, Altoona, Iowa - 1250
Mitchell Faccinto, Hanford - 1237
Mitchel Moles, Raisin City - 1206
Jessie Attard, Sydney, AUS (R) - 1092
Willie Croft, Colfax - 1061
Ryan Robinson, Foresthill (R) - 1043
Blake Carrick, Lincoln - 1039
Rico Abreu, Rutherford - 979The NARC Fujitsu General USA Racing Series is also sponsored by Hoosier Racing Tires and Floracing.com. Associate and product award sponsors include Automotive Racing Products (ARP), Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, Bullet Impressions, Dirt.Travel, FK Rod Ends, Johnstone Supply, Kaeding Performance Center, Kimo's Tropical Car Wash, KSE Racing Products, Maxim, Pyrotect, Roth Motorsports, Safecraft Safety Equipment, Saldana Racing Products, Schoenfeld Headers, SCI Racing Products, Scelzi Enterprises, Starr Property Management, Swift Metal Finishing, Sunnyvalley Bacon, System 1 Ignition, Ultra Lite Brakes, Vortex Wings, Wilwood Disc Brakes, and Winters Performance Products.
SOCIAL MEDIA INFORMATION
Website: www.NARC410.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NARCKingoftheWest
Facebook (history page): https://www.facebook.com/NARCSprintCarHistory
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NARC410
Instagram: www.instagram.com/narc410
YouTube: NARC410
TikTok: NARC410Live Stream PPV: Floracing.com
UPCOMING EVENTS:
April 9 - Keller Auto Speedway, Hanford - Anthony Simone Classic
April 30 - Silver Dollar Speedway, Chico - Ninth Annual David Tarter Memorial
May 13 - Thunderbowl Raceway, Tulare - Peter Murphy Classic (Night One)
May 14 - Keller Auto Speedway, Hanford - $11,000 to win Peter Murphy Classic
May 21 - Petaluma Speedway, Salute to First Responders
LUCRATIVE SPONSORSHIP PACKAGE ANNOUNCED BY NARC SPRINT CARS
(3/28/22 - Jim Allen) Sacramento, CA ... The Northern Auto Racing Club released a full list of sponsors committed to support the 2022 NARC Fujitsu General USA 410 Sprint Car campaign. The busy schedule features 25-event at 13 different dirt tracks in three States and will crown a "King of the West" champion.
Total feature event prize money will exceed $770,000 this season, plus additional cash awards and product contingency certificates worth another $49,000. Fujitsu General Heating & Air Conditioning and Hoosier Racing Tires are the series title sponsors, with additional marketing support provided by Floracing.com. In total, 28 companies have lent their support to the NARC sprint cars this season.
While many purses are backfilled in the lower positions to support lower-budget teams ($500 minimum to start A-Main), there are many over-the-top winner shares. Heading the prestigious list is the $50,000 to win Super Dirt Cup at Skagit Speedway in June. Others include the $10,000 to win Anthony Simone Classic on April 9th, the May 14th $11,000 to win Peter Murphy Classic; the $8300 to win Dennis Roth Classic on October 15th, the $6900 to win Howard Kaeding Classic in July, plus several others. There is also a $40,000 bonus on the line for any team that can sweep the Fastest Four Days in Motorsports over the Memorial Day weekend.
In addition, the top 10 teams in the final standings will earn shares of a $63,000 year end point fund. The "King of the West" championship team will pocket $12,500 for their efforts. The rookie-of-the-year will earn $1500 from Johnstone Supply. The championship celebration is scheduled for November 6th at the Brookside Country Club in Stockton.
The NARC series sponsors include Automotive Racing Products (ARP), Brown & Miller Racing Solutions (BMRS), Dirt.Travel, Johnstone Supply, Kimo's Tropical Car Wash, Roth Motorsports, Scelzi Enterprises, Starr Property Management, Swift Metal Finishing, and Sunnyvalley Smoked Meats.
The associate sponsors offering product contingency awards are Brown & Miller Racing Solutions (BMRS), FK Rod Ends, KSE Racing Products, Kaeding Performance, Maxim Racing, Pyrotect, Safecraft Safety Equipment, Saldana Racing Products, Schoenfeld Headers, SCI - Sprint Car Innovation, System 1 Pro Ignition, Ultra-Lite Brakes, Vortex Wings, Wilwood Disc Brakes, Winters Performance.
Bullet Impressions is the official merchandising vendor of the Northern Auto Racing Club and provides numerous promotional benefits.
The 2022 campaign kicks off on Saturday, April 2nd with the Third Annual Asparagus Cup at the Stockton Dirt Track. The winner of the feature event headliner will pocket a $6,000 payday.
For more information, go to www.NARC410.com
2022 NARC FUJITSU GENERAL USA SPRINT CAR SERIES SEASON PREVIEW
(3/25/22 - Alex Nieten) Sacramento, CA ... Less than two weeks remain before the historic NARC Fujitsu General USA Sprint Cars embark on their 63rd season, and an interesting silly season coupled with the largest schedule in many years have created many storylines to follow throughout 2022.
The Schedule
With 25 races on the calendar, NARC is set for its most events since 2007. The series will travel to 13 tracks across the three West Coast states, California, Oregon, and Washington.
The farthest southern point on the schedule is Bakersfield’s Kern County Raceway Park, and the most northern point nearly reaches the Canadian border at Alger, Washington’s Skagit Speedway. Between those two facilities are nearly 1100 miles, and NARC will travel all around that space from the April 2nd season opener at Stockton Dirt Track to the finale on November 5th also hosted by Stockton.
The trips to the Pacific Northwest will be the first for the series in a decade, the most recent visit being a 2012 race at Southern Oregon Speedway won by Tim Kaeding.
Championship Hangover?
Fresno’s Dominic Scelzi is coming off what he’s commonly referred to as a “dream season” in 2021 that he punctuated with his first NARC title. The 24-year-old delivered one of the most dominant seasons in series history and had the championship wrapped up before the final event of the year. Scelzi will look to defend his crown in 2022.
A key element to his title campaign will also return as Jimmy Carr enters his third year with Scelzi Motorsports. Scelzi credits Carr for elevating his performance to new heights as the reigning champ nearly doubled his career sprint car win tally last year, adding 22 triumphs to his pre-2021 count of 27.
In NARC competition, Scelzi has won at seven of the 13 tracks featured on the 2022 schedule, but he hasn’t had an opportunity to make a series start at a handful of the tracks due to the recent absence of the Pacific Northwest dates that have returned. Scelzi owns some 360 starts at the Oregon and Washington facilities including two wins in three nights at last year’s Dirt Cup at Skagit Speedway.
Back to the Top?
The 2019 champion, D.J. Netto, slipped slightly in performance in 2021, coming home second in points with a victory, nine top-fives and 16 top-10s.
Though the Hanford native is scaling back his racing calendar as his responsibility at the family business increases, Netto still intends to take on the full NARC tour in search of title number two.
Netto has become one of the most consistent forces of the NARC roster over the past several years, earning top-10s in more than 85% of his series starts since the beginning of 2016. After the runner-up finish last year, the 26-year-old is motivated to get back to the top of the standings and claim a second championship.
Brotherly Battles
Last year brothers Tim Kaeding and Bud Kaeding finished up third and fourth in the final standings, and the duo hope to occupy the top two slots in 2022.
Two-time series champion Tim returns to the seat of the Bates-Hamilton Racing No. 42X. TK picked up a pair of victories, the 70th and 71st of his career, last season aboard the machine and narrowly missed the runner-up spot in the standings. The West Coast legend put together the longest streak of top-10s in 2021, stacking 11 straight from July to October.
Between NARC and World of Outlaws starts, Tim may have the advantage over the field on the two northern swings with many more laps in a 410 around the Pacific Northwest ovals. He already owns series victories at both Southern Oregon Speedway and Cottage Grove Speedway.
Bud Kaeding and Tim Kaeding with both be championship contenders in 2022![/caption]Early on in 2021, younger brother Bud looked like he might match Tim’s title count of two. After finishing seventh in the season opener, BK collected five consecutive top-fives highlighted by a pair of runner-ups at Petaluma and Watsonville. The hot streak gave him the points lead, but a crash at the Howard Kaeding Classic began to derail the season. Bud consistently finished in the top-10 through the second half of the year, but he and the BK Racing team couldn’t find the speed they had early on.
Bud will be back aboard his family’s iconic No. 69 BK Racing machine for 2022. With plenty of experience and victories on the West Coast, Bud is always a favorite for the championship.
The Faccinto brother's, Mitchell and Michael, are both set to tackle the full season for the first time. The duo shook up silly season with announcements revealing that Mitchell would head to Tarlton Motorsports to wheel the No. 21 with Michael handling driving duties on the Mike Phulps owned No. 56.
Though they’re brothers and a similar age, their racing histories with NARC are quite different. Mitchell owns 90 career series starts since debuting in 2013 and has earned top-10s in over half of them along with three victories. Michael, a micro and midget ace, only has two series starts to his credit, though he has spent considerable time behind the wheel of a 360-sprint car over the past few years.
Oddly enough, Michael has made one more NARC start than Mitchell in their current rides. Mitchell is set to debut with Tarlton while Michael’s lone 2021 appearance came aboard Phulps’ machine.
Same Faces, New Places
At Petaluma Speedway in May of last year, 15-year-old Joel Myers Jr. made his presence felt with his first series podium. The top-three came in just his second career NARC start and aboard his family-owned ride. He went on to compete in 16 of the 21 features and picked up four more top-10s along the way.
This season, the rising talent has been hired to wheel the Vertullo Motorsports No. 83V, and they have prioritized the NARC campaign.
Joel Myers Jr. will be looking to score his first ever NARC feature victory aboard David Vertullo's #83V sprint car. Photo by Joe Shivak[/caption]The Vertullo ride has helped produced some of the sport’s best with names like Kyle Larson, Brad Sweet and Chuck Gurney getting behind the wheel early in their careers, and Myers Jr. is looking to add his name to the list.
After not completing a full NARC season in a handful of years, Vertullo returned in 2021 with veteran Sean Becker as his pilot and earned the fifth position in points. The pairing picked up a popular win last summer in the Howard Kaeding Classic.
With the knowledge of the impressive list of names to precede him in the 83V, Myers Jr. is filled with excitement to take his turn and potentially become the youngest champion in series history.
NARC’s second winningest driver of 2021, Justin Sanders, is heading to Mittry Racing to pilot the No. 2. Last year the Aromas native began the tour aboard Larry Antaya’s car and picked up an early win at Petaluma. Sanders sat out a double-header weekend in July but came back in a new ride for the Fastest Four Days in Motorsports.
Sanders hopped in the Kevin Kozlowski-owned and Paul Silva-prepared Works Limited No. 57 and won in his debut in the car at Merced. The partnership went on to claim four of the final 12 races of the season as Sanders nearly doubled his career NARC win total, jumping to 11 after starting the year with six.
Sanders wrapped up his 2021 by turning some impressive results in the Mittry machine. The team traveled to Arizona for four ASCS regional events and came away with podiums in three of them. Sanders has already won in his new ride this year in Silver Dollar Speedway’s season opening 360 sprint car race, the Silver Cup.
Sophomore Slump or Success?
After having made only nine NARC starts over three years prior to 2021, Billy Aton followed the entire tour last year and came home with rookie of the year honors after finishing sixth in points. He’ll be back this season with hopes of improving a few spots in the standings.
The highlight of Aton’s campaign came in July at Santa Maria Raceway when he started on the pole and led all 30 laps en route to his inaugural NARC victory in his 18th series start.
Last season, Aton continually proved his ability to move forward in the main event, passing more than 100 cars in the feature over the course of the season. However, he struggled in qualifying which often left him starting near the back in the A-main, necessitating a charge through the field.
Aton and the team are prioritizing a better qualifying program this year, hoping for better starting spots on the feature grid leading to more finishes toward the front.
Taking Another Swing
Savvy veteran Willie Croft intends to tackle the entire NARC tour with his sights on his first title. The Colfax native has competed over the full schedule five times before with a best result of third in the standings back in 2007.
Croft has been one of the most consistent forces over his roughly two decades of wheeling sprint cars, having tallied eight victories, more than 50 top-fives, and over 100 top-10s with the West Coast’s premier 410 series.
Mega Watts
The pilot of his family-owned Billet America No. 98, Sean Watts, plans to take on the entire NARC schedule again.
The 26-year-old has collected 15 top-10s with the series in his career, highlighted by a 2019 win at Stockton, a facility with four dates on the 2022 NARC calendar.
Regulars
A handful of talented West Coast drivers plan to attend a majority of the NARC tour and are likely to pick up plenty of strong results when they do.
Fremont’s Shane Golobic tentatively plans to race all but one of the 25 scheduled events, the lone absence being the July Petaluma date. He’s the owner of 13 career series wins and always a threat to park the Matt Wood Racing machine in victory lane. Though he missed a few events last season, Golobic still managed to notch the second most podiums and top-fives.
Northern California will have a frequent visitor from down under this year in the form of Kerry Madsen. The 28-time World of Outlaws feature winner has partnered with Roth Motorsports to run a schedule consisting of a blend of West Coast and Midwest races. Turning the wrenches on the No. 83 will be fellow Australian Paul Baines, and with the Toyota Racing Development engine under the hood they plan to compete in nearly 20 NARC events. Another Australian, Jessie Attard, is in the process of loading his racing equipment into a shipping container for the journey to the Golden State. He plans to race a majority of the NARC schedule.
Two-time NARC feature winner, Colby Copeland, will be back aboard the Larry Antaya No. 16A for his appearances this season, the same car he drove to those two victories. Last season, driving mostly for a joint effort between Jim and Annette Vanlare and Antaya, Copeland made seven series starts with top-10s in all of them, the highlight being four straight finishes of 8th or better in the Fastest Four Days in Motorsports resulting in a runner-up in FFDM points.
Keller Motorsports pilot, J.J. Ringo, will contest over half of the schedule. The 32-year-old is shifting his focus toward 410 racing and will double his career start total with NARC this season. Last year, Ringo earned his first series podium after a resilient night at Santa Maria Raceway.
The Carrick brothers hope to frequent NARC events this season. Both Tanner and Blake have made many appearances in the top-10 but are still seeking their first series victories. With more 410 engines in their shop and more 410 races on the schedule, it wouldn’t be surprising to see them both collect their inaugural NARC wins. Last year Tanner picked up his first career NARC podium at the Howard Kaeding Classic, and that same night Blake notched his best series finish to date by running fourth. Iowa driver Austin McCarl will also race about half the NARC schedule aboard the Keith Offill 88 sprint car. He will be looking for his first NARC victory.
Iowa driver Austin McCarl plans to drive Keith Offill's number 88 sprint car around the West Coast before embarking on a swing through the Midwest. He is still looking for his first NARC victory in California.
Last year’s 11th place finisher in the standings, Geoffrey Strole, plans to compete in a solid amount of NARC races. The highlight of his 2021 season came in July at The Thunderbowl when he drove from 18th to 10th to claim both his first top-10 of the season and Swift Metal Finishing Hardcharger award.
Trying Something New
After making a name for himself piling up ASCS regional trophies over the past several years, Logan Forler is diving more into 410 racing by making an attempt at a NARC title this year.
The Idaho driver hasn’t contested a NARC race since 2014, but he’ll change that in a big way in 2022 by tackling all 25 events. In five career series starts Forler has earned two top-fives, one at Southern Oregon Speedway and one at Placerville Speedway.
A more common sight at NARC events in 2022 will be Chase Johnson. After not competing in a single race last year, the two-time NARC feature winner plans to run more than half of this season’s schedule. Johnson has many wingless and midget wins on his resumé, and the versatile driver will look to tally a few more with a wing this year.Let’s Go Racing
The many storylines entering 2022 have been laid out, and now the only thing left to do is watch how they unfold over the course of seven months and 25 races.
For the full schedule, visit Schedule – King of the West NARC Sprints (narc410.com). If you can’t make it to the track, all NARC Fujitsu General USA Sprint Car Series races can be viewed live on floracing.com.
NARC ANNOUNCES PRELIMINARY EVENT SPONSORS
March 21, 2022
Jim Allen(3/21/2022) Sacramento, CA … The Northern Auto Racing Club announced all of the sponsors contributing to all of the NARC Fujitsu General USA Sprint Car Series events. This includes the fast time award, heat races and trophy dash winners.
Automotive Racing Products (ARP) has returned to sponsor the fast time award at all 25-events this season. ARP is world-leader is fastener technology. Their fasteners are built to withstand serious racing and have higher tensile strengths and can survive higher stresses than most aircraft fasteners will ever see. For more information, go to www.arp-bolts.com.
Brown & Miller Racing Solutions (BMRS), Kimo’s Tropical Car Wash, and Dirt.Travel are the heat race sponsors. Each will be kicking in $100 to each of the winners throughout the season.
BMRS is an industry leader in the manufacturing of hoses, fittings, tubing and seals. They have been an innovator in motorsports for more than four decades. You can view their catalog at https://www.bmrs.net/
Kimo’s Tropical Car Wash is owned by 1996 NARC Hammerdown! Rookie-of-the-Year Jim Taves. His company runs three premium car washes in the Reedley, CA area. For a location, go to https://kimoscarwash.com/
Dirt.Travel is a membership-based travel club specializing in providing outstanding event-based travel experiences to premier racing events around the nation. Dirt.Travel is an innovative travel group of race fans and family that provides one stop online shopping for all travel needs, track travel, weekend getaways and family vacations. Once again, the site is Dirt.Travel
Sunnyvalley Smoked Meats is the sponsor of the “Powered by Bacon” dash that not only pays cash awards, but also awards the driver and a lucky fan 10 lbs. of flash-frozen bacon. Sunnyvalley products can be found at almost all major grocery chains.
The 2022 NARC season opener will take place on April 2nd with the Third Annual Asparagus Cup at the Stockton Dirt Track. A complete schedule of events can be found at NARC410.com.
$40,000 BONUS ON THE LINE FOR THE FASTEST FOUR DAYS IN MOTORSPORTS
(3/14/2022) Sacramento, CA ... There will be a stout $40,000 bonus on the line when the Northern Auto Racing Club Fujitsu General USA sprint car tour invades the Pacific Northwest over the Memorial Day weekend. The huge incentive will be paid to any driver who can sweep all four shows during the Fastest Four Days in Motorsports.
The four-day blast of 410 sprint car racing kicks off on Thursday, May 26th at Southern Oregon Speedway in Central Point, OR. From there it's a trip up Interstate 5 to Willamette Speedway in Lebanon, OR on the 27th, followed by a big two-day show at Grays Harbor Raceway in Elma, WA on May 28-29th. Each show pays $5,000 to win.
"We were already excited to have the NARC King of the West 410 sprint cars come visit us in Oregon and Washington, "said Grays Harbor promoter Bert Johnson. "When we add this promotion to the mix, competition is going to reach a whole new level. Race fans are going to be in for four great days of racing."
In the event a driver doesn't sweep, there is still a $5000 bonus for any driver that can claim three of the four events. The two insurance-policy promotions are not combined. The maximum bonus is $40,000.
Among the teams that have already committed to tow from California including 2019 series champ DJ Netto of Hanford (Netto 88N); Hanford brother's Mitchell ( Tarlton 21) and Michael Faccinto ( Phulps 56); Billy Aton of Benicia ( Aton 26); Joel Myers Jr. (Vertullo 83V); 2017 series titleist Bud Kaeding of Campbell (Kaeding 69); Colfax driver Willie Croft (Croft 29); two-time series champ Tim Kaeding of San Jose (Bates-Hamilton 42x); Paso Robles' JJ Ringo (Keller 2K); Shane Golobic of Elk Grove (Wood 17); Aromas driver Justin Sanders; Australian Kerry Madsen (Roth 83); and defending series champion Dominic Scelzi of Fresno (Scelzi 41). More are expected to be added soon. Several local teams including Tanner Holmes of Jacksonville, OR and Mount Vernon, WA driver Jason Solwold will be joining the mix to battle the NARC stars.
For more information, go to www.NARC410.com, or contact NARC GM Jim Allen at 714-397-7417.
SWIFT METAL FINISHING SPONSORS NARC HARDCHARGER AWARD
(3/10/22) Sacramento, CA ... The Northern Auto Racing Club announced today that Swift Metal Finishing is back as an associate sponsor of the traveling sprint car sanctioning body. The Santa Clara, CA-based metal and finishing company will be sponsoring the Swift Metal Finishing Hardcharger Award at every NARC show.
Swift Metal Finishing President Bob Montoya is an avid sprint car fan and is very appreciative and supportive of the unheralded drivers who charge from the back of the field. His company will be awarding $150 to the driver who passes the most cars from their original starting position in each feature event. An extra $1000 bonus will be presented to the driver who advances the most cars this season. That money is awarded at the November 6th championship awards celebration.
"Bob Montoya is not only a friend, but a tremendous supporter of NARC and 410 sprint car racing," said series board member Brent Kaeding. "The Swift Metal Finishing sponsorship provides great incentive and reward for teams that fight to make the best out of a bad starting position. On most nights, those drivers work harder then the guy standing in victory lane. We thank Swift Metal Finishing for their support or our racing series."
Bill Aton of Benicia, CA, the 2021 NARC King of the West rookie-of-the-year, claimed the end of season award last year. He fought his way past 104 sprint cars.
The Northern Auto Racing Club encourages race fans to support those who support sprint car racing!
The 2022 NARC Fujitsu General USA Sprint Car Series season opener is on April 2nd at the Stockton Dirt Track. The 25-race campaign will invade 13-different dirt tracks in California, Oregon, and Washington.
ABOUT THE COMPANY: Swift Metal Finishing is located in Santa Clara, California, and was founded in 1963. They employ approximately 20 people. The company is located at 1161 Richard Avenue, Santa Clara, CA 95050. Their phone number is 408-727-5776. No web site is available.
THE NEXT JUMP: FACCINTO SHIFTS FOCUS TO 410’S WITH MOVE TO MIKE PHULPS MOTORSPORTS
(3/2/2022 – ) … Michael Faccinto has already cemented himself as one of the greatest micro sprint and midget drivers from California, and beginning in 2022 he’ll begin his quest to achieve a similar status in the 410 sprint car ranks.Slightly more than a month ago Faccinto announced that he’d partnered with Mike Phulps Motorsports to pilot their No. 56 sprint car. The pairing has assembled a tentative schedule of more than 40 races with the focus being the entire NARC Fujitsu General Sprint Car tour.
The move is the natural progression for the 31-year-old who has spent much of his career driving micros and midgets, even at one point racing a midget for Gary Scelzi, father of Faccinto’s current competitor and reigning NARC champion Dominic Scelzi. The micro maestro also picked up a pair of Golden Drillers at the Tulsa Shootout along the way. After winning the 2018 USAC Western States Midget title, Faccinto began his transition to winged sprint cars with a 360 ride.
“I was ready to do the wing stuff,” Faccinto said of the pivotal time. “So, Harley Van Dyke actually took a chance on me, and we were together for two and a half years. I credit a lot to Harley. He let me go do some cool stuff around Knoxville and go run in the Midwest. We had success together. I credit a lot to him for getting me going with the wing.”
Faccinto and Van Dyke collected impressive results, tallying a handful of top-fives with series from both the Midwest and the West Coast. Last year, Faccinto linked with the Phulps team, leading to his debut in the No. 56 at Keller Auto Speedway’s Anthony Simone Classic. While the night ended with an accident in the feature, the driver and team quickly gelled and ultimately birthed the 2022 plans.
“Last year, we tried to actually pencil in a couple races throughout the year when Ryan (Robinson) wasn’t available with the 56, and it never really worked out,” Faccinto explained. “Then it opened up there at Hanford, and I got to race. We kind of just clicked as a team. (Crew chief) Ryan Riley made me feel really comfortable, and Kerry (Fasig) was there. Actually, my dad (Monte) was there also helping that night, and we had a lot of speed.“I kept talking to them throughout the rest of the year,” Faccinto continued. “And I got the call around Chili Bowl time that we were going to do the whole NARC schedule and select 360 shows, and I jumped all over it. I’m ready to take the next jump and run the full NARC schedule.”
As an added bonus to getting an opportunity to take his desired path in racing, Faccinto is excited that’s its coming aboard such an iconic ride. The blue No. 56 has ripped around California’s bullrings for decades, and Faccinto is no stranger to the team’s history.
“It’s really cool,” Faccinto said. “We went and had dinner at the end of January with Mike, and I got to meet the whole team, and with just the stories they told and the history of the car, being able to run for them is an honor. I hope to represent as best as I can and build a team that in three to five years from now we’re still talking that I’m with them.”
With his limited 410 experience, year one is sure to pose a challenge for Faccinto as they take on the NARC tour but one he’s eager to attack with a strategic approach.
This year’s NARC schedule features 25 races at 13 tracks, some of which will be entirely new to Faccinto. To combat his lack of laps at some facilities, Faccinto is setting high expectations for his better tracks to set himself up favorably before heading to unfamiliar territory.
“The tracks in California I’m really familiar with are Stockton, Hanford and Placerville,” Faccinto said. “So, I would say I have those circled on my schedule as events when we go to them I would like to think of ourselves as a top-three or top-five car… Placerville, I ran a lot in the last two years in the 360, and we’ve always had a lot of speed there. I like the little bullring atmosphere. Hanford, I grew watching my dad race there. I’ve had a lot of races there with a wing car, midgets, non-wing car, so I’m very comfortable at Hanford, and Stockton is very similar to Hanford.”
While Faccinto is still writing the beginnings of his winged sprint car resumé, the Mike Phulps crew has a lengthy notebook that should ease his continued transition. Crew chief Ryan Riley’s California racetrack notes date back to his time working on the original No. 56 owned by recent National Sprint Car Hall of Fame inductee Walter T. Ross.
In recent years, the Mike Phulps team has collected wins with a handful of drivers including Ryan Bernal, Justin Sanders, and Cole Macedo.
Last year Ryan Robinson made 11 NARC starts in the No. 56 and picked up five top-10s. Their best run together came in August at Ocean Speedway when Robinson set the 410 track record and claimed the runner-up spot in the feature. Joel Myers Jr. made a NARC start in the powder blue machine at Petaluma and may have won if it weren’t for an incident with slower traffic.
Though Faccinto’s lack of 410 experience may prove to be a slight obstacle, his early success in a winged 360 sprint car combined with a blossoming and already strong dynamic with the potent Phulps crew may lead to impressive results earlier than expected. And if they achieve the finishes they’re looking for, it could be only the beginning of Faccinto writing his name in California’s sprint car history books and adding his name to the list of winners in the No. 56.
“I definitely would like to prioritize 410 stuff going forward and with the 56 team,” Faccinto said. “I think if we can continue to build on runs and build a foundation and a team here, I plan on being here as long as they’ll have me.”
The 2022 NARC Fujitsu General USA Sprint Car Series season is on April 2nd at the Stockton Dirt Track.
SUNNYVALLEY RETURNS AS “POWERED BY BACON” NARC DASH SPONSOR
February 26, 2022 Jim Allen
(2/26/2022) Sacramento, CA … The Northern Auto Racing Club is proud to announce that Sunnyvalley Smoked Meats has returned as the trophy dash sponsor for the 2022 sprint car season. The Sunnvalley “Powered by Bacon” Dash has been a fan-favorite fixture on the NARC Fujitsu General USA Series campaign campaign for the past three years.
The Manteca, Calif.-based company produces a variety of smoked bacon, ham and turkey products for retail and wholesale customers under the Sunnyvalley brand.
In addition to awarding prize money to the winner of the all-important six-lap trophy dash, which determines the way the first three rows line up for the main event, the winning driver and a lucky fan in the grandstands are presented with 10-pounds of flash-frozen Sunnyvalley Bacon. It is one of the most popular interactive promotions on the NARC tour.
The 2022 NARC sprint car season opens with the Third Annual Asparagus Cup at the Stockton Dirt Track on April 2nd. The series will crown a King of the West sprint car champion. Dominic Scelzi of Fresno is the defending series titleist.
ABOUT THE COMPANY: Sunnyvalley Smoked Meats, Inc. was established in 1990 by Bill Andreetta. The Andreetta family has been in the meat business in Manteca, California since 1959. The family bought a meat locker plant and operated it as Manteca Meat Service for many years. Bill purchased the business from his father in 1972 after his service in the U.S. Army.
In 2000 Bill Andreetta built a state-of-the-art 41,000 square foot plant. It has since been expanded with a new dry storage building and maintenance shop to over 100,000 square feet. Sunnyvalley Smoked Meats employs over 325 people. The company also recently completed a 60,000 square foot bacon processing plant adjacent to their current facility to increase their ham and poultry business. The company has gross annual revenue of over $150 million.
Sunnyvalley Smoked Meats is large enough to serve your needs, but small enough to appreciate your business. They are committed to making the best Smoked Bacon, Ham and Turkey on the market and are innovators of producing great smoked products for their customers. Where better smoked products are available, Sunnyvalley will be the name on the label!
ROUND TWO: BATES-HAMILTON RACING PREPPING FOR SECOND SHOT WITH KAEDING AT NARC CHAMPIONSHIP
(2/5/2022 – Alex Nieten) … Last year, Tim Kaeding added two more NARC Fujitsu General USA Sprint Car feature wins to his illustrious career and created a special victory lane celebration for car owners, Joshua Bates and Roger Hamilton, in doing so.
“Tim got his 70th and 71st NARC wins last year at Watsonville and Petaluma,” Hamilton reflected. “Well, for Josh and I, it was our first wins in the series. It was pretty emotional for me.”
With those victories and a full season of NARC racing that resulted in a third-place finish in points under their belts, Bates-Hamilton Racing will return to the tour with TK again behind the wheel in 2022 with their focus squarely on a championship.
Though this will only be their sophomore attempt in their joint effort at a NARC title, Bates and Hamilton are a pair of Californians with deep roots in the West Coast racing circuit that ultimately led to their paths crossing.
Bates began racing quarter-midgets at four years old and followed the familiar path into micros as he entered his teenage years. Around that time, he linked with a friend of his who owned a sprint car and began to lay the foundations of where he’s arrived today.
“We were the same age, so when I was like 16 or 17, I started working on that car and helping him,” Bates said. “I was still racing the micro and then helping on the sprint car. That’s really where I learned how to work on a sprint car, how to set up sprint cars, how to build one, how to square a front and rear end, all of the basic stuff.”
After working with his friend’s team for a handful of years, Bates took a brief break from racing to earn a college degree but quickly returned to the racetrack upon graduating. He began to get more driving experience and picked up a few notable wins including a night before the Dave Bradway Jr. Memorial. In the mid-2010s Bates shifted back to a more mechanical role ultimately leading to his current position.
Well before Roger Hamilton became co-owner of the car Tim Kaeding drives, his earliest days at a racetrack signaled the beginning of his lasting connection with the Kaeding family.
“I started as a fan from about six years old when my uncle took me to the races at the old San Jose Speedway where Howard (Kaeding) was racing super modifieds on the asphalt track,” Hamilton explained. “I started following the Kaeding's from a pretty young age. When I was about 19, I went to work for Brent (Kaeding) at the shop and started working on Howard’s car for a couple seasons.”
Eventually Hamilton purchased his own sprint car and began to race. In 1991 he earned NARC rookie of the year honors. Shortly after the ’92 season, Hamilton backed out of the pit area and back into the stands as a fan as he needed to focus on his family.
The duo connected in 2018 when, after his kids had grown up, Hamilton had an itch to get involved again, specifically with Tim Kaeding’s career. Conveniently, Bates had just hired the two-time NARC champion at the beginning of that year, so Hamilton approached him at an early season race.
“There’s a lot of people in the pits that I don’t know who they are,” Bates said of the crowd Kaeding draws. “And this guy is standing there, he’s staring at the car. We’re getting left-rears on, getting loaded up a getting ready to go home, and this guy has been in the pit almost the whole time and everyone else has left. So, I went over there and said ‘Hey, did you have a good time at the races?’ and he said, ‘Yeah, I’ve been following Tim a long time, and I’ve helped him out in the past… I want to help you guys out.’”
In their first year of Hamilton assisting the race team, Bates Racing claimed the Sprint Car Challenge Tour 360 Sprint Car owner’s championship with Kaeding driving most of the year until an injury. Justyn Cox filled in to seal the title. With Cox in the seat, they nearly claimed the Trophy Cup as well.
In 2020, they created an official partnership, birthing Bates-Hamilton Racing. That same year they made the decision to prioritize 410 sprint cars and the NARC tour.
“Josh and I, we thought about how most of Tim’s experience was in a 410,” Hamilton said of the swap. “He liked the horsepower and the feel of the car with a 410, so we decided after running the 360 series after a couple seasons that it wasn’t the challenge that Tim needed or that we needed. We were ready to move up.”
Also motivating the move to chase the West Coast’s premier championship was a united confidence in Kaeding’s unparalleled abilities behind the wheel of a sprint car.
“When Tim is focused, he has the ability to do things with a racecar that I’ve never seen,” Bates said. “You see him do things, and for me as a driver I say, ‘You can’t do that. That’s not possible. How do you cheat the corner on the bottom and then still come off faster than the guy that ran the top?’”
“He is such a talented driver,” Hamilton said. “He’s done so much. He’s been racing sprint cars for 25 seasons. He’s accomplished a lot in that time frame. It’s kind of amazing just to see how he’s still can do the things that he does. There’s not a lot of drivers that can. He still has that desire and ability, obviously.”
The COVID-19 pandemic shrank the California racing calendar in 2020, limiting their chances at 410 races. The NARC campaign only managed to complete five features. TK wheeled the BHR machine in four of them and collected top-fives in every race.
Last year they completed their first full NARC tour together, collecting two wins, seven top-fives and 17 top-10s, leading to a third-place points result.
This year, they’ll not only tackle the full season again with hopes of moving up two spots in the standings to claim a title, but they’ve also put together a solid schedule outside of NARC. A handful of World of Outlaws and select 360 events complete their nearly 50-race calendar. Bates and Hamilton agree that the added seat time for TK in their car should lead to an even better performance in 2022.
“That’s one of those things we’re talking about this year is how to maintain that focus, how to build regularity and consistency in the racecar,” Bates said. “This is something we’re going to focus on a lot this year, and I’m super excited. We have a very full schedule.”
“I think it’ll be big to build continuity,” Hamilton agreed. “Tim, being one of the premier drivers out there, he gets requests to drive multiple cars for multiple people, and keeping him in our car for most of the year, I think, will build some continuity and get him some comfort.”
The days until the 2022 NARC campaign begins continue to dwindle, and Bates-Hamilton Racing are prepping for a strong run at Tim Kaeding’s third series title and their first as a team. The co-owners who head the operation, Bates and Hamilton, along with crew members, Bobby Bumgarner, Brad Kennedy and Scotty Taylor, have been busy in the shop readying for the season and what would be a meaningful championship if they can pull it off.
“It would be hard to put into words what that would mean,” Hamilton said of a potential title. “It would be really special, especially for me and my family because of our ties to the Kaedings. It goes back almost 40 years.”
