There will be plenty of cheers and tears as the checkered flag falls for the last time at Stockton 99 Speedway this Saturday, September 16th. After this Saturday’s special program the fabled central California facility will close its doors for good concluding 60 years of thrilling short-track racing excitement.
With twin 100-lap features for the late models and a host of special events and activities, Saturday’s program will be a fitting tribute to the facility passionately referred to by both patrons and drivers as the “Little Bristol of the West.”
Saturday’s NASCAR Dodge Weekly Racing Series program will determine the 2006 track champions for both the Havoline Western Late Models in round #10 of the HOTWOOD 1000 Series, presented by J.M. Environmental and the American Limited Stock Car division, presented by Bryant Petroleum.
In addition, the SRL Wild West Shootout Late Model Series will make its one and only appearance of the season at Stockton, the gals will go at it in the annual Power Puff race and the evening’s on track action will conclude with the always popular school bus race and destruction derby.
Following the last event the lights will be turned off and a giant FIREWORKS extravaganza will illuminate the evening sky in a final farewell.
Manteca’s Guy Guibor holds a 27-point (969-942) advantage over defending champion Pete Anderson Jr., of Stockton and a 31-point lead over Ron Strmiska Jr., also of Stockton, in their ongoing three-way battle to determine the 2006 Western Late Model track championship, but with “double points” on the line, a long 100-lap feature and a full field of quality cars, this championship is far from decided.
The tables are reversed in the special HOTWOOD 1000 Series, in which each driver is awarded points based on their best 16 finishes during the season. Currently, Strmiska clings to a slim one-point (720-719) advantage over Anderson and a 14-point lead over Guibor in the HOTWOOD competition.
“It is for everything next week,” said Guibor after last Saturday’s feature. “Hopefully, I will be real busy at work all week and I won’t have to think about it.”
Making life even more complicated for the three title contenders will be the number of additional drivers that are expected to be on hand to try their luck on the high banked, quarter-mile oval one last time in the final Havoline Western Late Model feature including Modesto’s Kevin Gottula, Salida’s Sam Solari, Granite Bay’s John Moore, Wilton’s Jason Fensler, Turlock’s Chris Monez and West Car Late Model Series champion Shannon Mansch of Roseville.
“You are going to have 15 drivers out here who can win the last one and 15 more who think they can and then you will have us three trying to run up front points racing,” commented Anderson. “Last year I was stressed out leading it going into the last race and this year I feel a lot more relaxed being in second, but I would rather have it the other way around.”
Veteran driver Dave Byrd, of Pacific Grove, talked about this weekend’s Western Late Model finale following his second win of the season last Saturday.
“Everybody has been looking forward to this race all year. There is going to be so much adrenaline flowing and so much on the line, it is going to be huge,” said Byrd. “The key for everybody will be to stay out of their way. Race hard, go for the win, but don’t knock any of them out of it. This will be one race for everyone to mind their Ps and Qs, at least as far as they are concerned.”
The situation is much different in the American Limited Stock Car class where hometown driver Chad “the Iceman” Holman holds a commanding lead over Escalon’s Darrell Hughes and Stockton’s Pete Anderson Sr. in the season point standings. Holman needs only to take the green flag in Saturday’s main to officially wrap up the 2006 title.
“I have trying to win this championship for a lot of years, so this is sweet,” explained Holman. “It will be fun to just go for it this week and not have to worry about being careful.”
Stockton will be this sixth stop on the eight race 2006 schedule for the SRL Wild West Shootout Late Model Series. Former Stockton 99 Speedway track champion Eric Schmidt, of Roseville, leads in the SRL series point standings by a 34-point (236-202) margin over both Mike Mendenhall, of Santee, and Jim Courage Jr., of Roseville while Steve Belletto, the former two-time 99 track champion from Modesto, sits just behind them in fourth with 199 points.
Also among the more than 25 pre-entries for the SRL race are Escalon’s Eric Holmes, who is contending for titles in both the NASCAR AutoZone West Series and Southwest Series, Salida’s Jeff Belletto and Napa’s Joey Zampa plus three former Stockton 99 track champions - Dave Byrd, Ripon’s John Gaalswyk and Ken Boyd of Ceres.
When the former track champions racing in the SRL Wild West Shoot Out are included with the former champions that will be racing in the Havoline Western Late Model feature, which includes Anderson, Tracy’s David Philpott and Modesto’s Harry Belletto, the former three-time champion and all-time leader in track victories with 89, a total of eight Stockton 99 Late Model championship drivers, with a combined 16 track championships, will be in action on Saturday.
There will also be a host of former champions and track legends who have helped contribute to the rich history and tradition of the 99 Speedway, dating all the way back to the track’s opening in 1947, that will be in attendance on Saturday. Among these very special guests of the track will be Janet (Vukovich) King, Lemoine Frey, Chuck Tatum, Jack Houston, Whitey Rich, Dave Duncan, Ed Andretta, Johnny Brazil, Dick Ramsey, Jack McCoy, Tony Queirolo, Ron Strmiska Sr., Jim Reich, Paul Dorrity, Troy Beebe, Dan Reed, Ron Lyon and Tim Gillit.
This is one special event that you do not want to miss. Come out to the Stockton 99 Speedway this Saturday to celebrate 60 years of racing history and leave with a lifetime of memories.
This Saturday, September 16th, the pit gates will open for registration at 10:00 AM, practice will run from 1:30 PM to 3:50 PM, the grandstands open at 2:00 PM, qualifying begins at 4:00 PM and the first green flag for racing will fly at approximately 6:10 PM.
Ticket prices this Saturday are only $35.00 for adults, $25.00 for seniors 65 years of age or older, $20.00 for juniors age 13-17, $5.00 for kids age 6-12 and kids 5 and under are free when accompanied by an adult. A family ticket is also available for the bargain price of $69.99. VISA and MasterCard are welcome at Gate 2.
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.
