By Ben Deatherage
(7/22/24 ) Santa Maria, CA … The fire-breathing mudslinging 900+ horsepower machines of the NARC 410 Sprint Car Series are ready for lift off at the Santa Maria Speedway on Saturday, July 27th. It marks the first time since July 24th, 2021, that the series had journeyed to the scenic and beautiful Coastal Californian one-third-mile clay oval.
“It’s a dream come true to have a chance to race with NARC at Santa Maria,” stated Templeton driver Kaleb Montgomery on his chance to run his first NARC race at Santa Maria. “I love Santa Maria, and it feels surreal to get the opportunity to be one of the guys that the kids today get to watch and cheer for. It’s kind of like defending my home, so I will do whatever it takes to win that race because you got to defend home when the big dogs come.”
The companion division for the evening will be the BCRA Lightning Sprints, So Cal Dwarf Cars, and Hobby Stocks.
Who To Watch
Justin Sanders, on the basis of his victory at the Howard Kaeding Classic on July 13th, sits atop the points table of the NARC 410 Sprint Series in his quest for his first career series title. The Aromas racer has never started a race at Santa Maria, but his incredible trait of quick adaptability will undoubtedly come to good use. The pilot of the Mittry Motorsports #2X has a slim three-point lead but has won five times, including the most recently completed series event.
Cole Macedo will also look to start his first feature at Santa Maria on Saturday, as he is a close second in the championship standings. From Lemoore and aboard, the Tarlton Motorsports #21X machine has a trio of wins to his credit with NARC in 2024 and is no doubt anxious to reclaim the point lead, one that he held for the first 16-races of the season.
Inhabiting third in the standings, Roseville’s Justyn Cox is leading an exciting point battle with an eighteen-marker margin ahead of fourth and fifth in the standings. Cox will aim for his first start at Santa Maria also.
Continuing to lead the Rookie of the Year race, Caeden Steele will add another track to his growing resume to collect his first NARC victory. Steele has been close so many times this year and continues to be on the verge of a breakthrough win. The Easton valedictorian occupies fourth in the points table.
Bud Kaeding from Campbell does have some Santa Maria experience. The 2017 NARC champion has amassed nine starts and has only finished outside of the Top 10 twice. Currently fifth in points, his best result was in 2019, when he ended the night third.
The last time NARC came to Santa Maria, Billy Aton hit pay dirt. It is the Benicia battler’s lone triumph with the prestigious series, but he hopes that lightning can strike twice and earn himself another victory.
Lemoore’s Gauge Garcia may not live on the Central California Coast, but his car owners at Keller Motorsports do. After traveling all season long, the Paso Robles-based team will have a much-deserved home game, as their bright young star is aiming for his first career NARC victory.
Making the journey down the El Camino Real is Jarrett Soares, now residing in Gilroy. Soares has a pair of starts at Santa Maria both 14th place finishes when he made the show in 2014 and 2015.
The aforementioned Montgomery is looking forward to a short thirty-minute drive on the 101 to put on a performance in front of his supporters. The young standout has been in decent form in 2024 and will hope to score an electric victory.
Winning the NARC title in 2019, D.J. Netto has had several consistent runs over the years. The Hanford pilot is a perfect five for five in feature starts and Top 5 finishes with a career-best third in 2015.
Others expected to compete include Dylan Bloomfield from Oakley, Penngrove’s Chase Johnson, Nick Parker of Chico, Roseville’s Ryan Bernal, San Jose’s Burt Foland Jr., Tipton’s Dawson Faria, Geoffrey Strole of Hanford and many more.
Fan & Competitor Info
Santa Maria Speedway is located at 1900 Hutton Road in Nipomo. The Pit Gates open at 1:00 PM, and the Front Gates open at 4:00 PM. Qualifying is set to start at 5:00 p.m. with racing at 6:00 p.m.
Ticket prices are $30 for adults.
The NARC 410 Sprint Series is the leading 410 Sprint Car tour west of the Rocky Mountains. Since 1960, it has enthralled countless thousands of fans at tracks up and down the Pacific Coast. For more information, visit its website at www.narc410.com
All NARC 410 Sprint Car Series events are live-streamed at Floracing.com.
The NARC 410 Sprint Car Racing Series is also sponsored by Hoosier Racing Tires and Floracing.com. Associate and product award sponsors include Automotive Racing Products (ARP), Beacon Wealth Strategies, Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, Bullet Impressions, Diversified Machine Inc., Jim Allen Promotions, Kaeding Performance Center, Kimo’s Tropical Car Wash, KSE Racing Enterprises, Lifeline LLC, Maxim Racing Products, Mettec Titanium, Pyrotect, Saldana Racing Products, Schoenfeld Headers, Scelzi Enterprises, SCI Racing Products, Starr Property Management, System 1 Ignition, Ultra Lite Brakes, Williams Roofing, Wilwood Disc Brakes, and Winters Performance Products.
NARC 410 SPRINT CARS SERIES
CHAMPIONSHIP POINT STANDINGS
(AFTER 17 EVENTS IN 23-RACE SERIES – 7/22/24)
Justin Sanders, Aromas – 2198
Cole Macedo, Lemoore – 2195
Justyn Cox, Clarksburg – 2128
Caeden Steele, Fresno (R) – 2112
Bud Kaeding, Campbell – 2110
Dylan Bloomfield, Oakley – 2093
Gauge Garcia, Lemoore (R) – 2068
Dominic Gorden, Clovis (R) – 2054
Nick Parker, Chico – 2040
Chase Johnson, Penngrove – 1830
Tanner Carrick, Lincoln – 1808
Billy Aton, Benicia – 1710
John Clark, Windsor – 1439
Shane Golobic, Fremont – 1364
Dominic Scelzi, Fresno – 1327
Sean Becker, Roseville – 1209
Tanner Holmes, Jacksonville, OR – 1200
Ryan Bernal, Roseville – 1080
Jarrett Soares – Gilroy – 1077
DJ Netto, Hanford – 1076