The 2022 NARC Fujitsu General Sprint Car season begins April 2nd at The Stockton Dirt Track. All races can be viewed lived on floracing.com. To view the full schedule, visit https://narc410.com/schedule/
Bates-Hamilton Racing would like to thank Teichert Construction, Vinyltech PVC Pipe, Clow Valve, Dan Ewart Sales, Advanced Drainage Systems, Custom Pipe & Fabrication, Tigre, North Bay Waterworks, SIP, Kaeding Performance, Kistler Engines, Maxim Chassis, Wilwood Brakes, Astro Titanium, Bell Helmets, K1 Racegear, B Scadden Design, Warehouse Paint, ARBO Tech, Performance Power Coating, Sellers Race Wings, Rod Tiner Racing, ART, Tiner-Hirst Enterprise and Vanlare Steering Repair.
A NAME AND LOGO CHANGE IN STORE FOR NARC-KING OF THE WEST SPRINT CAR SERIES IN ’22
(1/29/22) Sacramento, CA ... The Northern Auto Racing Club (NARC) announced today that the King of the West 410 sprint car series will undergo a name and logo change for the 2022 season and beyond.
The logo’s retro design harkens back to the golden days of NARC as the series approaches its largest schedule in many years with momentum and hopes of a new heyday on the horizon.
As part of the series five-year business plan to restore 410 sprint car racing to its original form in California, King of the West-NARC Racing Series owners Brent Kaeding and Jim Allen announced that the series will now give NARC top billing. The NARC Fujitsu General Sprint Car Series will still crown a King of the West champion, but emphasis is being put on the "club" aspect.
"We have 62-years of racing history with the Northern Auto Racing Club," said Kaeding, a 13-time NARC and 13-time King of the West champion. "Our racing organization was always stronger when we had more people involved in a club atmosphere. For 410 sprint car racing to move forward in California and the west coast, we need this effort to continue and grow."
The Golden State Championship Series, which had its inaugural season in 1986, crowned a "King of California" sprint car series champion and was sanctioned by the Northern Auto Racing Club from day one. When the series changed ownership over the years, it morphed into a collection of names ranging from the Golden State Challenge to eventually the King of the West series.
Series information can be found at NARC410.com. The season opener will be held on April 2nd at the Stockton Dirt Track.
And now on perhaps the most fitting date, 63 days from beginning our 63rd season, we present the new Northern Auto Racing Club logo.
FUJITSU GENERAL USA RETURNS AS SERIES SPONSOR OF THE NARC SPRINT CARS
(January 28, 2022) Sacramento, CA ... Fujitsu General USA, a worldwide leader of high-efficiency heating and air conditioning products, is returning as series sponsor of the Northern Auto Racing Club (NARC) sprint cars for the fifth consecutive year. The company has always been at the forefront of technological innovation and has produced and shipped millions of systems throughout the world.
The 2022 NARC Fujitsu General USA 410 Sprint Car Series schedule will feature 27-events at dirt track venues in California, Oregon, and Washington, ultimately crowning a "King of the West" champion. Dominic Scelzi is the defending series champion.
The Fujitsu General partnership has allowed the 63-year old racing series to supplement race purses and the year-end championship point fund. In addition, it has helped foster business opportunities and comradery with its dedicated Fujitsu HVAC contractor network on the west coast.
Over the past six decades, Fujitsu General has developed and used a variety of ground-breaking technologies and design innovations to make their air conditioners operate in any environment and more efficiently. All these relentless efforts have enabled Fujitsu to become one of the leading air conditioner brands in Europe, Japan, the Middle East, and Oceania. Today, the company has expanded its business in the American and Asian markets as well.
With the demand for air conditioners surging globally, Fujitsu General has broadened its product offerings to include compact residential air conditioners, commercial air conditioners, and more elaborate multi-split variable refrigerant flow (VRF) air conditioners for large buildings.
For more information on Fujitsu General USA products and services, go to https://www.fujitsugeneral.com.
The United States headquarters is located at 340 Changebridge Road, Building 200, Suite 300, Pine Brook, NJ 07058.
The NARC Fujitsu General USA Sprint Car Series will open its 2022 campaign on April 2nd at the Stockton Dirt Track.
REUNITED: FACCINTO AND WARNER TEAM AT TARLTON MOTORSPORTS WITH SIGHTS ON NARC CROWN
(1/9/2022 – Alex Nieten) … Silly season delivered an early Christmas present last month when Tarlton Motorsports announced Mitchell Faccinto would be the team’s primary driver in 2022 with Drew Warner filling the role of crew chief, and the duo have prioritized chasing the NARC Fujitsu General Sprint Car championship.
Faccinto makes the move after an eight-year run aboard Stan Greenberg’s No. 37, the ride he wheeled to his three career NARC feature victories and many others in the 360 ranks of the West Coast.
Warner will add another team to his already impressive resumé. The bright mechanical mind has enjoyed positions with other pillars of the California racing scene such as Roth Motorsports, Rico Abreu Racing and most recently Netto Family Motorsports. From 2016 to early 2018, Warner also worked for the aforementioned Stan Greenberg where he was teamed with Faccinto.
The two now head to the team originally formed by Tom Tarlton and now overseen by his son, Tommy, whose all-black sprint car has become as iconic as any on the West Coast.
While the two were happy in their previous homes, certain factors led to their current opportunity with one of California’s most successful sprint car teams. An uncertain future of the No. 37 machine and a can’t-miss shot to drive the No. 21 helped prompt Faccinto’s move.
“At the end of last year, I was unsure of what was going to happen,” Faccinto explained. “The Tarltons, they had a couple different drivers in their car. I talked to Tommy about what their plans were for 2022, and he really wasn’t sure, either. So, we kind of put our heads together on who we should try to get for crew chief if we were going to put a whole thing together.
“Obviously, with Drew, I think he was really good with Netto’s deal, so being as close as we are I thought that was the best option,” Faccinto continued. “It happened really quick. It kind of started as just an idea because the season was still going. They (Tarlton) still had Carson (Macedo) racing here, so everything was really up in the air. I had a couple options open but mostly for 360 rides. Before I committed to any of those, I wanted to make sure I had a 410 ride set because that was my main priority. Obviously the Tarlton ride is top tier for California. I think it’s going to be good. I think we should be able to compete every night, and I appreciate Tom and Tommy giving me the opportunity.”
With D.J. Netto’s elevated role in his family business, the Netto Ag team made plans to scale back in 2022, but Warner wanted his racing calendar to grow to benefit his development.
“D.J. is becoming really busy. He’s taking over all of Netto Ag, taking over the family business,” Warner said of his motivation. “He’s just maybe having to slow down a little bit on racing. He still wants to race and still plans on racing as much as he can, but it’s just not quite the schedule that I was looking to do to help myself grow. I talked to the Netto's for a long time about it and kind of got their blessing.
“Long term, Tommy, he expects Tarlton Racing to be around many, many years to come,” Warner continued. “It’s something that he really enjoys. He wants this program that his father created to keep growing… He just has a lot of potential in his program, and it’s something that I really take on the challenge of helping. They are about as top tier as it comes in California, and I look forward to the challenge of putting my name on that and helping it keep growing.”
For Faccinto, 2022 will mark his first complete attempt at a NARC crown. The Hanford native has contested roughly 65% of the series races over the last eight years, topping out at 15 of 19 (79%) events in 2019. This year’s NARC campaign showcases 27 nights of racing.
Warner is fresh off helping guide Netto to a runner-up finish in NARC points, marking the 2019 champ’s second consecutive top-two result in the standings. Other noteworthy achievements of Warner and Netto’s 2021 include a win in the Dave Helm Classic and a podium in the Trophy Cup standings.
Back when Faccinto and Warner worked together at Greenberg’s operation, Faccinto produced arguably his best stretch with NARC. They amassed 17 top-10s in 23 starts with the West Coast’s premier series, and Faccinto picked up his first win in October of 2017 at the Cotton Classic.
“At that time, my dad was still crew chief on the 37 as he has been the whole eight years I’ve been there,” Faccinto said of when he and Warner first partnered. “Drew came in. He had never been a crew chief yet, so my dad kind of let him do his own thing, and they basically worked together the whole time and bounced ideas off each other which really seemed to help.
“I think the thing with me and Drew is we’re obviously really close friends, but we’re able to separate what happens at the track compared to what happens away from the track,” Faccinto added. “If he sees something I’m doing wrong or I’m doing different than other drivers, he’s not afraid to tell me. And if I feel something that’s wrong with the car that I don’t like then I’m not afraid to tell him. We both want to win.”
The two briefly joined forces again near the end of this past year when Netto’s team fielded a second car for Faccinto at the Trophy Cup and a couple other races. To nobody’s surprise, they found speed as Faccinto led many laps during prelim night two of the Trophy Cup before settling for third. They capped the three-night event with a top-10 in the standings.
“Mitchell, he’s really grown into his own out here in California,” Warner said of his driver’s progress. “He’s become one of the most consistent drivers I think you could say. He finishes races, and that’s what you got to do to win a championship like we’re going to try to do with NARC.”
On top of his familiarity with Faccinto, Tarlton Motorsports has added another piece who has given Warner a hand during previous roles.
“I’m excited that we were able to get Shane Watts on board with us as well,” Warner said. “I’ve worked with him in the past at Rico’s, and he helped out a little with me at Netto’s. He brings a lot to the table and makes my life easier.”
Faccinto and Warner will have some big shoes to fill and lofty expectations entering the year with Tarlton Motorsports. The team is one of the most successful in California, claiming two NARC titles in the last six years with drivers, Carson Macedo and Kyle Hirst, and narrowly missing a third in 2018 with Shane Golobic. On the mechanical side, Warner will fill the void left by longtime Tarlton crew chief, Paul Baines, who joined Roth Motorsports for 2022.
Even though the new opportunity comes with high expectation, the pair of Hanford residents are feeling much more excitement than pressure. And they aren’t shy about stating their goal of putting the Tarlton car back atop NARC with plenty of checkered flags and a title.
“The number one goal is to go out and win the NARC championship,” Faccinto said. “And number two would be to go be competitive every night. I know how Tommy wants his car to get around the track. He wants you to be on the hammer every race, every time around the track to be out there and give it 100-percent… He wants to see his cars win, and that’s what me and Drew want to do. We want to be able to go out and win right away.
NARC 410 SPRINT CARS RELEASE 2022 RACE SCHEDULE
(12/11/21) Sacramento, CA ... The West Coast’s premier 410 sprint car series is going to be busy in 2022.
The Northern Auto Racing Club has finalized a 27-race schedule that will visit 13 different facilities across California, Oregon and Washington. The amount of planned events tops last year’s mark by seven.
The racing will bloom to life at the dawn of spring on the first weekend in April with a trip to The Stockton Dirt Track on Saturday, April 2nd. The $6000 to win opening race has been coined "The Duel at The Dirt Track" and will also feature a pit crew competition. It’ll mark the first of four NARC appearances at Stockton in 2022.
Fan Favorites
Though it’s only heading into its eighth edition, the Peter Murphy Classic has already blossomed into one of the most anticipated events of the NARC calendar, and Murphy is ensuring the two-night show is even bigger in 2022.
NARC has expanded its involvement to both nights of the Peter Murphy Classic with the opener set for May 13th at Tulare’s Thunderbowl Raceway, and the $11,000 to win finale making the move to Hanford’s Keller Auto Speedway on May 14th. Both nights will also feature the Sprint Car Challenge Tour 360's.
The lucrative Howard Kaeding Classic will be on July 15th and 16th at Watsonville’s Ocean Speedway with the NARC portion on the latter. Per usual, the after party will take place once racing wraps up on night one, and the HK luncheon will be on Saturday afternoon.
The popular Louie Vermeil Classic is currently in search of a 2022 location as Calistoga Speedway continues to be mired in a collection of bureaucratic issues involving the fairground property. When a new venue is found for the Labor Day Weekend (September 3-4) tradition, details will be announced.
Speedweek Finds a New Home
The Fastest Four Days in Motorsports returns in 2022 but with a change of scenery. For the first time since 2012, the series will travel to the Pacific Northwest for four straight nights of racing in both Oregon and Washington on Memorial Day Weekend.
The action will begin on Thursday, May 26th at Southern Oregon Speedway. The next night takes the teams up to Willamette Speedway on Friday, May 27th. A double header at Elma, Washington’s Grays Harbor Raceway on Saturday and Sunday will punctuate the four-day blitz on May 28th and 29th. Each race pays $5000 to win and there will be a special bonus for any driver and team who can sweep all four shows.
Dirt Cup
The Fastest Four Days in Motorsports won’t be the only trip north in 2022.
NARC is set to support the 50th edition of the Jim Raper Memorial Dirt Cup at Washington’s Skagit Speedway. The three-night event is slated for June 23rd, 24th and 25th with the finale awarding a whopping $50,000 to the winner. The purse for the Saturday main event also exceeds $160,000.
The Dirt Cup will also be preceded by a pair of events the previous weekend. Chico’s Silver Dollar Speedway will begin The Road to Dirt Cup on Friday, June 17th, and the next night, June 18th, it’s back up to Oregon for the "Battle at The Bullring" hosted by Cottage Grove Speedway.
California Mainstays
The racing tradition of California runs deep, and a few events continuing through their fourth decade of existence occupy a trio of dates on the schedule.
A single weekend in June will feature two coveted staples of the left-coast racing circuit. On Friday, June 10th Ocean Speedway will be the site of the 36th annual Pombo-Sargent Classic. Then the series will head from the coast to the Sierra Nevada foothills on Saturday, June 11th where Placerville Speedway will host the 31st Dave Bradway Jr. Memorial Race.
The series also will visit Petaluma Speedway and the Dirt Track at Kern County Raceway this season.
The season finale will be another historic event with the 39th annual Tribute to Gary Patterson capping the year on November 5th at The Stockton Dirt Track.
New but Notable
A few events are still in their infant stages but will continue to cement their spots as must-see, yearly races in 2022.
The second edition of the Anthony Simone Classic will be held at Keller Auto Speedway on April 9th and again pay $10,000 to the winner. It will also showcase a NARC wingless event for anyone who may want to demonstrate their versatility.
Hanford will also host the third annual Morrie Williams Memorial on October 15th that will conclude with a pair of 20-lap NARC features, the second being lined up on a complete invert of the first’s finish. This lucrative event continues to grow in stature and popularity every year.
To celebrate one of the most successful sprint car owners of California, the first ever Dennis Roth Classic will take place at the Thunderbowl Raceway on October 8th. Fittingly, the feature will pay $8,300 to win and $830 to start to commemorate his famous number 83 race cars.
April Can’t Come Soon Enough
The heavy schedule should help create another memorable season for the historic sanctioning body as the 2022 calendar inches toward that of the series heyday in the 1990s.
Throw in a crop of the West Coast’s best drivers, and each and every night on the 27-race calendar is sure to be can’t miss as those gassers aim to cement their place in history with a NARC championship.
Schedules can be downloaded, and additional information can be found at NARC410.com. For more information, call 714-397-7417.
A separate announcement on series sponsors and the championship point fund will be released in the weeks to come.
If you can’t make it to any of the races during the 2022 campaign, catch them all live on Floracing.com!
NARC FUJITSU GENERAL USA SPRINT CARS 2022 SCHEDULE
April 2: The Stockton Dirt Track (Stockton, CA) – The Duel at The Dirt Track w/ Pit Crew Competition
April 9: Keller Auto Speedway (Hanford, CA) – Anthony Simone Classic
April 30: Silver Dollar Speedway (Chico, CA) – David Tarter Memorial
May 13: Thunderbowl Raceway w/SCCT (Tulare, CA) – Peter Murphy Classic Night One
May 14: Keller Auto Speedway w/SCCT (Hanford, CA) – Peter Murphy Classic Night Two
May 21: Petaluma Speedway (Petaluma, CA) – Salute to First Responders
May 26: Southern Oregon Speedway (Central Point, OR) – Fastest Four Days in Motorsports
May 27: Willamette Speedway (Lebanon, OR) – Fastest Four Days in Motorsports
May 28: Grays Harbor Raceway (Elma, WA) – Fastest Four Days in Motorsports
May 29: Grays Harbor Raceway (Elma, WA) – Fastest Four Days in Motorsports
June 10: Ocean Speedway (Watsonville, CA) – 36th Annual Pombo-Sargent Classic
June 11: Placerville Speedway w/SCCT (Placerville, CA) – 31st Annual Dave Bradway Jr. Memorial Race
June 17: Silver Dollar Speedway (Chico, CA) – The Road to Dirt Cup
June 18: Cottage Grove Speedway (Cottage Grove, OR) – The Battle at the Bullring
June 23: Skagit Speedway (Burlington, WA) – 50th Annual Jim Raper Dirt Cup
June 24: Skagit Speedway (Burlington, WA) – 50th Annual Jim Raper Dirt Cup
June 25: Skagit Speedway (Burlington, WA) – $50,000 to win 50th Annual Jim Raper Dirt Cup Finale
July 9: Petaluma Speedway (Petaluma, CA) – Salute to Baylands Raceway Park
July 16: Ocean Speedway (Watsonville, CA) – 12th Annual Howard Kaeding Classic
July 23: The Stockton Dirt Track (Stockton, CA) – Salute to LeRoy Van Conett
August 27: The Stockton Dirt Track (Stockton, CA) – Champions Classic
September 3 - Louie Vermeil Classic w/USAC-CRA - Track To be Announced
September 4 - Louie Vermeil Classic w/USAC-CRA - Track to be Announced
October 8: Keller Auto Speedway w/SCCT (Hanford, CA) – Morrie Williams Memorial (Twin 20-lap Features)
October 15: Thunderbowl Raceway (Tulare, CA) – Dennis Roth Classic
October 29: The Dirt Track at Kern County Raceway Park (Bakersfield, CA) – Sprint Car Showdown
November 5: The Stockton Dirt Track w/SCCT (Stockton, CA) – 39th Annual Tribute to Gary Patterson
CHAMPIONSHIP AWARDS CELEBRATION: November 6: Brookside Country Club (Stockton, CA)
NARC KING OF THE WEST FUJITSU GENERAL SPRINT CARS 2021 SEASON REVIEW
December 10, 2021
Jim Allen(12/9/2021 – Alex Nieten) Sacramento, CA… After the disappointment of 2020’s pandemic shortened season, the NARC King of the West Fujitsu General USA Sprint Cars resurged in 2021 with a 21-race schedule that was punctuated with the crowning of a new champion.
The first quarter of the campaign offered a good indicator of how the year would ultimately play out.
The four who would prove to be the strongest competitors of the full-time roster all delivered strong starts to the season. D.J. Netto began his title defense by dominating the season opener at The Stockton Dirt Track and followed it with top-10s in the next four races.
Dominic Scelzi scored the year’s second event by claiming the Peter Murphy Classic and the $11,000 check that went with it. Outside of a DNF at Ocean Speedway, Scelzi finished no worse than fifth in the opening five events and picked up his second victory at the Dave Bradway Jr. Memorial Race.
Though he didn’t win a race in the opening fourth of the season, Bud Kaeding’s consistency led him to the best overall start of any driver. Through five races the 2017 series champion had tallied a pair of podiums, four top-fives and an average finish of fourth.
Bud’s brother, Tim Kaeding started the year with four consecutive top-10s including a win in Ocean Speedway’s Pombo-Sargent Classic, his 70th career NARC victory. TK’s win made it so a “Kaeding” owns a win in all five decades of the Pombo-Sargent Classic’s history.
DJ Netto (88N) and Tim Kaeding finished the season second and third, respectively, in the final NARC King of the West standings. Photo by Donna PeterAs July’s four races unfolded those same four drivers continued to jockey at the top of the point standings.
Bud Kaeding went from unshakeable consistency to feast or famine in the next four races with finishes of 3rd, 18th, 6th, and 17th. Tim Kaeding picked up another win at Petaluma Speedway but followed it with a DNF the next weekend in Watsonville. The two-time series champ recovered during the following week’s double header at Tulare and Santa Maria with two top-10s which would kickstart what became his best stretch of the season. Netto collected a trio of top-10s but had to settle for 13th in Watsonville after an incident. Scelzi also had issues at Ocean Speedway but bounced back the next week with a win at Tulare, the start of a historic podium streak for the Fresno racer.
Over that same stretch of races, Sean Becker earned his first NARC victory in seven years by taking the checkered flag at the Howard Kaeding Classic. The month’s final event at Santa Maria Raceway saw Billy Aton snag his first career series victory.
The Fastest Four Days in Motorsports ushered in the second half of the campaign and began with the new pairing of Justin Sanders and Paul Silva in the Works Limited No. 57 winning at Merced Speedway. The next night Mitchell Faccinto earned his first series victory since 2018 at Ocean Speedway, and Dominic Scelzi and Justin Sanders capped the Speedweek with triumphs at Stockton and Petaluma. Scelzi earned the points title for the FFDM with podiums each night, stretching his top-three streak to six and widening his points lead. Colby Copeland, in the Vanlare machine with help from Larry Antaya, came home second in the FFDM standings by finishing no worse than 8th in any race.
Scelzi and Sanders split the two nights of the Louie Vermeil Classic, making it four wins in a row for the duo. Scelzi’s 3rd place result on night two brought his podium streak to eight in a row as he continued to near his first title. Meanwhile, Tim Kaeding earned his 7th & 8th straight top-10s at The Louie as he continued to climb toward the battle for runner-up in points while Netto and Bud Kaeding struggled with incidents.
Justin Sanders was a dominate force in the middle of the season after teaming up with Paul Silva in the Works Unlimited #57. Photo by Donna PeterSeptember concluded with 15-year-old Corey Day earning his first series victory at the same track his father, Ronnie Day, scored his final one, Hanford’s Keller Auto Speedway. Scelzi’s podium run was snapped but only by a single spot as he finished fourth.
October opened with the twin-20 lap features at the Morrie Williams Memorial in Hanford where Scelzi earned his career-best sixth win of the year. The second main event produced a first-time winner as Mitchel Moles wheeled the Roth Motorsports machine from 11th to the front. Tim Kaeding stretched his top-10 roll to 11 straight with an 8th and a 3rd in the pair of features.
A few weeks later the series made their third consecutive trip to Keller Auto Speedway for the first ever Anthony Simone Classic. Shane Golobic took his first trip to victory lane of the season after a mid-race pass on Sean Becker to claim the $10,000 prize. Following the A-main, a handful of drivers took their wings off to compete in a special race honoring the versatile Anthony Simone. The recently crowned All-Star Circuit of Champions titlist, Tyler Courtney, came out on top after the 15-laps to become the first NARC non-wing winner since 1985.
The next night at The Dirt Track at Kern County Raceway Park, Scelzi and Sanders resumed their dominance of the year’s second half by finishing one-two with Sanders collecting his fifth checkered flag of 2021 and fourth in eleven starts in the No. 57.
The season concluded with Corey Day becoming the first driver since Gio Scelzi in 2017 to earn their first and second career NARC wins in the same season by claiming the 38th Annual Tribute to Gary Patterson at The Stockton Dirt Track. Dominic Scelzi wrapped up the championship by merely completing his qualifying run as he had built such a large points lead that he only needed to earn show-up points the final night to clinch his first title. Scelzi became the 28th different champion in NARC history.
D.J. Netto passed Sean Becker with only two laps to go in the season finale to give himself a one-point advantage over Tim Kaeding and claim second in points. TK took third while Bud Kaeding and Sean Becker completed the top-five in the standings. Billy Aton finished sixth and earned Rookie of the Year honors. Sean Watts, Justin Sanders, Shane Golobic and Joel Myers Jr. rounded out the top-10.
Overall, the season saw 10 different winners over the 21 Fujitsu Features. Dominic Scelzi tallied the most victories with six while Justin Sanders settled for second with five. Tim Kaeding and Corey Day earned a pair of wins apiece, and six drivers claimed a single triumph. 2021 produced three first-time series winners, the most since four in 2017.
Justin Sanders topped the Hoosier Tire Laps Led category by pacing a whopping 138 circuits. Eleven different drivers earned ARP Fast Time honors over the course of the year with Sanders and D.J. Netto tying for the most with three apiece. Dominic Scelzi won the most Brown and Miller Racing Solutions Heat Races with seven. Scelzi and Sanders each collected 36 pounds of bacon with their series-leading four victories in the Sunnyvalley Bacon Trophy Dash. Billy Aton drove by 104 cars in feature competition to top the Swift Metal Finishing Most Cars Passed category.
2021 NARC KING OF THE WEST FUJITSU GENERAL RACING SERIES RACE RESULTSMarch 20 – The Stockton Dirt Track – Salute to LeRoy Van Conett – (DJ Netto, Netto Ag 88N)
May 15 – Tulare Thunderbowl Raceway – Peter Murphy Classic – (Dominic Scelzi, Scelzi Enterprises 41)
May 22 – Petaluma Speedway – Salute To First Responders – (Justin Sanders, Antaya Motorports 16A)
June 11 – Ocean Speedway – 35th Annual Pombo-Sargent Classic – (Tim Kaeding, Bates/Hamilton 42x)
June 12 – Placerville Speedway w/SCCT – 30th Annual Dave Bradway Jr. Race – (Dominic Scelzi, Scelzi Enterprises 41)
July 10 – Petaluma Speedway – Salute to Baylands Raceway Park (Tim Kaeding, Bates/Hamilton 42x)
July 17 – Ocean Speedway – 11th Annual Howard Kaeding Classic (Sean Becker, David Vertullo 83V)
July 23 – Tulare Thunderbowl Raceway – Chris & Brian Faria Memorial (Dominic Scelzi, Scelzi Enterprises 41)
July 24 – Santa Maria Raceway – Winged Madness (Billy Aton, Aton 26)
“Fastest FOUR Days in Motorsports”
August 26 – Merced Speedway – Thursday Night Thunder (Justin Sanders, Works Limited 57)
August 27 – Ocean Speedway – Friday Night Showdown (Mitchell Faccinto, Greenberg 37)
August 28 – The Stockton Dirt Track – Champions Classic (Dominic Scelzi, Scelzi Enterprises 41)
August 29 – Petaluma Speedway – The Four Day Finale (Justin Sanders, Works Limited 57)September 4 – Silver Dollar Speedway (Chico) w/USAC-CRA – Louie Vermeil Classic (Dominic Scelzi, Scelzi Enterprises 41)
September 5 – Silver Dollar Speedway (Chico) w/USAC-CRA – Louie Vermeil Classic (Justin Sanders, Works Limited 57)
September 25 – Keller Auto Speedway (Hanford) – Jim Turner Memorial (Corey Day, Meyers Construction 14)
October 9 – Keller Auto Speedway (Hanford) – Morrie Williams Legends Tribute – Twin 20’s (Dominic Scelzi, Scelzi Enterprises 41 & Mitchel Moles, Roth Motorsports 83JR)
October 29 – Keller Auto Speedway (Hanford) – $10,000 to win Anthony Simone Classic (Shane Golobic, Matt Wood Racing 41 & (non-wing) Tyler Courtney, Roth Motorsports 83JR)
October 30 – The Dirt Track at Kern Country Raceway Park (Justin Sanders, Works Unlimited 57)
November 6 – The Stockton Dirt Track w/SCCT – 38th Annual Tribute to Gary Patterson (Corey Day, Meyers Construction 14)
NARC ANNOUNCES NEW HOOSIER TIRE RULE FOR 2022
December 9, 2021 Jim Allen
(12/10/21) Sacramento, CA … In the continuing effort to unify basic sprint car rules on the West Coast and nationally, the Northern Auto Racing Club (NARC) and Hoosier Racing Tires announced a new tire rule for the 2022 season.
Beginning with the April 2nd NARC King of the West 410 season opener at the Stockton Dirt Track, sprint car teams will be allowed to run the Hoosier H15 right rear & H12 left rear tire. This move now mirrors the World of Outlaws rulebook.
The NARC series has implemented the Hoosier HTW right rear and RD12 left tire rule for several seasons. Race teams will now have until June 1, 2022, to burn off any existing HTW/RD inventory. At that point, the H15 and H12 tires will become mandatory.
“With supply chain issues, the timing was perfect for such a rule change and allows local teams to support other racing series when they visit California,” said Neal Cowman, Hoosier Tire’s Oval Dirt Track Business Unit Manager.
Winged sprint car series such as the Sprint Car Challenge 360 Tour and the Kings of Thunder, along with local dirt tracks on the schedule are also planning to adopt the same tire rule.
For additional information regarding Hoosier Racing Tire and technical questions please contact Hoosier Tire West at Hoosier Tire West, 2608 E. California, Fresno, CA 93721. The phone number is 559-485-4612
The 2022 NARC sprint car schedule will be released shortly. For more information, go to www.NARC410, or call 714-397-7417.
DAY DOMINATES TRIBUTE TO GP FINALE, SCELZI SEALS TITLE AT STOCKTON
(11/6/2021 – Alex Nieten) Stockton, CA… Nothing could stop Corey Day Saturday night at the 38th Annual Tribute to Gary Patterson hosted by the Stockton Dirt Track.
The 15-year-old led from flag to flag en route to his second career NARC-King of the West Fujitsu Sprint Car victory aboard the Meyers Constructors No. 14.
The victory completed a hot streak to end Day’s season. Some bad luck forced to ascending star to wait until his ninth series start before earning his first top-10, but Day hasn’t missed the top-10 in the four starts since earning his first, including the pair of wins.
Though nothing tops the significance of a first win, the Stockton triumph held an important layer that was absent from Day’s inaugural victory relating to his car’s owner.
“This feels great,” Day said in victory lane. “Jason (Meyers) wasn’t even there for the first one at Hanford, so I’m glad he could be here for this one.”
Courtesy of claiming the Sunnyvalley Bacon Dash, Day led the field to green with the defending series champion, D.J. Netto, to his outside. Netto got the initial jump, but an incident between Rico Abreu and Tim Kaeding before the first lap had been completed that left Kaeding spun in turn two brought the field back together for a complete restart.
Day would not be denied on the restart, darting ahead of Netto and setting sail in the early stages. Back behind the leaders, Tim Kaeding, who was wheeling a Steve Kinser Quaker State No. 11 tribute paint scheme for Bates Hamilton Motorsports, began a furious charge from the tail after his opening lap mishap. Just a few laps after the restart, TK entered the top-10.
The race’s first red flag flew on lap five for Richard Brace Jr. who tipped over in turn three. Brace Jr. was unharmed.
Racing was quickly halted again on the restart for Mitchel Moles who slowed in turn two. The caution flying before another lap was complete necessitated a single file restart with 26 to go.
Again, Day quickly jumped out to a strong advantage when racing resumed as Shane Golobic, Netto and Dominic Scelzi battled for the runner-up spot. Netto slipped off the track on the backstretch, allowing Golobic and Scelzi by, and the trio would settle in that order for a bit.
The green flag run saw Day forced to negotiate slower cars for the first time of the race. Knowing how fast his machine was, the teenager wasn’t concerned navigating lapped traffic. In fact, he knew it would probably play to his advantage.
“We were just really good, so we could get around lapped cars pretty good,” Day explained. “I was hoping I could get around some lapped cars and have a buffer between me and D.J. (Netto) or Shane (Golobic) or whoever was in second.”
Slicing through the slower cars worked exactly as Day had hoped until the race’s second red flag came out on lap 12. While running second, Shane Golobic flipped wildly in turn three, collecting Dominic Scelzi and Justin Sanders and ending the trio’s night. All three were okay.
Following the red flag, Day led a few new names who had joined the top-5 after the accident wiped out three of the top competitors. Among those nearing the top of the leaderboard was Tim Kaeding who slotted into fourth on the restart, continuing his climb from the lap one spin.
The 30-lap Fujitsu Feature’s final yellow flag flew with 12 to go when Geoffrey Strole slowed in turn three.
While Day made the race for the lead anti-climactic by pulling away from Rico Abreu in the latter stages, drama developed when Netto again got tripped up on the backstretch, dropping him to fifth and moving Tim Kaeding up to third. Netto came in two markers ahead of TK in the battle for second in points, and Kaeding owned the tie breaker based on wins.
Netto maintained composure after his error, and with just two laps remaining threw a slider on Sean Becker to claim fourth, enough to earn him second in the standings just one point ahead of Kaeding.
Day ultimately held on to win comfortably over Abreu, the only challenge to his triumph coming in the form of his machine’s amount of methanol.
“We started to run out of fuel there with about four to go,” Day revealed. “So, I had to drop down to the bottom and go through the rubber there, so I’m glad it didn’t run completely out of fuel and we were able to seal the deal.”
Rico Abreu held on for second in his Rowdy Energy No. 24. Abreu claimed the runner-up spot back in the season opener at Stockton and capped the year at the same track in the same position.
“Restarts is really where I kind of exceled on picking guys off,” Abreu said. “My car was a little bit free, and the cushion had some whoops and ruts that really upset my car. The race went on and I started searching and didn’t want to be the guy last in line when it laid rubber.”
Tim Kaeding completed his impressive rally to finish third in the Steve Kinser tribute car.
“On the initial start I got tight and Rico got into me a little bit there. It was a racing deal, no hard feelings,” Kaeding said. “It was an honor to drive for Steve (Kinser) at one point and to be able to drive this car and come from the back to the front.”
Though his night ended in a DNF, Dominic Scelzi had such a wide point lead that he only needed to show up and make a qualifying lap to lock up his first series title. Scelzi occupied the winner’s circle at night’s end in front of his damaged machine as the newest NARC-KWS champion.
“Dammit, I wasn’t going to get emotional,” a choked up Scelzi said. “You look at all the names that have won this thing, Brent Kaeding, Jonathan Allard, Tim Kaeding, Bud Kaeding, Ronnie Day. I mean there’s so many amazing champions of this series that this has just been a pipe dream for me for a long time. This caps off this whole season as the most amazing year of my life.”
FUJITSU GENERAL USA FEATURE (30 laps): 1. Corey Day 14 2. Rico Abreu 24 3. Tim Kaeding 11 4. D.J. Netto 88N 5. Sean Becker 83V 6. Joel Myers Jr. 46JR 7. Austin McCarl 88 8. Ryan Bernal 21 9. Willie Croft 29 10. Ryan Robinson 56 11. Billy Aton 26 12. Bud Kaeding 69 13. Sean Watts 98 14. Blake Carrick 38B 15. Tim Estenson 14T 16. Geoffrey Strole 09S 17. Shane Golobic 17W 18. Dominic Scelzi 41 19. Justin Sanders 57 20. Mitchel Moles 83 21. Richard Brace Jr. 2R
HOOSIER TIRE LAP LEADERS: Day 1-30
SWIFT METAL FINISHING HARDCHARGER: Ryan Robinson 19th to 10thARP FAST QUALIFIER (21 cars): Corey Day 14.203
BROWN AND MILLER RACING SOLUTIONS HEAT ONE (8 laps): Myers Jr., Golobic, Day, Becker, Watts, Robinson, Estenson
FUJITSU GENERAL USA HEAT TWO (8 laps): T. Kaeding, Sanders, McCarl, Bernal, Moles, Croft, Brace Jr.
