By Gary Thomas
Watsonville, CA – August 5, 2010…An all star cast of camera men are set to take to the Ocean Speedway in Watsonville, California this weekend, filming footage for an upcoming pilot documenting winged sprint car racing in California.
The night of competition will be the penultimate event in the 2010 Golden State Challenge 410 Sprint Car season and will be the second and final visit of the year for the series to the beautiful and well-maintained quarter-mile oval, which is located on the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds.
With 21 events in the record books and only two remaining the fight for the King of California crown is an entertaining and close one, with defending GSC Rookie of the Year Kyle Larson of Elk Grove leading 13-time King of California Brent Kaeding of Campbell by just six-scant markers.
Sitting atop the points for the first time in his career the now 18-year-old Larson will look to bring home his first ever sprint car title and currently sits tied with Jonathan Allard and Tim Kaeding for the most A-main wins this year with the series, following his fifth triumph of the season on July 24 in Marysville.
During the upcoming Golden State Challenge event at Ocean Speedway on Saturday night, several cameras will be roaming the grounds, documenting not only the racing, but also interviewing the drivers and trying to get the behind the scenes views that often times are the most interesting aspects of the night.
Notable camera men Dean Mills, Grove Hill, Randy Frank, Jim Lewis and Fred Adams will be on site taking footage for the pilot video. Director Dean Mills and his team will be focusing in on various storylines, including the tight championship battle between the young phenom Larson and his teammate/car owner, National Sprint Car Hall Fame Member Brent Kaeding.
In addition to that other subjects being focused in on during the pilot filming will be third place in points Evan Suggs of Scotts Valley, who drives for his parents John & Linda Suggs and travels all around California with limited support and sponsorship. Alissa Geving, a third generation competitor from Penngrove, will be another emphasis. The 18-year-old racer is a two-time Petaluma Speedway champion and in her first full year of 410 sprint car racing, and is also coming off her first career GSC fast time effort during the most recent series event in Marysville.
This Saturday will be the second time in the last month that camera crews have been on hand filming for the pilot, after also taking footage during the July 4 event at Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico. Following the shoot this weekend in Watsonville crews are also set to be on site at the Placerville Speedway for Golden State Challenge Series championship night on Saturday August 21.
The front gate at the Ocean Speedway this Saturday will open at 3:30 pm this Saturday April 24 with adult tickets costing $20, children 6 to 12 $14, seniors 65 and older $18 and kids five and under will be free. A family pack featuring two adults and two children will be available for $55.
Please note an earlier start time is scheduled for Saturday’s event with pit board meeting being held around 3:45, track packing at 4, qualifying about 5:15 and racing scheduled to follow. The Ocean Speedway is located on the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds in Watsonville, California. For more info on the track visit http://www.oceanspeedway.com
For the full point standings, results and more information on the Golden State Challenge Series log onto http://www.goldenstatechallengeseries.com
Current top-10 in Golden State Challenge Series point standings going into Saturday at Ocean Speedway-
1. Kyle Larson
2. Brent Kaeding
3. Evan Suggs
4. Jonathan Allard
5. Alissa Geving
6. Jason Statler
7. Zach Zimmerly
8. Matthew Davis
9. Bobby McMahan
10. Bud Kaeding