By Gary Thomas
Petaluma, CA – June 15, 2021…Clarksburg’s Justyn Cox brings a 12-point advantage at the top of the Sprint Car Challenge Tour presented by Elk Grove Ford and Abreu Vineyards standings into the Petaluma Speedway this Saturday night.
The event marks the second Sprint Car Challenge Tour appearance of the season at Sonoma County’s longest running entertainment venue. The tacky and hooked-up 3/8 mile clay oval is always a welcomed stop for teams and race fans around Northern California. Petaluma Speedway 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 the facility features an earlier start time, with cars on track for wheel packing around 4pm. As always at the speedway, teams must utilize tarps under their cars in the pit area.
The first half of the season for the Sprint Car Challenge Tour presented by Elk Grove Ford and Abreu Vineyards have been filled with immense parity. Fresh off his win last Saturday in Placerville, Cox has catapulted himself to the top of the mountain heading into Petaluma. The driver of the C&M Motorsports No. 7C also became the sixth different winner in the six events held thus far in 2021.
Cox has accumulated five top-10 finishes this season and brings a 12-point lead into the Petaluma adobe over Lincoln’s Tanner Carrick, who claimed victory at the SCCT opener back in March. Carrick is also coming off a strong outing last weekend, where he stalked Cox over the closing laps, before coming home in second at the finish. Last week’s PitStopUSA Hard Charger Award winner Ryan Robinson has been in the thick of things much of the year and sits just 18-points back of the lead.
Like Cox, Robinson has finished among the top-10 in all but one event so far, however, he’s still searching for that elusive first victory. Previous point leader Chase Majdic didn’t quite have the outing he was hoping for at Placerville last week and goes into this Saturday ranking fourth in the standings. Roseville’s Colby Copeland also had a midrace issue last week and now finds himself fifth in points, 37-markers behind the leader.
Copeland has routinely run stellar at Petaluma Speedway over the years and will be favorite in the Van Lare No. 5V mount. Popular veterans Sean Becker and Andy Forsberg go into Petaluma holding down sixth and seventh in the standings respectively, but are two drivers that also run up front regularly at the facility.
Rounding out the top-10 in points are Rio Linda’s Isaiah Vasquez, Templeton’s Kaleb Montgomery and Fremont’s Shane Golobic. Montgomery has been particularly impressive, earning a trio of top-five finishes in the last four SCCT events.
Adult tickets this Saturday June 19th cost $25, juniors 6-11 are $16, seniors and military $22, kids five and under will be free. Tickets for Saturday’s event can be purchased at https://market.myracepass.com/store/tickets/?i=1253637&store=17554 or at the gate.
The pit gate for competitors opens at approximately noon, while the front gate for spectators opens at 4pm. The drivers meeting will be held at 3:45pm, with track packing shortly after. Hot laps, Bianchi Farms qualifying and heat races will follow.
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
The Sprint Car Challenge Tour would like to thank Elk Grove Ford, Abreu Vineyards, Hoosier Racing Tires, Kyle Larson Racing, Pit Stop USA, Bianchi Farms, Bullard Construction, D&D Roofing, Garth Moore Insurance and Financial Services and High Sierra Industries for their support this season.
The Sprint Car Challenge Tour is operated under the Russell Motorsports Inc. banner, which also manages the Placerville Speedway in Placerville, California. For sponsorship opportunities and inquiries, RMI can be reached at 530-344-7592 or office@sprintcarchallengetour.com
More information on the Sprint Car Challenge Tour presented by Elk Grove Ford and Abreu Vineyards can be found at our official website 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. You can also find us on Instagram by searching scct360.
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Upcoming Sprint Car Challenge Tour presented by Elk Grove Ford and Abreu Vineyards Events
Saturday June 19: Petaluma Speedway
Saturday July 3: Stockton Dirt Track (Tribute to Roy Van Conett)
Saturday July 31: Merced Speedway