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CALIFORNIA RACING WEEKEND: April 19/20/21/22

Release for Ventura Raceway for 4-21-07

(Oxnard, CA 4/15/07) Ventura Raceway continues its 2007 racing season this coming Saturday night April 21, at 5:30pm with another night of exciting short track racing action at its Ventura County Fairgrounds facility conveniently located just off the 101 Freeway in Ventura California.
Welcome to Ventura Raceway for another night of great short track racing. Tonight we will be featuring VRA Sprint Cars, VRA/USAC Ford Focus Midgets, VRA Sport Compacts, IMCA Modifieds and our Junior Ford Focus Class for junior drivers. Each of these exciting divisions will entertain you with the best in short track racing to be seen anywhere.

Last Saturday night was a very special night for VRA Sprint Cars at Ventura Raceway as 16-year-old Johnathan Henry took his first ever sprint car main event victory. He defeated the best that VRA could throw at him in the form of Greg Taylor, Kevin Kierce, Steve Conrad and Dennis Rodriguez. In a most exciting race, Henry took the lead on lap 29 from Taylor who had led from the start. Henry had been running third behind Taylor and Kierce as the race neared an end. As the two leaders came up on lapped traffic, Henry went to the high side and passed them both to take the win in only his eighth sprint car race. Henry a graduate of the VRA Junior Focus Class of 2006, will be back tonight in the Cory Kruseman Sprint Car School number 17 to try to make it two in a row. Kevin Kierce's third place finish has him in the season points lead followed by Taylor, Luis Espinoza and Dennis Rodriguez. With USAC/CRA taking the weekend off, we expect to see several of their competitors here tonight. We have had verbal commitments from Josh Ford and Ventura favorite Cory Kruseman that they will be here to challenge VRA's best.

VRA Sport Compacts are back tonight with point leader Joel Chavez trying to take another win in his number 20 Acura. Chavez took the win in the last race that this class raced her on April 7. Other top Sport Compact drivers scheduled to appear include 2006 series champion Jack Hoyt, David Peterson and a host of other to competitors in this entry level class.

IMCA Modifieds also return to action this weekend. This high powered open wheel stock car class has thrilled the Ventura crowds all season with exciting racing action and large car counts. Season points leader Steve Smith, 2006 series champion Jack Parker, Rick Rodarte, Bill Waltman, Joe Weaver and other Ventura regulars will try to hold off visiting drivers from throughout California in the 20 lap feature event. .

VRA/USAC Ford Focus Midgets will also be a part of tonight's event. Last race Nic Faas took the win. He will be back this weekend to try for two in a row against the best drivers in this fast and furious racing class.

The final class racing tonight will be the VRA Junior Focus Midgets. This class for up and coming derivers aged 13 to 16 has provided the Ventura fans with some very good racing so far in 2006. Austin Smith took the win on April 7 over Justin Kierce, Dakota Kershaw, Brent Owens and Scott Oliver Jr. These and other drivers will be back tonight to continue their battle to see who will become the 2007 season champion.

Next week Ventura Raceway will take a weekend off as a special event is held at the Ventura County Fairgrounds. We will return to action with a full program of VRA Sprints, Senior Sprints. IMCA Modifieds, VRA Dwarf Cars and our kids classes on May 5. We hope to see you all then.

Pit Gates open at 12 noon with front gates opening at 3:30 and racing getting under way at 5:30pm. Admission prices are: $14.00 for adults, $11.00 for Senior/Military and Juniors with a school id, $5.00 for children 7-12 with kids 6 and under free. For more information, please call Ventura Raceway at (805) 985-5433 Monday through Friday from 8am to 5pm.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

KIRBY GOES FOR THIRD IN A ROW AT PERRIS – FREE MAGNET SCHEDULES FOR ALL FANS!

