NASCAR SOUTHWEST SERIES MAKES FINAL APPEARANCE AT STOCKTON 99 SPEEDWAY THIS SATURDAY NIGHT

The NASCAR AutoZone Elite Southwest Series returns to Stockton 99 Speedway for the final time this Saturday, July 15th, for the 15th Annual AutoZone 100. This Saturday’s monster lineup also features a NASCAR Division II Dodge Weekly Racing Series program that includes the Havoline Western Late Models for round #7 of the special HOTWOOD 1000 Series by JM Environmental, the American Limited Stocks and the Pro-4 Trucks in a program presented by Havoline/C.L. Bryant.

Rip Michels, of San Fernando, took over the lead in the Southwest Series standings from local fan favorite Eric Holmes, of Escalon, in a controversial race two weeks ago at Altamont Motorsports Speedway.

Michels was attempting to pass Holmes for the lead late in that race when their two cars tangled, sending Holmes hard into the wall and out of the race. Veteran driver M. K. Kanke of Frazier Park, would go on to win the race and tie Rick Carelli’s all-time record for Southwest Series victories at 21, while Michels finished second.

“I don’t think he did it on purpose, he just made a mistake,” said Holmes of the incident. “I am not happy about it, but it is what it is. We compete against each other every week so you have to just let it go.”

The latest Southwest Series standings show Michels holding a slim 10-point (645-635) lead over Eddy McKean of Jerome, Idaho. Although he plummeted to third following his DNF at Altamont, Holmes sits only sixteen points (629) from the top spot and Kanke lies in fourth with 576 points.

“It’s good to be back at Stockton. It is a great place to race and the competition is always tough there,” said Holmes, who will be looking to rebound at his home track from his Altamont disappointment. “I won in Stockton in 2004 and it would really mean a lot to win the last (Southwest) race there.”

Two-time defending Southwest Series champion Jim Pettit II, of Prunedale, is also looking forward to Saturday’s race in Stockton. Pettit, who sits seventh in the 2006 standings, is hopeful that a strong finish in Stockton will catapult him back into the championship hunt.

“I have always run well there. I got my first win on asphalt in Stockton back in 1984, my first Bud Pole award in 2001 and my first career tour win there in 2002,” reminisced Pettit. “I wish we were going back to Stockton more than once this year, but we’ll just try and make the most of the opportunity we have this week.”

Just like the 99 Speedway, which will close its gates for good following the 2006 season, the Southwest Tour will cease to exist after this year as NASCAR looks to restructure and consolidate its touring divisions in 2007.

“This is such a great series, I really hate to see it end. We haven’t decided what we will be doing in the future. We are waiting to see what NASCAR comes up with for next year and go from there,” commented Pettit. “Losing Stockton is a heartbreaker too. You hate to see a place with so much history and tradition go away. It is sad to see it go, but it is a sign of the times in racing.”

The battle for the Stockton 99 Speedway 2006 Havoline Western Late Model track championship continues to be more difficult to sort out than a bad Italian opera.

Last Saturday Manteca’s Guy Guibor picked up his first career win and in doing so became the eighth different driver to post a victory in eleven races this season.

Guibor now sits atop the Western Late Model points by a narrow nine-point margin (530-521) over Ron Strmiska Jr. of Stockton. Stockton’s Pete Anderson Jr., the defending champion, slipped from first to third after his unfortunate close encounter with the turn three wall last week and he now trails Guibor by 11 points while Chowchilla’s Eric Humphries lurks in fourth just 28 points off the lead. Also remaining well within striking range of the leaders are NASCAR diversity driver Pete Hernandez, of Chicago, Illinois with 481 points and Dave Byrd, of Pacific Grove, with 464 points.

The race is even tighter in the HOTWOOD 1000 Series point standings where Humphries holds down the top spot. Humphries has no margin for error as Anderson, Guibor and Strmiska are all jam-packed within just eight points of the lead.

Chad “the Iceman” Holman, of Stockton, heads the standings in the always competitive American Limited Stock Car (ALSC) division by a slightly more comfortable 35-point margin (584-549) over Escalon’s Darrell Hughes while Matt Erickson, of Ceres, sits only three points (546) in back of Hughes.

Although Holman remains in control of the ALSC division, Stockton’s Donny Darter has stolen the show the past two Saturdays with back-to-back clean sweeps of qualifying, his heat race and the feature event.

Lathrop’s Mark Henslee continues to be the alpha leader of the Pro-4 Truck pack. After picking up his fifth win of the season last Saturday, Henslee now holds a 23-point (542-519) lead on Ron Robeck of Milpitas in the Pro-4 Trucks standings.

The gates will open for haulers and registration at 10:00 AM this Saturday, practice will run from 2:00-5:00 PM, the grandstands open at 3:00 PM, qualifying begins at 5:30 PM and the first green racing flag will fall at approximately 7:00 PM.

Ticket prices the Saturday, July 15th, program are $35.00 for adults, $25,00 for seniors 65 years of age and 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 pack ticket (2 adults & up to 4 kids 12 and under) is also available for the bargain price of $69.99. VISA and MasterCard are accepted at Gate 2.

Coupons good for $5.00 off the price of an adult admission ticket are available at local AutoZone stores.

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 additional Stockton 99 Speedway information call the Stockton 99 Speedway Race Line at (209) 466-9999 or visit www.stockton99speedway.com on the web.

See Also .:

• Stockton 99 Speedway Track Page

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