From Dick Jordan
This weekend’s “John Padjen Classic” at Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico, Calif. hosts the inaugural event in USAC’s brand-new “Western Classic Racing Series.” The race will also feature the dirt-track non-wing Sprint car debut of one of USAC’s most successful pavement Sprint car drivers.
Tony Hunt of Lincoln, Calif. will compete in the new series, which encompasses 16 races at 10 tracks. Eight of the races are on dirt and eight on pavement.
Friday night’s program at the quarter-mile dirt oval will also include the Mopar USAC Western and BCRA Midgets.
Hunt, whose six USAC driving championships include four in the all-pavement Western Sprint Cars, including last year, has a record 30 career wins in that series, double that of any other driver in history.
Also slated to compete in Friday’s Western Classic Racing Series opener is 2011 USAC National Driver Champion Bryan Clauson of Noblesville, Ind.
The Western Classic Racing Series will also visit the following California tracks during the 2011 season: Madera Speedway, Shasta Raceway Park in Anderson, All American Speedway in Roseville, Ocean Speedway in Watsonville, Santa Maria Speedway, Stockton 99 Speedway, Placerville Speedway, Calistoga Speedway and Toyota Speedway at Irwindale.