(APRIL 17, 2007, PERRIS, CA) Former USAC/CRA Sprint Car star Mike Kirby will be shooting for his third straight when in the PASSCAR Modified class this Saturday night, April 21st, at Perris Auto Speedway. The Modified class will be joined by the Art’s Concrete Pumping Extreme Late Models, MC Builders Super Stocks and the Street Stocks. All fans in attendance will receive a free Perris Auto Speedway magnet schedule courtesy of Barratt Homes. Spectator gates will open at 5:00 PM with racing at 6:30.

Kirby, who lives in Torrance, California, is a former 3-time Ascot NASCAR Figure 8 champion and has a total of 61 Sprint Car main event wins. That places him ninth on the all-time CRA/SCRA/USAC-CRA Sprint Car victory list that dates back to the 1950s! His ten wins in the current USAC/CRA Series leaves him third overall trailing only Damion Gardner and Cory Kruseman and the total is ahead of such stars as Rip Williams, Tony Jones, Rickie Gaunt and Mike Spencer.

Kirby, who will turn 43 on May 1st, has scored convincing wins in the last two races. And, if he had been not spun out in the curfew shortened season opener in February, he may have been going for his fourth win in a row on Saturday. Even with his two wins, Kirby trails series point leader Randy Thornell of Apple Valley, California by 19-points in the standings heading into Saturday’s race.

Kirby’s prowess at The PAS is not limited to just Sprint Cars and Modifieds. In seasons gone by, he has also won in the Street Stock Class and in 2001 he teamed with “Super Rickie” Gaunt to win a Pick-A-Part Cruiser main event as well.

Cathedral City, California’s Art Peterson, a two-time defending PAS track champion, bagged his first ever win in the Art’s Concrete Pumping Extreme Late Models the last time the cars were on hand three weeks ago. That victory propelled Peterson to third in the point standings behind Marina Del Rey, California’s Bill Bartels and his grandson Nick Bartels of El Segundo.

Last year’s track champions in the MC Builders Super Stock and the Street Stock ckasses, Mark Shackelford of Riverside, California and Henry Wesolowski Sr. of Temecula, California, once again sit on top of the heap in each division heading into this Saturday’s show.

Families can save on Saturday with the popular PAS Family 4-Pack. Mom, Dad and two kids will get into Saturday’s races for $40.00 and they will also get four hot dogs and four sodas. All they have to do is ask for the Family 4-Pack at the ticket window.

Saturday’s frantic display of fendered fisticuffs will including qualifying for the Late Models and heat races and main events for all of the classes.

Anyone wishing more information can contact Perris Auto Speedway at (951) 940-0134.

Perris Auto Speedway is located on the Lake Perris Fairgrounds (home of the Southern California Fair), approximately one hour east of Los Angeles and one hour North of San Diego. To get to the track, take the 215 freeway, exit at the Ramona Expressway and go two miles east to the fairgrounds.

Video and DVD productions for all PASSCAR events are available from Pasadena, California’s RAZ Video. For more information on these shows call Howie Zechner at (626) 449-1175 or send an E-mail to: [email protected].

[email protected] is the only authorized Internet address to issue official media news released from The Perris Auto Speedway or Oval Entertainment

ART’’S CONCRETE PUMPING EXTREME LATE MODELS
Bill Bartels – Marina Del Rey, CA – 195
Nick Bartels – El Segundo, CA – 189
Art Peterson – Cathedral City, CA – 169
Carla Laney – Torrance, CA – 167
Johnny “Lightning” Malcolm – Corona, CA - 141

PASSCAR MODIFIEDS
Randy Thornell – Apple Valley, CA – 168
Mike Kirby – Torrance, CA – 147
Rex McGuire – San Diego, CA – 141
Johnny Lathrop – Corona, CA – 138
Kevin Busher – Temecula, CA - 126

MC BUILDERS SUPER STOCKS
Mark Shackelford – Riverside, CA – 165
Ed Perry – Carpinteria, CA – 162
“Haulin’ Henry” Wesolowski Sr. – Temecula, CA – 159
Ken Searcy – Nuevo, CA – 135
“Hot Rod” John Caley – Riverside, CA - 122

