From Gary Thomas
PETALUMA, Ca. (April 24, 2018) – The early slate of competition continues for the Sprint Car Challenge Tour presented by Elk Grove Ford and Abreu Vineyards with the first of two season appearances at the Petaluma Speedway set to commence this Saturday April 28.
The evening of racing marks the third round of the year for the Sprint Car Challenge Tour presented by Elk Grove Ford and Abreu Vineyards and puts an exciting close to the month of April that has already seen stops in Placerville and Stockton.
The Petaluma Speedway is always a welcomed stop for teams around Northern California. The tacky and hooked-up 3/8-mile clay oval routinely produces thrilling wheel-to-wheel racing, as lapped traffic can create some of the most hectic action of any venue on tour. Please note that the facility features an earlier start time, with cars on track for wheel packing at 4pm.
Defending Sprint Car Challenge Tour champion Kyle Hirst goes into Saturday holding a slim four-point lead over his brother-in-law Willie Croft at the top of the standings. Hirst, pilot of the Roth Motorsports No. 83jr, will be in search of his first career SCCT win this weekend, while Croft captured last April’s visit to Petaluma and has shown immense speed the last couple weeks. The Roseville racer has been on the brink of victory more than once.
Fremont’s Shane Golobic and San Jose’s Tim Kaeding sit just five-markers behind Hirst for the lead and will both be favorites to stand atop the podium on Saturday. Golobic has raced to numerous wins at the 3/8-mile clay oval and Kaeding appears to be settling in with his new ride, the Josh Bates Motorsports No. 42x. Auburn’s Andy Forsberg rounds out the top-five in points and is another driver that is routinely strong on the Petaluma adobe.
Other drivers expected to be on hand at the Petaluma Speedway this Saturday will include Watsonville’s Justin Sanders, Hollister’s Tony Gualda, Penngrove’s Buddy Kofoid, Chase Johnson and Colby Johnson, Sebastopol’s Geoff Ensign, Roseville’s Colby Copeland and Sean Becker, Clarksburg’s Justyn Cox, Stockton’s Matt Peterson, Visalia’s Steven Tiner, Placerville’s Andy Gregg, Princeton’s Mason Moore, Lemoore’s Cole Macedo, Santa Rosa’s Klint Simpson, Citrus Height’s Kalib Henry, Cameron Park’s Shane Hopkins, Tracy’s Kyle Offill, Foresthill’s Jodie Robinson, Cottonwood’s Lucas Ashe, Fairfield’s Zack Lynskey, Fremont’s Dustin Golobic and many more.
Adult tickets this Saturday April 28 cost $20, with juniors 6-11 and seniors 65+ $16, kids five and under will be free. The pit gate for competitors opens at noon, while the front gate opens at 4pm. The drivers meeting will be held at 3:45pm, with track packing at 4pm. Teams are encouraged to arrive early.
The Petaluma Speedway is located in the southern part of the wine country at the Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds just off Highway 101 in Petaluma, California. More info on the track can be found at http://www.petaluma-speedway.com