By Troy Hennig
CHICO, CA – September 17, 2011…Brent Kaeding, California’s most decorated sprint car driver of all-time, has confirmed that he will be racing at the 19th Annual Fall Nationals in Chico on September 30th and October 1st. Kaeding, who has the most sprint cars win at Silver Dollar Speedway (88), suffered a leg injury at Ocean Speedway in Watsonville, CA on August 27th when he crashed into an outer retaining wall on his second qualifying lap. Brent has been on the sidelines since the wreck. “I am looking forward to getting back into the car at a place that I have had good success at,” said Kaeding from his Kaeding Performance Race Shop in Campbell. Kaeding will be joined by roughly 50 other winged 360 sprint car drivers looking to win the highly touted Pacific Sprint Fall Nationals.
Even though he was not in the driver’s seat, Kaeding can be crediting to putting his name on the coveted Gold Cup Race of Champions trophy. Kaeding’s driver, Kyle Larson, won the event driving the Stadelhofer Construction / Kaeding Performance #99. Unfortunately Brent was not in attendance but it was reported that Kyle did talk to him via a cell phone from the front straightaway.
The Fall Nationals has been a race that seems to have been created for the Kaeding family. Bud Kaeding, Brent’s son, wont he original two Fall Nationals in 1996 and 1997. Brent won the event in 2002 and 2005. Tim Kaeding has won the overall event in 2001, 2007 and 2010. In fact, last year Tim swept both nights of the racing action at the Fall Nationals. That gives the family 7 wins in the 18 times this race has been held. No other driver has won the race more than once.
The Fall Nationals is a two-day show starting on Friday night September 30 and concluding on October 1. Over 70 drivers among the 3 different divisions are expected each night. Pit gate will open at 2pm while the front grandstand opens at 5pm. Sprint car qualifying in scheduled for 6:30 pm and heat races are slated to begin around 7pm.
It is a big payday for the 360 winged sprint car drivers. On Friday night the main event winner will get $3,000 while Saturday night’s winner will receive $5,000. Joining the winged sprint cars are the wingless spec sprints and dirt modifieds. Both divisions were added to the show when the Silver Cup Race of Champions was rained out in March. Bigger money is on the line for the spec sprints and dirt modifieds is 20 or more cars enter the event on race nights. All of this information is on the Fall Nationals pre-entry flier.
For race drivers and teams interested in registering for the Fall National you can download the flier at www.silverdollarspeedway.com. More information about this weekend of racing please contact the office at 530-350-7275.