STREET STOCKS
“Haulin’ Henry” Wesolowski Sr. – Temecula, CA – 147
Kenny Mann – Torrance, CA – 137
Jim Coates – Riverside, CA – 136
Joe Falduto – Santa Ana, CA – 135
Curtis Dietzsch – Moreno Valley, CA - 130

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - MARYSVILLE RACEWAY PARK

$500 to win EVERY Saturday for Wingless Sprints & Street Stocks
MiniStocks get $400 to win; Slam-Bang Stock Cars, Pacific Sprinters return April 21
By Bob Burbach

Marysville CA. Come one come all…it’s time to put on the fenders and get to Driftin’ at 100 MPH. For the 39th consecutive year the Slam Bang thunder of stock car racing will be staged at Paul And Kathy Hawes’ Marysville Raceway Park this Saturday. Some 23 years before the first Sprint Car point race, the MRP Stock Cars waged war on the venerable ¼ mile. With a 39-year history of fendered racing at MRP it remains the oldest privately owned racing facility in California in continuous operation presenting weekly Stock Car Racing.

In addition promoter Paul Hawes has stepped up and announced the highest Street Stock and MiniStock weekly payoffs in northern California, and perhaps, the 5 western states. The MRP Street Stock purse will include a $500 first place payoff, $400 for 2nd $300 for 3rd $200 for 4th, $100 for 5th PLUS $75 to start the main event. This $500 to win purse structure will also be paid to the Wingless Sprint Car Division EVERY WEEK.

The MiniStocks will pay $400 to win, $300 for 2nd, $200 for 3rd, $100 for 4th, $50 for 5th and $35 to start the Main event. This positive departure from traditional thinking will make MRP fendered divisions very attractive to teams all over California. This spike in the weekly point race purses says that it’s about time that the local Stock Car, MiniStocks and the local Wingless Sprint Car divisions are rewarded for their quality competitive events each Saturday night. Typically considered the “support” races for Winged Sprint Car racing Hawes has firmly put his best dollar forward to welcome the Wingless Sprint Cars and fendered divisions to MRP on an equal level with the mighty Pacific Sprint Cars.

Hawes will continue to pay a strong, unaltered weekly purse to the winged Pacific Sprint Cars. It pays $1000 to win, $750 for 2nd, 3rd will pay $500, 4th pays $400, 5th $300, 6th pays $200, 7th pays $100 with $75 to start the feature. The combined weekly divisional purse payout at MRP is the highest available at any short track known by this observer in the 5 western states.

Jeremy Burt of Grass Valley will return to MRP and try to duplicate his victory of two weeks ago in the Pacific Sprint Car wars. A competitive field of cars and stars will have the point leader in their collective sights.

In the Street Stock class one of the most anticipated rivalries in recent memory is likely to start boiling. Yuba City’s Jerry Bartlett and Marysville’s Jeff Olschowka will be rubbing fenders for the MRP Street Stock championship. These two hotshoes are at the top of their games and fast as ever. The young Olschowka was Chico’s Stock Car Champ last year and Bartlett is a 3-time Champ at MRP. Waiting in the wings to smoke them both is last year’s MRP Street Stock Champ, Yuba City’s Phillip Shelby. Former Champion, “Bad” Billy Knoop has also let it be known that he’s a serious player and will jumble-up the mix. It will be a wild war on the newly configured ¼ mile and the anticipation is running high.

Marysville’s Mike Merritt will have his eye on 2006 MRP Champion Joel Guisti for another run at the title. Merritt had his 2006 title hopes swiped from his grasp with a mechanical failure on the final night last year. Guisti went on to a well-deserved title and will be in the hunt this Saturday in his first title defense. Guisti is fast and smooth. He doesn’t crash or make mistakes. I f somebody is going to take the crown, they’ll have to work for it.

The Wingless Warriors have the week off. Yuba City’s Mark Hill has the point lead and will re-enter the battle next week at MRP. A full field can be expected with the announcement of the generous point competition purse.