FLORACING.COM HEAT THREE (8 laps): Abreu, Scelzi, Netto, Carrick, B. Kaeding, Aton, Strole
SUNNYVALLEY “POWERED BY BACON” TROPHY DASH (6 laps): Day, Netto, Scelzi, Golobic, Myers Jr., T. Kaeding
NARC-KING OF THE WEST CAMPAIGN CONCLUDES SATURDAY AT STOCKON WITH TRIBUTE TO GP
(11/1/21) Sacramento, CA ... The NARC-King of the West Fujitsu Sprint Cars are set for a strong send off with the popular Tribute to Gary Patterson at the Stockton Dirt Track slated to wrap up the 2021 season this Saturday, November 6th.
The event salutes one of the most legendary figures in the history of West Coast sprint car racing, Gary “The Preacher” Patterson. The National Sprint Car Hall of Famer made countless trips to various victory lanes until he sadly lost his life in an accident in 1983 at one of his favorite tracks, Calistoga Speedway.
A powerful field of drivers hungry to close out 2021 with a win are set to honor the late Patterson with what promises to be a fantastic finale at Stockton’s speedy three-eighths mile.
The NARC-King of the West 410 sprint cars will be joined by the Sprint Car Challenge Tour 360 Sprint Cars, who will also be completing their final points event of the season.
Saturday’s finale will be the 20th event of 2021 completing a resurgent year after pandemic regulations limited the series to only four trips to a racetrack in 2020.
Arguably sprint car racing’s greatest wheelman ever, Steve Kinser, will be in attendance signing autographs for fans on Saturday night.
Dominic Scelzi has all but locked up the title heading into Saturday. The championship will be his first and a fitting conclusion to a dominant season. The Fresno native has already collected six series victories, 13 podiums and 16 top-fives, leading the series in each category. Even though all the No. 41 team has to do is show up this weekend, Scelzi still hopes to add one more win to his tally at a track where he already owns a trio of NARC-King of the West wins including one recently in August.
The battle for second in the standings continues to be a tight three-car battle between former series champions San Jose's Tim Kaeding, DJ Netto of Hanford and Campbell's Bud Kaeding.
Netto currently holds the position by a slim margin and may be the favorite to take home the runner-up spot. The 2019 series champ claimed the season opener at Stockton back in March and has only missed the podium once in his last eight starts at the central valley speedway.
Two-time series champ, Tim Kaeding, won’t let Netto grab the spot easily. In TK’s last six KWS starts at Stockton, he’s snagged a pair of victories, four podiums and hasn’t finished worse than eighth.
Tim’s brother, Bud, still has a mathematical shot at second and is a recent series winner at Stockton (August 2019), but his competitors may have to have some bad luck for him to climb to the runner-up spot.
Justin Sanders is expected to compete in search of tying Dominic Scelzi for the most Fujitsu Feature event wins on the year at six. The Aromas, CA native has claimed four of the ten NARC-King of the West events he’s competed in since joining forces with Paul Silva in August to pilot the Works Limited No. 57. Sanders scored at Stockton in last year’s Tribute to GP in Larry Antaya’s 16A.
Other expected entrants include Iowa's Austin McCarl, Shane Golobic of Elk Grove, Roseville's Sean Becker, Billy Aton of Benicia, Clovis driver Sean Watts and more.
The NARC-King of the West Hoosier Tire format will feature ARP Fast Time Qualifying, Brown and Miller Racing Solutions 8-lap Heat Races, a 6-lap Sunnyvalley Bacon Trophy Dash, a Kaeding Performance Semi if necessary and the Fujitsu 30-lap Feature.
General Admission tickets for Saturday at Stockton will be $35 with kids ages 5-12, seniors ages 65+ and military (ID required) will be admitted for just $25. Kids 4 and under are free. Pit passes are priced at $40. The pit gates are set to open at 1:00 P.M. with the main gate to follow at 3 P.M. Racing is slated to begin at 6:00 P.M. Tickets can be purchased at the gate or online by visiting: stocktondirttrack.com.
The Tribute to Gary Patterson can also be viewed live on floracing.com as well as the entire NARC-KWS Fujitsu Sprint car schedule.
NARC King of the West Fujitsu 410 Sprint Car Series Championship Points Standings (After 19 events in 20-race series 11/1/2021)
Dominic Scelzi, Fresno - 2131 DJ Netto, Hanford - 2052 Tim Kaeding, San Jose - 2050 Bud Kaeding, Campbell - 2041 Sean Becker, Roseville - 2004 Billy Aton, Benicia (R) - 1973 Sean Watts, Clovis - 1923 Justin Sanders, Aromas - 1839 Shane Golobic, Elk Grove - 1659 Joel Myers Jr, Sebastopol (R) - 1438 Geoffrey Strole, Hanford (R) - 1345 Mitchell Faccinto, Hanford - 1237 Corey Day, Salinas (R) - 1232 Austin McCarl, Altoona, Iowa - 1141 Jessie Attard, Sydney, AUS (R) - 1092 Mitchel Moles, Raisin City - 1100 Willie Croft, Colfax - 954 Blake Carrick, Lincoln - 937 Ryan Robinson, Foresthill (R) - 937 Rico Abreu, Rutherford - 865
The King of the West-NARC Fujitsu General USA Racing Series is also sponsored by Hoosier Racing Tires. Associate and product award sponsors include Automotive Racing Products (ARP), Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, Bullet Impressions, FloRacing.com, Johnstone Supply, Kaeding Performance Center, KSE Racing Products, Maxim, PAC Racing Springs, Pyrotect, Racing Optics, Saldana Racing Products, Schoenfeld Headers, SCI Racing Products, Swift Metal Finishing, Sunnyvalley Bacon, System 1 Ignition, Ultra Light Brakes, Wilwood Disc Brakes, and Winters Performance Products.
SOCIAL MEDIA INFORMATION Website: www.NARC410.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/kingofthewestsprints Facebook (history page): www.facebook.com/NARCsprintcars Twitter: https://twitter.com/NARC410 Instagram: www.instagram.com/narc410 YouTube: NARC410 Live Stream PPV: Floracing.com
Upcoming Events: November 7 - Championship Celebration - Brookside Country Club, Stockton, CA
CLASH OF THE TITANS: SANDERS WINS WAR OF CALIFORNIA’S BEST AT KERN COUNTY
Bakersfield, CA… On Saturday night at The Dirt Track at Kern County Raceway Park the old saying “the cream always rises to the top” applied perfectly.
Heading into the penultimate event of the NARC-King of the West Fujitsu Sprint Car season, the Golden State trio of Justin Sanders, Dominic Scelzi and Shane Golobic owned a combined 49 sprint car wins in 2021. When the checkered flag waved, the number had grown to 50 courtesy of Justin Sanders topping Scelzi and Golobic in the 30-lap main event.
The triumph marked Sanders’ fifth NARC Fujitsu Feature win of the year and fourth since climbing aboard the Works Limited/Finley Farms No. 57.
“I’m really happy to get this win,” a smiling Sanders said in the winner’s circle. “It’s been like a month and a half since we won a race, so it’s nice to get this win for Works Limited, Paul Silva, Hayden and everybody that puts all this work into this car. They’re not stopping.”
Sanders and Washington’s JJ Hickle brought the field to green, and Sanders quickly darted out to an early advantage. As Sanders set the pace with Hickle in tow Dominic Scelzi and Corey Day battled for third. The pair of 41 cars traded the spot a couple times and began to gain on Hickle.
Scelzi capitalized on Hickle slowing Day on the low side and powered by both on the top. Hickle briefly grabbed the position back, but Scelzi once again claimed the runner-up spot just before the race’s first and only yellow flag flew for a spun Ryan Timms on lap 10.
Once racing resumed it only took a single lap for Shane Golobic to surge into third in his NOS Energy Drink/Elk Grove Ford No. 17W. Golobic then set his sights on the intensifying battle for the lead in front of him as Scelzi ripped the top to gain on Sanders who was running lower on the track.
Just as it appeared Scelzi may snatch the top spot shortly before the halfway point, the tactical Sanders moved to the high side, forcing Scelzi to search elsewhere.
“I saw him up there on that restart,” Sanders explained. “I caught him out of the corner of my eye, so I moved up.”
Sanders’ decision paid off as he began to build a lead over Scelzi and Golobic until lapped traffic came into play.
Scelzi mounted a late charge in his Red Rose Transportations/Whipple Superchargers No. 41 as the two most winningest sprint car racers in the country sliced through slower cars. With just five laps remaining, Scelzi utilized a run out of turn four to slide Sanders in turn one. Not one to be rattled, Sanders turned down the banking and roared back into the lead on the backstretch.
“I was just trying to go where the lapped cars weren’t,” Sanders said of the late race duel. “And I think I maybe slowed up for a lap or two and Dominic was able to get a run. I couldn’t let that happen again, so I just stepped it up as hard as I could and drove the wheels off it.”
After Sanders’ successful crossover, Scelzi hung near the tail tank of the 57 but couldn’t gather enough momentum to take another swing at the lead.
The checkered flag flew, and Sanders collected his 11th career NARC-KWS win and 21st overall sprint car victory of 2021, tying Scelzi for the nation’s most.
“When they get this thing right and I’m driving the way I’m supposed to, it’s a really fast combination, so hopefully we can keep it going,” Sanders said.
Scelzi hung on for second to notch his series leading 13th podium of the year and all but clinched his first series title. The No. 41 team just has to roll into the pit area next Saturday at Stockton to earn the show-up points that will be enough to lock up the championship.
“It’s been a very humbling year,” Scelzi said after the race. “I’m so thankful for Jimmy, Garrett, Mike, Lucas and Todd, everybody that makes this 41 go. It’s been a dream season. I’m so thankful for it.”
The previous night’s Anthony Simone Classic victor, Shane Golobic, rounded out the podium, his eighth top-three result of the year.
“My NOS Energy Drink car was good again,” Golobic said. “It was a good weekend, can’t complain too much, but I really would’ve liked to have won tonight. I think maybe if we could’ve started out front, these two would’ve been chasing us and it would’ve been kind of a similar outcome.”
Completing the top-10 was Corey Day, Bud Kaeding, JJ Hickle, Rico Abreu, DJ Netto, Tyler Courtney and Sean Becker.
The NARC-King of the West Fujitsu Sprint Cars can next been seen in action Saturday November 6th for the season finale at Stockton Dirt Track. The race can also be viewed live on floracing.com.
FUJITSU GENERAL USA FEATURE (30 laps): 1. Justin Sanders 57 2. Dominic Scelzi 41S 3. Shane Golobic 17W 4. Corey Day 41 5. Bud Kaeding 69 6. JJ Hickle 63 7. Rico Abreu 24 8. DJ Netto 88N 9. Tyler Courtney 83 10. Sean Becker 83V 11. Tim Kaeding 42X 12. Joel Myers Jr. 46JR. 13. Austin McCarl 88 14. Bill Balog 7 15. Billy Aton 26 16. Sean Watts 98 17. Tim Estenson 14T 18. Ryan Timms 5T 19. Geoffrey Strole 09S 20. Ryan Bernal 21 HOOSIER TIRE LAP LEADERS: Sanders 1-30 SWIFT METAL FINISHING HARDCHARGER: Tyler Courtney 14th to 9th
ARP FAST QUALIFIER (20 cars): Justin Sanders 12.339 BROWN AND MILLER RACING SOLUTIONS HEAT ONE (8 laps): Golobic, B. Kaeding, Sanders, Abreu, Courtney, Bernal, Watts FUJITSU GENERAL USA HEAT TWO (8 laps): Timms, Day, Hickle, Becker, Myers Jr., Estenson, Strole FLORACING.COM HEAT THREE (8 laps): Netto, McCarl, Scelzi, T. Kaeding, Balog, Aton SUNNYVALLEY “POWERED BY BACON” TROPHY DASH (6 laps): Sanders, Hickle, Day, Scelzi, Golobic, B. Kaeding
SECOND NO MORE: GOLOBIC CAPTURES $10,000 ANTHONY SIMONE CLASSIC
(10/29/2021 – Alex Nieten) Hanford, CA… Though he prides himself on being one of sprint car racing’s most consistent drivers, Shane Golobic doesn’t come to the racetrack to run second.
Heading into Friday night’s Anthony Simone Classic at Hanford’s Keller Auto Speedway, Golobic had finished in the runner-up spot five times in 410-competition since his last 410 win in November of 2019 with the NARC-King of the West Fujitsu Sprint Cars.
The Fremont native appeared headed for yet another second-place result at the Kings County track, but a determined Golobic refused to settle and earned both his 13th career victory and 50th career podium with NARC-King of the West in the Anthony Simone Classic.
“It’s pretty cool to win in honor of Anthony,” Golobic said in victory lane. “I didn’t have the chance to be really good buddies with him, but anytime we parked near him in the pit area he was nothing but cool to me. I always remember him as one of the coolest, most unique guys in the pits. It really means a lot to get this win in honor of him.”
The 30-lap Fujitsu Feature kicked off with Sean Becker on pole and Golobic to his outside. Becker paced the field early in his Starr Property Management/Morrison Concrete No. 83V on a hooked-up Hanford surface as Golobic and Bud Kaeding loomed behind him.
The leaders hammered around the tacky bottom groove and quickly approached traffic, but the yellow flag flew just as the front of the field was about to enter slower cars as Sean Watts stopped on the back stretch.
When racing resumed hometown hero DJ Netto ripped around Kaeding to climb onto the podium but then got out of shape on the next circuit, dropping him to sixth. Shortly after Netto’s mishap the caution came out again, this time for a stopped Justin Sanders in turn three.
The ensuing restart saw Golobic briefly take the lead from Becker, but the pass was negated by the reg flag coming out for a vicious flip in turn one from Michael Faccinto. Faccinto climbed from the car uninjured. The wreck prompted an open red as officials wanted teams to have to opportunity to adjust on their cars for safety purposes considering the lightning-fast track conditions.
Becker learned from the previous start and didn’t allow Golobic to grab the top spot on the restart. Golobic, piloting the NOS Energy Drink/Elk Grove Ford No. 17W hung right with Becker as the pair again neared the tail of the field.
Just as it appeared Becker would get some breathing room when Golobic bobbled out of turn two, Becker went a little too high in turn four on lap 13, allowing Golobic to slip by for the lead, one he would not relinquish.
“That front row starting spot was huge,” Golobic said of what helped him get the lead. “I didn’t get a very good start. Sean (Becker) actually got a really good launch on the outside there at the beginning, so I knew it was going to come down to traffic, and luckily he made a mistake in traffic and I was able to sneak by.”
After taking over the lead, Golobic didn’t let up. He built a comfortable advantage, picking off slower cars while Becker, Kaeding, Cory Eliason and Joel Myers Jr. all ran close together but stuck behind traffic.
Ultimately Golobic cruised to the victory with a huge lead and the $10,000 payday thanks to his expertise navigating the slower cars.
“Coming through lap traffic is huge on a racetrack like this,” Golobic said. “I had a couple close calls and obviously that’s how I was able to get Sean. It’s all about bouncing the right way and trying to position yourself as best as possible. Those guys that are racing back there are racing hard too.”
Cory Eliason climbed onto the podium on the final lap in his Rudeen Racing No. 26 after Bud Kaeding’s left-rear tire went down just short of the finish.
Completing the top-10 was Joel Myers Jr., DJ Netto, Tyler Courtney, Corey Day, Bud Kaeding, Kyle Hirst and Rico Abreu.
Tyler Courtney scored the special 15-lap non-wing feature to honor Anthony Simone that followed the winged main event to become the first NARC wingless winner since 1985.
FUJITSU GENERAL USA WINGED FEATURE (30 laps): 1. Shane Golobic 17W 2. Sean Becker 83V 3. Cory Eliason 26 4. Joel Myers Jr. 46JR 5. DJ Netto 88N 6. Tyler Courtney 83 7. Corey Day 14 8. Bud Kaeding 69 9. Kyle Hirst 0 10. Rico Abreu 24 11. Dominic Scelzi 41S 12. Keith Day Jr. 22 13. Ryan Bernal 21 14. Bill Balog 7 15. Billy Aton 26X 16. Sean Watts 98 17. Tim Estenson 14T 18. Austin McCarl 88 19. Justin Sanders 57 20. Ryan Timms 5T 21. Mauro Simone 10 22. JJ Hickle 63 23. Michael Faccinto 56 24. Blake Carrick 38B 25. Max Adams 42XL
HOOSIER TIRE LAP LEADERS: Becker 1-12, Golobic 13-30 SWIFT METAL FINISHING HARDCHARGER: Ryan Bernal 22nd to 13th
FUJITSU GENERAL USA "NON-WINGED" FEATURE (15 laps): 1. Tyler Courtney 83 2. Bill Balog 7 3. Ryan Bernal 21 4. Max Adams 42XL 5. Billy Aton 26X 6. Sean Becker 83V 7. Bud Kaeding 69 HOOSIER TIRE LAP LEADERS: Courtney 1-15
SUNNYVALLEY BACON TROPHY DASH (10-laps): Shane Golobic, Sean Becker, Bud Kaeding, DJ Netto, Joel Myers Jr., Tyler Courtney, Michael Faccinto, Cory Eliason, Justin Sanders, Corey Day.
BROWN AND MILLER RACING SOLUTIONS HEAT RACE ONE (6 laps): DJ Netto, Dominic Scelzi, Bud Kaeding, Sean Becker, Tim Estenson, Keith Day Jr., Ryan Timms
FUJITSU HEAT RACE TWO (6 laps): Justin Sanders, Sean Watts, Kyle Hirst, Joel Myers Jr., Billy Aton, Blake Carrick
FLORACING HEAT RACE THREE (6 laps): Austin McCarl, Cory Eliason, Tim Kaeding, Bill Balog, Shane Golobic, Mitchel Moles, JJ Hickle
KAEDING PERFORMANCE HEAT RACE FOUR (6 laps): Rico Abreu, Michael Faccinto, Tyler Courtney, Corey Day, Mauro Simone, Ryan Bernal, Max Adams
WILWOOD HEAT RACE FIVE (6 laps): Keith Day Jr., Sean Becker, Bud Kaeding, Tim Estenson, DJ Netto, Ryan Timms, Dominic Scelzi
PYROTECT HEAT RACE SIX (6 laps): Joel Myers Jr., Kyle Hirst, Blake Carrick, Justin Sanders, Sean Watts, Billy Aton
SCHOENFELD HEAT RACE SEVEN (6 laps): Shane Golobic, Cory Eliason, JJ Hickle, Bill Balog, Tim Kaeding, Austin McCarl, Mitchel Moles
SALDANA RACING PRODUCTS HEAT EIGHT (6 laps): Corey Day, Tyler Courtney, Michael Faccinto, Ryan Bernal, Max Adams, Mauro Simone, Rico Abreu
KAEDING PERFORMANCE LAST-CHANCE RACE (12-laps): JJ Hickle, Ryan Bernal, Billy Aton, Ryan Timms, Mauro Simone, Max Adams, Geoffrey Strole
HANFORD AND KCRP SET FOR NARC-KING OF THE WEST HALLOWEEN WEEKEND DOUBLE-HEADER
(October 25, 2021) Sacramento, CA ... The final double-header of the 2021 NARC-King of the West Fujitsu Sprint Car campaign is slated for this weekend as the West Coast’s premier 410 series heads to Hanford’s Keller Auto Speedway Friday October 29th then to the Dirt Track at Kern County Raceway Park the following night on October 30th.
Friday will mark the 18th event of the season while Saturday will be the penultimate series race with the finale slated for November 6th at Stockton Dirt Track.
Friday’s show at Keller Auto Speedway will be the Anthony Simone Classic and feature a hefty purse and a variety of unique twists in the format. The Fujitsu Feature will award $10,000 to the winner with the runner-up earning $5,000 and 3rd place will receive $3,000. The prize of $10,000 is to honor the late Anthony Simone who wheeled a No. 10 machine during his versatile career.
The Brown and Miller Racing Solutions Heat Races will be lined up straight up by qualifying times and be just five-laps in distance. The top-two finishers in each heat will transfer to the 10-car, 10-lap Sunnyvalley “Powered by Bacon” Dash. The lineup for the dash will be based on a complete inversion of the qualifying times from the 10 drivers who earned a spot.
After the 30-lap Fujitsu Feature, drivers will have the chance to compete in a 20-lap NARC sanctioned non-wing feature awarding $3,000 to the victor. This will be the first NARC non-winged feature since 1985.
Joining NARC-KWS at Hanford will be the USAC Western States Midgets and IMCA Stock Cars.
Saturday will be the highly anticipated return of NARC-King of the West to Kern County Raceway Park. The series hasn’t visited the Bakersfield bullring in more than two years since the October 5th, 2019 trip to KCRP. West Coast Sport Compacts will also be on the card at KCRP.
Two-time series champion, Tim Kaeding of San Jose, has been on a roll the past few months. His finishes of eighth and third two weeks ago in the Morrie Williams Memorial twin features gave him 11 straight top-10s, and the latter result marked his second podium in the last three races.
The current point leader, Dominic Scelzi, is coming off a 20th place result in the second Morrie Williams Memorial feature after winning the first. His win in the opener was his third series victory at Keller Auto Speedway, tied with Stockton for the most he owns at any one track. Scelzi is a two-time series winner at KCRP after sweeping the two appearances there in 2019.
Four-time series champion Kyle Hirst is still hunting his first series win of the year while competing on a part-time basis. Friday’s Anthony Simone Classic presents a good opportunity for Hirst to snag that win as he owns podium finishes at Hanford in half of his last dozen series starts there.
Hanford’s own DJ Netto continues to search for a hometown NARC win. Netto’s runner-up result from the opening feature of the Morrie Williams Memorial marked his third career NARC-KWS runner-up result at Keller Auto Speedway.
Other drivers expected to compete in one or both events this weekend include Roseville's Sean Becker, Bud Kaeding of Campbell, Hollister's Ryan Bernal, Billy Aton of Benicia, Clovis driver Sean Watts, Austin McCarl or Iowa, Sebastopol's Joel Myer's Jr. and more.
There may also be a few surprise entries consisting of drivers who spend much of the year traveling the country to race.
For Friday at Hanford, the NARC-King of the West Hoosier Tire Format will feature ARP Fast Time Qualifying, Brown and Miller Racing Solutions 5-lap Heat Races, a 10-lap Sunnyvalley Bacon Trophy Dash, a Kaeding Performance Semi-main, the Fujitsu 30-lap Feature and the 20-lap wingless feature.
Saturday’s NARC-King of the West Hoosier Tire Format will feature ARP Fast Time Qualifying, Brown and Miller Racing Solutions 10-lap Heat Races, a 6-lap Sunnyvalley Bacon Trophy Dash and the Fujitsu 30-lap Feature.
Keller Auto Speedway’s gates will open at 4:00 P.M. on Friday with hot laps scheduled for 6:00 P.M. Adult general admission tickets are $20. Seniors, military (ID required) and juniors age 6-17 will be admitted for just $15. Tickets can be purchased at the gate or online at myracepass.com or by using the MyRacePass app.
Keller Auto Speedway is located at 801 South 10th Ave Hanford, CA 93230. For more information visit racekingsspeedway.com.
Tickets for Saturday’s event will be available at the gates. For more information regarding the Dirt Track at Kern County Raceway Park or the event on Saturday, visit kernraceway.com.
Kern County Raceway Park is located at 13500 Raceway Blvd Interstate 5 and Enos Lane Bakersfield, CA 93311.
Both nights of racing can be viewed live on floracing.com along with the entire NARC-King of the West Fujitsu Sprint Car schedule.
NARC King of the West Fujitsu 410 Sprint Car Series
Championship Points Standings (After 17 events in 20-race series 10/25/2021)Dominic Scelzi, Fresno - 1917
Tim Kaeding, San Jose - 1845
DJ Netto, Hanford - 1844
Bud Kaeding, Campbell - 1830
Sean Becker, Roseville - 1798
Billy Aton, Benicia (R) - 1772
Sean Watts, Clovis - 1723
Justin Sanders, Aromas - 1621
Shane Golobic, Elk Grove - 1446
Mitchell Faccinto, Hanford - 1237
Joel Myers Jr, Sebastopol (R) - 1234
Geoffrey Strole, Hanford (R) - 1148
Jessie Attard, Sydney, AUS (R) - 1092
Mitchel Moles, Raisin City - 1010
Willie Croft, Colfax - 954
Austin McCarl, Altoona, Iowa - 938
Ryan Robinson, Foresthill (R) - 937
Corey Day, Salinas (R) - 919
Blake Carrick, Lincoln - 837
JJ Ringo, Morgan Hill - 806The King of the West-NARC Fujitsu General USA Racing Series is also sponsored by Hoosier Racing Tires. Associate and product award sponsors include Automotive Racing Products (ARP), Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, Bullet Impressions, FloRacing.com, Johnstone Supply, Kaeding Performance Center, KSE Racing Products, Maxim, PAC Racing Springs, Pyrotect, Racing Optics, Saldana Racing Products, Schoenfeld Headers, SCI Racing Products, Swift Metal Finishing, Sunnyvalley Bacon, System 1 Ignition, Ultra Light Brakes, Wilwood Disc Brakes, and Winters Performance Products.
SOCIAL MEDIA INFORMATION
Website: www.NARC410.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/kingofthewestsprints
Facebook (history page): www.facebook.com/NARCsprintcars
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NARC410
Instagram: www.instagram.com/narc410
YouTube: NARC410
Live Stream PPV: Floracing.com
Upcoming Events:
November 6 - Stockton Dirt Track - Tribute to Gary PattersonNovember 7 - Championship Celebration - Brookside Country Club, Stockton, CA
SCELZI AND MOLES CLAIM MORRIE WILLIAMS MEMORIAL FEATURES, SANDERS TAKES THE OVERALL TITLE
(10/9/2021 – Alex Nieten) Hanford, CA… The NARC-King of the West twin 20-lap Morrie Williams Memorial Fujitsu Features at Hanford’s Keller Auto Speedway weaved wildly different tales for the victors, Dominic Scelzi and first-time series winner Mitchel Moles.
Scelzi started from the pole in the first feature and brought the field to green alongside fellow front row starter Rico Abreu. Before the field could get through the first set of turns, Mitchel Moles spun from his third starting spot in front of the field. Miraculously, everyone missed him.
On the ensuing restart Justin Sanders drove the Works Limited No. 57 by Abreu for second. Sanders stalked Scelzi as the two most winningest sprint car drivers with NARC and in the nation in 2021 navigated slower cars.
Scelzi’s race nearly ended with heartbreak on lap eight when Steven Kent spun right in front of him coming out of turn four. Scelzi jumped to the outside near the wall and managed to squeeze between Kent’s machine and the barrier, just grazing the fence but not harming his Scelzi Enterprises/Red Rose Transportations No. 41.
Racing resumed for a few laps following the yellow for Kent until a stopped Kurt Nelson slowed the action again with nine circuits remaining.
The hometown hero, DJ Netto, jumped into the runner-up spot in his Netto Ag/Penny Newman Gain No. 88N on the restart but wasn’t able to mount serious a charge at Scelzi. The point leader held on to win by a comfortable margin. Netto and Sanders filled out the podium behind the Fresno native.
The victory marked Scelzi’s sixth of the year, a new personal best for a season, and the 15th of his career with KWS. Rico Abreu, Willie Croft, Kyle Hirst, Blake Carrick, Tim Kaeding, Sean Becker and Mitchel Moles completed the top-10.
The front row in the second feature was comprised of Shane Hopkins and Jessie Attard after the invert based on the first feature’s finish was applied.
Attard took command early in search of his first series victory, and Moles, who started 11th, immediately began his charge. Moles began picking cars off on the bottom side of the track and received a little help on lap three when Ryan Bernal and Ryan Robinson were involved in an accident, gifting Moles two more spots in his journey toward the front.
On the restart, Moles got back to work on the bottom, cruising by his competition within the top-five. Another yellow flew on lap five for a spun Rico Abreu. Moles stole the lead on the restart from Attard and quickly built a comfortable advantage.
As the laps dwindled Moles’ greatest threat began to creep toward the front. Using the same bottom line as Moles, Fremont’s Shane Golobic moved his NOS Energy Drink/Elk Grove Ford No. 17W into second on lap seven. When Golobic got to the runner-up spot, Moles held a huge lead of roughly 15 car lengths, but the 12-time NARC feature winner started to slice into the margin.
With five laps to go Golobic had all but erased Moles’ advantage. However, the pilot of the Roth Enterprises No. 83JR showed the poise of a veteran in pursuit of his first series victory, clearing two lapped cars in one corner to give himself enough space to seal the deal.
Moles’ triumphs marked the third time of 2021 a driver has earned their inaugural series victory. Oddly enough, it was also the first time Roth Motorsports visited NARC-KWS victory since the winner of the first feature, Scelzi, took the 83 to the winner’s circle in 2019.
Behind Moles and Golobic, Tim Kaeding rounded out the podium in his R&B Company/Teichert No 42X for his second top-three in his last trio of KWS races at Keller Auto Speedway.
Justin Sanders finished in fifth after starting 20th and was the only driver to earn top-fives in both feature events, collecting him enough points to win the Morrie Williams Memorial points title and the $2,000 that came with it. Scelzi and Moles’ main event wins netted them each $3,200.
Spots 4-10 in the second feature were occupied by Austin McCarl, Justin Sanders, Shane Hopkins, Blake Carrick, Kyle Hirst, Jessie Attard and Kalib Henry.
Up next for the NARC-King of the West Fujitsu Sprint Cars is a double header weekend set for October 29th and October 30th at Keller Auto Speedway for the Anthony Simone Classic and Kern County Raceway Park.
FUJITSU GENERAL USA FEATURE #1 (20 laps): 1. Dominic Scelzi 41S 2. DJ Netto 88N 3. Justin Sanders 57 4. Rico Abreu 24 5. Willie Croft 29 6. Kyle Hirst 0 7. Blake Carrick 38B 8. Tim Kaeding 42X 9. Sean Becker 83V 10. Mitchel Moles 83JR 11. Craig Stidham 36 12. Kalib Henry 93K 13. Shane Golobic 17W 14. JJ Ringo 2K 15. Bud Kaeding 69 16. Austin McCarl 88 17. Ryan Bernal 21 18. Ryan Robinson 56 19. Joel Myers Jr. 46JR 20. Sean Watts 98 21. Billy Aton 26 22. Shane Hopkins 21S 23. Kurt Nelson 72W 24. Steven Kent 7 25. Stephen Ingraham 93 26. Geoffrey Strole 09S 27. Jessie Attard 53
HOOSIER TIRE LAP LEADERS: Scelzi 1-20
SWIFT METAL FINISHING HARDCHARGER: Willie Croft 15th to 5thFUJITSU GENERAL USA FEATURE #2 (20 laps): 1. Moles 2. Golobic 3. T. Kaeding 4. McCarl 5. Sanders 6. Hopkins 7. Carrick 8. Hirst 9. Attard 10. Henry 11. Myers Jr. 12. Becker 13. Netto 14. Abreu 15. Ringo 16. Bernal 17. B. Kaeding 18. Watts 19. Croft 20. Scelzi 21. Stidham 22. Robinson 23. Aton 24. Nelson 25. Kent 26. Ingraham 27. Strole (did not start)
HOOSIER TIRE LAP LEADERS: Attard 1-4, Moles 5-20
SWIFT METAL FINISHING HARDCHARGER: Justin Sanders 20th to 5thARP FAST QUALIFIER (27 cars): Kyle Hirst 14.694
BROWN AND MILLER RACING SOLUTIONS HEAT RACE ONE (8 laps): Scelzi, Carrick, Robinson, Hirst, Aton, Nelson, Kent, Hopkins, McCarl
FUJITSU GENERAL USA HEAT TWO (8 laps): Moles, Ringo, Attard, Stidham, Becker, Myers Jr., Bernal, Strole, Watts
FLORACING.COM HEAT THREE (8 laps): Sanders, Abreu, Netto, Henry, Croft, T. Kaeding, Golobic, B. Kaeding, Ingraham
SUNNYVALLEY “POWERED BY BACON” TROPHY DASH (6 laps): Scelzi, Abreu, Moles, Carrick, Sanders, Ringo
HANFORD SET TO HOST NARC-KING OF THE WEST FOR MORRIE WILLIAMS LEGENDS TRIBUTE RACE
(10/4/21) Sacramento, CA ... This weekend brings a unique event for the NARC-King of the West Fujitsu Sprint Cars with the second annual Morrie Williams Legends Tribute Race slated for this Saturday October 9th at Hanford’s Keller Auto Speedway.
The event will be the second of two nights of racing at the 3/8ths mile with the Cotton Classic featuring the Sprint Car Challenge Tour 360 sprint cars and Kings of Thunder 410 sprint cars taking place on Friday night (10/8/21.)
Joining NARC-KWS on the second night will be the Kings of Thunder 360 sprint cars.
With the scheduled classes, Hanford is the place to be this weekend for any West Coaster who enjoys the sight and sounds of roaring winged sprint cars.
Saturday honors legendary West Coast car owner, Morrie Williams. Williams passed away two years ago after putting many of the sport’s best drivers in the seat of his notorious No. "0" over multiple decades. Among those to drive for Williams was none other than Keller Auto Speedway promoter, Peter Murphy.
The format Saturday night will showcase a pair of 20-lap Fujitsu General USA events. The second feature will be lined up based on a complete inversion of the first’s finish apart from lapped cars as a salute to Williams who preferred to watch a driver earn it with a charge from the back. Up for grabs will be more than $36,000 in prize money!
Each Fujitsu Feature is set to pay $3,200 to the winner creating a possible $6,400 payday to any driver who can pull off the sweep. The overall points champion will earn an extra $2,000 for their efforts. While points will be scored for both main events, only the first of the two features will award points toward the NARC-King of the West Fujitsu championship standings.
Last year, in a storybook finish, Kyle Hirst and Dominic Scelzi won the features wheeling twin Morrie Williams No. 0 machines in the event’s inaugural edition.
Scelzi leads the series into the weekend as he continues to close on his first NARC title. He carries a streak of nine straight top-five finishes and a 2.2 average finish over that span. The Fresno native owns a pair of King of the West triumphs at Keller Auto Speedway and has already won three races in Hanford this year.
Behind Scelzi is Tim Kaeding, and he’ll roll into the weekend riding nine consecutive top-10 results. TK’s second please finish last weekend marked his fourth straight series top-five at Hanford, and he’ll go for his 11th Keller Auto Speedway KWS win Saturday.
Just last weekend, Keller Auto Speedway continued a recent trend of producing first time NARC-King of the West winners. Corey Day triumphed in just his 10th series start, marking the third time in the last five seasons an inaugural winner has emerged from Hanford.
A driver that may perpetuate the trend is Joel Myers Jr. The 15-year-old has continued to impress after finishing on the podium in just his second series start earlier this year. Myers Jr. seemed poised for another top-three run last Saturday in Hanford until an incident forced him to settle for 11th.
Other expected entries include a pair of Hanford natives in DJ Netto and Mitchell Faccinto, four-time series titlist Kyle Hirst, Campbell's Bud Kaeding, Roseville’s Sean Becker, Benicia’s Billy Aton, Clovis’ Sean Watts, Austin McCarl from Iowa, and more.
