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Golden State Challenge Series ready for 18th annual Dave Bradway Jr. Memorial this Saturday May 17
By Gary Thomas
Chico, CA – May 13, 2008…All eyes in the Northern California sprint car scene will be focused in on the Silver Dollar Speedway this coming Saturday night for the Golden State Challenge Series sanctioned 18th annual Dave Bradway Jr. Memorial. The prestigious event will begin the second half of the season for the traveling 410 series and will feature a talent packed roster attempting to put their name on the Dave Bradway Jr. Memorial win list, which is practically a who’s who of California sprint car racing over the last 20 years.
A number of former Dave Bradway Jr. Memorial champions will lead the Golden State Challenge Series into this year’s running of the event. Heading the way is current series point leader and three-time Bradway Memorial winner Jonathan Allard of Chico. Last year saw Allard have a tough night at the event however, and it was a big determining factor in his bid at back to back King of California titles. The 31 year-old has put that behind him this year however, and has come back as strong as ever racing the Williams Motorsports No. 0 and brings a 51 point lead into Saturday night’s action. Allard’s very first GSC victory came at the Bradway in 2001 while driving for Rick Wright and his most recent win in '05 came during his first year driving for car owner Morrie Williams.
Last season saw Campbell’s Brent Kaeding pick up a record fourth Bradway Memorial victory after leading all 40 laps of the feature while driving his familiar Al’s Roofing Supply No. 69. “BK” is one of the lone remaining drivers who raced against Dave Bradway Jr. and it’s always a race he seems to get his elbows up at. Kaeding will go into the night winless so far on the season, but still sits second in the points on the strength of five podium finishes in the last seven events.
2002 Dave Bradway Jr. Memorial champ Tim Kaeding of San Jose will be looking for his second career victory in the event this weekend aboard the Tom Rolfe Racing No. 10. The always exciting driver hasn’t competed at the Bradway since ’03 and comes into this year’s running having won a total of three main events this season, which also includes three straight finishes of second or better with the Golden State Challenge Series. This weekend could be one of his last GSC starts of the season however, as he’s been rumored to be heading back to Lowe’s Motor Speedway next weekend for the first televised World of Outlaw event of the season on SPEED.
Oroville’s Sean Becker, the ’06 Dave Bradway Jr. Memorial champion, is driving an abbreviated GSC campaign this year and will look for his second victory in the event this Saturday as he drives the Fauver Race Ready Rentals No. 64. The former King of California last competed with GSC on April 19 and was part of an epic battle up front during the main event, but it ended with him dropping out while leading with just 12 laps remaining. It’s always a pleasure to have Becker compete with the series due to his skills on the track and easy going personality off of it.
Los Gatos charger Jason Statler won the Dave Bradway Jr. Memorial in ’04 and will look to put his DF Rios Construction No. 00 up front on Saturday. “The Big Guy” has always said that winning the race on that night is one of his all-time highlights in racing due to the meaning behind the event. Making that win even more special is the fact that it also came during the year he won the GSC King of California championship.
Last Saturday night’s winner Tyler Walker will be as much of a favorite as anyone however, as he and the SC Motorsports team have began to gel more and more every week. The Los Angeles driver won a thrilling duel with Tim Kaeding last week and comes into the Dave Bradway Jr. Memorial having won two main events this season and currently sits third in the GSC standings. Walker has added excitement to the touring series this season with his exciting driving style and fun loving personality.
Sacramento’s Mike Henry comes into the Bradway sitting fourth in the GSC standings during his first full season of the racing with the series. Henry has a lot of laps around Silver Dollar Speedway and should be a tough contender at the Bradway with the experience gained with his HMH Motorsports team this season. He sits just three points behind Walker for third in the points and six behind Kaeding for second.
A driver who’s been running consistently in the top five over the last month is two-time and defending USAC Silver Crown champ Bud Kaeding. The Campbell driver has tallied top five finishes in five of the last six events and is coming off a strong run last weekend in Tulare aboard his BK Motorsports No. 29. The younger “BK” sits fifth in the standings with one victory on the year coming in Petaluma on April 19.
Scotts Valley racer Evan Suggs currently sits sixth in points and will make his first Chico start since the Mini Gold Cup. The driver of the Suggs Racing No. 33e has shown the ability to get around the Silver Dollar bullring judging by his fourth place finish during the final GSC point race last July and his fast time effort at the Gold Cup Race of Champions last September.
Current Silver Dollar Speedway point leader Andy Forsberg will be chasing his first Dave Bradway Jr. Memorial victory this weekend. Last season saw the Auburn driver race his A & A Motorsports machine to a career best third place finish at the event and comes into this year looking as fast as ever. “Mr. Excitement” has been strong so far this season in the Feather Falls Casino Friday night series and won last week’s race at the track to boost his lead to 19 points over Sean Becker.