“Ladies & gentlemen, start your engines”.

On Friday night the remarkably entertaining winged Outlaw Karts will make their 3rd appearance of the new season. Friday will be the 2nd point competition for 2007. In last Friday night’s competition, Civil War Champion Mike Henry’s son Caleb Henry won the Beginner Box Stock class going away. James Edens won in Box Stock. Trevor Christiani prevailed in the 250’s. The 500 Open was all John Michael Burch’s for the second consecutive week.

Make our website one of your “favorites” on you computer. marysvilleracewaypark.com is the address. Watch this site for press releases and updates.

Pit gates open at 3PM Friday and Saturday. Spectator Gates Open at 5PM both nights with racing getting underway at 7PM. Contact the promoters at 1.530.743.1327 or email as indicated on the home page at marysvilleracewaypark.com.

Press Release, Golden State Challenge Series
For Immediate Release

Following rain out GSC drivers now ready for Petaluma
By Gary Thomas

Petaluma, CA - April 17, 2007... After suffering the first rain out of the season last Saturday in Watsonville, the battle for the Golden State Challenge King of California Series championship will now shift to the Petaluma Speedway for Round #9 this Saturday. The 3/8 mile clay oval hosted the GSC winged 410 sprinters twice last year and they’ll once again play host to a pair of races for the traveling series in 2007.

Last season the Petaluma Speedway was the site of the season opener for the Golden State Challenge Series, as early season rain forced the cancellation of the first seven races. This year GSC was able to get in its first seven races before the eighth, scheduled for Watsonville’s Ocean Speedway last Saturday, fell victim to a storm front that came in.

In April of 2005, 410 winged sprint car racing made a return to the Petaluma Speedway following a seven year hiatus. The man who won that race is also the driver that sits atop the current Golden State Challenge Series point standings, that being Oroville’s Sean Becker. The driver known as the "Shark" led all 30 laps that night to pick up the win, and later in the season went on to win the Golden State Challenge King of California Series championship. Becker is coming off his first win of the season last Friday at Chico’s Silver Dollar Speedway during point race competition, and will look to carry that momentum into Petaluma as he wheels the potent Fisher-Main Motorsports, Cherry St. Mini Storage No. 35m.

Although Becker hasn’t won a race with GSC this season, his consistency has been outstanding. The 26 year-old driver has finished on the podium in four straight races and has been in the top five in six of the first seven. His lone finish outside of the top five was a sixth place effort and that came during the very first night of the season where he started from the 20th position. Becker, who was married to girlfriend Lisa Wakefield last October, is coming off a season that saw him win five races including the prestigious Dave Bradway Jr. Memorial at Chico’s Silver Dollar Speedway.

Campbell’s Brent Kaeding comes into Petaluma sitting second in points, eight back of Becker for the lead. The 12-time King of California has won the past two Golden State Challenge Series races and has tallied five top five finishes this season. Kaeding drove his Al’s Roofing Supply, Kaeding Performance No. 69 to a win during GSC’s last race a couple weeks back in Antioch, and will look to chop into Becker’s lead this weekend. The father of three has also won a pair of 360 winged sprint car races this season at Watsonville’s Ocean Speedway. BK has gotten hot and is getting back the form that has made him the winningest driver in GSC history.

A driver eager to hit the Petaluma Speedway clay is Chico’s Jonathan Allard. The defending King of California swept both Golden State Challenge Series races at the 3/8 mile oval last season, and this weekend will be running his first GSC race of the year in a Maxim Chassis after he and his Morrie Williams owned team made the switch from J & J last Friday. The 30 year-old dominated the two races at Petaluma last year, which helped propel him to his first GSC championship.