The NARC King of the West Hoosier Tire format will feature ARP Fast Time Qualifying, Brown and Miller Racing Solutions 8-lap Heat Races, a 6-lap Sunnyvalley Bacon Trophy Dash, a Kaeding Performance Semi if needed and the two Fujitsu 20-lap Features.
The gates will open at 4:00 P.M. with hot laps scheduled for 6:00 P.M. and racing to follow at 7:00 P.M. Adults will be admitted for $20. Seniors (ages 62 and up), Military (valid ID required) and juniors ages 6-17 will all be admitted for just $15. Tickets can be purchased either at the gate or via myracepass.com or the MyRacePass app.
Keller Auto Speedway is located at 801 South 10th Ave Hanford, CA 93230. For more information visit racekingsspeedway.com.
Saturday’s race can be viewed live on floracing.com along with the entire NARC-King of the West Fujitsu Sprint Car schedule.
NARC King of the West Fujitsu 410 Sprint Car Series
Championship Points Standings (After 16 events in 20-race series 10/3/2021)Dominic Scelzi, Fresno - 1800
Tim Kaeding, San Jose - 1737
DJ Netto, Hanford - 1730
Bud Kaeding, Campbell - 1729
Sean Becker, Roseville - 1691
Billy Aton, Benicia (R) - 1677
Sean Watts, Clovis - 1627
Justin Sanders, Aromas - 1508
Shane Golobic, Elk Grove - 1343
Mitchell Faccinto, Hanford - 1237
Joel Myers Jr, Sebastopol (R) - 1137
Geoffrey Strole, Hanford (R) - 1058
Jessie Attard, Sydney, AUS (R) - 1003
Corey Day, Salinas (R) - 919
Mitchel Moles, Raisin City - 904
Willie Croft, Colfax - 843
Ryan Robinson, Foresthill (R) - 839
Austin McCarl, Altoona, Iowa - 838
Colby Copeland, Roseville - 768
Blake Carrick, Lincoln - 728The King of the West-NARC Fujitsu General USA Racing Series is also sponsored by Hoosier Racing Tires. Associate and product award sponsors include Automotive Racing Products (ARP), Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, Bullet Impressions, FloRacing.com, Johnstone Supply, Kaeding Performance Center, KSE Racing Products, Maxim, PAC Racing Springs, Pyrotect, Racing Optics, Saldana Racing Products, Schoenfeld Headers, SCI Racing Products, Swift Metal Finishing, Sunnyvalley Bacon, System 1 Ignition, Ultra-Lite Brakes, Wilwood Disc Brakes, and Winters Performance Products.
SOCIAL MEDIA INFORMATION
Website: www.NARC410.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/kingofthewestsprints
Facebook (history page): www.facebook.com/NARCsprintcars
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NARC410
Instagram: www.instagram.com/narc410
YouTube: NARC410
Live Stream PPV: Floracing.com
Upcoming Events:
October 29 - Keller Auto Speedway, Hanford, CA
October 30 - Kern County Raceway Park, Bakersfield, CA
November 6 - Stockton Dirt Track - Tribute to Gary PattersonNovember 7 - Championship Celebration - Brookside Country Club, Stockton, CA
THE APPLE DOESN’T FALL FAR FROM THE TREE: DAY DRIVES TO FIRST NARC-KWS WIN
(9/25/2021 – Alex Nieten) Hanford, CA … Fifteen-year-old Corey Day continued his ascent to sprint car stardom by earning both his first 410 sprint car win and NARC-King of the West Fujitsu Sprint Car Feature victory in the Jim Turner Memorial at Hanford’s Keller Auto Speedway.
Day, the son of west coast legend Ronnie Day, has taken the sprint car world by storm in 2021. He’s shown speed night in and night out no matter what car he’s been in, and he finally put together a full night to claim a 410 checkered flag in Hanford.
The teenager scored a 360 win in Oregon earlier this year, but a 410 win in the series his dad had his fair share of triumphs competing in was an even greater level of special.
“Words can’t even describe it,” the rising star said in victory lane.
The front row composed of Tim Kaeding and Joel Myers Jr. brought the field to green. TK darted to an early advantage while Day immediately began his charge from row three. After starting sixth, Day completed the first lap in fifth. He picked off one car per lap over the next two circuits to move to third. Four laps later, Day slipped by Joel Myers Jr. for the runner-up spot.
Over the course of the charge, one might’ve guessed a veteran was in the No. 14 machine. While it was evident he had an extremely fast ride, Day remained patient, picking his spots and comfortably clearing each car in front of him with well-executed sliders.
A caution came out for a spun Tanner Boul shortly after Day took over second.
On the ensuing restart, Kaeding again pulled away while Justin Sanders and Joel Myers Jr. both went by Day, moving him back to fourth.
Day, though, stayed composed in his Four CCCC’s Construction/Meyers Constructors Inc. No. 14. On a lap 10 restart after a caution for Sean Watts, Day roared back to second and quickly applied pressure to Tim Kaeding. On lap 13, Day snatched the lead.
Another yellow for Joel Myers Jr. presented a challenge for Day as Kaeding peeked to his outside in his R&B Company/Teichert No. 42X as Day went to the bottom, but Day fended off the charge and pulled away.
As the final laps waned, Day encountered lap traffic using his preferred bottom line allowing Kaeding to reel him back in. Kaeding looked to the outside in turn two with a pair of laps to go and nearly drew even but Day powered out of the corner to hold on.
Ultimately, Day crossed the line with a narrow three-tenths of a second margin of victory over the west coast legend.
Day was quick to credit his team, who just so happened to add another level of significance to the Day family and their tradition of winning.
“This is the dream team,” Day said of his crew. “This was my dad’s team when he ran the car for them, so I’m glad I can be winning races for them too.”
Behind Day and Kaeding, ARP Fast Qualifier of the night, Justin Sanders, rounded out the podium, his fourth top-three in seven races since climbing aboard the Works Limited No. 57.
Completing the top-10 was Dominic Scelzi, Austin McCarl, DJ Netto, Billy Aton, Bud Kaeding, Keith Day Jr. and JJ Ringo.
FUJITSU GENERAL USA FEATURE (30 laps): 1. Corey Day 14 2. Tim Kaeding 42X 3. Justin Sanders 57 4. Dominic Scelzi 41 5. Austin McCarl 88 6. DJ Netto 88N 7. Billy Aton 26 8. Bud Kaeding 69 9. Keith Day Jr. 22 10. JJ Ringo 2 11. Joel Myers Jr 46JR 12. Zane Blanchard 7Z 13. Sean Becker 83V 14. Tanner Boul 99T 15. Tucker Worth 33 16. Grant Duinkerken 67G 17. Sean Watts 98 18. Geoffrey Strole 09S (Mitchell Faccinto and Connor Danell did not start)
HOOSIER TIRE LAP LEADERS: Tim Kaeding 1-12, Corey Day 13-30
SWIFT METAL FINISHING HARDCHARGER: Billy Aton 14th to 7th
ARP FAST QUALIFIER (20 cars): Justin Sanders 13.621
BROWN AND MILLER RACING SOLUTIONS HEAT ONE: (8 laps): McCarl, Sanders, Scelzi, Day Jr., Danell, Tanner Boul, Tucker Worth
FUJITSU GENERAL USA HEAT TWO (8 laps): Myers Jr., Day, B. Kaeding, Watts, Ringo, Faccinto, Strole
FLORACING.COM HEAT THREE (8 laps): T. Kaeding, Netto, Duinkerken, Becker, Aton, Blanchard
SUNNYVALLEY “POWERED BY BACON” TROPHY DASH (6 laps): T. Kaeding, Myers Jr., McCarl, Sanders, Netto, Day
NARC-KING OF THE WEST SPRINT CARS HEAD TO HANFORD ON SATURDAY
(9/20/21) Sacramento, CA ... The NARC-King of the West Fujitsu Sprint Cars enter the final quarter of the 2021 campaign this weekend with a trip to Hanford’s Keller Auto Speedway on Saturday, September 25th.
The west coast’s premier 410-winged sprint car series will see a heavy slate of Hanford as the season winds down. After Saturday’s event, the following two races will also take place on the Kings County 3/8th mile on October 9th and October 29th.
Joining NARC will be the Kings of Thunder Bandit Non-Wing Sprint Cars, IMCA Stock Cars and West Coast Sports Compacts.
The central valley speedway promises to offer some of the best racing of the year. While most California tracks are notorious for heavy, hooked up conditions, Hanford tends to slick off leading to a big curb up top and a technical bottom groove creating plenty of slide job opportunities and side by side action.
Atop the standings with just five races remaining is Dominic Scelzi. The Fresno native carries a ton of momentum into Hanford with his current streak of eight podium finishes. A win for Scelzi would check off a trio of milestones for the twenty-four-year-old. If he claims the checkered flag, it will mark the most consecutive series podiums since four-time series champion Kyle Hirst notched nine in 2018, Scelzi’s 30th career podium with NARC, and his 15th career series victory. Fortunately for Scelzi, he enters the weekend as the most recent series winner at Keller Auto Speedway and has already earned three trophies in Hanford in 2021.
Hanford’s own Mitchell Faccinto has experienced plenty of success at his home track. Faccinto’s first two series victories came at Keller Auto Speedway in the 2017 and 2018 Cotton Classic. In his last eight series appearances at the 3/8th mile, he owns podiums in half of them including the pair of wins, and he boasts a stout 4.9 average finish over that span.
San Jose's Tim Kaeding should be in contention for his third series victory of the year. The two-time titlist was the only driver to finish inside the top 5 in all three feature events completed at Keller Auto Speedway last year.
Still seeking his first series victory is Iowa’s Austin McCarl. He’s returned to California aboard the Country Builders Construction No. 88, and Hanford might present his best opportunity for a win. In 2020’s Morrie Williams Tribute Race, McCarl finished a respectable 8th and 5th in the twin Fujitsu Features. Earlier this year, the former Knoxville track champion scored a pair of top-5s in Kings of Thunder 360 action at Hanford including a runner-up result.
Many more from California’s crop of gassers will be competing on Saturday. Expect Hanford's DJ Netto, Bud Kaeding of Campbell, Roseville's Sean Becker, Billy Aton on Benicia, Clovis driver Sean Watts and more to be in attendance.
The NARC King of the West Hoosier Tire format will feature ARP Fast Time Qualifying, Brown and Miller Racing Solutions 10-lap Heat Races, a 6-lap Sunnyvalley Bacon Trophy Dash and the Fujitsu 30-lap Feature.
Keller Auto Speedway is located at 801 South 10th Ave Hanford, CA 93230. For more information visit racekingsspeedway.com.
Saturday’s race can be viewed live on floracing.com along with the entire NARC-King of the West Fujitsu Sprint Car schedule.
ED NOTE: This event was originally scheduled at Santa Maria Raceway. However, it was moved to Hanford when Santa Maria Raceway ceased operations in August.
NARC King of the West Fujitsu 410 Sprint Car Series
Championship Points Standings (After 15 events in 20-race series 9/20/2021)Dominic Scelzi, Fresno - 1688
Tim Kaeding, San Jose - 1623
Bud Kaeding, Campbell - 1621
DJ Netto, Hanford - 1620
Sean Becker, Roseville - 1588
Billy Aton, Benicia (R) - 1568
Sean Watts, Clovis - 1528
Justin Sanders, Aromas - 1394
Shane Golobic, Elk Grove - 1343
Mitchell Faccinto, Hanford - 1162
Joel Myers Jr, Sebastopol (R) - 1032
Jessie Attard, Sydney, AUS (R) - 1003
Geoffrey Strole, Hanford (R) - 960
Mitchel Moles, Raisin City - 904
Ryan Robinson, Foresthill (R) - 639
Willie Croft, Colfax - 843
Corey Day, Salinas (R) - 802
Colby Copeland, Roseville - 768
Blake Carrick, Lincoln - 728
Austin McCarl, Altoona, Iowa - 727The King of the West-NARC Fujitsu General USA Racing Series is also sponsored by Hoosier Racing Tires. Associate and product award sponsors include Automotive Racing Products (ARP), Autometer, Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, Bullet Impressions, FloRacing.com, Johnstone Supply, Kaeding Performance Center, KSE Racing Products, Maxim, PAC Racing Springs, Pyrotect, Racing Optics, Saldana Racing Products, Schoenfeld Headers, SCI Racing Products, Swift Metal Finishing, Sunnyvalley Bacon, System 1 Ignition, Ultra Light Brakes, Wilwood Disc Brakes, and Winters Performance Products.
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Website: www.NARC410.com
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Upcoming Events:
October 9 - Keller Auto Speedway, Hanford, CA - Morrie Williams Legends Race
October 29 - Keller Auto Speedway, Hanford, CA
October 30 - Kern County Raceway Park, Bakersfield, CA
November 6 - Stockton Dirt Track - Tribute to Gary Patterson
November 7 - Championship Celebration - Brookside Country Club, Stockton, CA
POTENT PAIRING: SANDERS AND SILVA WIN AGAIN IN THE LOUIE FINALE
(9/5/21, Alex Nieten) Chico, CA ... The combination of Justin Sanders and Paul Silva can’t seem to stop collecting trophies.
In the Louie Vermeil Classic finale at Chico’s Silver Dollar Speedway, Sanders came out on top after a 30-lap war with some of the west coast’s best. The triumph marked his fourth of the year, third in the last six races since climbing aboard the Works Limited No. 57 and his tenth career with the NARC-King of the West Fujitsu Sprint Cars.
The intense fight for the win left some with ruffled feathers, and while Sanders held no ill-intent, he acknowledged that heated tempers are sometimes the by-product of racing, especially in an event as significant as The Louie.
“We were all fighting hard,” Sanders said. “Me and Kyle (Hirst) rubbing wheels and banging wheels, Kyle and Colby (Copeland) banging wheels. I slid Colby down there in turn three, and we hit and I spun him out. It wasn’t intentional, just hard racing. It’s racing, we’re racing for a big purse and big win.”
The green flag waved, and the battle immediately kicked off on lap one as front row starters Sanders and Colby Copeland leaned on each other in turns one and two. Copeland came out ahead down the backstretch, but before the race could establish a rhythm a yellow came out for Corey Day slowing on the front stretch on lap three. On the restart, another caution for an incident between Sean Watts and Michael Ing again slowed the pace.
After the pair of yellows, racing resumed and Copeland bolted ahead. As the race approached the halfway mark, Kyle Hirst roared to life in lap traffic, moving by Sanders after some contact for the runner-up position on lap 14. Just three laps later, Hirst threw a successful slider on Copeland in turn three to steal the lead.
Unfortunately for Copeland, Hirst brought Sanders with him, but Sanders’ move didn’t quite clear the 16A machine resulting in contact and a caution for a spun Copeland in turn four. Copeland would express his displeasure with Sanders later after the checkered flag flew.
Another quick yellow came out for Willie Croft following the incident between Sanders and Copeland.
The green flag came back out with 14 to go, and Sanders stalked Hirst as the duo approached traffic. The first opportunity he saw, Sanders pounced. The pilot of the Works Limited No. 57 threw a huge slider at Hirst on lap 22. Again, Sanders couldn’t quite clear the Williams Motorsports No. 0, but after some slight contact Sanders gained control of the top spot.
Hirst managed to keep pace with Sanders and attempted a few sliders as the laps waned, but he couldn’t ever gather enough momentum to clear him, and Sanders held on to win by just under one second. The victory was Sanders first Louie Vermeil Classic triumph.
“I’m happy, but I just feel like crap,” Sanders, who was fighting a cold in addition to four-time series titlist Hirst, said. “This will make the four-hour, miserable drive home a lot better. Happy to get this done.”
While he would’ve preferred to win, Hirst enjoyed every moment of the main event.
“I had an absolute blast,” Hirst said. “I gave it everything I had right there. I was racing with one of the best of California right now, and it was pretty awesome.”
Behind the battle for the win, Dominic Scelzi crept onto the podium for his eighth consecutive appearance in the top three in the Scelzi Enterprises/Red Rose Transportations No. 41. The point leader was especially pleased with the racing surface.
“That was so much fun,” Scelzi said. “I feel like the last couple of races it’s been really hard to have that kind of racing, and that just goes to show you slick tracks make the best kind of racing.”
Shane Golobic finished fourth, making it seven top five's in his last seven series appearances. Tanner Carrick, Tim Kaeding, Carson Short, Corey Day, Bud Kaeding and Colby Copeland completed the top ten.
FUJITSU GENERAL USA FEATURE (30 laps): 1. Justin Sanders 57 2. Kyle Hirst 0 3. Dominic Scelzi 41 4. Shane Golobic 17W 5. Tanner Carrick 83T 6. Tim Kaeding 42X 7. Carson Short 7 8. Corey Day 21 9. Bud Kaeding 69 10. Colby Copeland 16A 11. Jessie Attard 53 12. Ryan Robinson 56 13. Joel Myers Jr. 46JR 14. Sean Becker 83V 15. Billy Aton 26 16. Sean Watts 98 17. Angelo Cornet 55A 18. Austin McCarl 88 19. Blake Carrick 38B 20. Willie Croft 29 21. DJ Netto 88N 22. Mitchell Faccinto 37 23. JJ Ringo 2 24. Michael Ing 21X
HOOSIER TIRE LAP LEADERS: Copeland 1-16, Hirst 17-21, Sanders 22-30
SWIFT METAL FINISHING HARDCHARGER: Carson Short 22nd to 7th
ARP FAST QUALIFIER (29 cars): Colby Copeland 11.971
BROWN AND MILLER RACING SOLUTIONS HEAT ONE (10 laps): Scelzi, Sanders, Copeland, Watts, Ing, Cornet, Clark, Ringo
FUJITSU GENERAL USA HEAT TWO (10 laps): Golobic, Attard, Netto, Faccinto, T. Carrick, McCarl, Tabor Jr.
FLORACING.COM HEAT THREE (10 laps): Croft, Becker, B. Kaeding, B. Carrick, Myers Jr., Short, Bloomfield
KAEDING PERFORMANCE HEAT FOUR (10 laps): Hirst, Robinson, Day, T. Kaeding, Aton, Ingraham, StrolePYROTECT SEMI (12 laps): McCarl, Short, Cornet, Ringo, Ingraham, Tabor Jr., Clark, Strole, Bloomfield
SUNNYVALLEY “POWERED BY BACON” DASH (6 laps): Sanders, Copeland, Croft, Hirst, Becker, Attard
ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHER W: SCELZI LOCKS UP NIGHT ONE OF THE LOUIE VERMEIL CLASSIC
(9/4/2021 – Alex Nieten) Chico, CA… By leading all 30-laps of the Fujitsu Feature on night one of the Louie Vermeil Classic at Chico’s Silver Dollar Speedway, Dominic Scelzi earned his fifth series victory of the year, matching his career-high for a single season.
The result also marked his 18th overall feature win during his dream 2021 campaign and his seventh consecutive race standing on the NARC-King of the West Fujitsu Sprint Car podium at the end of the night.
Scelzi’s biggest challenge of the night would come right as the green flag dropped and Scelzi led into turn one from the pole position. Third starting Mitchell Faccinto capitalized on a great initial start to swipe the lead from the point leader down the backstretch. Scelzi, though, aimed his Whipple Superchargers/Red Rose Transportations No. 41 to Faccinto’s inside coming out of turn four and beat him to the line to lead the opening lap. Shortly after Scelzi reclaimed the lead, the first of a flurry of race stoppages came out for contact between Justin Sanders and Kalib Henry that sent Henry on a wild flip outside of turn one. Both drivers were okay.
The adage “cautions breed cautions” proved true after the first red flag as just a few laps later Corey Day and front row starter Andy Forsberg tangled sending Forsberg over and heavily damaging Day’s Tarlton Racing machine. Following that issue, Bud Kaeding tumbled in turn three after contact with Ryan Robinson, ending BK’s night. Michael Ing slid to a stop in turn four shortly after BK’s issue, and a spin by the USAC/CRA portion winner, Carson Short, on lap twelve ended the avalanche of yellows. With curfew looming, the call was made to go to single file restarts for the remaining 19 circuits. All drivers involved in the incidents were okay.
A trio of drivers survived the early mayhem to put together strong charges. By the lap twelve restart, Tim Kaeding had gone from 22nd to 7th, Billy Aton from the rear to 11th and Shane Golobic from 10th to third.
Racing resumed with 19 to go, and Scelzi set the pace on a low line favored racing surface. He tiptoed around the bottom and distanced himself from second-running Willie Croft. Meanwhile, Croft had to deal with the NOS Energy Drink/Elk Grove Ford No. 17W of Golobic who was glued to Croft’s tail tank.
Even lap traffic couldn’t slow Scelzi during what continues to be a year for the history books. Scelzi patiently negotiated the slower cars, spotting opportunities to sneak to their inside on the straightaways before completing each pass in the turns, giving himself more of a cushion from Croft every lap. Eventually, Scelzi crossed the finish line with nearly a two second advantage to claim his first NARC-KWS victory at the Butte County bullring. Including lap money for leading all thirty circuits, the win netted Scelzi $5,750.
Croft held on to the runner-up spot to secure his second podium of the year aboard the Holey Smokes BBQ/Amerikote Powder Coating No. 29.
Golobic rounded out the podium with his fifth top-three finish of the year and continued his recent trend of charging toward the front. Over the last five Fujitsu Feature events, Golobic owns a net position change of plus-33.
The remainder of the top-10 was Kyle Hirst, Mitchell Faccinto, Tim Kaeding (from 22nd, earned Swift Metal Finishing Hardcharger), DJ Netto, Tanner Carrick, Colby Copeland and Billy Aton.
FUJITSU GENERAL USA FEATURE (30 laps): 1. Dominic Scelzi 41 2. Willie Croft 29 3. Shane Golobic 17W 4. Kyle Hirst 0 5. Mitchell Faccinto 37 6. Tim Kaeding 42X 7. DJ Netto 88N 8. Blake Carrick 38B 9. Colby Copeland 16A 10. Billy Aton 26 11. Austin McCarl 88 12. Justin Sanders 57 13. Sean Watts 98 14. Sean Becker 83V 15. Michael Ing 21X 16. JJ Ringo 2 17. Carson Short 7 18. Joel Myers Jr. 46JR 19. Mark Tabor Jr. 38N 20. Ryan Robinson 56 21. Bud Kaeding 69 22. Andy Forsberg 92 23. Corey Day 21 24. Kalib Henry 5J
HOOSIER TIRE LAP LEADERS: Scelzi 1-30
SWIFT METAL FINISHING HARDCHARGER: Tim Kaeding 22nd to 6th
ARP FAST QUALIFIER (31 cars): Willie Croft 11.384
BROWN AND MILLER RACING SOLUTIONS HEAT ONE (10 laps): Forsberg, Croft, Robinson, Bloomfield, Ing, Day, Clark, Cornet
FUJITSU GENERAL USA HEAT TWO (10 laps): Sanders, Faccinto, Becker, Short, Ringo, Strole, Aton
FLORACING.COM HEAT THREE (10 laps): Attard, Golobic, B. Kaeding, Hirst, Copeland, McCarl, T. Carrick
KAEDING PERFORMANCE HEAT FOUR (10 laps): Scelzi, B. Carrick, Netto, Watts, Myers Jr., Tabor Jr.
PYROTECT SEMI (12 laps): Henry, Day, T. Kaeding, McCarl, Tabor Jr., Aton, Cornet, Strole, Clark
SUNNYVALLEY “POWERED BY BACON” DASH (6 laps): Scelzi, Forsberg, Faccinto, Croft, Attard, Bloomfield
CHICO SET TO HOST NARC-KING OF THE WEST SPRINT CARS FOR THE TWO-NIGHT LOUIE VERMEIL CLASSIC
(8/30/21) Chico, CA ... The event honoring one of the most important figures in the history of NARC (Northern Auto Racing Club) finds a new home for 2021 at one of California’s most historic bullrings this weekend when the NARC-King of the West Fujitsu Sprint Cars head to Chico’s Silver Dollar Speedway on September 4th and 5th for the 13th annual Louie Vermeil Classic.
Louie Vermeil is a key figure in the birth of NARC. During what has become one of the most significant conversations in the history of west coast racing, Vermeil helped conceptualize the sanctioning body in Calistoga’s Owl Garage in 1960 and shortly after made it a reality with the creation of the Northern Auto Racing Club.
The first edition of the Classic took place at Calistoga in 2008 and has since become a Labor Day Weekend tradition of the wine country half mile. However, a battle of bureaucracy between the track and the Napa Valley town forced the 2021 relocation. The annual Calistoga Hall of Fame Dinner has also made the move to Chico for this year and will take place Friday September 3rd on the Silver Dollar Fairgrounds. Before the racing gets going on Saturday, there will be wine tasting and live music also on the fairgrounds from 1:00 P.M. to 4:00 P.M.
While it’s a new venue for the event, Silver Dollar Speedway is certain to continue the tradition of great racing with drivers hunting one of the sport’s most coveted trophies and a stout payday. Both Saturday and Sunday’s Fujitsu/Big O Tire Feature will award $5,000 to the winner. The two-night show will also feature $5,000 to win USAC/CRA non-winged sprint car events. There is also lap money and product awards up for grabs.
Dominic Scelzi will enter the weekend as the point leader fresh off his Fastest Four Days in Motorsports title. At this point, it seems a Herculean effort will be required to pry him from the podium as he is currently riding a six-race streak of top-3s. Scelzi owns a win in Chico this year and even finished in the top-5 during a 2019 World of Outlaws appearance at the quarter-mile.
Looking to some other potential favorites, Sean Becker or Roseville stands out. The 2005 champ has turned countless laps at Silver Dollar Speedway and tallied 66 sprint car wins at the quarter mile including a World of Outlaws triumph at a Gold Cup prelim night. Becker has continued to gel with Vertullo Motorsports in his first full KWS season since 2014 and already picked up a win in the Howard Kaeding Classic in the yellow No. 83V.
A preview of any 410 sprint car race at Silver Dollar Speedway cannot go without mention of San Jose's Tim Kaeding. Kaeding owns 58 career sprint car victories in Chico including the most recent series visit in August 2019. TK has finished second in three of his last five starts with the World of Outlaws at Silver Dollar. The pilot of the Bates-Hamilton Racing 42X will be aiming to add a Louie Vermeil NARC-KWS triumph to his accolades.
While Bud Kaeding has spent the bulk of his recent racing career with a wing on, he spent much of the 2000s in the USAC ranks without wings and is expected to have a non-wing ride for the CRA portion in a double-duty effort.
Other expected entrants in the Louie Vermeil Classic include Hanford's DJ Netto & Mitchell Faccinto, Billy Aton of Benicia, Clovis driver Sean Watts, Roseville's Colby Copeland, Auburn's Andy Forsberg, Joel Myers Jr. of Sebastopol, Aromas driver Justin Sanders and many more.
The NARC-King of the West Hoosier Tire Format will include ARP Fast Time Qualifying, 10-lap Brown and Miller Racing Solutions Heat Races, a 6-lap Sunnyvalley Bacon Trophy Dash, a 12-lap Kaeding Performance Semi and the 30-lap Fujitsu General Heating & Air Feature.
On both Saturday and Sunday at Silver Dollar Speedway, the pit gate will open at 1:00 P.M. The grandstand gate will follow at 4:00 P.M.
Qualifying will kickoff at 5:30 P.M. with racing set for 6:30 P.M. Reserved seats will be $40. General Admission will cost $35. Kids 6-12 will be admitted for just $10. Tickets can be purchased at: https://hmcpromotions.ticketspice.com/louie-vermeil-classic and include a unique FanPass option!
The Louie Vermeil Classic can be viewed live on floracing.com along with the entire NARC-King of the West Fujitsu Sprint Car schedule.
Silver Dollar Speedway is located on the Silver Dollar Fairgrounds at 2343 Fair St, Chico, CA 95928. For more information visit silverdollarspeedway.com or call (530) 891-6535.
NARC King of the West Fujitsu 410 Sprint Car Series
Championship Points Standings (After 13 events in 20-race series 8/30/2021)Dominic Scelzi, Fresno - 1458
Bud Kaeding, Campbell - 1419
DJ Netto, Hanford - 1416
Tim Kaeding, San Jose - 1403
Sean Becker, Roseville - 1384
Billy Aton, Benicia (R) - 1361
Sean Watts, Clovis - 1325
Justin Sanders, Aromas - 1173
Shane Golobic, Elk Grove - 1118
Mitchell Faccinto, Hanford - 957
Mitchel Moles, Raisin City - 904
Joel Myers Jr, Sebastopol (R) - 831
Jessie Attard, Sydney, AUS (R) - 823
Geoffrey Strole, Hanford (R) - 782
Ryan Robinson, Foresthill (R) - 639
Willie Croft, Colfax - 632
Corey Day, Salinas (R) - 601
Mark Barroso, Merced - 589
Kenny Allen, Chico - 583
Colby Copeland, Roseville - 554The King of the West-NARC Fujitsu General USA Racing Series is also sponsored by Hoosier Racing Tires. Associate and product award sponsors include Automotive Racing Products (ARP), Autometer, Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, Bullet Impressions, FloRacing.com, Johnstone Supply, Kaeding Performance Center, KSE Racing Products, Maxim, PAC Racing Springs, Pyrotect, Racing Optics, Saldana Racing Products, Schoenfeld Headers, SCI Racing Products, Swift Metal Finishing, Sunnyvalley Bacon, System 1 Ignition, Ultra Light Brakes, Wilwood Disc Brakes, and Winters Performance Products.
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SANDERS SNAGS ANOTHER PETALUMA WIN WHILE SCELZI WRAPS UP FASTEST FOUR DAYS TITLE
(8/29/21 - Alex Nieten) Petaluma, CA ... By leading all 30 laps, Justin Sanders claimed his second win in the last four NARC-King of the West Fujitsu Sprint Car events while Dominic Scelzi finished third to earn the Fastest Four Days in Motorsports title at the historic Petaluma Speedway.
The win is Sanders’ third 30-lap Fujitsu General USA Feature of the year, ninth career, and second aboard the Kevin Kozlowski owned and Paul Silva prepared Works Limited No. 57. On the tacky, quick racing surface, Sanders had to remain focused each and every lap.
“Just trying not to make any mistakes and trying to keep the car underneath me as hard as I could,” Sanders said of what was required to grab the checkered flag.
Rounding out the podium was Dominic Scelzi, marking his sixth straight appearance in the top-three and securing enough points for the $2,000 to win Fastest Four Days in Motorsports championship. The Jimmy Carr-prepared Scelzi Enterprises/Red Rose Transportation No. 41 appears incapable of having an off night even with the grueling challenge presented by the Fastest Four Days in Motorsports.
“This is a very tough four days,” Scelzi said. “You go to four completely different racetracks, and you have to be fast every single night, and the 41 car has been so good to drive every single night this year. It feels great to have that consistency.”
The field was brought to green by Sanders and Scelzi, and Sanders quickly darted to a five car-length advantage. Behind him, Colby Copeland moved around Scelzi into second on lap one aboard the Larry Antaya Motorsports Fire Protection Management 16A.
Copeland began his pursuit of Sanders, who, oddly enough, was attempting to mirror what he did in May in the car Copeland wheeled, lead from green to checkered.
Copeland looked to the inside of Sanders early on in turn three but couldn’t make it work. Then, in typical Petaluma fashion, a game of cat and mouse through lap traffic ensued. Sanders would clear a car, and Copeland was forced to match his moves to have any chance of keeping up.
The two dueled through slower cars, but ultimately Copeland was unable to mount a serious charge for the lead. Every time it seemed like he might reel him in and have an opportunity to make a move, Sanders would put a little more space between the two. When the checkered flag flew, Sanders crossed the line with a cozy 1.039 second advantage.
Despite again dominating by leading every lap on the fast 3/8th mile, Sanders was humble in victory lane.
“I think I put together a decent 30-laps,” Sanders said. “They weren’t great, but they were good enough to get the job done.
Sanders’ efforts earned him a $4,000 payday while Scelzi took home $2,000 for winning the Fastest Four Days in Motorsports title on top of his race earnings. Scelzi also stretched his growing point lead a little more in the overall NARC standings.
Shane Golobic finished fourth, securing top-5 results in all four nights of the FFDM, and Rico Abreu completed the top-5. The remainder of the top-10 was Bud Kaeding, Tim Kaeding, Joel Myers Jr, Sean Becker and Andy Forsberg.
The night started off with rising start, Joel Myers Jr., claiming ARP Fast Time.
FUJITSU GENERAL USA FEATURE (30 laps): 1. Justin Sanders 57 2. Colby Copeland 16A 3. Dominic Scelzi 41 4. Shane Golobic 17W 5. Rico Abreu 24 6. Bud Kaeding 69 7. Tim Kaeding 42X 8. Joel Myers Jr. 46JR 9. Sean Becker 83V 10. Andy Forsberg 92 11. DJ Netto 88N 12. Robbie Price 21P 13. Billy Aton 26 14. Corey Day 21 15. Sean Watts 98 16. Kaleb Montgomery 35 17. John Clark 12J 18. Jessie Attard 53
HOOSIER TIRE LAP LEADERS: Sanders 1-30
SWIFT METAL FINISHING HARDCHARGER: Billy Aton 17th to 13th
ARP FAST QUALIFIER: Joel Myers Jr. 12.457
BROWN AND MILLER RACING SOLUTIONS HEAT ONE (10 laps): Shane Golobic, Colby Copeland, Sean Becker, Joel Myers Jr., DJ Netto, Jessie Attard
FUJITSU GENERAL USA HEAT TWO (10 laps): Bud Kaeding, Dominic Scelzi, Rico Abreu, Andy Forsberg, Corey Day, Billy Aton
FLORACING.COM HEAT THREE (10 laps): Kaleb Montgomery, Justin Sanders, Tim Kaeding, Sean Watts, Robbie Price, John Clark
SUNNYVALLEY “POWERED BY BACON” DASH (6 laps): Justin Sanders, Dominic Scelzi, Shane Golobic, Colby Copeland, Bud Kaeding, Joel Myers Jr.
UNSTOPPABLE: SCELZI’S MAGICAL SEASON AND FASTEST FOUR DAYS CONTINUES WITH STOCKTON CHAMPION’S CLASSIC WIN
(8/28/2021 – Alex Nieten) Stockton, CA… Dominic Scelzi’s dream season just keeps on rolling.
The pilot of the Scelzi Enterprises/Red Rose Transportation No. 41 notched his fourth NARC-King of the West Fujitsu Sprint Car victory of 2021 with a masterful drive from his starting spot on the third row at the Stockton Dirt Track Saturday night. The result in day three of the Fastest Four Days in Motorsports also marked his fifth consecutive series podium as he continues to hunt his first career NARC title. Scelzi was quick to credit his crew for the consistent success.
“With Jimmy Carr,” Scelzi said in victory lane. “I say it every week, the guy just gives me a perfect racecar every night.”
The Champion’s Classic field was brought to green by DJ Netto and Justin Sanders. Netto got the initial jump into turn one, but Sanders powered underneath Netto out of turn four to lead the opening circuit.
