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Photo by Chuck Fry
Central Valley young guns lead the King of the West 410 Sprint Car Series into the Petaluma Speedway this Saturday night May 9
Event marks only KWS appearance in 2015 at the sticky gumbo oval
By Gary Thomas
Petaluma, CA – May 5, 2014…First year King of the West full-timer Carson Macedo from Lemoore holds onto a scant two-point advantage over Fresno’s Dominic Scelzi in the series standings, as the two youngster’s lead the field into the lone appearance this season at Petaluma Speedway on Saturday.
The 3/8 mile clay oval has been a welcomed stop over the years for teams with the King of the West 410 Sprint Car Series. The tacky and hooked-up speedway has often produced exciting competition, as lapped traffic can create some of the most hectic racing towards the front of the field of any track on tour.
The Petaluma Speedway had been a staple on the Northern Auto Racing Club/ Golden State 410 Series schedule over the years, but a multiple-season hiatus from the track occurred from the late 1990’s to 2004.
In 2005 the series returned to Petaluma and ran each season through 2010, until another hiatus was seen, before the King of the West 410’s returned a few years later. In total there have been 13 Winged 410 Sprint Car events held at Petaluma Speedway since ‘05.
Saturday’s event is also part of a Prentice Motorsports Group Double Down Bonus weekend. If a driver can win this Friday’s Ocean Sprints event at Ocean Speedway and then back it up by winning with KWS on Saturday in Petaluma, they’ll go home with an additional $3000 bonus.
The early season King of the West point battle is shaping up nicely with Macedo & Scelzi sitting one & two, and Campbell’s Bud Kaeding ranking third, just nine-markers out of the lead. Macedo is competing for the King of the West title for the first time in his short career and will be gunning for his initial series victory on Saturday, which is also his Petaluma Speedway debut. Scelzi last year was the hard charger in the feature during the KWS event in Petaluma after coming from 13th to fifth in the 30-lapper.
After winning the prestigious Dave Bradway Jr. Memorial last weekend Kaeding will be in search of another victory this Saturday in Petaluma. Last season he earned a third place finish at the track, in what was an impressive drive on a rough & tumble surface. Kaeding last season finished second in the KWS standings and is poised to bring home his first series title this year. His victory last week at the Bradway in Chico paid him a handsome $8600.
Sacramento’s Willie Croft has captured the King of the West Series visit to Petaluma Speedway each of the last two-years and will be searching for a three-peat on Saturday. Croft sits fourth in the series standings going into this weekend. Elk Grove veteran Bobby McMahan, a past Petaluma winner, rounds out the top-five. Chico’s Jonathan Allard has won five KWS main events at the Petaluma Speedway since 2006 and sits sixth in the points, followed by 13-time series champion Brent Kaeding, Hanford’s DJ Netto, Gilroy’s Jarrett Soares and Fremont’s Shane Golobic.
More drivers looking to take home the $3000 top prize come Saturday will include past Petaluma Speedway track champion Chase Johnson of Penngrove, Minden, Nevada’s Tanner Thorson, Princeton’s Mason Moore, Roseville’s Colby Copeland, Grass Valley’s Jason Statler, Hanford’s Mitchell Faccinto, Fresno’s Craig Stidham, Fair Oaks Chad Compton, Winton’s Gordon Rodgers and others.
The front gate at the Petaluma Speedway will open at 4pm on Saturday May 9 with cars on track a little after 5pm. Adult tickets cost $20, seniors $18, children $15, kids 5 & under will be free. The pit gate will open at noon for competitors.
The Petaluma Speedway is located in the southern part of the wine country at the Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds just off Highway 101 in Petaluma, California. Fans are recommended to bring a jacket and warm clothes if you have never been to the Petaluma Speedway, as temperatures usually do chill off once the sun goes down. More info on the track can be found at www.petaluma-speedway.com
The all-time 410 track record at Petaluma Speedway is held by 2009 Golden State/ KWS titlist Tyler Walker, who set the mark on August 1 of his championship year. “T-Dub” toured the 3/8 mile oval for the track record in 11.990 seconds aboard the Scott Chastain owned NMI Industrial Contractors No. 24 machine.
Info on the King of the West 410 Sprint Car Series can be found at www.racepmg.com
Be sure to like the KWS Facebook Page at http://www.facebook.com/kingofthewestsprints and become a member of our Twitter community at https://twitter.com/KwsSprintRacing for all the latest breaking news regarding the series
Upcoming KWS events after Petaluma
Saturday May 16: Merle Stone Chevrolet Thunderbowl Raceway (Chris & Brian Faria Memorial)
Saturday June 6: Silver Dollar Speedway (3rd annual David Tarter Memorial)
Saturday June 13: Stockton Dirt Track
Friday June 26: Ocean Speedway (Pombo/Sargent Classic)
Saturday June 27: Calistoga Speedway (Wine Country Classic)
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18-year-old Dominic Scelzi sits two-points out of the KWS lead going into Petaluma Speedway this Saturday night. Collin Markle Photo
www.sprintcarchallengetour.com
www.placervillespeedway.com
www.stocktondirttrack.com
www.thunderbowlraceway.com
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