By Andrew Kunas
The closing stretch of the 2025 NARC King of the West sprint car season continues this Saturday (October 11th) with the tour’s second visit of the year to Antioch Speedway for the Open Wheel Octoberfest.
Things have tightened up in the point standings with just three races remaining. Former series champion D.J. Netto of Hanford continues to lead in pursuit of his second NARC championship but is now holding on by a thread. Falling back to finish ninth in last Saturday’s event at Thunderbowl Raceway, combined with Oroville’s Sean Becker rising late to finish second, resulted in Netto’s lead over Becker shrinking to just seven points.
Saturday’s race ironically comes at the same track where the two battled for the lead in May’s Contra Costa County Clash. Becker had taken the lead, but hard racing resulted in contact between the two and Becker crashed out, and Netto went on to win his second race of the season. That was also Netto’s last victory this season. Becker is winless but has been competitive all season. With the two in a close points battle with just a few races remaining, so much is on the line Saturday.
Campbell’s Bud Kaeding, a winner in the Johnny Key Classic in August, continues to lurk in third place in the standings, sitting a mere 21 points out of the lead. A bad night for Netto and/or Becker could potentially put Kaeding in the thick of things as well.
WHO TO WATCH
Tim Kaeding and the Williams Motorsports No. 0 team is expected to run the remaining NARC races this season. One of the most exciting drivers to ever come out of California, the future Hall of Famer has one NARC win to his credit this season, coming in July at Petaluma Speedway. Kaeding struggled in qualifying last Saturday at Thunderbowl Raceway, but turned in a strong main event run, coming from 12th to finish fifth. Kaeding and the Zero Heroes will look to get back in the win column on Saturday.
Fresno’s Mariah Ede, in her first year racing 410 sprint cars, is now leading the NARC Rookie of the Year chase and is expected to race on Saturday. Joining her also is Fremont’s Shane Golobic, who was the hard charger at Thunderbowl, and who won a BCRA midget race at Antioch in May and will look to pick up a sprint car win there on Saturday. Also expected to compete are reigning NARC champion Justin Sanders of Aromas, Lemoore’s Gauge Garcia, Templeton’s Kaleb Montgomery, Dominic Gorden of Clovis, Dylan Bloomfield of Oakley, and Max Mittry of Redding. Washington’s Jesse Schlotfeldt will continue his fall swing of races in California and Oklahoma’s Cannon McIntosh is expected to again pilot a Roth Motorsports entry.
FAN INFO
Antioch Speedway is located at the Contra Costa County Fairgrounds at 1201 W 10th Street. It’s an all open wheel night as the NARC 410 sprint cars will be joined by the BCRA and USAC Western States midgets. General admission for adults is $35 with kids, seniors and military getting in for $25. Front gates open at 5:00 p.m. with hot laps scheduled for 5:30 p.m. with qualifying and racing to follow.
After Saturday’s race in Antioch, the next NARC event is October 25th at the dirt track at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway in Bakersfield, and the season concludes with the Tribute to Gary Patterson on Saturday, November 1st at the Stockton Dirt Track.
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.
2025 NARC 410 SPRINT CARS SERIES
(AFTER 24 EVENTS IN 27-RACE SERIES – 10/6/25)
DJ Netto, Hanford – 3102
Sean Becker, Roseville – 3095
Bud Kaeding, Campbell – 3081
Dominic Gorden, Clovis – 3038
Gauge Garcia, Lemoore – 2712
Mariah Ede, Fresno (R) – 2657
Caeden Steele, Fresno – 2614
Justin Sanders, Aromas – 2592
Tyler Thompson, Harrisburg, OR (R) – 2550
Shane Golobic, Fremont – 2190
Dominic Scelzi, Fresno – 2153
Billy Aton, Benicia – 2029
John Clark, Windsor – 1998
Tanner Holmes, Jacksonville, OR – 1903
Landon Brooks, Rio Oso – 1881
Max Mittry, Redding – 1828
Nick Parker, Tucson, AZ – 1684
Kaleb Montgomery, Templeton – 1585
Dylan Bloomfield, Oakley – 1477
Jesse Schlotfeldt, Arlington, WA – 1474
Upcoming Events
October 25 – Dirt Track at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway – Bakersfield, CA (October Classic)
November 1 – The Stockton Dirt Track (Tribute to Gary Patterson)
November 2 – Championship Celebration @ Brookside Country Club – Stockton, CA
NARC 2025 Winners
March 8 – D.J. Netto at Stockton Dirt Track (Salute to Leroy Van Connett)
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)
June 7 – Justin Sanders at Silver Dollar Speedway (David Tarter Memorial)
June 11 – James McFadden at Southern Oregon Speedway
June 12 – James McFadden at Douglas County Dirt Track
June 13 – Jesse Schlotfeldt at Cottage Grove Speedway
June 14 – James McFadden at Willamette Speedway
June 15 – James McFadden at Grays Harbor Raceway (Timber Cup)
June 19 – Levi Klatt at Skagit Speedway (Super Dirt Cup – Night 1)
June 20 – Justin Sanders at Skagit Speedway (Super Dirt Cup – Night 2)
June 21 – Trey Starks at Skagit Speedway (Super Dirt Cup finale)
July 12 – Tim Kaeding at Petaluma Speedway (Dave Lindt Memorial)
July 18 – Justin Sanders at Ocean Speedway (Howard Kaeding Classic – Night 1)
July 19 – Justin Sanders at Ocean Speedway (Howard Kaeding Classic – Night 2)
July 26 – Kaleb Montgomery at Santa Maria Speedway
August 2 – Bud Kaeding at Ocean Speedway (Johnny Key Classic)
August 30 – James McFadden at Calistoga Speedway (Louie Vermeil Classic – Night 1)
August 31 – James McFadden at Calistoga Speedway (Louie Vermeil Classic – Night 2)
September 6 – Justin Sanders at Placerville Speedway (Pay Dirt Showdown)
October 4 – Tanner Holmes at Thunderbowl Raceway (Chris & Brian Faria Memorial)