Sanders continued to lead with Netto close behind until lap 10 when Netto was able to slip back by in his Netto Ag/Penny Newman Grain 88N. Sanders came to a stop in turn four on the next lap with a mechanical issue but was able to rejoin after the caution and tag the tail.
The green flag on lap 11 immediately brought another yellow for Corey Day who had trouble on the backstretch before a lap was complete, ending his night.
Scelzi began his charge after the caution for Day. Scelzi lined up fifth for the restart and watched his competitors all head for the top side when the green dropped. On lap 12 Scelzi rolled the bottom perfectly to jump by two cars onto the podium. The following lap he took over second from Rico Abreu. Just two laps later, Scelzi squeezed to the inside of Netto to grab the lead into turn one.
Netto would not go down without a fight as he launched a slider the next lap to regain top spot and lead lap 16, but Scelzi countered with a crossover and was able to distance himself from the reigning champion just enough to get some breathing room.
Lap traffic came into play with under 10 laps remaining as Scelzi and Netto both had to navigate slower cars on what was a tricky surface. Netto made daring moves to get by lap cars and keep Scelzi in his sights. The pilot of the 88N approached Scelzi’s tail tank on multiple occasions as the laps dwindled, but he couldn’t quite gain enough momentum to make another move for the lead. Scelzi hung on to win by just under two seconds.
Behind the battle for the lead, Tanner Carrick quietly moved forward in his Carrick Motorsports/CVC Concrete 83T from his eleventh starting spot to finish in third for his second career series podium. Carrick’s efforts also earned him Swift Metal Finishing Hardcharger honors.
Scelzi’s win in the Champion’s Classic marked his third KWS triumph at Stockton, and it netted him $6,000. The point leader extended his lead in the standings and his advantage in the Fastest
Four Days in Motorsports points. The Fresno native just continues to put together a west coast racing season for the history books, and he’s enjoying every moment along the way.
“I’m in awe,” Scelzi said. “I really can’t believe our car is this good every single night.”
The remainder of the top-10 was Rico Abreu, Shane Golobic, Colby Copeland, Sean Becker, Tim Kaeding, Bud Kaeding and Jessie Attard.
The NARC-KWS Fujitsu Sprint Cars can next be seen in action Sunday August 29th at Petaluma Speedway for the Fastest Four Days in Motorsports finale.
FUJITSU GENERAL USA FEATURE (30 laps): 1. Dominic Scelzi 41 2. DJ Netto 88N 3. Tanner Carrick 83T 4. Rico Abreu 24 5. Shane Golobic 17W 6. Colby Copeland 16A 7. Sean Becker 83V 8. Tim Kaeding 42X 9. Bud Kaeding 69 10. Jessie Attard 53 11. Justin Sanders 57 12. Sean Watts 98 13. Mitchell Faccinto 37 14. Willie Croft 29 15. Robbie Price 21P 16. Joel Myers Jr. 46JR 17. Billy Aton 26 18. Mitchel Moles 01 19. Geoffrey Strole 09S 20. Corey Day 21 21. Brain Boswell 75 22. Richard Brace Jr. 2R 23. Kalib Henry 93
HOOSIER TIRE LAP LEADERS: Sanders 1-9 Netto 10-14, 16 Scelzi 15, 17-30
SWIFT METAL FINISHING HARDCHARGER: Tanner Carrick 11th to 3rd
ARP FAST QUALIFIER (23 cars): Colby Copeland 13.646
BROWN AND MILLER RACING SOLUTIONS HEAT ONE (8 laps): Justin Sanders, Tanner Carrick, Rico Abreu, Colby Copeland, Mitchel Moles, Billy Aton, Richard Brace Jr., Robbie Price
FUJITSU GENERAL USA HEAT TWO (8 laps): Kalib Henry, Sean Becker, Dominic Scelzi, DJ Netto, Tim Kaeding, Jessie Attard, Joel Myers Jr., Brian Boswell
FLORACING.COM HEAT THREE (8 laps): Mitchell Faccinto, Bud Kaeding, Corey Day, Shane Golobic, Willie Croft, Sean Watts, Geoffrey Strole
SUNNYVALLEY “POWERED BY BACON” DASH (6 laps): DJ Netto, Justin Sanders, Rico Abreu, Colby Copeland, Sean Becker, Dominic Scelzi
THIRD TIME’S A CHARM: FACCINTO EARNS THIRD KWS WIN IN THIRD OCEAN RACE OF 2021
(8/27/2021 – Alex Nieten) Watsonville, CA… In the third and final NARC-King of the West Fujitsu Sprint Car appearance at Ocean Speedway of the year, Mitchell Faccinto picked up his third career series win in what he felt was a long time coming at the Watsonville bullring.
“Finally,” Faccinto said in victory lane. “I feel like we’ve won ten or fifteen dashes here, and I’ve just made too many mistakes in the feature to get the win.”
Faccinto would not make those same mistakes Friday night on day number two of the Fastest Four Days in Motorsports.
Courtesy of his win in the Sunnyvalley Bacon Trophy Dash, Faccinto paced the field to green with fellow front row starter, Tanner Carrick. Carrick got the initial jump and led off turn two but an immediate yellow for Sean Watts on the backstretch brought the field back together for a complete restart.
On the ensuing green flag Faccinto aced the start to keep the lead in his Stan Greenberg owned Western Metal Co. No. 37. Another caution for Sean Becker slowed the pace again on lap 3. Faccinto secured another a great jump to lead on the restart, and as the leaders approached traffic the action intensified behind Faccinto.
Third starting Ryan Robinson in the Mike Phulps owned Long Creek Winery & Ranch No. 56 began battling with Carrick for the runner-up spot. Reigning champion DJ Netto approached the duel but contact on lap 10 with Carrick sent him for a wild ride down the backstretch and brought out the night’s first red flag. Netto was okay, and the 88N crew immediately began thrashing to make repairs. Carrick exited the track after the contact.
The accident shook up the top-5, moving point leader, Dominic Scelzi, onto the podium and Kurt Nelson into fifth. On the following restart, Robbie Price and Justin Sanders tangled in turn one to bring out yet another yellow. The caution eventually became an open red as teams would need fuel. Miraculously, Netto’s team made repairs on his machine from the previous red, and since a lap did not get completed before the next incident, Netto was able to rejoin on the lead lap.
The restart with 21 to go brought the race’s first long green flag run. Faccinto paced Robinson and Scelzi but couldn’t pull away on the lightning fast Ocean Speedway. The trio stayed a few car lengths apart from one another as they navigated lap traffic. On lap 24, Robinson seized on an opportunity when Faccinto bobbled out of turn two and threw a slider on him into turn three. Faccinto countered with a crossover out of turn four, and as the pair raced side by side down the front stretch and into turn one, the red flag flew again.
Netto, who had been charging after making the earlier repairs, found himself in the turn two fence with Landon Brooks, ending both of their nights and necessitating some lengthy fence repair. Both drivers were unharmed.
Faccinto jumped out to a solid advantage on the following restart with six to go and never looked back. While trying to mount a charge, Robinson made a couple mistakes on the cushion and had to go into defensive mode with a hard charging Scelzi behind him. Faccinto held on to win by just over one second and parked the TSG blue and white 37 in NARC-KWS victory lane for the third time in his career. The win netted Faccinto $4,000.
Robinson held on to second, and Scelzi rounded out the podium in his Scelzi Enterprises/Red Rose Transportation 41 machine, marking his fourth consecutive podium. Scelzi extended his overall points advantage and took over the Fastest Four Days in Motorsports points lead.
Bud Kaeding and Swift Metal Finishing Hardcharger, Shane Golobic, completed the top-5. Rico Abreu, Kurt Nelson, Colby Copeland, Tim Kaeding and Mitchel Moles rounded out the top-10.
Ryan Robinson broke his own track record he set back in June at Ocean Speedway. His time of 10.734 now stands as the quickest in track history.
NARC-KWS will be back in action again on August 28th at Stockton Dirt Track for night three of the Fastest Four Days in Motorsports.
FUJITSU GENERAL USA FEATURE (30 laps): 1. Mitchell Faccinto 37, 2. Ryan Robinson 56, 3. Dominic Scelzi 41, 4. Bud Kaeding 69, 5. Shane Golobic 17W, 6. Rico Abreu 24, 7. Kurt Nelson 72W, 8. Colby Copeland 16A, 9. Tim Kaeding 42X, 10. Mitchel Moles 01, 11. Keith Day Jr. 22, 12. Justin Sanders 57, 13. Billy Aton 26, 14. Jessie Attard 53, 15. Sean Becker 83V, 16. Brad Dillard 72S, 17. Brian Boswell 75, 18. Richard Fajardo 07, 19. Landon Brooks 76, 20. DJ Netto 88N, 21. Blake Carrick 38B, 22. Tanner Carrick 83T, 23. Robbie Price 21, 24. Sean Watts 98.
HOOSIER TIRE LAP LEADERS: Faccinto 1-30
SWIFT METAL FINISHING HARDCHARGER: Shane Golobic 13th to 5th
ARP FAST QUALIFIER: Ryan Robinson 10.734 (New Track Record)
BROWN AND MILLER RACING SOLUTIONS HEAT ONE (10 laps): Tanner Carrick, Ryan Robinson, Keith Day Jr., Bud Kaeding, Shane Golobic, Billy Aton, Landon Brooks, Sean Becker
FUJITSU GENERAL USA HEAT TWO (10 laps): Kurt Nelson, DJ Netto, Colby Copeland, Mitchel Moles, Blake Carrick, Robbie Price, Jessie Attard, Brian Boswell
FLORACING.COM HEAT THREE (10 laps): Tim Kaeding, Dominic Scelzi, Mitchell Faccinto, Rico Abreu, Justin Sanders, Sean Watts, Brad Dillard, Richard Fajardo
SUNNYVALLEY “POWERED BY BACON” DASH (6 laps): Mitchell Faccinto, Tanner Carrick, Ryan Robinson, DJ Netto, Kurt Nelson, Dominic Scelzi
JUSTIN SANDERS SCORES KING OF THE WEST “FASTEST FOUR DAYS IN MOTORSPORTS” OPENER AT MERCED
(8/26/21 - Jim Allen) Merced, CA ... Justin Sanders took advantage of some well-timed caution periods to outrun Dominic Scelzi and score Thursday night's Fastest Four Days in Motorsports opener for the NARC King of the West Fujitsu sprint cars at Merced Speedway. Although the stat sheet will show that Sanders led all 30-laps aboard Kevin Koslowski's Works Unlimited #57, wrenched by Paul Silva, Sanders had to battle his way through slower cars and an ever pressing Scelzi to score the single-car length victory.
Sanders won the Sunnyvalley Bacon dash and started on pole. He had to fend off 15-year old Corey Day for the first 10 laps, until the Scelzi assumed the runner-up spot in the second corner on lap 12. Scelzi took the lead a lap later, but the field reverted back a lap when the caution came out for fuel leak fire on Jessie Attard's car. When racing resumed, Scelzi continued to shadow the leaders every move and was challenging for the point when the caution appeared once again on the 18th circuit. This was a recurring theme throughout this feature event.
The race came to a abrupt halt on the 23rd circuit when Day tangled with a slower car while running fourth, flipping violently over the first turn berm. He was shaken in the accident and evaluated by medical crews on the scene. He will miss the next event with the Tarlton Motorsports team.
Once the race resumed, Sanders had his hands full with Scelzi and now sixth starter Colby Copeland. The trio reached lapped traffic with two-laps to go but Sanders ended up holding on for a car length margin of victory worth $4000.
"Let's face it, I was lucky that some of those yellows came out tonight," said Sanders. "Dominic was really fast and was all over me when we got in slower traffic. I'll take a little luck any day. I'm just glad that I could score the win for this team. They gave me a great car and I went out and did my job."
Scelzi took home second place money in the Scelzi Enterprises 41. Copeland was third aboard Larry Antaya Fire Suppression Systems 16A. Tim Kaeding started and finished fourth aboard the Bates-Hamilton Teichert-sponsored 42X. Shane Golobic was on the move aboard the Elk Grove Ford sprinter, starting 16th and finishing fifth to pocket the Swift Metal Finishing Hardcharger Award money.
Bud Kaeding, Canadian Robbie Price, Blake Carrick, Sean Becker and DJ Netto rounded out the top ten.
Rico Abreu set a new track record in qualifying with a lightening quick 10.354 second run around the quarter-mile oval.
It was Sanders second NARC King of the West victory of the season and 10th of his career. It marked the series first trip to Merced Speedway since 1992.
FUJITSU MAIN EVENT (30 laps): 1. Justin Sanders 57; 2. Dominic Scelzi 41; 3. Colby Copeland 16A; 4. Tim Kaeding 42X; 5. Shane Golobic 17W; 6. Bud Kaeding 69; 7. Robbie Price 21P; 8. Blake Carrick 38B; 9. Sean Becker 83V; 10. DJ Netto 88N; 11. Mitchell Faccinto 37; 12. Joel Myers Jr. 46JR; 13. Billy Aton 26; 14. Landon Brooks 76; 15. Sean Watts 98; 16. Kurt Nelson 72W; 17. Corey Day 21; 18. Mark Barroso 78; 19. Jessie Attard 53; 20. Rico Abreu 24; 21. Tanner Carrick 83T; 22. Brian Boswell 75; 23. Mitchel Moles 01.
LAP LEADERS: Sander 1-30
SWIFT METAL FINISHING HARDCHARGER: Shane Golobic 16th to 5th
ARP FAST QUALIFIER (23 cars): Rico Abreu - 10.354 seconds
BMRS HEAT ONE (10 laps): DJ Netto, Tim Kaeding, Corey Day, Tanner Carrick, Shane Golobic, Rico Abreu, Kurt Nelson, Brian Boswell.
FUJITSU GENERAL HEAT TWO (10 laps): Dominic Scelzi, Justin Sanders, Bud Kaeding, Blake Carrick, Sean Becker, Sean Watts, Mark Barroso
FLORACING.COM HEAT THREE (10 laps): Colby Copeland, Robbie Price, Jessie Attard, Mitchell Faccinto, Joel Myers Jr., Landon Brooks, Billy Aton.
SUNNYVALLEY BACON DASH (6 laps): Justin Sanders, Corey Day, Dominic Scelzi, Tim Kaeding, DJ Netto, Colby Copeland
ROAD TRIP: FASTEST FOUR DAYS IN MOTORSPORTS ON TAP FOR NARC-KING OF THE WEST SPRINT CARS
(8/23/21) Sacramento, CA ... The NARC King of the West Fujitsu Sprint Car Series reaches the centerpiece of the 2021 schedule this week when the Fastest Four Days in Motorsports (FFDM) will take teams and fans on a four-day tour of Nor-Cal.
This year marks the second edition of the FFDM. Tim Kaeding claimed the inaugural edition in 2019 by winning two of the four races, and COVID-19 regulations erased the 2020 FFDM from the calendar. (ED NOTE: The originally scheduled August 25th show at Placerville Speedway was canceled because the El Dorado County Fairgrounds were transformed into a staging are for firefighters and equipment battling the Caldor fire.)
Racing kicks off Thursday August 26th at Merced Speedway for Thursday Night Thunder. The following night takes the series to Watsonville’s Ocean Speedway for the third and final visit to the coastal bullring in 2021. Saturday the caravan will head to Stockton Dirt Track for the $6,000 to win Champion’s Classic that also features a $3,000 to win 360 sprint car show. The FFDM wraps up Sunday with the third series appearance at Petaluma Speedway this year.
The FFDM will be incentivized by a $8,000 point fund that will award $2,000 to the winner of the final standings and distribute the remainder among the drivers who finish 2nd-12th in points. Also, on top of the $6,000 to win race at Stockton, the other three events will all be $4,000 to win. Both the point fund and the heightened purses at Stockton will provide an opportunity for some drivers to have a very lucrative week!
On Thursday in Merced NARC will be joined by Mini Stocks, Mini Late Models and IMCA Northern SportMods. Friday at Ocean IMCA Sport Mods, Hobby Stocks and South Bay Dwarf Cars will share the card. Stockton will feature the $3,000 to win 360 sprint car event and NorCal Dwarf Cars. Joining NARC on Sunday in Petaluma will be Super Stocks, Dwarf Cars and Hardtops.
The entire four-day blitz of racing guarantees to offer plenty of excitement. Competitors will be vying for the extra money up for grabs alluded to above, and the situation atop the series standings may shake up. Dominic Scelzi currently holds a slim six-point lead over reigning champ DJ Netto, and just 15-markers behind Netto is 2015 titlist Bud Kaeding. For more information regarding drivers to watch and stories to follow this week, check out our FFDM Storylines and Stats here: https://narc410.com/2021/08/15/fastest-five-days-in-motorsports-story-lines-stats/
The NARC King of the West Hoosier Tire Format for the FFDM will feature ARP Bolts Fast Time Qualifying, 10-lap Brown and Miller Racing Solutions Heat Races (Stockton heat races will be 8 laps), a six-lap Sunnyvalley Bacon Trophy Dash and the 30-lap Fujitsu General USA Main Event.
At Merced the grandstands will open at 5:00 P.M. with racing set to begin at 7:00 P.M. Merced Speedway is located at 900 Martin Luther King Jr. Way Merced, CA 95341. For more information call 209-600-8382 or visit https://mercedspeedway.net.
On Friday night at Ocean Speedway Adult General Admission tickets will cost $25. Juniors ages 11-16 will be admitted for $20. Kids 6-10 can get in for just $10. Children 5 and under are free! Tickets can be purchased in advance at: https://www.eventsprout.com/event/final-points-night-friday-night-frenzy. Ocean Speedway is located on the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds at 2601 E Lake Ave Watsonville, CA 95076. For more information call (831) 688-7223 or visit https://oceanspeedway.com.
The Stockton Dirt Track pit gate is set to open at 3:00 P.M. on Saturday with the main gate set to follow at 5:00 P.M. Racing will get going around 7:00 P.M. Pit Passes are $40. Adult General Admission is $25. Kids ages 5-12, seniors 65 and older and military personnel with a valid ID will be admitted for $20. Kids 4 and under are free! Tickets can be purchased in advance at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/king-of-the-west-narc-fujistu-sprint-car-series-and-norcal-dwarf-cars-tickets-162479457431?aff=website. The Stockton Dirt Track is located on the San Joaquin County Fairgrounds at 1658 S Airport Way Stockton, CA 95206. For more information call 209-466-9999 or visit https://stocktondirttrack.com.
On Sunday in Petaluma the pit gate will open at 2:00 P.M. with the front gate opening at 4:00 P.M. Hot laps will kickoff at 5:00 P.M. with racing to follow at 6:00 P.M.
The Fastest Four Days in Motorsports can be viewed live on floracing.com along with the entire NARC King of the West Fujitsu Sprint Car schedule.
NARC King of the West Fujitsu 410 Sprint Car Series
Championship Points Standings (After nine events in 21-race series 8/24/2021)Dominic Scelzi, Fresno - 1001
DJ Netto, Hanford - 995
Bud Kaeding, Campbell - 980
Tim Kaeding, San Jose - 967
Sean Becker, Roseville - 960
Billy Aton, Benicia (R) - 953
Sean Watts, Clovis - 927
Justin Sanders, Aromas - 730
Geoffrey Strole, Hanford (R) - 685
Shane Golobic, Elk Grove - 673
Mitchell Faccinto, Hanford - 632
Mitchel Moles, Raisin City - 607
Kenny Allen, Chico - 583
Willie Croft, Colfax - 530
Ryan Robinson, Foresthill (R) - 524
Austin McCarl, Altoona, IA - 524
Joel Myers Jr, Sebastopol (R) - 518
Mark Barroso, Merced - 491
Kyle Offill, Tracy (R) - 481
Kyle Hirst, Paradise - 427The King of the West-NARC Fujitsu General USA Racing Series is also sponsored by Hoosier Racing Tires. Associate and product award sponsors include Automotive Racing Products (ARP), Autometer, Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, Bullet Impressions, FloRacing.com, Johnstone Supply, Kaeding Performance Center, KSE Racing Products, Maxim, PAC Racing Springs, Pyrotect, Racing Optics, Saldana Racing Products, Schoenfeld Headers, SCI Racing Products, Swift Metal Finishing, Sunnyvalley Bacon, System 1 Ignition, Ultra Light Brakes, Wilwood Disc Brakes, and Winters Performance Products.
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Upcoming Events
Fastest Four Days in Motorsports:
August 26 – Merced Speedway – Thursday Night Thunder
August 27 – Ocean Speedway - Friday Night Showdown
August 28 – The Stockton Dirt Track – Champions Classic
August 29 – Petaluma Speedway - Sunday Night Finale
September 4-5 - Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico - Louie Vermeil Classic
FASTEST FIVE DAYS IN MOTORSPORTS – STORY LINES & STATS!
August 15, 2021
Jim Allen(8/15/21 – By Alex Nieten, ) … In less than two weeks, the NARC-King of the West Fujitsu Sprint Cars Series will embark on a journey consisting of five races over five consecutive nights at five different racetracks, all combining to create the highly anticipated Fastest Five Days in Motorsports.
Fresno’s Dominic Scelzi has been red hot this season!With nearly 500-miles of travel taking the west coast’s premier sprint car drivers to five different venues of various shapes and sizes in less than a week, there will be plenty of interesting news to follow and numbers to note, and we’ve got them all in the 2021 Fastest Five Days in Motorsports (FFDM) preview.
The Favorites …
Dominic Scelzi has set the west coast ablaze this year and will look to continue his tear during the FFDM to extend his points lead. The Fresno native has already collected sixteen feature victories in 2021, including three of the nine NARC-KWS events run to date. Scelzi enters the week with three podiums in the last five series races, two of which were wins. Of his twelve career KWS wins, four of them have come at tracks on the FFDM schedule. The most recent series race at the site of the opener, Placerville, saw Scelzi grab his first Dave Bradway Jr. Memorial triumph. Scelzi finished eighth in the 2019 FFDM standings.
Bud and Tim Kaeding have been running up front all season!The 2019 edition of the FFDM was dominated by the Kaedings’, and Tim and Bud aim to write a similar story in 2021. The brothers won three of the four races two years ago with Tim snagging a pair and Bud claiming one, and Tim claimed the $2,000 prize for earning the most points. TK already owns two victories this year including his third Pombo-Sargent Classic at Ocean Speedway which hosts the Friday show. While Bud hasn’t earned a win yet this year, he does own five top-5 finishes. The 2017 champ also has finished seventh or better in five of the six races this year at the tracks on the FFDM calendar, the outlier being a DNF at Ocean when Bud got caught up in a wreck while racing for a spot in the top-5.
The 2018 series runner-up, Shane Golobic, is still in search of his first NARC win in 2021 despite being toward the front nearly every night. The Fremont native’s average finish over the six series races he’s contested this year is 3.8, and he owns podium finishes in four of those six. In the 2019 FFDM Golobic earned a pair of runner-up results, but an expired engine at Chico cost him a potential win and dropped him to seventh in the final standings.
Trending Up …
Roseville’s Sean Becker is looking to score a W!The most recent series winner, Billy Aton, will be looking to keep his momentum going after his Santa Maria victory last month. For some drivers, that highly sought first career win can break the dam and welcome plenty more trips to victory lane. Aton’s best chances for more triumphs may come in Watsonville and Petaluma, the locations where he’s turned the most laps. In July of 2019 Aton earned a then-career best second place finish at Petaluma. The Benicia native enters the week with three top-10s in the last four events.
After two consecutive finishes outside the top-15, Sean Becker has put together his best three-race stretch of the season. He won the Howard Kaeding Classic in July and followed the victory up with a pair of top-10 runs the next weekend at Tulare and Santa Maria. The 2005 series champ’s average finish over the trio of events is fifth, and he hopes the strong performance continues through the FFDM.
Bouncing Back …
15-year old Corey Day is aiming for his first King of the West victory.If it wasn’t for bad luck, the pairing of young gasser Corey Day and Tarlton Motorsports would have no luck at all. The fifteen-year old earned the pole in his first series start for Tarlton before a mid-race incident cost him a potential top-5. Their next race at Tulare Day had climbed from 15th to 6th before climbing the infamous Thunderbowl turn one fence. Most recently Day seemed poised to pass Billy Aton for the lead and win at Santa Maria until lapped cars tangled right in front of him and collected the Tarlton machine in the crash. The familiar black No. 21 has shown plenty of speed with Day behind the wheel, so if their fortune can turn around Day should be in the running for the title.
DJ Netto is another driver who has shown a ton of speed recently but been plagued with bad luck. While the results show three top-10s in the last four races, the complete story reveals how a few of those finishes could’ve been podiums and a win or two. Netto got collected in an incident with a slower car at Petaluma while running second and fought back to eighth. The reigning champ also made contact in a major lap one incident at Santa Maria before rallying to fourth. While dealing with the misfortune, crew chief Drew Warner has undoubtedly had the 88N hooked up for Netto. ARP Fast Time honors have gone to the team the past two consecutive events and three of the last four. And as alluded to above, Netto has always been up front when the incidents have occurred. A little more luck and Netto may very well snag the FFDM title and regain the overall points lead.
Familiar Faces in New Places …
Roseville’s Colby Copeland will be in Larry Antaya’s 16A.Two-time series feature winner, Colby Copeland, is reuniting with Larry Antaya for the FFDM. Both of Copeland’s two career NARC-KWS victories came aboard Antaya’s 16A at tracks on the Speedweek calendar. Copeland also already scored an SCCT triumph at Merced last month. The Roseville native’s lone series start of 2021 came in June at Ocean Speedway and piloting the Ed Butterfield No. 76 Copeland earned an eighth place result.
Look for Justin Sanders to be in a new ride that will turn some heads. Six of Sanders’ seven career series wins have occurred at tracks on the FFDM schedule, so he’ll be a favorite in a very potent machine.
Short Track Savvy …
California may be best known for its plentiful bullrings, and the FFDM will feature a heavy dose of them. The first three nights are set to take place at Placerville, Merced and Ocean Speedway, a trio of quarter mile ovals. The three venues routinely provide some of the most intense racing you’ll see all year.
Saturday brings the FFDM to the 3/8ths mile Stockton Dirt Track. The season opener at Stockton in March displayed the benefits of the recently reconfigured track. A smoother, slicker surface led to slide jobs galore throughout the field.
The finale on Sunday takes place at another 3/8ths mile, Petaluma Speedway, but the tacky, narrow oval races like a bullring. The leaders often set a torrid pace at the Bay Area facility, putting them in lap traffic early on that can be difficult to navigate due to the hooked up conditions.
First Time in a Long Time …
The trip to Merced on Thursday will mark an interesting reunion. It will be the first NARC-KWS appearance at the central valley track since 1992. Current series point leader, Dominic Scelzi, was not even born yet the last time the series visited Merced. Two-time series champ Tim Green claimed a pair of twin features in May of ’92 and has stood as the most recent series winner at Merced since.
Let’s Go Racing! …
The stories above are just a handful of the many that will unfold over the course of the five day blitz of racing. Roseville’s Willie Croft is yet to grab a NARC checkered flag in 2021. Can fifteen-year old Joel Myers Jr. grab his first series win after heartbreak at Petaluma last month? And, of course, who will claim the FFDM title and the $2,000 prize that goes along with it when all is said and done on a chilly evening in Petaluma? Find out by making your travel plans now!
However, if you can’t make it to the track, you can catch the entire Fastest Five Days in Motorsports live on Floracing.com.
WILD BILL BREAKTHROUGH: ATON CLAIMS FIRST CAREER NARC-KWS WIN AT SANTA MARIA
(7/24/2021 – Alex Nieten) Nipomo, CA… Just a tad more than two years after he led seven laps and scored a then-career best second place finish at Petaluma, Billy Aton finally captured his inaugural NARC-King of the West Fujitsu Sprint Car victory at Santa Maria Raceway’s Winged Madness event Saturday night.
It had been over a year since a driver had claimed their first series victory prior to Aton, Spencer Bayston being the most recent in June of 2020. Aton also became the sixth driver to earn a series victory this year through nine races.
While the box score will show Aton led from green to checkered, it was by no means a 30-lap walk in the park. The pilot of the Bill Aton Painting No. 26 had to endure a hairy start to the feature and hold off the west coast’s hottest driver, Dominic Scelzi, in the closing laps. Aton admitted to feeling some intense pressure.
“I couldn’t tell if I was rolling at a good pace or if they were on us,” Aton said. “But every time a yellow came out, I was looking at the scoreboard and I thought ‘oh god, they’re coming.’”
The green flag dropped with Aton and fellow front row starter, Bud Kaeding, leading the field into turn one. Aton nailed the start and established a lead out of turn two and down the backstretch. Then in turn three, the entire venue held their collective breath as Wild Bill got a little too wild, getting sideways on the top side in front of the field, leaving Bud Kaeding nowhere to go. By the time the dust settled, Aton had straightened himself out, but Bud Kaeding found himself on his side having been hit by at least five other cars in the melee. Kaeding was uninjured.
Ryan Robinson snuck by the mess to briefly take the lead, but since a lap had not been completed the top spot was returned to Aton for a complete restart following the red flag. A pair of cautions on laps three and four for cars stopping on track slowed the early pace of the race.
The restart with twenty-seven to go brought the first green flag run and saw Tarlton Motorsports pilot Corey Day drive by Robinson for the runner-up spot and quickly close on Aton. Just when it appeared Day might move into the lead, misfortune struck the 15-year old on lap thirteen when two lap cars got together right in front of his No. 21 machine, leaving him with nowhere to go and a second straight DNF.
It didn’t take long for three-time series winner in 2021, Dominic Scelzi, to join the battle for the win following the restart with eighteen to go. The driver of the Scelzi Enterprises/Red Rose Transportation 41 moved past Robinson on lap fourteen and set his sights on the No. 26.
Just when you could throw a blanket over Aton, Scelzi and a fast approaching Tim Kaeding in the battle for the lead, a yellow came out with less than ten to go for a stopped Brooklyn Holland.
The final seven laps produced an intense game of cat and mouse around the lightning fast Santa Maria Raceway. Scelzi stalked his prey, using a unique line in turns one and two to get a massive run down the backstretch each lap. Aton, though, would not be denied as he maintained a steady line and pace and held on to win by just .350 seconds over the point leader.
“Just had to keep running some good lines, and luckily this old girl took her home,” a jubilant Aton said.
While disappointed to miss out on the win, Scelzi and the entire pit area couldn’t help but be happy for Aton.
“If there’s anybody in this pit area you want to see pick up their first win and run second to him, that’s the guy,” Scelzi said.
Rounding out the podium after an incredible comeback was JJ Ringo. After hitting the wall hard while leading his heat race, he and his team thrashed to get the Mike Mitchell Construction/Ernest Hemingway Vineyards/Porter Diving No. 2 back out for the feature, and Ringo drove from twelfth to third to earn his first career series podium and the Swift Metal Finishing Hardcharger.
“Thanks to everyone who busted their butts to help us get out here,” Ringo said. “It’s pretty cool to get my first podium with King of the West.”
The remainder of the top-10 was DJ Netto, Tim Kaeding, Bryce Eames, Sean Watts, Sean Becker, Jessie Attard and Mark Barroso.
(ED NOTE: The Wheelie Contest scheduled at Santa Maria Raceway was cancelled due to poor track conditions. It required a complete track rework which delayed the program by 90-minutes.)
FUJITSU FEATURE (30 laps): 1. Billy Aton 26 2. Dominic Scelzi 41 3. JJ Ringo 2 4. DJ Netto 88N 5. Tim Kaeding 42X 6. Bryce Eames 50 7. Sean Watts 98 8. Sean Becker 83V 9. Jessie Attard 76 10. Mark Barroso 78 11. Brooklyn Holland 2B 12. Geoffrey Strole 09S 13. Keith Day Jr. 22 14. Ryan Robinson 56 15. Corey Day 21 16. James Herrera 5J 17. Bud Kaeding 69 18. Mitchel Moles 01
HOOSIER TIRE LAP LEADERS: Billy Aton 1-30
SWIFT METAL FINISHING HARDCHARGER: JJ Ringo 12th to 3rd
ARP FAST QUALIFIER (18 cars): DJ Netto 12.582
BROWN & MILLER HEAT RACE #1 (8 laps): Bud Kaeding, Sean Watts, Sean Becker, DJ Netto, Mitchel Moles, Geoffrey Strole
FUJITSU GENERAL USA HEAT RACE #2 (8 laps): Dominic Scelzi, Tim Kaeding, Ryan Robinson, Jessie Attard, Brooklyn Holland, Mark Barroso
FLORACING.COM HEAT #3 (8 laps): Corey Day, Keith Day Jr., Billy Aton, James Herrera, Bryce Eames, JJ Ringo
SUNNY VALLEY “POWERED BY BACON” DASH (6 laps): Billy Aton, Bud Kaeding, Ryan Robinson, Corey Day, Dominic Scelzi, DJ Netto
SECOND VERSE SAME AS THE FIRST: SCELZI DOUBLES DOWN AT THE THUNDERBOWL, AGAIN
(7/23/2021 – Alex Nieten) Tulare, CA… Dominic Scelzi continued his 2021 domination of Tulare Friday night at the Chris and Brian Faria Memorial with his second consecutive NARC-King of the West Fujitsu Sprint Car victory at the Thunderbowl, and he capped it off with a Kings of Thunder 360 win, making it six straight Tulare triumphs overall.
The win didn’t come easy, though. Scelzi lined up sixth on the grid for the start of the 30-lap Fujitsu Feature. Prior to tonight, the farthest back a driver had come to win in 2021 was fifth. The pilot of the Scelzi Enterprises/Red Rose Transportation 41 also had to endure a race-long battle with a pair of the west coast’s best, DJ Netto and Shane Golobic.
“I’m beat,” an exhausted Scelzi said. “I ran thirty laps as hard as I possibly could. The way the cushion was I was really hustling my butt off. I haven’t fallen out of the seat in a long time, but I did tonight. DJ is so good around this place. Shane’s won just about everything there is to win here.”
The win also held some extra significance for not just Scelzi, but the Scelzi family that recently grew by one.
“This is so cool,” Scelzi said. “My baby girl was born last Friday, and this is the first win being a dad, so I’m just kind of soaking it all in.”
The field took the green with DJ Netto and Shane Golobic leading the way. Golobic got the jump in his NOS Energy Drink/Elk Grove Ford 17W from the inside and stretched the early lead while Scelzi worked his way by a few cars early on to jump from sixth to third. A caution with six laps complete bunched the field back up.
Netto returned Golobic’s lap one favor by snagging the top spot in his Netto Ag/Penny Newman Grain 88N from the inside lane on the ensuing restart. Another yellow on lap nine and a red flag for Sean Watts on lap twelve brought the leaders back together, but the top three remained the same until the closing laps brought excitement.
As the lead trio navigated traffic with less than ten to go, Scelzi first picked off Golobic by rolling the bottom, and then snuck into the lead with a similar maneuver the next lap when Netto got trapped behind a slower car running the top.