Other drivers expected at Petaluma Speedway this weekend include: San Jose’s Jason Statler, Sacramento’s Willie Croft, Chico’s Brett Miller, Salinas’ Ronnie Day, Grass Valley’s Brad Sweet, Campbell’s Bud Kaeding, Fairmont, Indiana’s Brandon Wimmer, Tracy’s Jason Botsford, Gilroy’s Jon Maiwald, Discovery Bay’s Jim Skinner, Scotts Valley’s Evan Suggs, Chico’s Matt Shelton, Fresno’s Mark Workentine, Penngrove’s Alissa Geving and more.

Gates open at 4:30 pm with tickets costing $16. The Petaluma Speedway is located on the Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds about 40 miles north of San Francisco in Petaluma, CA. The track is nestled in the heart of the wine country surrounded by thousands of acres of grape vineyards, dairy ranches and more. For more info call 707-763-7223 or log onto http://www.petaluma-speedway.com

To get to the track take take Highway 101 to the Washington Blvd exit. Then go West on Washington Blvd to Ellis St. and turn left into the fairgrounds.

For updated point standings, results and more visit http://www.johnpadjenmotorsports.com

The John Padjen Motorsports website is the official home of the Golden State Challenge Series, Silver Dollar Speedway, the California Civil War Series and Placerville Speedway.

Next weekend the Golden State Challenge Series will invade the Tulare Thunderbowl Raceway for the annual Pombo/Sargent Classic.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE...

VICTORVILLE AUTO RACEWAY SEASON OPENER THIS SATURDAY, APRIL 21ST

APRIL 17, 2007 --- LET'S GO RACING!!! This Saturday, April 21st, Victorville Auto Raceway will host it's 2007 Season Opener. The show will feature 360 & 410 Non-Wing Sprint Cars, Super Street Stocks, Street Stocks, Mini Stocks, Sport Compacts Sr, & Sport Compacts Jr.

Gates open at 1 pm and Racing starts at 5 pm.

Victorville Auto Raceway is located at the San Bernardino County Fairgrounds in Victorville, California. The 3/8 mile dirt oval track caters to a wide variety of classes, from Mini Dwarfs to IMCA Modifieds, and everything in between, including New Figure 8 Races.

For more information, visit www.victorville-auto-raceway.com.

Victorville Auto Raceway
San Bernardino County Fair Grounds
14800 Seventh Street
Victorville, CA 92392

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SCRA SPRINTERS TRY AGAIN
By Dan Fleisher

Hanford, CA....After last week’s event cancellation due to wet grounds, SCRA’s 360 wingless Sprint cars return to action at Kings Speedway this Saturday night for their third event of the young season.

Headlining the group of talented drivers are veterans Davey Pombo and Peter Murphy, both of who were multi main event winners last season. Pombo captured five features while Murphy was a two-time victor. They’ll face-off against defending series champion Jonathan Logan, 25-year veteran Richard Harvey Jr. and talented rookies Justyne Hamblin and Myles Bishop.

Others seeking to join the list of main event winners are Daniel Hood, who was victorious at Ocean Speedway in Watsonville last year, Rusty Carlile, who finished second in the 2006 championship, 2006 Bandit Sprint Champion Jeff Fiscus, Dave Knott, who returns to action after couple years on the “bench,” Dean Alexander, last year’s Rookie of the Year Kevin Barnes, and Jesse Mack, who finished second in the first Grand Slam event of 2007, held at Bakersfield Speedway on April 7th.

SCRA will also appear at Kings on Saturdays, April 28 and May 5.

PRESS RELEASE, PLACERVILLE SPEEDWAY, PLACERVILLE, CALIFORNIA
FROM THE OFFICE OF JOHN PADJEN MOTORPORTS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 18, 2007

PLACERVILLE,CA – The 2007 El Dorado County New Car Dealer Association, Hoosier Racing Tires, Coors Light championship racing season will resume this Saturday night at Placerville Speedway. Under the promotion of John Padjen Motorsports, the 2006 National Auto Racing Promoter of the Year, Saturday’s program will be the third championship event of the year and will feature 360 cubic inch sprint cars, pro stocks, pure stocks and wingless sprint cars on the quarter-mile clay oval at the El Dorado County Fairground.

