By Gary Thomas
Stockton, CA – October 25, 2013…The Northern California Sprint Car season is set to wrap up on November 2 at the Stockton Dirt Track and with tremendous buzz already in the air even more incentives for teams have been announced for the night, as extra cash will be on the line in both the King of the West 410 and Winged 360 Sprint Car Dash.
The King of the West 410 Sprint Car Series Dash is being backed by Panella Racing Engines and features a total of $1000 on the line, which will be broken up as follows: $500 to the winner, $300 to second place and $200 to third place.
The Winged 360 Sprint Car Dash is being sponsored by Chase Chevrolet and features a total of $750 on the line, which will be broken up as follows: $400 to the winner, $200 to second place and $150 to third place.
“We can’t thank Panella Racing Engines and Chase Chevrolet enough for their support of the Tribute to Gary Patterson on November 2,” said Tony Noceti. “We have a lot of great things happening for the event and this will certainly add to it. We’re really looking forward to seeing everyone on November 2 and hope everybody has a great time. Fan & team experience is definitely something we’re focusing on and we look to put on a great show for all that attend.”
Not only do the Dashes have extra money, but both the Panella Racing Engines KWS Dash and the Chase Chevrolet 360 Dash will also set the lineup in the first four rows of their respective main events.
The dashes will be lined up by random draw with the heat race winners and next so many fastest qualifiers (depending on number of heats) who transfer from their heat to give us eight cars. If four heats are run it will be the four heat winners & top-four fastest qualifiers who transfer. If three heats are run it will be the three heat winners and top-five fastest qualifiers that transfer. This is the same Dash format seen all season long with KWS.
“This is shaping up to be an outstanding show to end the season out here and I’m thrilled to be a part of it,” said Troy Hennig of Silver Dollar Speedway, who is coming to guest announce at the 30th Tribute to Gary Patterson. “From the car show & live band, to the fireworks and all the great racing with two divisions of Winged Sprint Cars I can’t think of a better way to finish the year. If you’re a Sprint Car fan from Nor Cal then you should definitely make plans to be in Stockton on November 2.”
A car show from noon to 4pm on November 2 will also take place behind the grandstands featuring Classic Hot Rods, Restored Classics, Race Cars, Motorcycles, Custom Hot Rod Trucks and more. Registration is free at the event and will be located through the front gate of the fairgrounds off Airport Way. Two GA tickets will be given per car owner who participates. The Central Valley Cruisers are the host car club for the event and live music will be performed by the Robert Flores Band.
The evening will also be capped with a huge 4th of July style fireworks show to finish off the season in grand fashion.
To purchase your tickets for November 2 contact (916) 370-9417 and to view a seating chart log onto http://stocktondirttrack.com/
Premium reserved grandstand seats cost $30, with general admission bleachers being $20. Kids 6-12 in the bleachers cost $10 with children five and under free. Box seats in sets of six will be sold for $180 and sets of eight for $240. There will also be a $5 convenience fee for each ticket purchased. Tickets will be left at will call on November 2 and can be picked up at 2pm that day.
With two classes of Winged Sprint Cars and a large field expected there will also be a slightly earlier than usual start time with things beginning just about an hour earlier than normal. The pit meeting will be held at 3:30pm with plans for wheel packing at 4pm, qualifying at 5pm and the first heat will be scheduled to push off at 6pm. The front gate will open at 3:30pm with the ticket booth opening at 2pm.
Known as the “Dancing Phantom from Stockton,” the “Preacher,” the “Hostile Hippie” or just simply “GP,” Gary Patterson was one of the most colorful characters of his time and captured a number of lucrative wins in his career, including the Gold Cup Race of Champions when it was held at West Capital Raceway in Sacramento, the Super Dirt Cup in Washington at Skagit Speedway and the Turkey Night Grand Prix at Ascot Park in Gardena among others.
Patterson unfortunately lost his life in a Sprint Car crash at Calistoga Speedway on Memorial Day weekend 1983 and an event in his memory has been held every year since. The event began at Calistoga Speedway, before moving to Silver Dollar Speedway in 2008-2011, prior to going back to Calistoga last year. “GP” moved to Stockton, California in 1957 and actually began his career at the Stockton 99 Speedway, which makes for a perfect tie-in to pay tribute on the 30th anniversary of the event. More info on the late great “GP” can be found at http://garypattersonracing.
The Stockton Dirt Track is located on the San Joaquin County Fairgrounds in Stockton, California and is built inside a one-mile horse track. The physical address is 1658 S Airport Way, Stockton, CA 95206. For information on the speedway visit www.stocktondirttrack.com and you can also like the track on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/
Info on the King of the West 410 Sprint Car Series can be found at www.kwssprints.com Be sure to like the KWS Facebook Page at http://www.facebook.com/