By Gary Thomas
Antioch, CA – March 28, 2017…Following months of anticipation and build up the time has finally come for the Elk Grove Ford Sprint Car Challenge Tour presented by Abreu Vineyards to officially kick-off the season this Saturday night at the Antioch Speedway.
This weekend launches the inaugural 13 race season for the tour and marks the first of two appearances at the Antioch Speedway in 2017. It also helps usher in a busy month of April that will find SCCT in competition on four separate occasions throughout California.
Thanks to the generous support from Matt Wood of Elk Grove Ford and David Abreu of Abreu Vineyards the initial champion of the Sprint Car Challenge Tour will be awarded with $10,000 of an over $60,000 point fund. The top 15 teams following the tour will participate in the hefty year-end point fund. The tour also showcases a substantial contingency package that will provide over $20,000 in certificates and cash over the course of the season.
Northern California champions from last season set to invade Antioch on Saturday will include Roseville’s Sean Becker (Chico), Paradise’ Kyle Hirst (KWS), Auburn’s Andy Forsberg (CW), Princeton’s Mason Moore (Placerville), Sebastopol’s Bradley Terrell (Petaluma), Rio Linda’s Cody Lamar (Marysville) and Fresno’s Giovanni Scelzi (Hanford).
Becker goes into Saturday as not just one of the favorites to stand in victory lane, but also as a heavy candidate to bring home the inaugural Elk Grove Ford Sprint Car Challenge Tour presented by Abreu Vineyards championship. The multiple-time Nor-Cal titlist will chase the championship aboard the Menne Motorsports/ Mike’s Hard Lemonade No. 75 mount, a car he’s captured numerous wins in.
For Fremont’s Shane Golobic returning to the Antioch Speedway is always special occasion, with one of his career highlights coming at the track when he topped the World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series in 2013. The reigning Trophy Cup champ will run a majority of the SCCT season for Keith Day Racing, along with chasing the USAC National Midget Crown for Clauson Marshall Racing. Golobic earned a runner up finish during the national midget opener a couple weeks back.
“I’m really looking forward to opening the Sprint Car Challenge Tour season this Saturday in Antioch,” Golobic commented. “Elk Grove Ford is a big part of this series and they are on board with the 22 team this year as well, so I’d love nothing more than to win the inaugural race. Going back to Antioch is always a big deal for me and a track that will always have a special place in my heart because of the Outlaw win. We hope all the fans will come out to support the show this weekend.”
Additional drivers looking to park it on the front stretch at the inaugural event will include former traveling series winners at the track Willie Croft of Sacramento and Jason Statler from Grass Valley, along with Kingsburg’s Cory Eliason, Hanford’s DJ Netto and Mitchell Faccinto, Watsonville’s Justin Sanders, Hollister’s Ryan Bernal, Fresno’s Dominic Scelzi, Visalia’s Steven Tiner, Clarksburg’s Justyn Cox, Roseville’s Colby Copeland, Penngrove’s Buddy Kofoid and Chase Johnson, Sebastopol’s Geoff Ensign, Placerville’s Andy Gregg, Sacramento’s Herman Klein, Citrus Heights’ Kalib Henry and many more.
Standard nightly payouts for the Elk Grove Ford Sprint Car Challenge Tour presented by Abreu Vineyards are $2,500-to-win and $400-to-start the A-main. NASCAR star Kyle Larson has also offered a $500 bonus to any full-time owner whose driver wins a feature event, allowing the winner’s share to possibly be $3,000. With the KLR bonus money automatically up for grabs the feature event at the opener this Saturday will pay $3,000-to-win.
As an added benefit to race teams, the nightly purses will be paid at the track each night when competition is completed. There is no membership fee for the tour, but we do need payout information on file. A registration form is available on the SCCT website.
The front gate at Antioch Speedway on Saturday April 1 opens at 5pm, with all seating general admission during the night. Qualifying will begin around 6pm and racing will follow. Adult tickets cost $20; while kids 6-12, seniors 65+ and active military will be $15 and children five and under are free. A family pack featuring two adults and two kids will be available for $50. The pit gate opens at 2pm for competitors.
The Antioch Speedway is located on the Contra Costa County Fairgrounds at the corner of 10th and L Streets in Antioch, California. Take SR-4 West (Highway 4) to exit 27 and turn right onto L Street. The physical address is 1201 W. 10th Street Antioch, CA 94509. The track is located just a little over an hour from the capital city of Sacramento. More info can be found at www.antiochspeedway.com
The Sprint Car Challenge Tour is proudly sponsored by Elk Grove Ford, Abreu Vineyards, Hoosier Racing Tires, Bianchi Farms, Kyle Larson Racing, All Star Performance, ART Speed Equipment, BR Motorsports, King Racing Products, ADCO Driveline and Custom Exhaust, Auto Meter, Bullard Construction, Chris Kenner Racing Specialties/ Security Race Products, CRV Carbon Solutions, Driven2SaveLives, Finley Farms, Flying Squirrel, Garth Moore Insurance and Financial Services, Jockos Sprint Parts, Keizer Wheels, Light Up the World Beverages, LRB Inc., Menne Hay Inc., Moto Wear, Metal Works, Naake Suspension, Pit Stop USA, PT Shocks, Pyrotect Racing Cells, RacePartsTrader.com, R&R Racewear, Saldana Racing Products, Sellers Race Wings, Shifty Illusions and Walker Performance Filtration.
More info on the Elk Grove Ford Sprint Car Challenge Tour presented by Abreu Vineyards can be found at our official website http://www.sprintcarchallengetour.com/ – Be sure to also like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/sprintcarchallengetour and follow on Twitter https://twitter.com/360SCCT for the latest breaking news regarding SCCT.
Elk Grove Ford Sprint Car Challenge Tour presented by Abreu Vineyards Championship Point Fund Breakdown
1. $10,000 2. $9,000 3. $8,000 4. $7,000 5. $6,000 6. $5,000 7. $4,000 8. $3,000 9. $2,000 10. $1,500 11. $1,250 12. $1,000 13. $1,000 14. $1,000 15. $1,000