By Gary Thomas
Antioch, CA – April 16, 2013…Three-time & defending King of the West 410 Sprint Car champion Jonathan Allard of Chico, California will lead a stout cast of stars into the Antioch Speedway this Saturday night to finally open the long awaited 2013 racing season for the traveling series.
It will be the first of 28 scheduled events for the KWS 410 Series, marking the biggest season in over 10-years for the tour. As documented the King of the West 410 Sprint Car Series will also be expanding into several new markets this season with a number of new tracks on tap. All in all it looks to be one of the largest years in recent memory for Winged 410 Sprint Car racing on the West Coast.
Allard last season became just the second driver to earn three Golden State/ King of the West 410 titles since the Golden State Series was founded in 1986. The veteran wheel-man claimed four victories during the season, including his all-time leading fifth “Dave Bradway Jr. Memorial” at Silver Dollar Speedway and for the very first time in his career the “Howard Kaeding Classic” in Watsonville. This season Allard enters his ninth season of competition aboard the Williams Motorsports No. 0 sprinter.
“It was a great accomplishment for our whole team to win the King of the West title last year,” said Allard. “I can’t thank Morrie & Katie Williams and all my guys enough. I also have to thank Dan Simpson and the King of the West Series because we have a great organization and it’s the best thing going out here. Seeing all these great fans each week is what makes it so much fun for all of us and we’ll look forward to seeing everyone once again during the year.”
National Sprint Car Hall of Famer Brent Kaeding made a popular return to victory lane last year and will look to do it once again on April 20 in Antioch. The Campbell, California legend and 13-time series champion ended last season third in the King of the West standings on the strength of 13 top-ten’s in 17 starts aboard his famed Al’s Roofing Supply No. 69 machine. “BK” routinely runs strong at the Antioch Speedway and has four wins at the facility since 410 Sprint Car racing returned there in 2003.
Former King of the West champion Jason Statler of Grass Valley is a past winner at the Antioch Speedway and will be another driver looking for a fast start in 2013. The “Big Guy” came oh so close to another top-five finish in the points last season, missing out on it by just four-scant markers. Along the way Statler earned six top-five finishes, including a pair of runner up efforts, with one of those coming at Antioch Speedway in July behind the wheel of his DF Rios Motorsports No. 00 sprinter.
Recent World of Outlaws winner at the Antioch Speedway, Shane Golobic of Fremont will bring his Joe VonSchriltz Racing No. 121 machine back to the track looking for another victory. Golobic picked up the biggest win of his career on April 5 at Antioch when he topped a talented field of STP World of Outlaws Sprint Cars. The 21-year-old also battled for the lead last June in Antioch with KWS until an incident in lapped traffic took away his shot at victory.
Australian native and current Clovis, California resident Peter Murphy made his return to the King of the West Sprint Car Series last season and brought home a fourth place finish in the standings. It had been over six-years since the fan favorite had competed full time in Winged 410 Sprint Car racing and was a welcomed addition back to the tour driving the Dalton’s Landscaping mount. Over the winter Murphy also claimed the New Zealand Sprint Car title while aboard the very same Dalton’s sprinter.
One of the most the consistent drivers last season at the Antioch Speedway was Elk Grove, California veteran Bobby McMahan, who rounded out the top-five in points last season with the King of the West Sprint Car Series. The former NARC Speedweek champ scored a trio of top-five finishes in the three Antioch events last year, including a podium effort in July aboard his American Tool & MFG No. 25 machine. McMahan has been knocking on the door of victory lane the last couple years and will look to kick off the season on the front stretch in Antioch.
Among the other title contenders this season is Sacramento’s Kyle Hirst, who takes over the seat of the Roth Enterprises No. 83jr Sprint Car. The 25-year-old last year drove the Roth Motorsports mount to a King of the West 410 Sprint Car Series victory on June 23 in Antioch and also captured the 50-lap Saturday finale at the prestigious Trophy Cup in Tulare. Hirst finished among the top-five in eight races last season, the third most of any driver all year long with the King of the West Series.
Sacramento’s Willie Croft will look to have a breakout season driving for famed car owner Clyde Lamar with the King of the West Sprint Car Series. “Double Down” last year finished seventh in the points driving his own No. 29 machine and was tied for the most BR Motorsports Fast Times with three, along with the most Kaeding Performance Heat Race wins with six. Croft is going to be gunning to move his way up the ladder in 2013 aboard the Tri-C Machine Special and it all begins at the Antioch Speedway on Saturday.
The only driver other than Tim Kaeding and Jonathan Allard last season to earn multiple victories during the year with the King of the West Series was St. Helena, California throttle-masher Rico Abreu. The 21-year-old rising star scored big wins last year at the “Chris & Brian Faria Memorial” in Tulare and the “Tribute to Gary Patterson” at his home track of Calistoga Speedway. Abreu last season scored a third place finish at the KWS season opener in Antioch and will be searching to move up a couple more spots on Saturday in his Abreu Vineyards No. 24 sprinter.
A strong field of fire breathing 410 Sprint Cars will be on hand Saturday to kick off the season and will also include Scotts Valley’s Evan Suggs, who has finished second in points the last two years with KWS, Fresno’s Craig Stidham, Visalia’s Cory Eliason, Chico’s Kenny Allen & Brad Bumgarner, Fair Oak’s Chad Compton, Australian Todd Wanless, Elk Grove’s Sean McMahan, Oakhurst’s Doug Gandy, Rio Vista’s Danielle Simpson, Grass Valley’s Pat Harvey, Auburn’s Richard Brace Jr., Rhode Island native Eli Deshaies, Laton’s Geoffrey Strole, Merced’s Mark Barroso and more.
On Saturday April 20 the front grandstand gate of the Antioch Speedway will open at 5pm. Hot laps are scheduled for 6pm, with qualifying at 6:30pm and racing anticipated to start around 7pm. Tickets will be available the day of the race with adults being $20, children 6-12 $10, seniors 65 & older $10 and children 5 & under free. A family pack with two adults & two children will also be available for $50.
The pre-race King of the West autograph session at 5pm when the gates open will include Antioch Speedway winners last season, Kyle Hirst & Craig Stidham, along with World of Outlaws winner Shane Golobic. Be sure and get there early to meet the trio and get an autograph.
The Antioch Speedway is located at the Contra Costa County Fairgrounds on the corner of 10th & L Streets in Antioch, California. Take SR-4 East (Highway 4) to the Somersville Road North Exit. Follow Somersville Road to 10thStreet. Turn Right on 10th Street. The address for the track is 1201 W. 10th Street Antioch, CA 94509.
More information on the traveling King of the West Sprint Car Series can be found online at http://www.kwssprints.com and by tuning in to “KWS Tonight” every Thursday evening throughout the season on the homepage of the website.
Be sure to like us on the KWS Facebook Page at http://www.facebook.com/
You can also follow us on Instagram by searching “kwssprints” and contact us via phone at the King of the West office (707) 374-2222. For questions or comments please don’t be hesitate to shoot us an email at kwsseries@yahoo.com