(6/18/18, Sacramento, CA) … The exhilarating 950-horsepower winged sprint cars of the King of the West-NARC Fujitsu Racing Series will feature a rare double-header racing weekend on June 22-23rd. It all kicks off on Friday (June 22nd) with the Pombo-Sargent Classic at Ocean Speedway in Watsonville, CA.
The following night, Saturday, June 23rd, the traveling racing series will make their only appearance of the 2018 season at the historic half-mile Calistoga Speedway, located in the Napa Valley. The Civil War Sprint Car Series is also racing at Calistoga.
The doubleheader weekend officially marks the midway point of the ultra-competitive 16-race series. Up for grabs will be more than $40,000 in prize money and contingency awards. The winner of the Calistoga Wine Country Classic headliner will earn a $4,000 paycheck.
Leading an impressive line-up of high-profile drivers and racing teams will be three-time series champion Kyle Hirst of Paradise, CA. Hirst is by far the hottest driver in the Golden State, capturing three King of the West-NARC victories, and posting a total of six podium finishes in seven events. He drives for the Fresno-based Roth Motorsports team.
“We’ve been extremely fast all season long,” explained Hirst, who has managed to earn the Automotive Racing Products (ARP) quick qualifier award in five events this season. “By qualifying well, we have earned some solid starting positions and that has helped our cause.”
Hirst is attempting to unseat defending series champion Bud Kaeding of Campbell from the atop the King of the West-NARC pedestal. Also launching a serious run at the crown is two-time feature winner Shane Golobic of Elk Grove, who currently owns the runner-up spot in the championship points standings. Either way, no matter who the competition, Hirst is predicting an unpredictable two-nights of racing.
“We’re talking about two completely different race tracks this weekend,” said Hirst. “Ocean (Speedway) is a quarter-mile bullring where just one small mistake can mean the difference between winning and not finishing in the top five. There’s no time to think; just react.”
“On the other hand, there is absolutely nothing that duplicates the high-speeds that we run at Calistoga Speedway. This place tests the outer limits of our motors, equipment and testosterone.”
Also joining the fray this weekend will be frontrunners Willie Croft of Roseville and Hanford’s DJ Netto. Croft was the winner of a May King of the West-NARC event in Chico. Netto captured Saturday’s SCCT 360 show at Hanford.
Also expected to compete are Penngrove driver’s Chase Johnson, Roseville’s Colby Copeland; Bobby McMahan of Elk Grove; Atwater’s Nathan Rolfe; Santa Cruz driver Justin Sanders; rookie driver’s Dustin Golobic of Fremont and Sacramento’s Jenna Frazier; Tanner Thorson of Minden, NV; and Discovery Bay’s Jarrett Soares. There will also be three Australian drivers in the line-up. They include Matt Dumesny, Marcus Dumesny, and Jamie Cobby.
Ocean Speedway is located at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds in Watsonville. Front gates open at 4:30 p.m. Qualifying gets underway at 6:00 p.m. Also on the racing program is IMCA Modifieds, IMCA SportMods and Dwarf Cars. Pit gates open at 2:00 p.m.
Calistoga Speedway is located at the Napa County Fairgrounds in Calistoga, approximately 25-miles north of Napa. The ticket booth opens at 2:00 p.m. Front gates open at 4:00 p.m. Qualifying begins at 5:30 p.m. Reserved tickets are available by calling 916-773-7223.
ED NOTE: NASCAR superstar Kyle Larson will be the official pace truck driver at Calistoga Speedway.
2018 KWS-NARC FUJITSU SERIES POINT STANDINGS
(After seven events in 16-race Series – 06/18/18)
- Kyle Hirst, Paradise (3) 649
- Shane Golobic, Fremont (2) 627
- Bud Kaeding, Campbell (1) 614
- Chase Johnson, Penngrove 579
- Colby Copeland, Roseville 566
- Dustin Golobic, Fremont ® 555
- Jason Statler, Grass Valley 551
- Willie Croft, Roseville (1) 521
- DJ Netto, Hanford 511
- Nathan Rolfe, Atwater 496
- Jenna Frazier, Sacramento ® 479
- Jarrett Soares, Discovery Bay 449
- Sean Watts, Atwater 440
- Bobby McMahan, Elk Grove 376
- Mathew Moles, Fresno 375
The King of the West-NARC Fujitsu Racing Series is also sponsored by Hoosier Racing Tires. Associate and contingency award sponsors include ATL Racing Cells, Automotive Racing Products (ARP), Autometer, Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, Butler Built, FK Rod Ends, Flowmaster, Hooker Harness, Hydrochem PSC, Johnstone Supply, Kaeding Performance Center, KSE Racing Products, Maxim, PAC Racing Springs, Pyrotect, Racing Optics, Safecraft Safety Equipment, Saldana Racing Products, Schoenfeld Headers, SCI Racing Products, Swift Metal Finishing, Sunnyvalley Bacon, System 1 Ignition, Ultra Light Brakes, Weld Racing Wheels, Wilwood Disc Brakes, Williams Roofing, Winters Performance Products and Croft Racing.
UPCOMING EVENTS:
June 30th – Placerville Speedway, Placerville, CA – “Salute to the Fans” with SCCT Sprint Cars
July 14 – Petaluma Speedway, Petaluma, CA
July 21 – Ocean Speedway, Watsonville, CA – Howard Kaeding Classic
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