On Saturday evening, August 5, the NASCAR AutoZone Grand National West Series returns to the legendary Stockton 99 Speedway for the 9th Annual Dodge Country 200 by Havoline/NAPA Belts & Hose.
Saturday’s race will mark the 21st visit of the Grand National West Series to Stockton’s high banked, quarter-mile oval since 1966. With the track scheduled to close following the 2006 season, it will also be the last.
This season’s battle for the Grand National West Series championship has become one of the tightest and most exciting in the 58-year history of the series. Only 46 points separate the top five title contenders with eight of twelve races on the 2006 schedule in the books.
Local fan favorites Mike David, of Modesto, and Eric Holmes, of Escalon, are now tied for the series lead with 1189 points. Hot on their pedal to the metal heals are Peyton Sellers, the 2005 NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series National Champion out of South Boston (Va.) Speedway, with 1177 points, Steve Portenga, of Sparks, NV with 1148 points and Bakersfield’s Mike Duncan, the two-time defending West Series champion with 1143 points.
“The West Series is very, very competitive right now. The quality of the teams has improved just since I last ran in the series four years ago,” said Holmes, who also races fulltime in the Elite Division AutoZone Southwest Series. “The points are so tight, all you need to do is have one bad race and you could find yourself down in 8th place.”
Both Holmes (No. 62 Sunoco Race Fuels/Paul Oil Chevrolet) and David (No. 2 Bennett Lane Winery Ford) are second-generation drivers who grew up watching their fathers compete, often against each other, at the 99 Speedway. They have become good friends off the track and respect each other on the track.
“Mike called me this morning and said, ‘I can’t believe this is happening to us,’ laughed Holmes. “Everybody on our teams knows each other. We loan each other stuff and help each other out all the time. We are friends, but there are a lot of other people involved and there is a lot a stake. He and I have been around each other a lot on the track and we have a pretty good give and take with each other.”
Two of David’s three career Grand National West Series victories have come at Stockton, including his exciting win in the Basalite 150, held earlier this season on April 29. David is hoping his “home advantage” at Stockton will once again work in his favor and his recipe for success at the 99 Speedway is a simple one.
“Stockton is such a tight, small track. You need to have a good a handling car that can stay low on the track and of course, avoid all the incidents that will happen,” explains David. “Mario Isolo (David’s crew chief) and I both know this track well.”
While Holmes has plenty of experience in Stockton, most of it has come at the wheel of the lighter Southwest Series and late model cars. As a result, he doesn’t feel that he comes into this Saturday’s race with much of an advantage on his competition.
“I hope I can figure it out this time because I sure didn’t last time,” said Holmes, referring to his disappointing 20th place finish in the Basalite 150. “I may have a little advantage here because of all my experience, but the Grand National cars are a little bigger and heavier. You have to drive them a little different and Stockton has actually been my toughest track because I am used to driving in the lighter cars.”
Both drivers feel that Saturday’s final Grand National West Series race in Stockton will be emotional and each is hoping for one last victory at the 60-year old track.
“It would be phenomenal to win the last race here,” said David. “It hasn’t really hit yet that the track is going away, but I imagine, whether we do good or bad, it will start to sink in when we are loading up the car for the last time.”
“It is going to be real exciting on Saturday. I need a win and there would be no better place for me to get one than Stockton,” states Holmes. “It such a neat and exciting place to go and I have spent a lot of my life there. As much as you want to hate the place, you still have to love it. I will always have a lot of good memories of Stockton and a few bad ones too.”
This Saturday’s NASCAR Dodge Weekly Racing Series program will also feature the Havoline Western Late Models in round #8 of the special HOTWOOD 1000 Series, presented by J.M. Environmental, and the American Limited Stock Cars, by C.L. Bryant.
The battle for the 2006 Havoline Western Late Model track championship remains up for grabs with just six races left on the schedule. Following his second win of the season last Saturday night; Manteca’s Guy Guibor now holds a 732 to 699 point lead over Ron Strmiska Jr. of Stockton, in the season standings. Also remaining solidly in the title hunt are Stockton’s Pete Anderson Jr., with 685 points, Chicago’s Pete Hernandez at 681 and Chowchilla’s Eric Humphries with 658.
The fight is even tighter in the special HOTWOOD 1000 Series standings where Anderson, Humphries, Strmiska, Hernandez and 20-year-old college student Mark Holeman, of Los Altos, are all crowded within just 50 points of Guibor’s lead.
The gates to the grandstands will swing open at 3:00 PM on Saturday, qualifying will begin at 3:15 PM and racing will start at 6:00 PM.
Ticket prices are $40 for adults, $25 for seniors, $20 for juniors age 13-17, $5 for kids age 6-12 and kids 5 years of age and under get in for free when accompanied by an adult. The price for a family pack special this Saturday is just $79.99, which includes two adults and up to four kids 12 and under. Master Card and VISA are welcome at gate 2.
Adults can save $10 on the admission price to Saturday’s race by simply picking up a discount coupon available at all participating AutoZone Parts stores.
Fans are also invited to attend, free of admission, an open practice scheduled for Friday, August 4. The grandstands will open on Friday at 2:00 PM and the cars will hit the track for six hours of practice from 2:00 to 8:00 PM.
The Stockton 99 Speedway is located just off Highway 99 at 4105 North Wilson Way. If you are traveling south on Highway 99 take the Wilson Way exit. If you are heading north on Highway 99 take the Cherokee Road exit, loop over the freeway, turn right onto Newton Road and then turn left on Wilson Way.
For Stockton 99 Speedway information call the 99 Race Line at (209) 466-9999 or go to www.stockton99speedway.com on the web.