In the Pacific Sprint Division, the early season point standings show Colby Wiesz of Colfax in the lead with a one point advantage over Auburn’s Andy Forsberg. Placerville’s own C.J. Humphreys is the highest rank local driver after his recent feature victory. Humphreys sits third in the standings, six points ahead of Placerville’s James Sweeney, the 2006 Rookie of the Year. Placerville drivers Scott Russell and Jimmy Trulli are fifth and sixth in the ranks.

In the Pro Stock division, Dan Brown Jr. of Nevada City leads the point standings. Already a one-time winner this season, Brown holds a three-point advantage over Auburn’s Wayne Trimble. Two time champion Mike Moran of Rancho Cordova is third sitting ahead of Jeff Arbogast of Auburn, Marek Bernert of Orangevale and local drivers Dennis Armstrong , Forryst Carnett and Dennis Ahart.

This Saturday’s event will mark the first appearance of the 2007 racing season for defending Pro Stock Champion Jon Tilford of Folsom. Last season Tilford won the Pro Stock championship while his brother Tom Tilford won the Pure Stock title and the duo became the first set of brothers to share a championship title here.

“I’m ready to come back, my brother Tom and I will be sharing the wheel during the year but I’ll be driving up until the fourth of July or so,” said Tilford. “I’m kind of nervous, I’ve been in the standings the last couple of weeks and everyone in the Pro Stock division has gotten so fast this year, especially Dan Brown, he is looking really fast. I’m looking forward to being on the other side of the fence again though and hopefully at the end of the night we’ll be parked on the front stretch.”

In the Pure Stock division, Matt Tilford of Folsom is the newest member of the Tilford clan to be at the top of the point standings. Driving the same #92 which his brother Tom drove to the title last year, Matt Tilford is proving the family name has strong blood lines in auto racing as he leads the standings with a four point advantage over Brian Stevens of Pollock Pines. Jason Englund of Citrus Heights is third followed by Terry Scher of Pollock Pines and Joe Olshowka. Former champion Mike McClure of Nevada City is one notch out of the top five in sixth, sitting ahead of his younger sister Michelle McClure.

The three track regulars will be joined on this night by the Joe Hunt Magnetos Wingless Sprint Cars. This divison which competes at Placerville and Silver Dollar Speedways for combined points will make its first appearance of the season here with a very familier face leading the standings.

Former two time winged sprint car champion Billy Wallace of Grass Valley will headline the wingless roster on Saturday night. After many years of success in the winged division, Wallace has commited to racing the wingless circuit in 2007 and already has a pair of victories at Silver Dollar Speedway. The current division point leader will be one to watch as he returns to the high banks of Placerville Speedway, the track he still calls home, aboard his family owned #6w.

Jay Youngman sits second in the wingless division point standings, 10-points behind Wallace. Brandon Davis is third ahead of Matt Streeter, Cody Myers and Justin Funkhouser.

Saturday’s event will feature qualifying that will start at 6:30 p.m. Heat Races for all four divisions will take place as well as the necessary feature events that will lead up to the evening concluding 25-lap Sprint Car feature.

For further information on Saturday’ race, visit www.johnpadjenmotorsports.com, the official website of Placerville Speedway. Additional information can also be obtained by calling the track business office at (916) 969-7484.

Due to a continuous rain and wet grounds, Ventura Raceway has had to cancel this Saturdays events.

Racing will resume on May 5th with VRA Sprint cars, Senior sprints, Dwarf Cars, IMCA Modifieds and kid's classes.

For questions, please contact Ventura Raceway at 805-985-5433.

Tonight's (4/20) Street Legal Drag Racing at Perris Auto Speedway Is CANCELLED Due To Rain. Saturday's PASSCAR Race Is Still ON. Spectator Gates Open at 5:00PM.

Looks as though there is not going to be any racing in So-Cal this weekend. I sure am glad the USAC/CRA took the week off; that would suck if they got rained out.

RADROBINLB