By Gary Thomas
Hanford, CA – September 15, 2015…After over a month off from racing the King of the West 410 Sprint Car Series will return to action & continue the fight for the title at the always exciting Keller Auto Speedway in Hanford this Saturday September 19.
On Friday night the track will also host a King of the King’s Winged 360 Sprint Car event, making for two big night’s of racing at the “King of the Dirt Tracks.”
This Saturday’s King of the West showcase marks round 13 on the season for the series and with only six races remaining will play a pivotal role in the point chase. KWS will also return to Keller Auto Speedway on Saturday October 24 for the annual Cotton Classic. Following this week’s event the series will then get set for the “Battle down the Coast” next weekend with Santa Maria & Ventura on tap September 25 & 26.
This year’s Chili Bowl Midget Nationals winner Rico Abreu adds some extra star power on Saturday at Keller Auto Speedway, as he makes his second King of the West start of the year. The 23-year-old recently picked up his second straight Louie Vermeil Classic victory and will be gunning to add a KWS score to his impressive list of wins this season. Abreu very nearly won the Wine Country Classic on June 27 in Calistoga, only to suffer a blown tire just a handful of laps from the finish.
The most recent King of the West Sprint Car Series event on August 1 at the Stockton Dirt Track was claimed by 2009 champion Tyler Walker, who executed a thrilling final corner pass for the victory. The Los Angeles driver is coming off a strong third place finish with the World of Outlaws in Antioch on Sunday and looks to make it back-to-back in KWS competition on Saturday in Hanford.
Two-time KWS titlist Kyle Hirst was the driver Walker passed on the final circuit last month and he goes into Hanford look for some redemption. The Chico wheel-man leads the series with four wins in 2015 and with one more triumph would set a new high for him in one season. Hirst also captured the KWS visit to Keller Auto Speedway last season in the locally based Roth Motorsports machine.
Campbell’s Bud Kaeding goes into Hanford leading the King of the West points by 23-markers over Lemoore’s Carson Macedo. Kaeding, a three-time USAC Silver Crown champion, is in search of his first crown with the King of the West Sprint Car Series and has won multiple races in his career at Keller Auto Speedway. Macedo however, is the most recent Winged Sprint Car winner at the track and will look to back that up on Saturday.
A close battle for third in points will also resume on Saturday, with Elk Grove’s Bobby McMahan leading Hanford’s own DJ Netto by just six-digits. The veteran McMahan has had a consistent season and scored a top-10 finish with the World of Outlaws last weekend in Chico. Netto likewise has had a fantastic season, having already claimed two King of the West victories. The 19-year-old also picked up an impressive third place finish on opening night of the Gold Cup last week with the World of Outlaws.
More drivers poised for good things on Saturday at Keller Auto Speedway will include 13-time KWS champion Brent Kaeding of Campbell, three-time series champ Jonathan Allard of Chico, 2004 titlist Jason Statler from Grass Valley, along with Fresno’s Dominic Scelzi & Craig Stidham, Fremont’s Shane Golobic, Hanford’s Mitchell Faccinto, Gilroy’s Jarrett Soares, Selma’s Cory Eliason, Hollister’s Ryan Bernal, Coarsegold’s Scott Parker, Penngrove’s Chase Johnson, Auburn’s Richard Brace Jr., Australian Toby Bellbowen and others.
The pit gate opens at 2pm on Saturday, with the front gate opening at 4:30pm and first heat scheduled for around 7pm. Adult tickets cost $20, with students & seniors $15 and kids 5 & under free.
The Keller Auto Speedway is a 3/8 mile clay oval and is located on the Kings County Fairgrounds in Hanford, California. The physical address is 801 S. 10th Ave. Hanford, Ca 93230. More info can be found at www.racekingsspeedway.com
Information on the King of the West 410 Series can be found at www.racepmg.com
Upcoming KWS events
Saturday September 19: Keller Auto Speedway at Kings Fairgrounds
Friday September 25: Santa Maria Speedway
Saturday September 26: Ventura Raceway
Saturday October 10: Thunderbowl Raceway (KRC Safety Fall Shootout)