By Gary Thomas
Tulare, CA – April 1, 2014…After opening the season with the “Greatest Show on Dirt” in March the Merle Stone Chevrolet Thunderbowl Raceway returns to life on Saturday April 12 with the King of the West 410 Sprint Car Series sanctioned “Spring Thunder Nationals” presented by KRC Safety Company. Also in action during the night will be IMCA Modifieds and WRA Vintage cars.
The event will mark the first time that the KWS Series presented by WFO Apparel opens the season at Thunderbowl Raceway and a talent laden roster is set to invade the track. The series competed on a trio of occasions last year at the one-third mile clay oval, with two-time World of Outlaws champion Jason Meyers winning a pair of main events and former two-time KWS titlist Tim Kaeding claiming the other.
The “Spring Thunder Nationals” presented by KRC Safety will also be the first of five KWS shows this season filmed for airing by MAVTV American Real. The others include April 19 at Placerville Speedway, July 12 at Ocean Speedway, September 13 at Ventura Raceway and November 1 at the Stockton Dirt Track.
Leading the King of the West 410 Sprint Cars presented by WFO Apparel into the “KRC Spring Thunder Nationals” will be defending series champion Kyle Hirst, who pilots the locally based Roth Motorsports No. 83jr Sprinter. The 26-year-old scored two runner-ups and a third in the three Thunderbowl events last season and will be gunning to put the Roth machine in victory circle on April 12, while competing in his car owner’s backyard.
Multiple-time Thunderbowl Raceway winner Bud Kaeding will be another favorite on April 12 aboard the Williams Motorsports No. 0 mount. The three-time USAC Silver Crown champ is chasing his first KWS presented by WFO Apparel title this year and has been very quick so far in this early season. Two-time Thunderbowl champ Tommy Tarlton is also chasing the KWS championship this season and will be searching to begin the year with a victory on April 12 at his home track. The Easton, CA driver always gets around the one-third mile oval as good as anyone.
Other King of the West 410 competitors looking to find victory lane at the “Spring Thunder Nationals” presented by KRC will include three-time champion Jonathan Allard, 13-time titlist Brent Kaeding, 2004 champ Jason Statler, 2005 champion Sean Becker, Sacramento’s Willie Croft, Fresno’s Craig Stidham & Dominic Scelzi, Hanford’s DJ Netto, Visalia’s Cory Eliason, Fremont’s Shane Golobic, Scotts Valley’s Evan Suggs, Elk Grove’s Bobby McMahan and many more.
A full program of qualifying time trials, heat races, a dash, LCS and A-main will be on tap for the King of the West 410 Sprint Car Series presented by WFO Apparel on April 12. The front gate will open at 4pm with racing expected to get underway around 7pm.
KRC Safety was established in 1978, having less than 100 barricades in inventory. Originally known as Kaweah River Construction, the name was later changed to KRC after its founder Ken Ray Castro. Ken “Chief” Castro passed away on January 13, 1985. He is kept in memorandum by a memorial sticker placed on all their vehicles. Today, KRC is owned and operated by Ken’s son Gary Castro and has over 40 employees. KRC continues to grow year after year and many of the original employees are still with KRC, who are just like family.
KRC now offers many services including, Traffic Control, Construction Area Signs, Custom, Permanent and Street Signs, Temporary Chain Link Fence Panels, Roadway Markers, Delineators, Traffic Control Plans, Message Boards, K-Rail, all types of Equipment Trucking, Generators, Light-Towers and many other services for rent and sale. Even from their humble beginnings they still know their customers by name. More information on KRC Safety Company can be found at http://krcsafety.com/
Reserved grandstand seats for the “Spring Thunder Nationals” presented by KRC Safety on Saturday April 12 cost $20 with general admission bleacher tickets $18. To reserve your seat contact (559) 688-0909. The Merle Stone Chevrolet Thunderbowl Raceway is located at the Tulare County Fairgrounds on the corner of Bardsley and K Streets in Tulare, California. From the junction of SR 99 and SR 137, go west on SR 137. At South K go south one-half mile to the Fairgrounds. More info can be found at www.thunderbowlraceway.com
Info on the King of the West 410 Sprint Car Series presented by WFO Apparel can be found at http://www.kwssprints.com
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