(2/25/17 – Jim Allen) …  The King of the West Sprint Car Series – Presented by the Northern Auto Racing Club, will invade Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico on Saturday, March 4th for the season opening high-stakes $5,000 to win Mini-Gold Cup.

This is the first of only two visits by the KWS-NARC series to the high-banked quarter-mile oval in 2017.  This event also marks the return of the Northern Auto Racing Club (NARC) sanctioning body to the Mini-Gold Cup for the first time since 2000.  The organization was resurrected this past offseason to help grow and promote the popular 410 cubic inch motor class of sprint car racing in California.  The race had been sanctioned by the World of Outlaws for the past 10 years.

Among the drivers expected to compete include defending King of the West champion Kyle Hirst of Paradise, CA; Campbell’s Bud Kaeding; Justyn Cox of Clarksburg; Hanford’s DJ Netto; Sean Watts of Atwater; Penngrove’s Chase Johnson, Grass Valley’s Jason Statler and at least 20 others.

“We hope that Mother Nature cooperates with the racing community this weekend,” said Jim Allen, KWS-NARC Business Manager.  “This area has been pounded for weeks by wet weather and I’m sure open wheel fans would rather watch and hear the sounds of sprint cars than another broadcast on the Weather Channel.”

The extra moisture should equate to an excellent racing surface, which allows teams to “hook up” their chassis to maximize the performance of their 850 horsepower-1400 pound sprint cars.

“One thing I can guarantee on Saturday is that everyone will be extremely fast,” said perennial NARC & King of the West champion Brent Kaeding of Campbell, who will also be competing.  “Everyone is looking to start the season strong and if you miss the set up even a slightly, you’ll become lap traffic in just a handful of laps.

Silver Dollar Speedway is located at the fairgrounds in Chico, approximately ¼ mile west of U.S. 99.  For more information, call 530-891-6535.

KINGOFTHEWESTSPRINTCARSERIES-PRESENTEDBYTHENORTHERNAUTORACINGCLUB

NOTE:  Penngrove’s Chase Johnson will be signing autographs for fans at the front gate from 5:00 p.m. to 5:45 p.m.

FINAL 2016 KWS-NARC POINT STANDINGS

  1. Kyle Hirst, Paradise (6)                     3183
  2. Bud Kaeding, Campbell (5)              3164
  3. Justyn Cox, Sacramento                    2962
  4. DJ Netto, Hanford                               2922
  5. Sean Watts, Atwater                           2729
  6. Jason Statler, Grass Valley              2720
  7. Jarrett Soares, Discovery Bay         2681
  8. Mitchell Faccinto, Hanford              2326
  9. Chase Johnson, Penngrove              1942
  10. Shane Golobic, Fremont (3)            1900

Number of 2016 Victories in Parenthesis

UPCOMING EVENTS: 

April 8th – Kern County Raceway Park – Bakersfield, CA

April 22nd – Tulare Thunderbowl Raceway – Tulare, CA

May 6 – Silver Dollar Speedway – Chico, CA

The King of West/NARC series is sponsored by Hoosier Racing Tires, Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, Butler Built, FK Rod Ends, Flowmaster, Kaeding Performance Center, KSE Racing Products, Maxim, Racing Optics Tear-Offs, Schoenfeld Headers, SCI Racing Products, System 1, Ultra Light Brakes, Weld Racing Wheels, Wilwood Disc Brakes, and Winters Performance Products.