“Sometimes its better to be second or actually third in that position,” Scelzi explained. “I don’t feel like I was better than either of these guys. That’s the cool thing about racing here, when it does get to the fence like that the top usually is the fastest place around here. When Shane got to him and they started racing, I was like ‘man I ran the bottom earlier in the night, and I felt really good, but nobody around me had done that. I knew I needed to stick the bottom because you only get one chance with these guys.”
A late red came out with six to go for Corey Day, but once racing resumed Scelzi went unchallenged the final few laps to claim his third Fujitsu Feature of 2021 and the twelfth of his career, but not without the notoriously tough Thunderbowl taking a toll on him. Day was unhurt in the accident.
“I’m gassed,” Scelzi said. “I’m going to have to get back to the gym on Monday.”
The balance of the top-10 was Netto, Golobic, Mitchel Moles, Sean Becker, Bud Kaeding, Willie Croft, Tim Kaeding, Faccinto and Geoffrey Strole.
FUJITSU FEATURE (30 laps) 1. Dominic Scelzi 41 2. DJ Netto 88N 3. Shane Golobic 17W 4. Mitchel Moles 83 5. Sean Becker 83V 6. Bud Kaeding 69 7. Willie Croft 29 8. Tim Kaeding 42X 9. Mitchell Faccinto 37 10. Geoffrey Strole 09S 11. Craig Stidham 36 12. Jessie Attard 76 13. Danny Faria Jr. 01 14. Mark Barroso 78 15. Corey Day 21 16. Ryan Robinson 56 17. Sean Watts 98 18. Billy Aton 26
HOOSIER TIRE LAP LEADERS: Shane Golobic 1-5, DJ Netto 6-22, Dominic Scelzi 23-30
SWIFT METAL FINISHING HARDCHARGER: Geoffrey Strole 18th to 10th
ARP/KIMO’S TROPICAL CAR WASH FAST QUALIFIER (18 cars): DJ Netto 14.683
BROWN & MILLER HEAT RACE #1 (8 laps): Tim Kaeding, Bud Kaeding, DJ Netto, Mitchell Faccinto, Jessie Attard, Corey Day
FUJITSU GENERAL USA HEAT RACE #2 (8 laps): Sean Becker, Shane Golobic, Billy Aton, Willie Croft, Danny Faria Jr., Mark Barroso
FLORACING.COM HEAT #3 (8 laps): Sean Watts, Craig Stidham, Mitchel Moles, Dominic Scelzi, Ryan Robinson, Geoffrey Strole
SUNNY VALLEY “POWERED BY BACON” DASH (6 laps): DJ Netto, Shane Golobic, Sean Becker, Mitchel Moles, Tim Kaeding, Dominic Scelzi
TULARE & SANTA MARIA SET TO HOST NARC-KING OF THE WEST DOUBLEHEADER
(7/19/21) Sacramento, CA ... This weekend brings the second doubleheader of the 2021 NARC King of the West Fujitsu Sprint Car campaign with the "Chris and Brian Faria Memorial" at Tulare’s Thunderbowl Raceway kicking off two nights of racing on Friday, July 23rd. The following night, July 24th, showcases the "Winged Madness" night at Nipomo’s Santa Maria Raceway, in an event that will feature a Wheelie Contest.
Friday’s event in Tulare honors the two brothers of the Faria family. Chris showed promise as a racer before sadly losing his life in a farming incident in 1993. Brian helped with the operation of the Thunderbowl before he passed in an automobile accident in 2006.
Saturday’s show not only offers a full program of NARC-KWS action at Santa Maria, but also what is sure to be a thrilling Hammerdown!/Kimo's Tropical Car Wash Wheelie Contest. Having made a habit of taking checkered flags with the front end aimed at the sky, Tim Kaeding must be the early favorite. However, he’ll have some stout competition in pursuit of the $1,000 prize.
On Friday at Tulare the NARC-KWS 410 Sprint Cars will be joined by the Kings of Thunder Winged 360 Sprint Cars and Western RaceSaver Sprints. On Saturday at Santa Maria RaceSaver Winged Sprints, Winged California Lightning Sprints and the Legends of Kearney Bowl are also on the card.
Both events should combine to provide a must-see weekend of racing. The Thunderbowl is known to provide some of the most intense, high-velocity action on the schedule. May’s Peter Murphy Classic in Tulare featured a slider-fest to decide the outcome. Santa Maria’s most recent race in 2019 saw three different leaders and an exciting final lead change with only two laps left.
Heading into the weekend, Campbell's Bud Kaeding is looking to rebound after an Ocean Speedway DNF trimmed his point lead to just one marker. Tulare should be a place to get the 2017 titlist back on track. Kaeding has eleven top-5s in his last twelve series starts at the Thunderbowl and led the opening 23-laps of this year’s Peter Murphy Classic. Bud also scored a solid third place finish in the series’ most recent visit to Santa Maria.
The reigning series champ DJ Netto should be up front both nights as he looks to jump from third to first in the points podium. The Hanford native carries a streak of twelve consecutive series top-10s at the Thunderbowl and earned his first career series victory at the 3/8ths mile in the 2015 Faria Memorial. He’s also scored top-5s in the last two series appearances at Santa Maria.
A preview for these two facilities cannot go without mention of Dominic Scelzi. The driver out of Fresno has four Thunderbowl victories this year including an $11,000 NARC-KWS triumph as part of his Peter Murphy Classic sweep in May. Scelzi also took home the win the last time NARC visited Santa Maria in 2019. He’s just a single point behind Bud Kaeding in the championship chase heading into the weekend.
The trio above are just a few who will be on hand this weekend. Other expected entries include two time feature winner in 2021 and two time series titlist Tim Kaeding of San Jose, Aromas’ Justin Sanders, Tarlton Motorsports pilot Corey Day, Mitchell Faccinto from Hanford, Morgan Hill driver JJ Ringo, Ryan Robinson of Foresthill, Willie Croft, Billy Aton, Kenny Allen and more.
The NARC King of the West Hoosier Tire format for both events will feature ARP Fast Time Qualifying, three 10-lap Brown and Miller Racing Solutions Heat Races, a 6-lap Sunnyvalley Bacon Trophy Dash, and the Fujitsu 30-lap feature.
For the Chris and Brian Faria Memorial at Tulare, the gates will open at 4:00 P.M. Hot laps are set for 5:00 P.M., qualifying at 6:00 P.M. and racing at 7:00 P.M. Pit passes are $40. Adult tickets for the main grandstands are $25 and the bleachers are $20. Seniors can access the grandstands for $23 and the bleachers for $18. Kids 6-12 grandstands tickets are only $13 and the bleachers are $10. Kids 5 and under are free.
For the Winged Madness event at Santa Maria, the pit gates will open at 1:00 P.M., and the front gates will follow at 4:00 P.M. The price for adult tickets is $30. Seniors will be admitted for $28. Kids 6-12 can get in for just $6. Kids 5 and under are free. Tickets can be purchased at the gate or online via the track’s website: santamariaraceway.com.
Both events can be viewed live on floracing.com along with the entire NARC King of the West Fujitsu Sprint Car schedule.
The Thunderbowl Raceway is located on the Tulare County Fairgrounds at 620 S K St, Tulare, CA 93274. For more information call (559) 688-0909.
Santa Maria Raceway is located at 1900 Hutton Road, Nipomo, CA 93444. For more information call (805) 710-4407.
NARC King of the West Fujitsu 410 Sprint Car Series
Championship Points Standings (After seven events in 21-race series 7/19/21)Bud Kaeding, Campbell - 771
Dominic Scelzi, Fresno - 770
DJ Netto, Hanford - 767
Tim Kaeding, San Jose - 748
Sean Becker, Roseville - 741
Billy Aton, Benicia (R) - 738
Justin Sanders, Aromas - 730
Sean Watts, Clovis - 719
Kenny Allen, Chico - 583
Shane Golobic, Elk Grove - 560
Mitchell Faccinto, Hanford - 525
Austin McCarl, Altoona, IA - 524
Joel Myers Jr, Sebastopol (R) - 518
Kyle Offill, Tracy (R) - 481
Geoffrey Strole, Hanford (R) - 475
Kyle Hirst, Paradise - 427
Willie Croft, Colfax - 421
Mitchel Moles, Raisin City - 397
Ryan Robinson, Foresthill (R) - 322
Blake Carrick, Lincoln - 320The King of the West-NARC Fujitsu General Racing Series is also sponsored by Hoosier Racing Tires. Associate and product award sponsors include Automotive Racing Products (ARP), Autometer, Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, Bullet Impressions, FK Rod Ends, FloRacing.com, Johnstone Supply, Kaeding Performance Center, KSE Racing Products, Maxim, PAC Racing Springs, Pyrotect, Racing Optics, Saldana Racing Products, Schoenfeld Headers, SCI Racing Products, Swift Metal Finishing, Sunnyvalley Bacon, System 1 Ignition, Ultra Light Brakes, Wilwood Disc Brakes, and Winters Performance Products.
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Upcoming Events
Fastest Five Days in Motorsports:
August 25 – Placerville Speedway – Gold Country Showdown
August 26 – Merced Speedway – Thursday Night Thunder
August 27 – Ocean Speedway
August 28 – The Stockton Dirt Track – Champions Classic
August 29 – Petaluma Speedway
BECKER SURVIVES HOWARD KAEDING CLASSIC TO POCKET $6900 PAYDAY
(7/17/21) Watsonville, CA ... Sean Becker survived a wild sprint car "Battle Royale" at Saturday's Howard Kaeding Classic to claim the coveted $6900 victory in NARC King of the West Fujitsu Racing Series action at Ocean Speedway. His winning efforts in the 30-lapper came aboard the David Vertullo Starr Property Management/Morrison Concrete sprint car.
This premier headliner was loaded with mayhem that effectively reeled in and damaged half the 24-car field in one form or another during three red flag and five caution periods. Luckily nobody was injured.
Australian Jessie Attard set the tone on the initial green flag pursued by Becker, Shane Golobic and fast qualifier Tim Kaeding who were battling position. The action came to a halt just as things were getting interesting when the caution came out on the sixth circuit for a stopped car. When action resumed, Golobic got past Attard and paced the field for two laps before the yellow flag appeared once again for another stalled car. On the ensuing restart, things went bad when Golobic's right rear gave way causing a massive pile up in the second turn. Among those involved were Willie Croft, Tim Kaeding, Justin Sanders, Dominic Scelzi, Kyle Hirst, and Ryan Bernal, and DJ Netto. Most teams scrambled to make makeshift repairs and returned to action. Unfortunately, Tim Kaeding would bring out the red again on the restart when he flipped hard into the front straightaway concrete. He was shaken but walked away under his own power.
It was Becker's turn to lead and he didn't waste the opportunity, jumping out to a healthy advantage as Attard, Sunnyvalley Dash winner Corey Day, and Mitchell Faccinto traded jabs behind him. Another caution appeared on lap 14 when JJ Ringo turned over in the first corner while Attard, Joey Ancona, Sanders and series point leader Bud Kaeding crashed in another turn two tangle. Those five cars were done for the night.
Becker once again shot out into the lead, now chased by ninth starter Tanner Carrick and Mitchell Faccinto. The frontrunners reached slower traffic on lap 21 and Becker's advantage began to shrink as Carrick began to reel him in. However, Becker expertly negotiated his was through slower cars and held on for a three-car length victory. It was his 11th King of the West win for the 2005 champion.
"I'm so excited to finally win one for this team," said a fired-up Sean Becker after jumping out of his car and climbing the front straightaway fence much to the delight of the capacity crowd. "We've worked really hard and I'm glad they didn't give up on me."
It was car owner Dave Vertullo's first King of the West win since 2012.
Carrick was $3000 richer in second aboard his CVC Concrete Sprinter, with Faccinto filling up the rest of the podium in the Stan Greenberg Western Metal Company ride. Eighteenth starter Blake Carrick survived the mid-pack carnage to finish fourth and collect the $650 Swift Metal Finishing Hardcharger Award. Ryan Bernal rebounded from his earlier accident to score fifth in the NOS Energy sprint car.
The second five to cross the checkered was 20th starter Bill Aton, Keith Day Jr., four-time series champ Hirst, Kalib Henry, and Scelzi.
FUJITSU FEATURE EVENT (30 laps) 83V - Sean Becker, 83T - Tanner Carrick, 37 - Mitchell Faccinto, 38B - Blake Carrick, 17WX - Ryan Bernal, 26 - Billy Aton, 22 - Keith Day Jr, 0 - Kyle Hirst, 17W - Shane Golobic, 93 - Kalib Henry, 41 - Dominic Scelzi, 72W - Kurt Nelson, 88N - DJ Netto, 21 - Corey Day, 98 - Sean Watts, 76 - Kenny Allen, 53 - Jessie Attard, 69 - Bud Kaeding, 88A - Joey Ancona, 16A - Justin Sanders, 2 - JJ Ringo, 42X - Tim Kaeding, 29 - Willie Croft, 8 - Jeremy Chisum.
HOOSIER TIRE LAPS LEADERS: Attard 1-6, Golobic 7-8, Becker 9-30.
SWIFT METAL FINISHING HARDCHARGER: Blake Carrick - 18th to 4th
ARP QUICK QUALIFIER (28 Cars) - Tim Kaeding - 11.115 seconds
BROWN & MILLER HEAT RACE #1 (10 laps): Tim Kaeding, Jessie Attard, Dominic Scelzi, Billy Aton, Bud Kaeding, Chris Nelson, Sean Watts
FUJITSU GENERAL USA HEAT RACE #2 (10 laps): Ryan Bernal, Justin Sanders, Sean Becker, Tanner Carrick, Joey Ancona, Geoffrey Strole, Kurt Nelson
FLORACING.COM HEAT RACE #3 (10 laps): Kyle Hirst, Willie Croft, DJ Netto, Corey Day, Kalib Henry, Jeremy Chisum, Jason Chisum
KAEDING PERFORMANCE CENTER #4 (10 laps): JJ Ringo, Shane Golobic, Mitchell Faccinto, Blake Carrick, Keith Day Jr., Mark Barroso, Kenny Allen
SUNNY VALLEY "POWERED BY BACON" DASH (6 laps): Corey Day, Jessie Attard, Shane Golobic, Sean Becker, Ryan Bernal, Tim Kaeding
KAEDING PERFORMANCE CENTER SEMI (12 laps): Sean Watts, Kurt Nelson, Jeremy Chisum, Kenny Allen, Geoffrey Strole, Chris Nelson, Mark Barroso, Jason Chisum.
$5,000 TO WIN HOWARD KAEDING CLASSIC IS NEXT FOR NARC-KING OF THE WEST
(7/12/21) Sacramento, CA ... Another prestigious event is on tap for the NARC King of the West Fujitsu Sprint Cars as this Saturday, July 17th brings the 11th annual Howard Kaeding Classic at Watsonville’s Ocean Speedway. The event is presented by Al’s Roofing Supply and “The Hogs”, one of the most successful pit crews in NARC’s history.
The event celebrates the patriarch of the familiar Kaeding family, Howard. Along with earning a vast collection of trophies himself, his lineage is responsible for claiming countless checkered flags across California courtesy of his son, Brent, and grandchildren, Tim and Bud.
The Howard Kaeding Classic also serves as a fundraiser for the NARC Benevolent Fund, the non-profit that provides help to injured competitors and their families.
The two-night show kicks off Friday, July 16th headlined by the Taco Bravo 360 Sprint Cars. On Saturday the NARC-KWS 410 Sprint Cars will be joined by IMCA Modifieds, Hobby Stocks and the Police-n-Pursuit. The lucrative Fujitsu Feature on Saturday will award $5,000 to the winner and pay a stout $800 to start.
After Friday’s race, there will be a pizza and beer party hosted by the Kaeding's at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds. Before the action on Saturday night, the Howard Kaeding BBQ Luncheon will take place at 1:00 P.M. also on the fairgrounds. Both will serve great food and an even better atmosphere. A $20 donation to the NARC Benevolent Fund is required for entry to each.
Ocean Speedway should provide some close-quarters racing action Saturday night. The NARC-KWS visit to the bullring last month produced one of the most intense races of the year so far with three different leaders, top competitors making contact and battles all over the track.
The Kaeding brothers shouldn’t be doubted as they aim to win the event honoring their grandfather. Bud will be looking to join Kyle Hirst as the only three time winner of the NARC portion of the Howard Kaeding Classic while Tim eyes his first. The duo claimed the top two positions in the most recent series appearance in Watsonville when Tim scored his third Pombo-Sargent Classic after a duel with Bud. Tim carries the momentum of wins in two of the last three series races in 2021 while Bud leads the points and has a streak of five consecutive top-5s heading into the weekend. The event holds a little extra significance for Bud as he spearheads much of the promotional effort.
As always, Justin Sanders will be a favorite at Ocean Speedway this weekend. The Aromas native has already tallied seven feature wins at his home track this year, and two of his seven career NARC victories have taken place at the quarter-mile. He’ll be looking to redeem his misfortune from June’s Pombo-Sargent Classic when a mid-race incident ended a potential podium run.
Shane Golobic is another who is a near lock to be up front. Since 2015, the Fremont native owns a whopping ten series podium results at Watsonville. Despite the success, Golobic is yet to add a Howard Kaeding Classic to his lengthy resumé, and he hopes to change that this weekend.
Fresno's Dominic Scelzi will look to continue his trend of not only winning in 2021 but collecting victories in high paying events. Out of Scelzi’s thirteen sprint car wins this year, three were the $11,000 Peter Murphy Classic, $7,600 Dave Bradway Jr. Memorial and most recently the $15,000 Dirt Cup. If Scelzi can pull of the win, he’ll join Kyle Hirst as the only driver to win the Peter Murphy Classic, Bradway Memorial and Howard Kaeding Classic in the same year.
Many more talented competitors will be vying for the $5,000 prize this weekend including defending series champ DJ Netto, Sean Becker, Billy Aton, Sean Watts, Kyle Offill and plenty more. The last three Howard Kaeding Classics have had an average car count of 33.
The NARC King of the West Hoosier Tire format for the Howard Kaeding Classic will feature ARP Fast Time Qualifying, Brown and Miller Racing Solutions 10-lap heat races, a 6-lap Sunnyvalley Bacon trophy dash, a 12-lap Kaeding Performance Semi and the Fujitsu 30-lap feature.
The pit gates will open at noon, and the front gates will open at 3:30 P.M. Qualifying will kickoff at 4:45 P.M. with racing to follow. Adult GA tickets are priced at $30. Juniors ages 11-16 GA tickets are $25, and kids ages 6-10 will be admitted for only $15. Kids 5 and under are free! Tickets can be purchased in advance via the following link: https://www.eventsprout.com/event/kaeding-classic-night-2
Ocean Speedway is located on the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds at 2601 E Lake Ave Watsonville, CA 95076. For more information call (831) 688-7223.
The Howard Kaeding Classic can be viewed live on floracing.com along with the entire NARC King of the West Fujitsu Sprint Car schedule.
Previous Winners of the Howard Kaeding Classic
2011
Night One: Tommy Tarlton – King of the West
Night Two: Evan Suggs – King of the West
2012
Night One: Brent Kaeding – USAC
Night Two: Jonathan Allard – King of the West
2013
Night One: Bud Kaeding – USAC
Night Two: Jonathan Allard – King of the West
2014
Night One: Brad Furr – Civil War
Night Two: Bud Kaeding – King of the West
2015
Night One: Justin Sanders – Civil War
Night Two: Kyle Hirst – King of the West
2016
Night One: Kyle Hirst – Civil War
Night Two: Kyle Hirst – King of the West
2017
Night One: Kyle Hirst – Civil War
Night Two: Buddy Kofoid – King of the West-NARC
2018
Night One: Tanner Thorson – Civil War
Night Two: Colby Copeland – King of the West-NARC
2019
Night One: Shane Golobic – Civil War
Night Two: Bud Kaeding – King of the West-NARC
2020
Night One: DJ Netto
Night Two: Kyle Hirst – King of the West-NARC
The King of the West-NARC Fujitsu General Racing Series is also sponsored by Hoosier Racing Tires. Associate and product award sponsors include Automotive Racing Products (ARP), Autometer, Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, Bullet Impressions, FK Rod Ends, FloRacing.com, Johnstone Supply, Kaeding Performance Center, KSE Racing Products, Maxim, PAC Racing Springs, Pyrotect, Racing Optics, Saldana Racing Products, Schoenfeld Headers, SCI Racing Products, Swift Metal Finishing, Sunnyvalley Bacon, System 1 Ignition, Ultra Light Brakes, Wilwood Disc Brakes, and Winters Performance Products.
NARC King of the West Fujitsu 410 Sprint Car Series
Championship Points Standings (After six events in 21-race series 7/12/21)Bud Kaeding, Campbell - 673
Dominic Scelzi, Fresno - 665
DJ Netto, Hanford - 664
Tim Kaeding, San Jose - 653
Justin Sanders, Aromas - 634
Billy Aton, Benicia (R) - 628
Sean Becker, Roseville - 624
Sean Watts, Clovis - 618
Austin McCarl, Altoona, IA - 524
Joel Myers Jr, Sebastopol (R) - 518
Kenny Allen, Chico - 483
Kyle Offill, Tracy (R) - 481
Shane Golobic, Elk Grove - 453
Mitchell Faccinto, Hanford - 412
Mitchel Moles, Raisin City - 397
Geoffrey Strole, Hanford (R) - 384
Willie Croft, Colfax - 328
Ryan Robinson, Foresthill (R) - 322
Kyle Hirst, Paradise - 319
Andy Forsberg, Auburn - 307SOCIAL MEDIA INFORMATION
Website: www.NARC410.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/kingofthewestsprints
Facebook (history page): www.facebook.com/NARCsprintcars
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YouTube: NARC410
Live Stream PPV: Floracing.com
TIM KAEDING CLAIMS BAYLANDS TRIBUTE VICTORY AT PETALUMA
(7/10/21 – Jim Allen) Petaluma, CA … Tim Kaeding captured his second NARC King of the West Fujitsu Sprint Car Series 30-lap feature victory of the season Saturday night, scoring the po…
wp.me(7/10/21 - Jim Allen) Petaluma, CA ... Tim Kaeding captured his second NARC King of the West Fujitsu Sprint Car Series 30-lap feature victory of the season Saturday night, scoring the popular Salute to Baylands Raceway Park at Petaluma Speedway.
Kaeding started fifth in the grid aboard the Bates-Hamilton ABC Companies-sponsored Maxim and passed Bud Kaeding on a lap 19 restart to take a lead that he would never surrender. It was the 70th series victory of his career, second on the all-time list.
Bud Kaeding set the standard for the first 11 laps until the caution flag came out for a Sean Becker. On the restart, 15-year old Joel Myers Jr. and defending champion and ARP fast qualifier DJ Netto both powered past the leader in the first corner to pace the field. The two appeared to be in a class of their own and began to distance themselves from the field when disaster struck on lap 18 in lap traffic. Myers got tangled with a slower car in the fourth turn and Netto, with no place to go, got reeled into the fracas also. Myers was done for the night and Netto had to restart at the back of the pack.
On the ensuing restart, it was the battle of the Kaeding's as they drag raced into the first turn. Tim Kaeding rode the highline on the Petaluma gumbo and catapulted into the lead motoring out of the second turn. At that point, he was off to the races posting some of the fastest lap times of the night.
Sixth starter Andy Forsberg was on the move in his A&A Stepping Stone sprinter during the final laps and passed Bud Kaeding for the second spot with only two laps remaining. He finished five car lengths behind the winner. B. Kaeding held on for third in the Al's Roofing Supply Maxim. Dominic Scelzi and Justin Sanders rounded out the top five.
"It's always great racing against my brother," said TK in victory lane. "It usually a 50-50 deal on who is going to come out on top, but tonight, we had the best race car and he was a little tight."
The balance of the top ten featured Jessie Attard, rookie-of-the-year point leader Billy Aton, DJ Netto, Michael Ing and Swift Metal Finishing hardcharger Sean Watts.
FUJITSU FEATURE EVENT (30 laps) 42X Tim Kaeding, 92 Andy Forsberg, 69 Bud Kaeding, 41 Dominic Scelzi, 16A Justin Sanders, 53 Jessie Attard, 26 Billy Aton, 88N DJ Netto, 21 Michael Ing, 98 Sean Watts, 7H Jake Haulot, 76 Kenny Allen, 18 Michael Sellers, 56 Joel Myers Jr., 09S Geoffrey Strole, 83V Sean Becker, 3 Bill Cornwell, 93 Stephen Ingraham.
HOOSIER TIRE LAPS LEADERS: B. Kaeding 1-11, Myers 12-18, T Kaeding 19-30
SWIFT METAL FINISHING HARDCHARGER: Sean Watts 16th to 10th
ARP FAST QUALIFIER (19 cars): DJ Netto - 12.960 seconds
BROWN & MILLER HEAT RACE #1 (10 laps): Dominic Scelzi, Michael Ing, DJ Netto, Jake Haulot, Joe Myers Jr., Stephen Ingraham, Bill Cornwell.
FUJITSU GENERAL USA HEAT RACE #2 (10 laps): Sean Becker, Bud Kaeding, Kenny Allen, Jessie Attard, Sean Watts, Ryan Timms.
FLORACING.COM HEAT RACE #3 (10 laps): Tim Kaeding, Andy Forsberg, Billy Aton, Justin Sanders, Michael Sellers, Geoffrey Strole.
SUNNYVALLEY "POWERED BY BACON" DASH (6 laps): Bud Kaeding, Dominic Scelzi, DJ Netto, Tim Kaeding, Andy Forsberg, Joel Myers Jr.
(7/5/21) Sacramento, CA ... The NARC King of the West Fujitsu Sprint Cars storm into the second quarter of the 2021 campaign this Saturday, July 10th by making their second trip to Petaluma Speedway of the year for the Salute to Baylands Raceway Park.
Saturday’s event salutes the legendary speedway that was located in Fremont and featured some of the west coast’s best racing action of the 1980’s. Former promoter of Baylands, David Vodden, will be lending some insight from the booth this weekend. Petaluma will also be hosting an autograph session Saturday featuring some of the top talent to have competed at Baylands.
The NARC-KWS 410-winged sprint cars will be joined by wingless sprint cars, super stocks and dwarf cars for what promises to be an exciting evening of action. The hooked-up clay of Petaluma routinely produces intense racing with plenty of hold your breath moments, especially once lap traffic comes into play.
Heading into Saturday show, Bud Kaeding has utilized a stretch of four consecutive top-5 finishes to take over the points lead. The 2017 champ has been banging on the door of a King of the West win in 2021 with 29 laps led across two different feature events, and he would love for Saturday to bring that victory.
“Obviously winning is why we’re all out there,” Kaeding said. “Getting into position to win some of those races has been a good step for us the last couple weeks. To get this number sixty-nine car back in victory lane is something we’re all inching toward and can’t wait to make happen. We’ve been getting closer every week and been in position to win a good share of the last three races.”
The numbers say Kaeding has a great chance to win at Petaluma and extend his margin atop the standings. In his last nine series starts at the 3/8ths mile oval, the Campbell native has six podium finishes, including a runner-up back on May 22nd of this year.
“We’ve had good cars there, regardless of whom I’ve been driving for,” Kaeding said of his success at Petaluma. “It’s a fun place. It’s really fun when you start up on the front couple rows. The back couple rows can be scary.”
Winner of the most recent series race at Petaluma, Justin Sanders, will be a top competitor on Saturday. He aims to rebound after misfortune at both Ocean Speedway and Placerville last month ended potential top-5 runs. The win for Sanders in May marked his second victory on the tacky clay since partnering with Larry Antaya Motorsports, and he hopes to make it a trio of triumphs to help make up some points this weekend.
Reigning series champ, DJ Netto, should be toward the front as he looks to swipe the point lead back. He’s one of only two drivers to finish in the top-10 in all five events of 2021 and hasn’t finished worse than 7th in his last eight series races at Petaluma.
Perhaps a dark horse candidate to keep an eye on for the win is Benicia’s Billy Aton. His last four series starts at Petaluma have all been top-10 runs with a career best second place finish in July of 2019. Aton has proven his No. 26 machine has speed this year as he leads the Swift Metal Finishing Most Feature Cars Passed category. If “Wild Bill” can set himself up with a strong qualifying effort, he’ll have a good shot at parking it in NARC victory lane for the first time in his career.
The names above are just a few who will be on hand Saturday. Some other drivers expected to be in the pits are newly crowned Dirt Cup champion Dominic Scelzi, Iowa’s Austin McCarl, Tim Kaeding, Sean Becker, Sean Watts, Kyle Offill and more.
The NARC King of the West Hoosier Tire format will feature ARP Fast Time Qualifying, three 10-lap heat races, a six-lap Sunnyvalley Bacon trophy dash, and the Fujitsu 30-lap feature event headliner.
The pits will open at 2:00 P.M. with the front gates opening at 4:00 P.M. Hot laps are set to begin at 5:00 P.M. with racing at 6:00 P.M. Adult General Admission tickets are $27 while seniors will be admitted for $24. The price tag for kids ages 6-11 is $16, and kids 5 and under are free! Tickets are available now on myracepass.com for those who wish to secure seats ahead of time.
The Salute to Baylands Raceway Park can also be viewed live on floracing.com along with the entire NARC King of the West Fujitsu Sprint Cars schedule.
Petaluma Speedway is located on the Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds at 100 Fairgrounds Dr. Petaluma, CA 94952. For more information call (707) 763-7223.
The King of the West-NARC Fujitsu General Racing Series is also sponsored by Hoosier Racing Tires. Associate and product award sponsors include Automotive Racing Products (ARP), Autometer, Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, Bullet Impressions, FK Rod Ends, FloRacing.com, Johnstone Supply, Kaeding Performance Center, KSE Racing Products, Maxim, PAC Racing Springs, Pyrotect, Racing Optics, Saldana Racing Products, Schoenfeld Headers, SCI Racing Products, Swift Metal Finishing, Sunnyvalley Bacon, System 1 Ignition, Ultra Light Brakes, Wilwood Disc Brakes, and Winters Performance Products.
SOCIAL MEDIA INFORMATION
Website: www.NARC410.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/kingofthewestsprints
Facebook (history page): www.facebook.com/NARCsprintcars
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NARC410
Instagram: www.instagram.com/narc410
YouTube: NARC410
Live Stream PPV: Floracing.com
NARC King of the West Fujitsu 410 Sprint Car Series
Championship Points Standings (After five events in 21-race series 7/1/21)Bud Kaeding, Campbell - 560
DJ Netto, Hanford - 555
Dominic Scelzi, Fresno - 553
Tim Kaeding, San Jose - 536
Justin Sanders, Aromas - 531
Austin McCarl, Altoona, IA - 524
Sean Becker, Roseville - 524
Billy Aton, Benicia (R) - 519
Sean Watts, Clovis - 512
Kyle Offill, Tracy (R) - 481
Shane Golobic, Elk Grove - 453
Joel Myers Jr, Sebastopol (R) - 416
Mitchell Faccinto, Hanford - 412
Mitchel Moles, Raisin City - 397
Kenny Allen, Chico - 379
Willie Croft, Colfax - 328
Ryan Robinson, Foresthill (R) - 322
Kyle Hirst, Paradise - 319
Geoffrey Strole, Hanford (R) - 283
Kalib Henry, Mather - 213UPCOMING EVENTS:
July 17 - Ocean Speedway (Watsonville) - Howard Kaeding Classic
July 23 - Thunderbowl Raceway (Tulare) - Chris & Brian Faria Memorial
July 24 - Santa Maria Raceway - Winged Madness & Wheelie Contest
DOMINIC SCELZI WINS BIG AT THE DAVE BRADWAY JR. MEMORIAL
(6/12/21 - Jim Allen), Placerville, CA ... Dominic Scelzi outran Shane Golobic to score a $7500 payday at the 30th Annual Dave Bradway Jr. Memorial King of the West Fujitsu Sprint Car Series 40-lap headliner at Placerville Speedway Saturday.
Scelzi second series win of the season aboard the Scelzi Enterprises/Whipple Superchargers #41 came by leading green-to-checkered to maximize the lap money and additional sponsorship that was up for grabs. However, it wasn't a cake walk as Golobic applied pressure the entire distance with a different outcome in mind.
On the initial start, Scelzi led a 24-car field into the first turn shadowed by Kyle Hirst, Willie Croft, Golobic and Justin Sanders. Golobic maneuvered his way into the runner-up spot on the fifth circuit and the highspeed game of cat and mouse was in high gear. The duo reached lap traffic two laps later and the moves became more frantic until the red flag appeared for an upside down Blake Carrick. He was unhurt.
Once the race resume, it was more of the same. Scelzi made some stellar moves squeezing past slower cars to increase his advantage on the slick surface, only to have Golobic reel him in a lap or two later. It was that way the remaining distance until Scelzi scored his three-car length victory.
"I knew he was there the entire time and that I had to hold my line." said Scelzi. "He got next to me a couple of times and I just held my breath and kept going."
Golobic said he gave it his best effort aboard Matt Wood's Elk Grove Ford/NOS Energy sprint car. Hirst won a late race battle over Croft to fill out the podium in the Williams Motorsports Maxim. Series point leader Bud Kaeding was fifth.
Kalib Henry, Ryan Robinson, Stephen Ingraham, semi-winner DJ Netto and 15-year-old Joel Myers Jr. rounded out the top ten. Jake Morgan, who started dead last in the 24-car field passed 10-cars to earn the hardcharger award and a $2000 bonus.
Willie Croft's efforts in qualifying earned him the Carwash Mike Avilla fast time award and $1600. His 10.476 second was the best among the 31-car field.
FUJITSU FEATURE EVENT (40 laps) 41S - Dominic Scelzi, 17W - Shane Golobic, 0 - Kyle Hirst, 29 - Willie Croft, 69 - Bud Kaeding, 93 - Kalib Henry, 56 - Ryan Robinson, 93X - Stephen Ingraham, 88N - DJ Netto, 46JR - Joe Myers Jr., 21 - Austin McCarl, 38B - Blake Carrick, 26 - Billy Aton, 25B - Jake Morgan, 37 - Mitchell Faccinto, 98 - Sean Watts, 7 - Kaleb Montgomery, 85 - CJ Humphreys, 16A - Justin Sanders, 92 - Andy Forsberg, 01 - Mitchell Moles, 33T - Jimmy Trulli, 83V - Sean Becker, 42X - Tim Kaeding.
HOOSIER TIRE LAPS LEADERS: Scelzi 1-40
SWIFT METAL FINISHING HARDCHARGER: Jake Morgan 24th to 14th.
ARP FAST QUALIFIER (31 cars): Willie Croft - 10.476 seconds
BROWN & MILLER HEAT RACE #1 (10 laps): Justin Sanders, Kaleb Montgomery, Willie Croft, Joel Myers Jr., Sean Becker, Jake Morgan, Colby Wiesz, John Clark.
FUJITSU GENERAL USA HEAT RACE #2 (10 laps): Ryan Robinson, Kalib Henry, Dominic Scelzi, Stephen Ingraham, Billy Aton, Austin McCarl, Jimmy Trulli, Kenny Allen.
FLORACING.COM HEAT RACE #3 (10 laps): Bud Kaeding, Tim Kaeding, Kyle Hirst, CJ Humphreys, Sean Watts, Michael Sellers, Shane Hopkins, Kyle Offill.