Defending Silver Dollar Speedway track champion Stephen Allard will look for his first Dave Bradway Jr. Memorial win aboard the always fast H.A.M. Construction No. 35a. In 2005 Allard looked to be on his way to victory at the event before overheating issues took away his chance. Winning the Bradway Memorial has always been a goal for the Chico driver and this weekend appears to be his best shot at that since the’05 year.
2003 Silver Dollar Speedway track champion Blake Robertson of Visalia is expected to add flavor to the event. The talented driver has not competed very much the last few seasons but is amazingly never rusty when he signs in at the back gate. Robertson finished second during GSC action in late March aboard the Doyle’s Harley Davidson No. 1 and also scored a third place result during weekly action at Silver Dollar in April. In 2005 he brought home a second place finish at the Dave Bradway Jr. Memorial marking his career best finish in the event.
Creswell, Oregon’s Roger Crockett will be a top contender aboard the always fast Henderson Motorsports No. 7n. Crockett has already won with the Golden State Challenge Series this season and has also picked up a second place finish at Silver Dollar Speedway in Friday night action. His best finish at the Dave Bradway Jr. Memorial came in 2005 when he ended the main event in third.
Other drivers expected at the 18th annual Dave Bradway Jr. Memorial will include Loomis’ Kyle Hirst, Sacramento’s Willie Croft, Chico’s Jason York, Brett Miller & Robby Whitchurch, Princeton’s Mason Moore, Fremont’s Brent Bjork, Gilroy’s Ken Fredenburg, Rio Vista’s Dan Simpson, Fresno’s Mark Workentine and many more.
The Dave Bradway Jr. Memorial pays tribute to fallen race car driver Dave Bradway Jr. who lost his life in a sprint car crash at Skagit Speedway’s Dirt Cup in 1987. It is the biggest event of the season for the Golden State Challenge Series and packs extra money and goodies all night long. Promoters John and Robbie Padjen have added an extra $1,000 to the winners share to bring the winning take up $4,000. In addition to that Dave and Diane Durica have once again collected lap money and each lap of the main event and B-main will pay $100 to be distributed among the top three each lap. The leader of the lap gets $50, second $30 and third $20.
Sponsoring the heat races for the sixth consecutive season will be the internet based fan group known as Hoserville. Each heat race winner will receive a right rear tire & five sleeves of tear offs from Hoserville, as well as a carbon fiber nose week cap courtesy Watson Carbon Fiber. Each driver will also receive a pair of trophies provided by Duane Davis of Laser Engraving in Marshalltown, Iowa. One of them will be to keep and one of them will be to give to a child in the grandstands. Hoserville has been a part of the heat races at the Dave Bradway Jr. Memorial since 2003 and it has grown to be a fun part of the night each year. Visit the home of Hoserville at the Northern California Sprint Car Forum located at http://www.hoserforums.com/forum~forumId~10.htm
If that isn’t enough incentive for drivers to put their cars on the edge there will also be money up for grabs to the driver who sets fast time and also the one who passes the most cars in the main event. An amazing $1,200 will be awarded to the driver that sets the fastest lap in qualifying thanks to multiple parties.
As of press time, donating money to the fast time driver is coming in courtesy: $500 from Scott Chastain of NMI Industrial Contractors, $250 from Mancamp Motorsports, $100 from Steve Tatum of NSR, $100 from Kim Tatum of NSR, $100 from Leanne Tatum of Element Hair Studio in Oroville, $100 from Martin Garcia of Jack’s Family Restaurant and $50 from Claude Whelchel Construction. All of this adds up to the solid $1,200 prize to the driver who gets their elbows up the highest in qualifying and it should make for an unforgettable session.
Dan Simpson of DES Inc. is also putting up $500 to the hard charger of the main event giving more incentive for the drivers starting near the rear of the field in the 40 lap feature.
Brand new Dave Bradway Jr. Memorial stickers designed by Yak Graphics will also be available for the first time in a few years so be sure to pick one up to display on your vehicle or anywhere you choose.
The front gate will open at 5 pm on Saturday with adult tickets costing only $16, juniors $11 and kids $5. The Silver Dollar Speedway is located at the Silver Dollar Fairgrounds in Chico. For more info on the 18th annual Dave Bradway Jr. Memorial visit http://www.johnpadjenmotorsports.com
www.sprintcarchallengetour.com
www.placervillespeedway.com
www.stocktondirttrack.com
www.thunderbowlraceway.com
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