From Gary Thomas
ANTIOCH, Ca. (June 28, 2023) — For the first time since 2017 the Elk Grove Ford Sprint Car Challenge Tour presented by Abreu Vineyards is locked and loaded to do battle at the Contra Costa County Fairgrounds based Antioch Speedway this Saturday.
The July 1st event at the “Action Track by the Delta” is the seventh race of the season for the Sprint Car Challenge Tour and the only appearance of 2023 in Antioch. So far this year there have been five different winners in the first six shows for the SCCT 360s, as parity continues to be immense.
“We look forward to bringing the Sprint Car Challenge Tour back to Antioch Speedway on Saturday,” commented SCCT President Scott Russell. “They’ve done a fantastic job giving the place a total facelift since our last event there six years ago and we should be in store for an exciting night.”
Clarksburg’s Justyn Cox brings the Elk Grove Ford Sprint Car Challenge Tour presented by Abreu Vineyards point lead into Saturday. The driver of the Bates-Hamilton Racing No. 42x has put together a consistent season, having finished among the top-five in half of the SCCT main events thus far.
While Cox looks to park it for the first time in 2023 with the tour, runner up in points Dylan Bloomfield hopes to close the gap at his home track. The Oakley youngster sits 39-markers behind Cox while piloting the Vertullo Racing No. 83v mount. Templeton’s Kaleb Montgomery, Auburn’s Andy Forsberg and Hanford’s Mitchell Faccinto complete the top-five going into Saturday.
Last Saturday’s Jim Raper Memorial Dirt Cup winner Justin Sanders ranks sixth in the standings and will climb back into the seat of the Dale Miller Septic No. 4sa Sprinter in Antioch. Sanders has one win and has not finished outside of the top-five in any of his SCCT starts this year. Dale Miller brings a 55-point lead in the car owner standings to the Antioch facility on Saturday.
Current Garth Moore Insurance Rookie of the Year leader Chance Grasty of Suisun City sits seventh in points, followed by Clovis’ Dominic Gorden, Dunnigan’s Luke Hayes and previous World of Outlaws winner at Antioch Speedway, Shane Golobic rounding out the top-10.
All cars that have competed at each SCCT event are also eligible for the $500 Shop Kyle Larson Bonus if they win at Antioch on Saturday. If they can do so, it will make for a $3,000 total payday. Standard nightly payouts with the tour continue to be $2,500-to-win and $400-to-start the 24-car main event.
The lone SCCT events held at Antioch Speedway in 2017 were claimed by Visalia’s Cory Eliason and Chico’s Jonathan Allard respectively.