KAEDING PERFORMANCE CENTER #4 (10 laps): Andy Forsberg, Shane Golobic, Mitchell Faccinto, Blake Carrick, Mitchel Moles, Josh Wiesz, DJ Netto.
SUNNY VALLEY "POWERED BY BACON" DASH (6 laps): Dominic Scelzi, Kyle Hirst, Willie Croft, Shane Golobic, Justin Sanders, Kalib Henry
12-LAP WILWOOD BRAKES LAST CHANCE RACE (12 laps): DJ Netto, Austin McCarl, Jimmy Trulli, Jake Morgan, Shane Hopkins, Colby Wiesz, Josh Wiesz, Michael Sellers, Kyle Offill, John Clark, Kenny Allen.
TIM KAEDING TRIUMPS AT OCEAN SPEEDWAY POMBO-SARGENT CLASSIC
(6/11/21 - Alex Nieten) Watsonville, CA ... The Kaeding name has been synonymous with success in California for many years, and Tim Kaeding out-dueled his brother, Bud, on Friday night at Ocean Speedway to continue the family’s winning ways by earning his third Pombo-Sargent Classic victory with the NARC King of the West Fujitsu Sprint Cars.
“Congrats to Bud, he ran a hell of a race. He just got snookered by the old man,” an elated TK joked in victory lane.
Tim’s win was his first with the series since August of 2019, and it made for the fourth different winner in as many NARC-KWS races this year.
Mitchell Faccinto led the field to green and paced the field early on with third row starters Bud Kaeding and Justin Sanders in pursuit. A caution after ten laps had been completed bunched the field back up for what would be a chaotic restart.
Bud used an excellent jump to slide Faccinto into turn one. Faccinto attempted to turn back underneath Bud, but he found Justin Sanders’ car sliding up the track, and the two collided in the middle and came to a stop in turn two.
Their misfortune proved to be the Kaedings’ gain as Bud and Tim inherited the top two spots for the ensuing restart.
What followed was a brotherly battle through lap traffic as the two raced for the Kaeding family’s 17th overall Pombo-Sargent Classic win. Tim seized on a key opportunity when Bud got trapped behind a slower car on lap seventeen and snuck by coming out of fourth corner in his Bates-Hamilton Motorsports Vinyltech/R&B Company No 42. Bud launched a huge slider into turn one the next lap, but Tim countered with a crossover and put a little distance between himself and the 69 car.
“We built a great racecar,” Tim said, crediting his BHR team and machine. “Josh, Bobby, Roger, everybody that’s associated with this forty-two car.”
A few more late race cautions brought the field back together, but with Bud, Shane Golobic and DJ Netto waging war late for the runner-up spot, Tim was able to cruise to a comfortable win in what he knew was one quick machine.
“This thing was bullet-fast,” Tim said. “It was fast all night long,”
Bud Kaeding, Shane Golobic, DJ Netto and Sean Becker completed the top-5. The remainder of the top ten featured Kurt Nelson, Sean Watts, Colby Copeland, Austin McCarl and Ryan Robinson.
Ryan Robinson earned his first ARP Fast Time of the year by breaking the Ocean Speedway track record with a blistering 10.867.
FUJITSU FEATURE EVENT (30 laps) – 1. 42X Tim Kaeding 2. 69 Bud Kaeding 3. 17W Shane Golobic 4. 88N DJ Netto 5. 83V Sean Becker 6. 72W Kurt Nelson 7. 98 Sean Watts 8. 76 Colby Copeland 9. 21 Austin McCarl 10. Ryan Robinson 11. 01 Mitchel Moles 12. 46JR Joel Myers Jr. 13. 98X Bryce Eames 14. 3M Adam Kaeding 15. 88 Kyle Offill 16. 22 Keith Day Jr. 17. 26 Billy Aton 18. 2 J.J. Ringo 19. 78 Mark Barosso 20. 37 Mitchell Faccinto 21. 16A Justin Sanders 22. 41 Dominic Scelzi 23. 09S Geoffrey Strole 24. 34 Ryon Nelson
HOOSIER TIRE LAPS LEADERS: Faccinto 1-10, Bud Kaeding, 11-16, Tim Kaeding 17-30
SWIFT METAL FINISHING HARDCHARGER: Sean Watts 19th to 7th.
ARP FAST QUALIFIER (24 cars): Ryan Robinson 10.867 seconds (New Track Record)
BROWN & MILLER HEAT RACE #1 (10 laps): Austin McCarl, Justin Sanders, Ryan Robinson, Sean Becker, Mitchel Moles, Joel Myers Jr., Adam Kaeding
FUJITSU GENERAL USA HEAT RACE #2 (10 laps): Mitchell Faccinto, DJ Netto, Bud Kaeding, Dominic Scelzi, JJ Ringo, Keith Day Jr., Sean Watts, Mark Barroso
FLORACING.COM HEAT RACE #3 (10 laps): Shane Golobic, Tim Kaeding, Ryon Nelson, Kurt Nelson, Colby Copeland, Kyle Offill, Geoffrey Strole, Bryce Eames
SUNNY VALLEY "POWERED BY BACON" DASH (6 laps): Mitchell Faccinto, Ryan Robinson, Shane Golobic, Tim Kaeding. Bud Kaeding, Justin Sanders
A PAIR OF PRESTIGIOUS EVENTS AT WATSONVILLE & PLACERVILLE ON TAP FOR NARC-KWS
(6/7/21) Sacramento, CA ... An exciting double-header is up next for the NARC King of the West Fujitsu Sprint Cars as Watsonville’s Ocean Speedway hosts the 35th annual Pombo-Sargent Classic this Friday June 11th. The following night brings the 30th annual Dave Bradway Jr. Memorial Race at Placerville Speedway on Saturday June 12th. The two nights marks rounds four and five of the twenty-one scheduled.
Friday pays tribute to west coast racing legends, Al Pombo and Marshall Sargent. Saturday’s show honors Dave Bradway Jr., the former NARC racer who sadly lost his life competing in 1987. Bradway was a standout competitor who routinely parked in the winner’s circle in the early to mid-80s. This season marks the first time the Bradway Jr. Memorial race will be contested at a track other than Chico’s Silver Dollar Speedway. Saturday will prove to be a lucrative night. The feature will award $5000 to the winner thanks to $1000 contributions from both Sierra Foothills Wine Services and Roth Motorsports. Other generous contributions from the racing community will boost the pay of Carwash Mike Avilla Fast Time, lap money and more.
Both annual showcases of west coast talent are coveted staples of the California racing circuit. Winning either race etches a driver’s name in the history books next to the many greats of the sport who have claimed victory in these prestigious events.
NARC will share the card with IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sport Mods and WMR Midgets on Friday at Ocean Speedway. On Saturday in Placerville NARC will be joined by the state’s premier winged 360 series, the Sprint Car Challenge Tour, making for a west coast winged sprint car fan’s ideal evening.
The two bullrings should provide a must-see weekend of racing. Both tracks commonly develop distinct bottom and top grooves with just enough room in a slick middle for some sensational slide jobs.
Dominic Scelzi rolls into the weekend as the points leader and defending Pombo-Sargent Classic winner. His victory in the 2019 PSC marked the second of his series-high five wins during NARC’s last full season of competition. The ten-time NARC feature winner hopes to continue his strong start to the season. Scelzi is the only competitor who has finished in the top-5 in all three events this year.
Recent history points to the most recent series winner, Justin Sanders, as a favorite for a weekend sweep. In his last twelve series starts combined between the two tracks, Sanders boasts a 3.8 average finish. That stretch yielded eleven top-10s and four victories, including the 2018 edition of the Pombo-Sargent Classic. Sanders is also the defending winner of the Dave Bradway Jr. Memorial. If Sanders can pull off the sweep, he’ll be only the second person to win both events in the same year, the first being Brent Kaeding. The Aromas,CA native is prioritizing preparation ahead of the important weekend.
“It would be really good to get those two wins back to back,” Sanders said of a potential sweep. “I’ve got a pretty good balance for Watsonville and Placerville, but the thing is I don’t get to run 410s a lot at both of those tracks. So, I’ve got to take a little bit of what I’ve done with the 360 and what we’ve learned with the 410 this year already and put them both together and hopefully I can get a good balance and keep qualifying good and staying up front. It would be awesome to win both of those races and win both of them for a second time.”
The Kaeding family has won Pombo-Sargent Classics in four different decades since the event’s inception in 1986, and Bud and Tim will be looking to make it five. A win for Bud would mark his fourth Pombo-Sargent triumph, while Tim hopes to match his brother’s current tally by earning his third. TK has his sights set on a third Bradway Jr. Memorial victory while Bud goes for his second.
Fremont’s Shane Golobic will be another to watch this weekend. The 2016 & 2017 Pombo-Sargent victor has averaged a 3.7 feature finish over his last nine series starts at Ocean Speedway. The pilot of the Matt Wood Racing No. 17 also finished on the podium in two of his last three series starts in Placerville. Golobic even topped the World of Outlaws during their most recent visit to the tricky quarter-mile in September of 2019.
Expect many other potent competitors to be in pursuit of these two cherished trophies. Some other drivers expected to be in attendance for one or both events are defending series champ DJ Netto of Hanford, Auburn's Andy Forsberg, Sean Becker of Roseville, Iowa driver Austin McCarl, Billy Aton of Benicia, Hanford's Mitchell Faccinto; Willie Croft from Colfax, Chico's Kenny Allen, Sean Watts of Clovis, Tracy's Kyle Offill and more.
The NARC King of the West Hoosier Tire format for Friday’s Pombo Sargent Classic will feature ARP Fast Time Qualifying, 10-lap heat races, a 6-lap Sunnyvalley Bacon trophy dash, and the Fujitsu 30-lap feature.
The NARC King of the West Hoosier Tire format for Saturday’s Dave Bradway Jr. Memorial will feature Carwash Mike Avilla Fast Time Qualifying, 10-lap heat races, a 6-lap Sunnyvalley Bacon Dash, a 12-lap B-Main and the Fujitsu 40-lap feature.
Carwash Mike Avilla Fast Time Qualifying is currently set to pay $1350 to the top qualifier on Saturday courtesy of Kyle Larson Racing, Southern Pacific Farms and Bill & Claire Stammerjohn. Additional Heat Race Winner support comes courtesy of Hoserville CA and Arnolds for Awards. The Hardcharger Award will pay $1700, thanks to the additional support courtesy of Sierra Foothills Wine Services, Southern Pacific Farms and Starr Property Management.
All laps of both the B and A-mains of the Dave Bradway Jr. Memorial Race are sponsored, and a detailed list of those supporters can be found below.
Tickets for the Pombo-Sargent Classic at Ocean Speedway can be purchased at www.eventsprout.com/event/narc-kws-410-sprint-cars.
Promo/Sargent Classic Narc/King of the West | EventSprout
June 11, 2021 - 2601 E Lake Ave, Watsonville, CA 95076
www.eventsprout.com
Placerville Speedway is located at the El Dorado County Fairgrounds in Placerville, CA. Pit gates open at 2:00 p.m. Racing begins at 6:30 p.m. For tickets and other information, go to www.placervillespeedway.com
PLACERVILLE.SPEEDWAY | Home | Dirt Racing - California USA
Placerville Speedway - Placerville CA, USA: Since 1965, High-Banked 1/4 Mile Clay Oval - showcasing dirt track racing March through September.
www.placervillespeedway.com
The King of the West-NARC Fujitsu General Racing Series is also sponsored by Hoosier Racing Tires. Associate and product award sponsors include ATL Racing Cells, Automotive Racing Products (ARP), Autometer, Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, Bullet Impressions, FK Rod Ends, FloRacing.com, Hooker Harness, Johnstone Supply, Kaeding Performance Center, KSE Racing Products, Maxim, PAC Racing Springs, Pyrotect, Racing Optics, Saldana Racing Products, Schoenfeld Headers, SCI Racing Products, Swift Metal Finishing, Sunnyvalley Bacon, System 1 Ignition, Ultra Light Brakes, Wilwood Disc Brakes, and Winters Performance Products.
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Live Stream PPV: Floracing.comNARC King of the West Fujitsu 410 Sprint Car Series
Championship Points Standings (After three events in 21-race series 6/7/21)Dominic Scelzi, Fresno - 342
DJ Netto, Hanford - 336
Bud Kaeding, Campbell - 335
Justin Sanders, Aromas - 331
Tim Kaeding, San Jose - 327
Sean Becker, Roseville - 320
Billy Aton, Benicia (R) - 317
Austin McCarl, Altoona, IA - 312
Sean Watts, Clovis - 303
Kenny Allen, Chico - 294
Kyle Offill, Tracy (R) - 293
Shane Golobic, Elk Grove - 226
Willie Croft, Colfax - 215
Mitchell Faccinto, Hanford - 215
Kyle Hirst, Paradise - 206
Joel Myers Jr, Sebastopol (R) - 206
Mitchel Moles, Raisin City - 197
Geoffrey Strole, Hanford (R) - 190
Rico Abreu, Rutherford - 114
Kaleb Montgomery, Templeton (R) - 110Past Pombo-Sargent Classic Winners
1986 - Brent Kaeding
1987 - Jimmy Sills
1988 - Brent Kaeding
1989 - Jimmy Sills
1990 - Brent Kaeding
1991 - Brent Kaeding
1992 - Steve Kent
1993 - Chuck MIller
1994 - Steve Kent
1995 - Brent Kaeding
1996 - Tim Green
1997 - Bud Kaeding
1998 - Bud Kaeding
1999 - Brent Kaeding
2000 - Brent Kaeding
2001 - Blake Robertson
2002 - Tommy Tarlton
2003 - Tommy Tarlton
2004 - Tim Kaeding
2005 - Ronnie Day
2006 - Brent Kaeding
2007 - Brent Kaeding
2008 - Brent Kaeding
2009 - Brent Kaeding
2010 - Tim Kaeding
2011 - Tommy Tarlton
2012 - Bud Kaeding
2013 - Tommy Tarlton
2014 - Kyle Hirst
2015 - DJ Netto
2016 - Shane Golobic
2017 - Shane Golobic
2018 - Justin Sanders
2019 - Dominic Scelzi
2020 - No Race - COVID
Upcoming Events:
July 10 - Petaluma Speedway - Salute to Baylands Raceway Park
July 17 - Ocean Speedway - 11th Annual Howard Kaeding Classic
July 23 - Tulare Thunderbowl Raceway - Chris & Brian Faria Memorial
July 24 - Santa Maria Raceway - Winged Madness w/HammerDown! Wheelie Contest
DOMINIC SCELZI SWEEPS THE PETER MURPHY CLASSIC
(5/15/21) Joe Shivak & Jim Allen, Tulare, CA ... A Peter Murphy Classic win has been on Dominic Scelzi’s bucket list for a long time. According to Scelzi it was Murphy who kept him interested in continuing his racing career after suffering a broken back in a sprint car accident. And in a fitting conclusion to a successful race night, Murphy was the first person to greet Scelzi on the front stretch of the Tulare Thunderbowl Raceway on Saturday night after his win in the 30-lap NARC King of the West Fujitsu Sprint Car feature.
Scelzi’s red and white No. 41 Wimple Superchargers/Scelzi Enterprises sponsored car picked up the $11,000 top prize in the Seventh Annual race becoming the seventh different winner. Due to the Covid-19 Pandemic there was no race held in 2020.
Polesitter Scelzi and Bud Kaeding brought the 24-car field to the green flag and immediately the two veteran drivers waged a back and forth battle which saw the lead change at each end of the track until Geoffrey Strole brought out the caution when he stopped on the apron of the first turn. During this caution, Rookie of the Year contender Kyle Offill pitted and returned to the track after a visit to the work area.
Once restarted, the two top guns traded slide jobs once again as their battle resumed. The race tightened up even more when the red flag appeared for an upside-down Austin McCarl in the second corner on lap19. He was unhurt. When racing resumed Kaeding and Scelzi's battle was even more frantic with the freight train of Shane Golobic, Kyle Hirst and 11th starter Willie Croft in hard pursuit. Scelzi's slide job final stuck for good on the 24th circuit and he threaded his way through traffic the rest of the way to score the emotional victory.
"I got hurt here and I was looking to redeem myself," said Scelzi. "Peter (Murphy) provided the inspiration and my team gave me the car to do the rest. It been a great weekend and I'm glad I could do this in front of full grandstands. Thank you!"
Golobic, aboard the Elk Grove Ford entry, and Croft got past Kaeding in the waning laps to fill out the podium. Croft earned the Swift Metal Finishing hardcharger award for his efforts in his Amerikote-sponsored ride. Kaeding was fourth and Hirst rounded out the top five.
The balance of the top ten included Tim Kaeding, Sean Becker, Justin Sanders, DJ Netto and Billy Aton.
Scelzi's was the only driver in the 24-car field to qualify in the 13-second bracket to earn fast time. That earned him $1100 from Kimo's Tropical Car Wash, Norm Martin, and ARP for his work. Overall for the weekend, he won the Sprint Car Challenge Tour 360 race and Kings of Thunder 410 features on Friday at Hanford, and the Kings of Thunder 360 and NARC King of the West races on Saturday.
FUJITSU FEATURE EVENT (30-laps): 41-Dominic Scelzi, 17W - Shane Golobic, 29 - Willie Croft, 69 - Bud Kaeding, 0 - Kyle Hirst, 42X - Tim Kaeding, 83V - Sean Becker, 16A - Justin Sanders, 88N - DJ Netto, 26 - Billy Aton, 27 - Mitchell Faccinto, 21P - Robbie Price, 93 - Kalib Henry, 83 - Kasey Kahne, 14 - Corey Day, 18T - Tanner Holmes, 2 - JJ Ringo, 98 - Sean Watts, 01 - Mitchel Moles, 36 - Craig Stidham, 88 - Kyle Offill, 21 - Austin McCarl, 76 - Kenny Allen, 09S - Geoffrey Strole.
HOOSIER TIRE LAP LEADERS: Kaeding 1-23, Scelzi 24-30.
SWIFT METAL FINISHING HARDCHARGER: Willie Croft 11th to 3rd.
KIMO'S TROPICAL CAR WASH/ARP FAST QUALIFIER : Dominic Scelzi - 13.963 seconds
BROWN & MILLER RACING SOLUTIONS FIRST HEAT (8 laps): Scelzi, McCarl, Netto, T. Kaeding, Stidham, Price, Henry.
FUJITSU GENERAL USA SECOND HEAT (8 laps): B. Kaeding, Golobic, Watts, Sanders, Aton, Moles, Offill, Day.
FLORACING.COM THIRD HEAT (8 laps): Becker, Kahne, Hirst, Faccinto, Allen, Croft, Ringo, Strole.
SUNNYVALLEY BACON/NORM MARTIN "AUSSIE POLE SHUFFLE": Becker beat Kahne; Becker beat Hirst; B. Kaeding beat Becker; B. Kaeding beat Golobic, Scelzi beat B. Kaeding.
KING OF THE WEST SPRINT CARS HEADED TO PETALUMA ON SATURDAY
(5/17/21), Sacramento, CA ... As the month of May nears its end, the NARC King of the West Fujitsu Sprint Cars take on Petaluma Speedway this Saturday, May 22nd for the Salute to First Responders, the third round of a 20-race schedule. The event salutes our brave first responders and their selfless efforts to help ensure our safety. All first responders are encouraged to attend as they will be admitted for the discounted price of $10 with a valid ID at the front gate.
The state’s premier 410 winged sprint car series will be joined by modifieds, dwarf cars and mini stocks for an action-packed night of racing. Located on the Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds, the tight and tacky Petaluma Speedway guarantees fast, wheel-to-wheel action, especially when NARC’s roaring 900-horsepower sprint cars take the green flag on the clay oval. Saturday marks the first of three scheduled series appearances in Petaluma, the others being July 10th and August 29th.
After his clean sweep of the Peter Murphy Classic weekend that included an $11,000 Fujitsu Feature win at Tulare, Dominic Scelzi is now atop the point standings. The victory marked his tenth career series triumph and first at the Thunderbowl. Having proven he can run up front at any kind of racetrack over his career, he’ll be in the hunt for the checkered flag this Saturday with hopes to extend his point lead in search of his first title.
Who might be some other drivers to watch this weekend?
Expect Campbell native Bud Kaeding to be in contention. Over his last eight series starts in Petaluma, the 2017 NARC champion has an average finish of 2.9. The stretch includes two victories and top-5s in all but one event, a sixth place run in June of 2019 being the outlier.
Current runner-up in points, Shane Golobic, has two wins in his last three series appearances at the 3/8ths mile. The driver out of Fremont won in August of 2016 and July of 2018 and will be hoping to make it three wins out of four starts this weekend. Golobic also scored an impressive SCCT win on the clay last month.
It’s also worth noting that Chase Johnson won in the series most recent appearance at Petaluma in July of 2019. The versatile driver also scored victories with the SCCT and USAC/CRA in 2019 at the same facility. However, after engine troubles at Tulare plagued his Johnson Racing team, his status for Saturday is up in the air.
Expect many other competitors to be in attendance Saturday. Justin Sanders captured his first ever Petaluma victory last year driving the Larry Antaya Motorsports No. 16A that he’ll be piloting this weekend. San Jose's Tim Kaeding, Willie Croft of Colfax, Sean Becker of Roseville, Hanford's D.J. Netto and more will be occupying the pits this weekend.
The NARC King of the West Hoosier Tire format will feature ARP Fast Time Qualifying, 10-lap heat races, a six-lap Sunnyvalley Bacon trophy dash, and the Fujitsu General 30-lap feature.
The pits will open at 12:00 P.M. with the front gates opening at 4:00 P.M. Hot laps are set to begin at 5:00 P.M. with racing at 6:00 P.M. Adult GA tickets are $27 while seniors will be admitted for $24. The price tag for kids ages 6-11 is $20, and kids 5 and under are free! And again, first responders will be admitted for only $10 by showing a valid ID at the front gate.
Tickets are available on myracepass.com, and fans are encouraged to purchase theirs now as there will be a 40% capacity limit on the crowd due to local COVID-19 regulations. Get yours while you can! The online tickets do not include the first responders discount option as those must be purchased on race day at the front gate.
The Salute to First Responders can also be viewed live on FloRacing.com along with the rest of the NARC King of the West Fujitsu Sprint Cars schedule.
Petaluma Speedway is located on the Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds at 100 Fairgrounds Dr. Petaluma, CA 94952. For more information call (707) 763-7223.
Race fans and teams are highly encouraged to practice safe COVID-19 protocol.
The King of the West-NARC Fujitsu General Racing Series is also sponsored by Hoosier Racing Tires. Associate and product award sponsors include ATL Racing Cells, Automotive Racing Products (ARP), Autometer, Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, Bullet Impressions, FK Rod Ends, FloRacing.com, Hooker Harness, Johnstone Supply, Kaeding Performance Center, KSE Racing Products, Maxim, PAC Racing Springs, Pyrotect, Racing Optics, Saldana Racing Products, Schoenfeld Headers, SCI Racing Products, Swift Metal Finishing, Sunnyvalley Bacon, System 1 Ignition, Ultra Light Brakes, Wilwood Disc Brakes, and Winters Performance Products.
SOCIAL MEDIA INFORMATION
Website: www.NARC410.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/kingofthewestsprints
Facebook (history page): www.facebook.com/NARCsprintcars
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NARC410
Instagram: www.instagram.com/narc410
YouTube: NARC410
Live Stream PPV: Floracing.com
NARC King of the West Fujitsu 410 Sprint Car Series
Championship Points Standings (After one event in 20-race series - 5/16/21)Dominic Scelzi, Fresno - 231
Shane Golobic, Elk Grove - 226
DJ Netto, Hanford - 224
Bud Kaeding, Campbell - 221
Tim Kaeding, San Jose - 218
Willie Croft, Colfax - 21
Sean Becker, Roseville - 215
Mitchell Faccinto, Hanford - 215
Justin Sanders, Aromas - 213
Billy Aton, Benicia - 209
Kyle Hirst, Paradise - 206
Austin McCarl, Altoona, IA - 205
Sean Watts, Clovis - 199
Mitchel Moles, Raisin City - 197
Kyle Offill, Tracy - 191
Kenny Allen, Chico - 191
Rico Abreu, Rutherford - 40
Geoff Ensign, Sebastopol - 32
Robbie Price - 104
Blake Carrick - 104Upcoming Events:
June 11 - Ocean Speedway (Watsonville) - 33rd Annual Pombo-Sargent Classic
June 12 - Placerville Speedway - 30th Annual Dave Bradway Jr. Memorial with SCCT
$11,000 TO WIN PETER MURPHY CLASSIC AT TULARE NEXT UP FOR NARC
(5/10/21) Sacramento, CA ... Following a nearly two-month break since the season opener, the NARC King of the West Fujitsu 410 Sprint Cars travel to Tulare’s Thunderbowl Raceway this Saturday May 15th for the Seventh Annual Peter Murphy Classic.
The event is Peter Murphy’s way of giving back to those who supported him following his career-ending accident in 2013. The former competitor out of Australia was a versatile and potent driver in his time, frequently visiting victory lanes along the west coast. He now organizes this event that, in addition to offering a generous purse, helps raise money for the NARC Benevolent Fund, the not-for-profit that helped during his recovery process.
Nearby Keller Auto Speedway, promoted by none other than Peter Murphy, kicks off the two-night show on Friday May 14th, headlined by the Sprint Car Challenge Tour 360 Sprint Cars. Joining the SCCT will be the Kings of Thunder 410 sprint cars. On Saturday in Tulare NARC shares the card with the Kings of Thunder 360 sprints, Western RaceSaver 305 Sprints and the Legends of Kearney Bowl.
Thunderbowl Raceway should offer some intense, white-knuckle action this Saturday as the talent of California’s premier 410-winged sprint car series invades the Tulare County Fairgrounds. The drivers will be aiming to nab one of the calendar’s biggest checks as the Peter Murphy Classic awards $11,000 to the victor.
Defending NARC champion DJ Netto holds an early season points lead after dominating Stockton’s Salute to LeRoy Van Conett in March to earn his fourth career series victory. On top of winning races, the Hanford native continues to be NARC’s model of consistency, only missing the top-10 once in his last fourteen feature events. Hoping to begin his title defense by going two-for-two, he’ll be seeking his first KWS win at the Thunderbowl since May of 2015.
There will be many other hungry competitors joining Netto in the hunt for the $11,000 prize, and a handful stand out as potential favorites.
Tim Kaeding is a proven force at the Thunderbowl. The driver out of San Jose has earned four of his twenty-one career World of Outlaws wins in Tulare. A victory for TK this Saturday would make it 69 career NARC triumphs.
Winner of the 2018 Peter Murphy Classic, Shane Golobic, will certainly be in the mix. The two-time Trophy Cup champ has an outstanding average finish of 2.8 in his last four NARC feature starts at the Thunderbowl. Look for the Matt Wood Racing number 17 to be toward the front on Saturday.
Paradise native Kyle Hirst is a key name to watch. The four time titlist has five series victories at the Thunderbowl since 2016, more than any other competitor.
Former NASCAR driver Kasey Kahne will be competing on both Friday and Saturday. The three time World of Outlaws champion team owner is reuniting with Roth Motorsports to pilot their iconic number 83 machine.
A driver hoping the Peter Murphy Classic will bring his first NARC win is Iowa’s Austin McCarl. The 2018 Knoxville track champion continues to get comfortable aboard the Tarlton Motorsports number 21 after opting to follow the King of the West tour this season. He impressed in Stockton, smoothly rolling the bottom to a top-five finish after starting mid-pack.
The few names listed above plus many others should be filling the pits this Saturday. Bud Kaeding will be aiming to become the first driver to claim two Peter Murphy Classic wins. Other expected entrants include Dominic Scelzi, Justin Sanders, Willie Croft, Mitchell Faccinto, Sean Becker and more. The event has been one of the most well attended for NARC over the past few seasons, averaging 32 sprint cars since 2017.
The NARC King of the West Hoosier Tire format will feature qualifying, 10-lap heat races, a unique Sunnyvalley Bacon Aussie poll shuffle, a B-main if necessary and the lucrative $11,000 to win Fujitsu 30-lap feature.
The fastest qualifier will receive $600 courtesy of Kimo’s Tropical Car Wash and ARP.
Gates are slated to open at 4 P.M. Saturday with qualifying kicking off at 6 P.M. The price tag for a pit pass is $40. Grandstand tickets for adults are $30 while the bleachers cost $25. Seniors can access the grandstands for $28 and the bleachers for $23. For kids ages 6-12, grandstand admission is a mere $15 and the bleachers are only $13. Kids 5 and under are free.
If you can’t make it to the track, you can watch the Peter Murphy Classic live on FloRacing along with the entire NARC King of the West Fujitsu Sprint Cars schedule.
The Thunderbowl Raceway is located on the Tulare County Fairgrounds at 620 S K St, Tulare, CA 93274. For more information call (559) 688-0909.
Race fans and teams are highly encouraged to practice safe COVID-19 protocol.
Peter Murphy 410 Classic Winners
2014: Jonathan Allard
2015: Aaron Reutzel
2016: Kyle Hirst
2017: Bud Kaeding
2018: Shane Golobic
2019: Rico Abreu
The King of the West-NARC Fujitsu General Racing Series is also sponsored by Hoosier Racing Tires. Associate and product award sponsors include ATL Racing Cells, Automotive Racing Products (ARP), Autometer, Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, Bullet Impressions, FK Rod Ends, FloRacing.com, Hooker Harness, Johnstone Supply, Kaeding Performance Center, KSE Racing Products, Maxim, PAC Racing Springs, Pyrotect, Racing Optics, Saldana Racing Products, Schoenfeld Headers, SCI Racing Products, Swift Metal Finishing, Sunnyvalley Bacon, System 1 Ignition, Ultra Light Brakes, Wilwood Disc Brakes, and Winters Performance Products.
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Facebook: www.facebook.com/kingofthewestsprints
Facebook (history page): www.facebook.com/NARCsprintcars
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Live Stream PPV: Floracing.com
NARC King of the West Fujitsu 410 Sprint Car Series
Championship Points Standings (After one event in 20-race series - 5/9/21)DJ Netto, Hanford - 42
Rico Abreu, Rutherford - 40
Dominic Scelzi, Fresno - 38
Shane Golobic, Elk Grove - 37
Austin McCarl, Altoona, IA - 36
Mitchell Faccinto, Hanford - 35
Bud Kaeding, Campbell - 34
Tim Kaeding, San Jose - 33
Geoff Ensign, Sebastopol - 32
Sean Becker, Roseville - 31
Justin Sanders, Aromas - 30
Blake Carrick, Lincoln - 29
Billy Aton, Benicia - 28
Willie Croft, Colfax - 27
Sean Watts, Clovis - 26
Mitchel Moles, Raisin City - 25
Tim Estenson, Fargo, ND - 24
Kenny Allen, Chico - 23
Mark Barroso, Merced - 22
Kyle Offill, Tracy - 21Upcoming Events:
May 22 - Petaluma Speedway - Salute to First Responders
June 11 - Ocean Speedway (Watsonville) - 33rd Annual Pombo-Sargent Classic
June 12 - Placerville Speedway - 30th Annual Dave Bradway Jr. Memorial with SCCT
NETTO DOMINATES NARC KING OF THE WEST OPENER AT STOCKTON
(3/20/21) Jim Allen, Stockton, CA ... Defending NARC King of the West Fujitsu Sprint Car Series champion DJ Netto took no prisoners on his way to a dominating green-to-checkered victory at Saturday's Salute to LeRoy Van Conett 30-lap headliner at the Stockton Dirt Track.
Netto, piloting the potent Netto Ag/Penny Newman Grain KPC, started on the pole after winning the Sunnyvalley Bacon dash and quickly jumped to a straightaway lead over Dominic Scelzi, Mitchell Faccinto and Rico Abreu. Netto encountered lap traffic five laps into the event but had absolutely no problems motoring in and out of slower cars. By lap 12, he had already built up a four-lapped car interference, only to lose the advantage when the first of three caution flags appeared a circuit later for a stopped car.
On the restart, Netto quickly motored to the lead as Scelzi fought handling issues caused by a broken front wing and a pressing Abreu. Abreu managed to move into the runner-up spot after a lap 21 restart but gained little ground on the leader until the final caution flag appeared with only three laps remaining. However, at that point, Netto was in the zone and cruised to a .846 second victory.
Abreu, who set the standard for the 23-car field in ARP qualifying, scored second aboard the Works Limited/Lucas Oil #57 sprint car. Scelzi held on to a solid third in the Scelzi Enterprises Maxim. Seventh started Shane Golobic was fourth, chased by Iowa driver Austin McCarl.
Netto credited his fourth career series to victory to his family and Drew Warner. It ended a NARC King of the West winless streak dating back to June 24th, 2017 at Calistoga Speedway.
"Drew gave me a car that I could run anywhere I wanted," said Netto. "Lapped traffic wasn't an issue and I did my job to get us here."
The remainder of the top ten included Faccinto, Bud Kaeding, Tim Kaeding, Geoff Ensign, and Sean Becker. Justin Sanders captured the Swift Metal Finishing Hardcharger Award with a 19th to 11th run.
Heat races were picked off by Golobic, Faccinto, and Becker.
FUJITSU FEATURE EVENT (30-laps): 88N-DJ Netto (Netto 88N), 57-Rico Abreu, 41-Dominic Scelzi, 17W-Shane Golobic, 21-Austin McCarl, 37-Mitchell Faccinto, 69-Bud Kaeding, 42X-Tim Kaeding, 01-Geoff Ensign, 83V-Sean Becker, 16A-Justin Sanders, 38B-Blake Carrick, 26-Billy Aton, 56-Willie Croft, 98-Sean Watts, 01X-Mitchell Moles, 14T-Tim Estenson, 76-Kenny Allen, 78-Mark Barroso, 88-Kyle Offill, 83-Kyle Hirst, 83T-Tanner Carrick, 46JR-Joel Myers Jr.
HOOSIER TIRE LAP LEADERS: DJ Netto 1-30
SWIFT METAL FINISHING HARDCHARGER: Justin Sanders: 19th to 11th
ARP FAST QUALIFIER : Rico Abreu - 14.364 seconds (23-cars)
BROWN & MILLER RACING SOLUTIONS FIRST HEAT (8 laps): Shane Golobic, DJ Netto, Dominic Scelzi, Rico Abreu, Billy Aton, Tanner Carrick, Willie Croft, Kenny Allen.
FUJITSU GENERAL USA SECOND HEAT (8 laps): Mitchell Faccinto, Tim Kaeding, Kyle Hirst, Austin McCarl, Bud Kaeding, Justin Sanders, Joe Myer Jr.
FLORACING.COM THIRD HEAT (8 laps): Sean Becker, Geoff Ensign, Sean Watts, Blake Carrick, Kyle Offill, Tim Estenson, Mark Barroso, Mitchell Moles.
SUNNYVALLEY BACON DASH (6 laps): DJ Netto, Dominic Scelzi, Geoff Ensign, Mitchell Faccinto, Rico Abreu, Sean Becker.
