By Andrew Kunas
Chico, CA … A busy stretch for the NARC 410 Sprint Car Series continues this Saturday with the 12th running of the David Tarter Memorial at Silver Dollar Speedway.
Saturday’s show, NARC’s second and final visit to the Chico ¼-mile this season, honors the memory of Tarter, who died at the age of 30 in 2012 when a freak accident in the pit area took his life.
The first David Tarter Memorial was run in 2013, won by Oroville’s Sean Becker, and the event has since become a staple at Silver Dollar Speedway, where Tarter was a regular participant and former track rookie of the year. Saturday’s 35-lap main event will pay $5,035 to win.
Reigning NARC champion Justin Sanders of Aromas won last year’s David Tarter Memorial on his way to the title and is expected to be one of the favorites as he was also a winner of the thrilling Mini-Gold Cup in April aboard the Mittry Motorsports No. 2x.
Dominic Gorden of Clovis is coming off a big win in last Saturday’s Dave Bradway Jr. Memorial at Placerville Speedway. Gorden finished 16th in April’s Mini-Gold Cup, but Gorden and the Fortitude Driver Development No. 10 team is hoping his second NARC victory serves as a springboard and creates momentum for the young driver going forward.
Of the 11 prior times the David Tarter Memorial has been run, former NARC champion Kyle Hirst has the most victories in the event with five checkered flags. Sanders is the only other multi-time winner of the race.
WHO TO WATCH
Tanner Holmes and the Tarlton Motorsports No. 21T team have seen success together this season, including one NARC victory at the Morrie Williams Memorial, but Saturday’s event will be their last together for a time as Holmes will shortly return to his family’s no. 18T.
At that point, Australian star James McFadden will jump into the Tarlton car for the next several weeks starting with next week’s Fastest Five Days in Motorsports. Holmes nearly won the Mini-Gold Cup in a thrilling finish, narrowly losing out to Sanders. Returning to Chico this weekend, the Holmes and Tarlton team are hoping to improve by one spot to close out their first run together.
Shane Golobic is another driver who has had success at Silver Dollar Speedway over the years. The Fremont driver has finished in the Top 10 in each regular NARC feature this season and that includes three podium finishes. Coming off a runner-up finish in the Dave Bradway Jr Memorial, Golobic is a driver due for another NARC victory.
Other drivers expected to compete this weekend include former series champion DJ Netto from Hanford, Oregon’s Tyler Thompson, Fresno drivers Dominic Scelzi and Mariah Ede, Templeton’s Kaleb Montgomery, Oroville’s Sean Becker, Campbell’s Bud Kaeding, Lemoore’s Gauge Garcia, Easton’s Caeden Steele, Benicia’s Billy Aton, Lincoln’s Tanner Carrick and many more.
FAN INFO
Silver Dollar Speedway is located at the Silver Dollar Fair on 2343 Fair St in Chico. BCRA Lightning sprints will be racing also. Tickets are $30 for adults, while seniors 65+ and juniors 13-17 are in for $25. Kids 12 and under are in for free.
Silver Dollar Speedway will also be racing sprint cars on Friday night, giving fans two nights of racing action this weekend.
ABOUT NARC
The Northern Auto Racing Club is the premier 410-winged sprint car series in the western United States. Since 1960, the traveling organization has thrilled fans at dirt tracks up and down the West Coast and crowned a “King of the West” champion. For more information on the NARC 410 sprint car series, including race results, points standings, and upcoming events, go to www.narc410.com. You can also follow on various social media platforms.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Fastest Five Days in Motorsports
June 11 – Southern Oregon Speedway – Medford, OR
June 12 – Douglas County Dirt Track – Roseburg, OR
June 13 – Cottage Grove Speedway – Cottage Grove, OR
June 14 – Willamette Speedway – Lebanon, OR
June 15 – Grays Harbor Raceway – Elma, WA (Timber Cup)
June 19-21 – $100,026 to win Super Dirt Cup – Burlington, WA
NARC 2025 winners
March 8 – D.J. Netto at Stockton Dirt Track (Salute to Leroy Van Conett)
April 12 – Justin Sanders at Silver Dollar Speedway (Mini Gold Cup)
May 10 – D.J. Netto at Antioch Speedway (Contra Costa County Clash)
May 16 – Justin Sanders at Ocean Speedway
May 17 – Tanner Holmes (Race 1) & Caeden Steele (Race 2) at Thunderbowl Raceway (Morrie Williams Memorial)
May 31 – Dominic Gorden at Placerville Speedway (Dave Bradway Jr Memorial)
Past David Tarter Memorial winners
2013 – Sean Becker
2014 – Kyle Hirst
2015 – Craig Stidham
2016 – Kyle Hirst (2)
2017 – Kyle Hirst (3)
2018 – Kyle Hirst (4)
2019 – Kyle Hirst (5)
2021 – Justin Sanders
2022 – Corey Day
2023 – Shane Golobic
2024 – Justin Sanders (2)
The NARC 410 Sprint Car Racing Series is also sponsored by Hoosier Racing Tires and Floracing.com. Associate sponsors include Automotive Racing Products (ARP), Beacon Wealth Strategies, Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, Bullet Impressions, Jim Allen Promotions, Kimo’s Tropical Car Wash, Mettec Titanium, MyRacePass, Red Rose Transportation, Tarlton & Son, Wedg High Performance Karts, Williams Roofing, and Winters Performance Products.
2025 NARC 410 SPRINT CARS SERIES
(AFTER SIX EVENTS IN 27-RACE SERIES – 6/1/25)
Shane Golobic, Fremont – 822
DJ Netto, Hanford – 817
Tyler Thompson, Harrisburg, OR (R) – 797
Bud Kaeding, Campbell – 785
Kaleb Montgomery, Templeton – 785
Sean Becker, Roseville – 779
Dominic Gorden, Clovis – 775
Gauge Garcia, Lemoore – 771
Justin Sanders, Aromas – 765
Billy Aton, Benicia – 749
Mariah Ede, Fresno (R) – 730
Tanner Holmes, Jacksonville, OR – 673
Tim Kaeding, San Jose – 670
Tanner Carrick, Lincoln – 655
Dominic Scelzi, Fresno – 645
Caeden Steele, Fresno – 623
John Clark, Windsor – 610
Dylan Bloomfield, Oakley – 533
Landon Brooks, Rio Oso – 529
Chance Grasty, Suisun – 522