(6/4/17) Tulare, CA … The King of the West-NARC sprint cars will make their final appearance of the season at Tulare Thunderbowl Raceway this Saturday, June 10th, highlighted by one of the most intense championship battles in recent memory.
After six events in the 17-race series, the top three drivers and teams in the King of the West-NARC Fujitsu Racing Series are separated by only six points. Campbell’s Bud Kaeding, who took the points lead at the second race of the season, is currently on top of the standings. However, he leads Selma’s Cory Eliason by only four points and 15-year old driving sensation Gio Scelzi of Fresno by only two more.
Scelzi became the series first two-time winner at Antioch Speedway on Saturday (6/3/17). Kaeding, Eliason, defending series champion Kyle Hirst of Paradise and St. Helena’s Rico Abreu are the other drivers to make victory lane appearances.
“This has become a series of who can make the fewest mistakes,” observed 13-time NARC & KWS champion Brent Kaeding of Campbell, who has made a career out of chasing sprint car championships. “It’s a relatively short season so every race is very important for those making a championship run. And with everything that’s in play from track conditions and mechanical failures, to just plain bad luck, almost every team will experience an ‘off’ night or two during the course of the season. The key is to maximize your great nights and salvage and minimize the bad ones so that you have less of them than your competitors.”
The field of open wheel sprint cars in Tulare will feature a large Central California influence as several are looking to post top finishes at the one-third mile oval. This list includes Hanford driver’s DJ Netto and Mitchell Faccinto; Sean Watts and Nathan Rolfe of Atwater; and Fresno’s Craig Stidham.
Others expected to compete Saturday include Elk Grove’s Bobby McMahan, Willie Croft of Sacramento, Discovery Bay’s Jarrett Soares, and Michael Kofoid of Penngrove.
Pit gates open at 2:00 p.m. Front gates open at 4:00 p.m. Also on the racing card is Race Saver sprint cars, Sport Mods & Hobby Stocks.
The Thunderbowl Raceway is located at the fairgrounds at E Bardsley Avenue & South K Street in Tulare.
KINGOFTHEWESTSPRINTCARSERIES-PRESENTEDBYTHENORTHERNAUTORACINGCLUB
UPCOMING EVENTS:
June 17 – Petaluma Speedway, Petaluma, CA
June 23 – Ocean Speedway, Watsonville, CA
June 24 – Calistoga Speedway, Calistoga, CA
The King of the West Fujitsu Racing Series – presented by the Northern Auto Racing Club is co-sponsored by Hoosier Racing Tires. Contingency award sponsors include ATL Racing Cells, ARP Racing Bolts, BMRS, Butler Built, FK Rod Ends, Flowmaster, Fuel Safe Racing Cells, Kaeding Performance Center, KSE Racing Products, Maxim, PAC Racing Springs, Pyrotect, Racing Optics, Saldana Racing Products, Schoenfeld Headers, SCI Racing Products, System 1 Ignition, Ultra Light Brakes, Weld Racing Wheels, Wilwood Disc Brakes, Williams Roofing, and Winters Performance Products.
2017 KWS-NARC FUJITSU SERIES POINT STANDINGS
(After six events in 17-race Series)
- Bud Kaeding, Campbell (1) – 347
- Cory Eliason, Selma (1) – 343
- Giovanni Scelzi, Fresno (2) – 341
- DJ Netto, Hanford – 333
- Kyle Hirst, Paradise (1) – 320
- Michael Kofoid, Penngrove – 315
- Willie Croft, Sacramento – 295
- Bobby McMahan, Elk Grove – 277
- Mitchell Faccinto, Hanford – 274
- Jarrett Soares, Discovery Bay – 271
- Sean Watts, Atwater – 262
- Nathan Rolfe, Atwater – 245
- Carson Macedo, Lemoore – 230
- Shane Golobic, Fremont – 215
- Sean Becker, Roseville – 196
- Dominic Scelzi, Fresno – 195
- Brent Bjork, Fremont – 181
- Mathew Moles, Fresno – 170
- Craig Stidham, Fresno – 146
- Chase Johnson, Penngrove – 143