THE STOCKTON DIRT TRACK TO HOST 2021 NARC KING OF THE WEST OPENER
March 15, 2021
Jim Allen(March 15, 2021 – Jim Allen) Sacramento, CA … The high powered NARC King of the West Fujitsu General Series will kick off its highly-anticipated 2021 sprint car campaign on Saturday, March 20th, with the Salute to LeRoy Van Conett at the Stockton Dirt Track. The event is in honor of legendary eight-time Northern Auto Racing Club champion LeRoy Van Conett.
This marks the first of 20 scheduled championship racing events at 10 different dirt track venues this season. The traveling series and its loyal teams are attempting to return to some form of normalcy after getting sidetracked by the pandemic last year. Only four of the planned 19-events were run season and the Northern Auto Racing Club did not crown a champion for the first time in 61-years.
The sanctioning body is realistic on what is possible this season with the pandemic still looming strong in the background. A few setbacks and cancellations are expected, but a majority of the schedule is should run as scheduled.
“We are looking to get back to the business of dirt track racing and put on some entertaining shows for the fans,” said 13-time series champion and Series Board Member Brent Kaeding of Campbell. “It’s been a rough year for motorsports in California and everybody is anxious to get back to doing what they love the most. We should have a great show at Stockton on Saturday.”
Admission is $30 per person. Seniors 65+ and Military personnel will be admitted for $25. Pit passes are $40. All NARC King of the West races are are available on PPV at Floracing.com.
Hanford driver DJ Netto will be defending his 2019 series title this season and the competition is expected to be fierce. Several teams have already declared their intentions to make a championship run including Dominic Scelzi of Fresno; three-time series titlist Tim Kaeding of San Jose; 2018 champ Bud Kaeding of Campbell; Aromas driver Justin Sanders; Sean Becker of Roseville, the 2005 series champion; Roseville’s Willie Croft; Hanford’s Mitchell Faccinto; and Austin McCarl of Iowa. Collectively, this group has 148 NARC King of the West feature event victories to their credit.
Others expected to compete include Rico Abreu of Rutherford; Clovis driver Sean Watts; Kyle Offill of Tracy; Chico’s Kenny Allen and many more.
The NARC King of the West Hoosier Tire format will include qualifying, three 8-lap heat races, a six-lap Sunnyvalley Bacon trophy dash, and the $3000 to win Fujitsu feature event headliner.
Pit gates will open at noon. Qualifying is set to get underway at 5:00 p.m., followed by racing at 6:00 p.m. Also on the racing card is Nor Cal Dwarf Cars.
The Stockton Dirt Track is located on the San Joaquin County Fairgrounds, located at 1658 S Airport Way, Stockton, CA 95206. For more information, call 916-370-9417.
Race fans and teams are required to wear mask and maintain social distance as much as possible to help reduce the spread of COVID-19.
ED NOTE: Commemorative LeRoy Van Conett event shirts will be sold near victory lane between 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. Proceeds benefit the NARC Benevolent Fund.
The King of the West-NARC Fujitsu General Racing Series is also sponsored by Hoosier Racing Tires. Associate and product award sponsors include ATL Racing Cells, Automotive Racing Products (ARP), Autometer, Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, Bullet Impressions, FK Rod Ends, FloRacing.com, Hooker Harness, Johnstone Supply, Kaeding Performance Center, KSE Racing Products, Maxim, PAC Racing Springs, Pyrotect, Racing Optics, Saldana Racing Products, Schoenfeld Headers, SCI Racing Products, Swift Metal Finishing, Sunnyvalley Bacon, System 1 Ignition, Ultra Light Brakes, Wilwood Disc Brakes, and Winters Performance Products.
SOCIAL MEDIA INFORMATION
Website: www.NARC410.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/kingofthewestsprints
Facebook (history page): www.facebook.com/NARCsprintcars
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NARC410
Instagram: www.instagram.com/narc410
YouTube: NARC410
Live Stream PPV: Floracing.com
NARC RELEASES 2021 KING OF THE WEST SPRINT CAR SCHEDULE
December 11, 2020
Jim Allen(12/11/20) Sacramento, CA … The Northern Auto Racing Club has rolled out its 2021 King of the West 410 Sprint Car Series schedule, featuring 20 racing events at 10 different dirt tracks throughout California.
The series, which will feature Fujitsu General as the title sponsor, is backloaded to the second half of the year in hopes of escaping the COVID-19 pandemic, which has crippled grass roots racing operations in the Golden State. Only a handful racing events are scheduled during the first six months of the year.
The newly-configured Stockton Dirt Track is slated to hold the “Salute to LeRoy Van Conett” season opener on March 20th, The track will also host the Championship Night “Tribute to Gary Patterson” series finale on November 6th.
The centerpiece of the King of the West campaign promises to be the “Fastest Five Days in Motorsports.” The five-race blitz kicks off at Placerville Speedway on Wednesday, August 25th and continues on to Merced Speedway, Ocean Speedway (Watsonville), the Stockton Dirt Track and Petaluma Speedway on consecutive nights.
“We are anxious to get back to business,” states series GM Jim Allen. “We only had four events in 2020 and everybody is hoping for a return to normalcy in the very near future. We feel we have a solid racing schedule on tap which will prompt race fans to get re-engaged with dirt track racing as we recover from this pandemic.”
The month of May will feature the lucrative $11,000 to win Peter Murphy Classic at the Tulare Thunderbowl Raceway on May 15th. A week later, the traveling series will invade Petaluma for the first of three races at the “Salute to First Responders” which will pay tribute to all of the local heroes that have battled wildfires in the wine country.
June will feature the first of a trio of “two-race” weekends with a short track doubleheader at a pair of action-packed quarter mile ovals. Ocean Speedway will host the 33rd Annual Pombo-Sargent Classic on June 11th, followed by the 30th Dave Bradway Jr. Race at Placerville Speedway on the 12th. This marks a venue change for the Bradway event, which had a solid foundation at Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico throughout its existence. Chico is not on the 2021 NARC-KWS schedule.
Ocean Speedway will be showcasing the ever popular Howard Kaeding Classic on July 17th.
Santa Maria Raceway features a pair of spots on the new calendar. The first “Winged-Madness” event will take place on July 24th and will include a fan favorite Wheelie Contest. The September 25th winged madness edition will also dish up a pit crew competition.
Calistoga Speedway will finally be back in action after being sidelined by fairgrounds lease negotiations and the coronavirus for what will be two-years. The last event held at the facility took place in September 2019. On September 4-5th, the historic half-mile oval is scheduled to host the Louie Vermeil Classic, featuring both the winged King of the West 410’s and the USAC-CRA non-wing machines. There is a possibility that the track will try to schedule additional events later in the year.
October promises to be a lucrative month, headlined by the $30,000+ Morrie Williams Legends Tribute, which features a pair of twin-20 main events. The first main will be lined up straight-up by qualifying times and the second completely inverted based on the finish of the first. The month will also include the eye-opening $21,000 to win Tom Tarlton Classic on October 29th, which is expected to draw some of the best driving talent from around the country. The Dirt Track at Kern County Raceway Park will host its only event on the schedule on Saturday, October 30th.
Hanford, CA driver DJ Netto is the defending 2019 NARC King of the West Fujitsu Sprint Car Series champion. A champion was not crowned in 2020 due to the overall lack of events.
Schedules can be downloaded and additional information can be found at NARC410.com. For more information, call 714-397-7417.
A separate announcement on series sponsors and the championship point fund will be released in the weeks to come.
2021 NARC KING OF THE WEST FUJITSU GENERAL RACING SERIES SCHEDULE
March 20 – The Stockton Dirt Track – Salute to LeRoy Van Conett
May 15 – Tulare Thunderbowl Raceway – Peter Murphy Classic
May 22 – Petaluma Speedway – Salute To First Responders
June 11 – Ocean Speedway – 33rd Annual Pombo-Sargent Classic
June 12 – Placerville Speedway w/SCCT – 30th Annual Dave Bradway Jr. Race
July 10 – Petaluma Speedway – Salute to Baylands Raceway Park
July 17 – Ocean Speedway – 11th Annual Howard Kaeding Classic
July 24 – Santa Maria Raceway – Winged Madness w/Wheelie Contest“Fastest Five Days in Motorsports”
August 25 – Placerville Speedway – Gold Country Showdown
August 26 – Merced Speedway – Thursday Night Thunder
August 27 – Ocean Speedway
August 28 – The Stockton Dirt Track – Champions Classic
August 29 – Petaluma SpeedwaySeptember 4 – Calistoga Speedway w/USAC-CRA – Louie Vermeil Classic
September 5 – Calistoga Speedway w/USAC-CRA – Louie Vermeil Classic
September 25 – Santa Maria Raceway – Winged Madness w/Pit Crew Competition
October 9 – Keller Auto Speedway (Hanford) – Morrie Williams Legends Race
October 29 – Keller Auto Speedway (Hanford) – $21,000 Tom Tarlton Classic
October 30 – The Dirt Track at Kern Country Raceway Park (Bakersfield)
November 6 – The Stockton Dirt Track w/SCCT – 38th Annual Tribute to Gary PattersonNovember 7 – Championship Celebration – Brookside Country Club (Stockton)
ROD TINER PRESENTED BILLY ALBINI MECHANIC OF THE YEAR AWARD
November 10, 2020
Jim Allen(11/10/20), Stockton, CA … The Northern Auto Racing Club presented the coveted Billy Albini Mechanic of the Year Award to veteran crew chief, chassis builder, and car owner Rodney Tiner at the Stockton Dirt Track Saturday.
The one-of-a-kind trophy, which features a gold plated wrench and a mural of the late Billy Albini, was presented by Mike Andreetta and Chris “Cajun” Good at the King of the West season finale.
“We would normally present this at our year-end banquet,” said Andreetta, from the Stockton Dirt Track victory circle, “but COVID-19 forced up to alter our plans. And, we didn’t want to let a whole year go by to recognize another deserving crew chief in our sport.”
“Rod is one of the best in the business at knowing how to get the most out of a sprint car and a driver,” continued Andreetta. “He’s been successful at it for more than three decades and we are proud to present this award to him tonight.”
In addition to taking home the trophy for a year, Tiner was also presented with a $1000 cash prize and a Mechanic of the Year ring.
Mark Bristow was the first winner of the award in 2019.
Billy Albini was a longtime crew chief for 13-time NARC and King of the West champion Brent Kaeding and is recognized as the winningest “wrench” in NARC history. He lost his life to cancer in 2019.
SANDERS DOMINATES KING OF THE WEST TRIBUTE TO GARY PATTERSON RACE IN STOCKTON
(11/7/20) Jim Allen, Stockton, CA ... Justin Sanders put forward a dominating green-to-checkered victory performance Saturday night at the Stockton Dirt Track to claim the Tribute to Gary Patterson race in NARC King of the West Fujitsu Sprint Car Series action.
Sanders, driving Larry Antaya's potent Alkaline 88 Water/Fire Protection Management sprint car, started the 25-lap affair on the outside of the front row and had to survive several caution periods on his way to his sixth series victory.
On the first attempt to get the show underway, polesitter Chase Johnson flipped wildly over the third turn embankment to bring out the red flag. Luckily, despite the carnage, he walked away unhurt. Two other caution flags in the first couple of laps slowed the action. However, on the ensuing restart, Sanders jumped out front and spent the first couple of laps fending off the repeated challenges of Rico Abreu. However, it didn't take long before Sanders motored out to a healthy 10-car length advantage.
Blake Carrick brought out the second race stoppage of the race on lap seven when the 16-year-old jumped a rut in turn one and vaulted over the second corner. Carrick emerged from his damaged car unhurt.
Once the race restarted, Sanders essentially took no prisoners, mastered slower traffic and cruised to a $3000 payday.
"I felt I was all over the place at times," said Sanders in victory lane, referring to the tough track surface. "But I knew Rico was back there so I wasn't taking and chances. I got a little worried in lap traffic a couple of times, but this car was awesome all night long. A big thank you to Larry Antaya and the team for giving me a great race car."
Abreu, who started the night as quick qualifier, scored second aboard his Abreu Vineyards sprint car and eighth starter DJ Netto secured the final podium spot in his Netto Ag KPC. Bud Kaeding earned the Swift Metal Finishing Hardcharger award finishing fourth after starting 12th aboard the Al's Roofing Supply/Alviso Rock Maxim.
Austin McCarl, who survived a red flag heat race adventure of his own driving the Roth Motorsports KPC, Justyn Cox, 14th starter Matt Streeter, and Mark Barroso were the only other cars still running at the checkered.
FUJITSU FEATURE EVENT (25-laps): Justin Sanders, Rico Abreu, DJ Netto, Bud Kaeding, Austin McCarl, Justyn Cox, Matt Streeter, Mark Barroso, Shane Golobic, Blake Carrick, JJ Ringo, Craig Stidham, Stephen Ingraham, Kyle Offill, Buddy Kofoid, Jason Bright, Chase Johnson.
LAP LEADERS: Sanders 1-25
ARP FAST QUALIFIER : Rico Abreu 12.579 seconds
BROWN & MILLER RACING SOLUTIONS FIRST HEAT (8 laps): Justin Sanders, DJ Netto, Rico Abreu, Shane Golobic, JJ Ringo, Stephen Ingraham
FK ROD ENDS SECOND HEAT (8 laps): Craig Stidham, Blake Carrick, Justyn Cox, Mark Barroso, Austin McCarl, Jason Bright
FLORACING.COM THIRD HEAT (8 laps): Chase Johnson, Buddy Kofoid, Bud Kaeding, Matt Streeter, Sean Becker, Kyle Offill
SUNNYVALLEY BACON DASH (6 laps): Chase Johnson, Justin Sanders, Craig Stidham, Rico Abreu, Blake Carrick, Buddy Kofoid
KING OF THE WEST SPRINT CARS HEADED TO STOCKTON FOR TRIBUTE TO GP
November 2, 2020
Jim Allen(11/3/20) Jim Allen, Sacramento, CA … The NARC King of the West Fujitsu Sprint Car Series will close out its 2020 racing campaign with the 37 Annual “Tribute to Gary Patterson” at the Stockton Dirt Track on Saturday Night (November 7th).
This marks the fourth race of the originally scheduled 19-race campaign that was totally disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Up for grabs will be $20,000 in prize money.
For track promoter Tony Noceti, it marks the first time that he has been able to turn on the lights at the Fairgrounds in Stockton since the spring. “I’m anxious to get some racing events going at the dirt track. I receive phone calls every day asking when we will return to a regular schedule with spectators in the grandstands. We’ve been trying all year to make it happen, but the State mandated guidelines have made it nearly impossible. This is our first step to get back to normalcy.”
The event will be live streamed at Floracing.com. The weekend of events will also include a show on Sunday afternoon featuring Dirt Modifieds, Sport Mods, Tri-State Pro Stocks, Bombers & B-4’s.
Feature event winners so far this season with the NARC King of the West 410 series include Indiana’s Spencer Bayston; Kyle Hirst of Paradise, and Dominic Scelzi of Fresno. With a limited racing schedule, many high profile teams are still looking to make a victory lane appearance, especially at the Tribute to Gary Patterson; one of the premier events on the calendar. The winners list of this event reads like a Hall of Fame roster, featuring many of California’s best sprint car drivers.
Among those looking to permanently etch their name into the history books include defending NARC-KWS champion DJ Netto of Hanford and 2018 series champ Bud Kaeding of Campbell. Others expected to compete include Aromas driver Justin Sanders; Michael “Buddy” Kofoid of Penngrove; Elk Grove’s Shane Golobic; Sean Watts from Atwater; Hanford’s Mitchell Faccinto; Craig Stidham from Fresno; Roseville drivers Sean Becker, Willie Croft and Colby Copeland; Tracy’s Kyle Offill and many more.
Pit gates open at noon for competitors. The racing program also includes the Stockton Dirt Track 360 sprint cars. The drivers meeting is scheduled at 3:00 p.m. with qualifying set to get underway at 4:00 p.m. Racing will start at 5:00 p.m. The NARC-King of the West format will include three eight-lap heat races, a six-lap Sunnyvalley Bacon Trophy Dash and the 25-lap Fujitsu-sponsored headliner. The winner will walk away with a $3000 check.
A “Cold Pass” pit gate will open at 3:00 p.m., allowing sponsors/team supporters/family members to enter the pit area until 5:00 p.m. At that point, they will be directed to the main grandstand seating. A “Cold Pass” is $30.
RV camping is available for a two-night minimum at $35 per night. Call 916-370-9417 to pay by credit card, otherwise cash is accepted upon arrival. Spaces will be first come, first served.
The Stockton Dirt Track is located on the San Joaquin County Fairgrounds, located at 1658 S Airport Way, Stockton, CA 95206
The King of the West-NARC Fujitsu Racing Series is also sponsored by Hoosier Racing Tires. Associate and product award sponsors include ATL Racing Cells, Automotive Racing Products (ARP), Autometer, Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, Bullet Impressions, FK Rod Ends, Hooker Harness, Johnstone Supply, Kaeding Performance Center, KSE Racing Products, Maxim, PAC Racing Springs, Pyrotect, Racing Optics, Saldana Racing Products, Schoenfeld Headers, SCI Racing Products, FloRacing.com, Swift Metal Finishing, Sunnyvalley Bacon, System 1 Ignition, Ultra Light Brakes, Wilwood Disc Brakes, and Winters Performance Products.
PAST WINNERS OF THE TRIBUTE TO GARY PATTERSON
1984- Chuck Gurney
1985- Brent Kaeding
1986- Tim Green
1987- Jimmy Sills
1988- Jeff Swindell
1989- Jason McMillen
1990- Jimmy Sills
1991- Tim Green
1992- Tim Green
1993- Randy Tiner
1994- Brent Kaeding
1995- Paul McMahan
1996- Steve Kent
1997- Randy Tiner
1998- Randy Hannagan
1999- Brent Kaeding
2000- Steve Kent
2001- Brent Kaeding
2002- Jason Meyers
2003- Dennis Moore Jr.
2004- Sparky Howard
2005- Steve Kent
2006- Steve Kent
2007- Jonathan Allard
2008- Tim Kaeding
2009- Kyle Hirst
2010- Zach Zimmerly
2011- Peter Murphy
2012- Rico Abreu
2013- (410) Rico Abreu, (360) Tim Kaeding
2014- (410) Shane Golobic, (360) Rico Abreu
2015- (410) Jonathan Allard, (360) Andy Forsberg
2016- (410) Tim Kaeding, (360) Jason Meyers
2017- (410) Cory Eliason, (360) Dominic Scelzi
2018- (410) Rico Abreu, (360) Shane Golobic
2019- (410) Shane Golobic, (360) Rico Abreu
2020 – TBA
(10/10/20) Jim Allen, Hanford, CA ... Kyle Hirst and Dominic Scelzi each drove matching Williams Motorsports team cars to exciting victories in the twin-20 NARC King of the West Fujitsu Sprint Car Series main events in the Morrie Williams Legends Tribute races at Keller Auto Speedway. Tim Kaeding, on the basis of a second and fourth place finish, was crowned the overall champ of the inaugural event in the Bates/Hamilton Maxim.
Hirst started on the outside of the front row of the first feature and spent the first seven laps tailgating Iowa visitor Austin McCarl. After mounting a several challenges, Hirst finally managed to motor his way into the lead going down the backstretch a lap later. However, he had to survive three caution flag restarts and a barrage of attacks by Blake Carrick, 10th starter Sean Becker and Mitchell Faccinto.
Carrick actually took the lead away twice, but was unable to make it stick at the flag stand as the four-time King of the West champion battled back. A caution flag on the final lap set the stage for a green-white-checkered shootout. With the leader running the low groove, Mitchell Faccinto rode the cushion around Hirst to steal away the on the 19th circuit. The two swapped lines on the final lap and Hirst ended up beating Faccinto to the checkered by a few feet while also making contact with the front straightaway concrete. Becker filled out the podium finishers, chased by Tim Kaeding, and Carrick. Hirst's 30th career King of the West victory was worth $3000. Becker was named the Swift Metal Finishing hardcharger.
The second feature was lined up totally inverted based on the finish of the first race. Polesitter Ryan Robinson set the standard at the green, leading a freight train that included JJ Ringo, Stephen Ingraham and Craig Stidham. Robinson grew his advantage to a healthy 12-car lengths as the field sliced and diced for position behind him. The caution appeared on lap eight which changed the entire dynamic of the race. Eleventh starter Dominic Scelzi had the fastest car on the track and negotiated his way into third behind Tanner Carrick and the leader for the restart. Scelzi would go on to pick off Carrick four laps later and claimed a drag race down the front to take the top spot on lap 13. At that point, Scelzi put his ride in cruise control and claimed his ninth series win of his career.
Kaeding, who began the second 20-lapper in the 16th spot, methodically worked his way through the field to finish second, ahead of Robinson, Becker, McCarl, and Tanner Carrick. Kaeding's effort earned the $400 hardcharger award and ultimately the overall points title for the night, worth another $1000.
McCarl set the standard aboard the Roth Motorsports sprinter to set quick time at 14.573 run around Peter Murphy's 3/8 mile dirt track.
FUJITSU FEATURE EVENT #1 (20-laps): Kyle Hirst, Mitchell Faccinto, Sean Becker, Tim Kaeding, Blake Carrick, DJ Netto, Bud Kaeding, Austin McCarl, Dominic Scelzi, Andy Forsberg, Kurt Nelson, Jake Hagopian, Tanner Carrick, Sean Watts, Kyle Offill, Craig Stidham, JJ Ringo, Adam Kaeding, Stephen Ingraham, Ryan Robinson, AJ Bender, Burt Foland Jr.
LAP LEADERS: McCarl 1-7, Hirst 8-18, Faccinto 19, Hirst 20.
FUJITSU FEATURE EVENT #2 (20-laps): Dominic Scelzi, Tim Kaeding, Ryan Robinson, Sean Becker, Austin McCarl, Tanner Carrick, DJ Netto, Mitchell Faccinto, Bud Kaeding, Blake Carrick, Andy Forsberg, Stephen Ingraham, Jake Hagopian, Kurt Nelson, JJ Ringo, Kyle Offill, Adam Kaeding, Craig Stidham, Kyle Hirst, AJ Bender, Sean Watts, Burt Foland Jr.
LAP LEADERS: Robinson 1-15, Scelzi 16-20
NARC King of the West Fujitsu Racing Series
(10/6/20) Sacramento, CA ... The high powered 410 sprint cars of the NARC King of the West Fujitsu Racing Series will be back in action on Saturday, October 10th when it invades Keller Auto Speedway in Hanford for the inaugural Morrie Williams Legends Tribute race. The event honors the late great legendary car owner who claimed four series championships with the sanctioning body.
This marks only the third scheduled event of the NARC season. As with previous event, the racing facility will continue to follow state-mandated COVID-19 protocols, which means the main grandstands will be closed to spectators. However, fans are allowed in the pit area as long as they wear a mask and practice proper social distancing. The event will be available on PPV at Floracing.com.
The event will be very unique in that it will feature two 20-lap main events in honor of Morrie Williams, a car owner who loved to watch cars charge from the back of the field. The first event (see format below) will be lined up straight up by qualifying times for cars that transferred through their heat races. The starting line-up for the second 20-lapper will line up completely inverted based on the finish of the first race (with the exception of any lapped cars.) That means the top finishers will be charging from the back.
There will be a 10-minute intermission between the two events when crews can make adjustments to their car race cars - except change tires. Any car that changes a tire would have to go to the very back of the field (behind lapped cars).
More than $27,000 in prize money is up for grabs including $2800 for each winner. The overall points champion will pocket an additional $1000.
"It's an personal honor to present this race for the great Morrie Williams," said Peter Murphy, the promoter of the track, and former longtime driver with the man. "He was the perfect mate to drive for and earned legend status in my book. It will be a great night of racing."
Williams passed away last year after battling cancer, but his legacy continues to live on today.
Some of the other notable drivers who have driven for Williams over the years include Jonathan Allard; Canadian Jimmy Carr; Greg DeCaires; Dennis Moore Jr., Bud Kaeding (2018 championship); and four-time series titlist Kyle Hirst. Both Kaeding and Hirst will be competing in the event.
Allard, who won three championships with Williams (2006, 2008 & 2012), feels that this race is a perfect addition to the NARC racing schedule. "Morrie was an amazing car owner and I feel so fortunate to have been a part of an amazing team. The championships came due to Morrie's ability to believe in all of us. He was always able to get the best out of his team."
"He was different that most car owners," continued Allard. "He was patient and allowed (crew chief) Ashley Smith and I to work in whatever direction we needed with the belief we would achieve many race wins and our championships. I have many amazing memories of Morrie because he taught me so much. The one thing about Morrie that I think about every day is how he treated people. Everyone that has met him has walked away a friend."
Other registered entries include both Tim Kaeding of San Jose; Rutherford's Rico Abreu; Fresno's Dominic Scelzi and Craig Stidham; Hanford's Mitchell Faccinto and 2019 NARC/KWS champ DJ Netto; Auburn's Andy Forsberg; Sean Watts from Clovis; Roseville's Sean Becker and Jodie Robinson; Iowa's Austin McCarl; Blake and Tanner Carrick from Lincoln; Morgan Hills JJ Ringo; AJ Bender from San Diego and many more!
There will also be a full racing program on Friday night (October 9th) with a Kings of Thunder 410 sprint car show.The NARC King of the West portion of the program will consist of individual qualifying, three 8-lap heat races, a four-lap trophy dash, and a pair of 20-lap main events.
Also on the racing card are the King of Thunder 360's and the Legends of Kearney Bowl.
Pit gates open at 1:00 p.m. The drivers meeting starts at 4:00 p.m., with the first session of hot laps taking place around 4:30 p.m.
Keller Auto Speedway is located at the Kings Fairgrounds in Hanford. The address is 801 S 10th Ave, Hanford, CA 93230. The track can be reached at 559-584-7223.
For more information, call Jim Allen at 714-397-7417.
ED NOTE: The main grandstands are closed to the general public and no tickets will be sold to the event. Race fans are allowed to enter the pit area. All race attendees and participants are required to sign a COVID-19 release form, wear face masks and practice social distancing in the pit area.
The King of the West-NARC Fujitsu Racing Series is also sponsored by Hoosier Racing Tires. Associate and product award sponsors include ATL Racing Cells, Automotive Racing Products (ARP), Autometer, Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, Bullet Impressions, FK Rod Ends, Hooker Harness, Johnstone Supply, Kaeding Performance Center, KSE Racing Products, Maxim, PAC Racing Springs, Pyrotect, Racing Optics, Saldana Racing Products, Schoenfeld Headers, SCI Racing Products, FloRacing/Speedshift TV, Swift Metal Finishing, Sunnyvalley Bacon, System 1 Ignition, Ultra Light Brakes, Wilwood Disc Brakes, and Winters Performance Products.
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Live Stream PPV: Floracing.comKyle Hirst celebrates in victory lane with the legend Howard Kaeding. Photo Credit: Joe Shivak
(July 18, 2020) Watsonville, CA, By Jim Allen ... Four-time NARC King of the West Fujitsu Racing Series champion Kyle Hirst held off Justin Sanders in a fierce sprint car battle to score a stout $5000 payday in Saturday's 10th Annual Howard Kaeding Classic at Ocean Speedway.
Hirst, piloting the famed Williams Motorsports number 0 Maxim for only the second time, become the only three-time winner of the race named in honor of a West Coast racing legend. The 88-year old Kaeding was in victory lane to greet the winner of this year’s edition which was staged in front of an empty grandstand.
Hirst, who started on the pole of the 30-lapper after claiming the Sunnyvalley Bacon dash, was the class of the field for the first 10-laps despite three caution flag restarts. From that point on, it was a no holds barred open wheel scrimmage through lapped traffic with Sanders and Friday night winner DJ Netto. Sanders and Netto made contact with the defending NARC-KWS champion bringing out the caution flag at the halfway point.
Once action resumed on the racy quarter mile oval, Hirst and Sanders turned up the heat and battled inches apart lap after lap. Sanders, steering the North County Plastering/Alkaline 88 sprinter, actually took the lead briefly on three occasions negotiating through slower cars, but Hirst answered each challenge with moves of his own. Hirst held on to win by .626 seconds. Sanders pocketed $3,000 for his runner-up performance.
"He made me work for it," admitted a winded Hirst in victory lane. "I like racing with Justin and it got really tight a couple of times in lapped traffic. I have to thank this team for giving me a great car."
Indiana's Spencer Bayston, who started 15th in the 24-car grid in the Tarlton Motorsports KPC, methodically sliced his way through the field and picked off Mitchell Faccinto on the white flag lap to earn the final podium position. Bayston also claimed the Swift Metal Finishing hardcharger award.
Faccinto's efforts came aboard the Western Metal Company KPC. Two-time series champ Tim Kaeding rounded out the top five aboard the Bates-Hamilton R&B Company Maxim.
Blake Carrick, Shane Golobic, Andy Forsberg, Ryan Bernal and Sean Becker were the next five to cross the checkered.
DJ Netto was the class of the 32-car field in qualifying, clocking a 12.041 second run.
Heat race wins were captured by Willie Croft, Chase Johnson, Shane Golobic and Bud Kaeding. Joey Ancona won the 12-lap semi.
FUJITSU FEATURE EVENT (30-laps): Kyle Hirst, Justin Sanders, Spencer Bayston, Mitchell Faccinto, Tim Kaeding, Blake Carrick, Shane Golobic, Andy Forsberg, Ryan Bernal, Sean Becker, Chase Johnson, Colby Copeland, Sean Watts, Bud Kaeding, Joey Ancona, Trent Canales, Kurt Nelson, Craig Stidham, Jodie Robinson, Nick Ringo, Adam Kaeding, DJ Netto, James Ringo, Willie Croft.
LAP LEADERS: Hirst 1-30
ARP FAST QUALIFIER (32 cars): DJ Netto - 12.041 seconds
BROWN & MILLER RACING SOLUTIONS FIRST HEAT (10 laps): Willie Croft, Sean Becker, Blake Carrick, DJ Netto, Kurt Nelson, Jodie Robinson, Nick Ringo, AJ Bender.
FK ROD ENDS SECOND HEAT (10 laps): Chase Johnson, Justin Sanders, Ryan Bernal, Andy Forsberg, Sean Watts, Joey Ancona, Jason Chisum.
SPEEDSHIFT TV/MVP THIRD HEAT (10 laps): Shane Golobic, Kyle Hirst, Colby Copeland, Mitchell Faccinto, Adam Kaeding, Jeremy Chisum, Craig Stidham, Jayson Bright.
FUJITSU GENERAL USA FOURTH HEAT (10 laps): Bud Kaeding, Spencer Bayston, Tim Kaeding, Trent Canales, James Ringo, Geoffrey Strole, Richard Brace Jr., Jake Morgan.
SUNNYVALLEY BACON POLE SHUFFLE (6 laps): Kyle Hirst, Justin Sanders, Tim Kaeding, DJ Netto, Chase Johnson, Andy Forsberg
KAEDING PERFORMANCE LAST CHANCE SEMI (12-laps): Joey Ancona, Craig Stidham, Jodie Robinson, Nick Ringo, Jason Chisum, AJ Bender, Geoffrey Strole, Richard Brace Jr., Jeremy Chisum, Jake Morgan, Jayson Bright
NARC King of the West tackle Howard Kaeding Classic on Saturday
(July 14, 2020) Jim Allen, Sacramento, CA ... The NARC King of the West Fujitsu 410 Sprint Car Series will be in action this Saturday, July 18th at the 10th Annual Howard Kaeding Classic at Ocean Speedway in Watsonville. The lucrative event will be showcased in front of an empty grandstand due to strict state-mandated COVID-19 restrictions. It was made possible due to a tremendous outpouring of sponsorship support in honor of the living driving legend.
Saturday's nights show will feature more than $32,000 in prize money, including a $5000 payday for the winner of the 30-lap headliner. Each starter in the 24-car main will earn a minimum of $700. This is the second night of a two-day HK Classic program at Ocean Speedway, featuring a regular racing program on Friday night (July 17th.)
This marks only the second race of the season for the NARC King of the West series, utilizing a schedule that has endured 13-cancellations so far due to the pandemic. The Northern Auto Racing Club announced three-weeks ago that the traveling series will not crown a champion after 60-consecutive years of doing so. The Howard Kaeding Classic could also be the 2020 "season finale" assuming California continues its lock down on spectator sports.
This race was made possible through donations of businesses and supporters directly tied to the racing community. 2018 series champion Bud Kaeding of Campbell has spearheaded the fund-raising efforts in honor of his legendary grandfather, a winner of more than 500 career main events.
"To be honest, I was surprised by the response we received from supporters of the event," said Kaeding. "I knew going into this project that it is was going to be tough to pull it off. In years past, I just worked on contributing to the existing payout, but this year I knew that raising the full purse would be a tall feat. The support by the teams and sponsors has been incredible."
The only drawback of the 10th Annual event is not providing race fans with the ability to attend in person. The event will only be available on FloRacing/Speedshift TV PPV. Racing teams will be required to wear masks and practice social distancing in the pit area.
"Not having race fans attend really takes away the atmosphere for me as a racer," explains Kaeding, a 21-time winner on tour, including last year's race. "Not seeing fans after the races and not seeing a smiling kid after an autograph is something I hope ends soon."
But the motivation to continue the event without an annual gap comes directly from the source - the 88-year old Howard Kaeding himself.
"He (Howard) is always on me about making flyers and getting the word out to the community in February and March," said Bud. "He usually puts ads in the local papers and goes to local restaurants and auto parts stores to hang flyers. So, I guess you could say he looks forward to it, which drives me to succeed also."
"As a driver, team owner, and promoter I can’t thank all of the supporters of this years event enough. I know this has been an off year for everyone and I am beyond thankful for everyone that has contributed. Without their help this event wouldn’t be possible."
All the top 410 sprint car drivers in California will be competing on the quarter-mile dirt oval. Among them will be defending champion DJ Netto; Indiana's Spencer Bayston, the winner of the June 20th show at Hanford; two-time series champ Tim Kaeding of San Jose; Elk Grove's Shane Golobic; Willie Croft, Colby Copeland, Jodie Robinson and Sean Becker of Roseville; Clovis driver Sean Watts; Kyle Offill of Tracy; Hanford's Mitchell Faccinto; San Diego's AJ Bender; Chico's Kenny Allen; and many more!
The NARC King of the West Fujitsu Racing Series will consist of qualifying, four 10-lap heat races, the 6-lap Sunnyvalley Bacon Dash, a 12-lap Last Chance semi, and the 30-lap main event. Also on the racing card are IMCA Modifieds and Hobby Stocks.
Ocean Speedway is located at the Santa Cruz Fairgrounds in Watsonville, CA. Qualifying gets underway at 6:00 p.m.
RACING TEAMS: A signed COVID-19 release form must be signed at the pit gate. Strict COVID-19 safety protocol must followed at all times. This includes, but is not limited to, wearing a mask, social distancing, and proper sanitation (washing hands.)
E-mail info@NARC410.com
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