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Photo by http://www.johnsracingphotos.com
Walt Ross Memorial on tap for Golden State Challenge Series in Calistoga Sunday night
By Gary Thomas
Calistoga, CA – May 21, 2009…On Sunday night the Golden State Challenge Sprint Car Series will compete at the Calistoga Speedway in the Walt Ross Memorial, a night paying respect to the former Northern Auto Racing Club President and long time car owner. The series will also be in action at Calistoga on Saturday night to kick off the Memorial Day weekend.
Ross's famous No. 56 graced victory lane at the Calistoga Speedway on 11 occasions and was one of the most recognizable sprint cars of its era. His car was driven by some of the biggest names in Northern California sprint racing including Gary Patterson, Dave Bradway Jr., Leroy Van Connett, Mike Andreetta, Rendy Boldrini and others.
As president of NARC Ross was crucial in moving the club forward following the retirement of Louis Vermeil in the mid-1980's. He was also named one of the 40 most influential people in Northern Auto Racing Club history. Ross passed away in 1987 from A.L.S. and a race recognizing him has become a tradition on Memorial Day weekend. Former Calistoga Speedway & Napa County Fair manager Mike Kenney said of Ross in a past racing program: "As a former president of NARC, Ross brought the racing club into era of sponsorship, but most of all Walter T. Ross was best known for his heart. He cared about people, sprint car racing and his friends and family."
Los Angeles, CA's Tyler Walker and Chico's Jonathan Allard will lead the Golden State Challenge Series into the Calistoga Speedway this weekend separated by just nine points at the top of the standings. Walker has driven his SC Motorsports No. 24 to four wins this year, including last Saturday's Faria Memorial in Tulare, while Allard has captured one victory, with that coming at the Dave Bradway Jr. Memorial in Chico at the helm of his Williams Motorsports No. 0.
Challenging the duo will be San Jose's Tim Kaeding, a two-time winner of the Salute to Walt Ross, who returned home last weekend following a few weeks of racing with the World of Outlaws. Kaeding drove his Roth Motorsports No. 83 to an Outlaw victory on April 24 in West Memphis, Arkansas. His father Brent Kaeding was victorious at the '05 Ross Memorial and comes into the weekend third in points and will look to breakthrough for his 22nd career Calistoga win this weekend. Other drivers looking to put their names up front this Saturday and Sunday will include Elk Grove's Kyle Larson & Bobby McMahan, Grass Valley's Jason Statler, Scotts Valley's Evan Suggs, Loomis' Kyle Hirst, Campbell's Bud Kaeding & more.
All seating will be general admission on Saturday & Sunday with tickets going on sale at 4 pm on race day. Adult tickets cost $20 and kids 4-10 will be $10. Children under four will be free. For more info on the event contact 707-942-5111 or log onto http://www.napacountyfairgrounds.com/about_us.htm and http://www.goldenstatechallengeseries.com
The Calistoga Speedway is located on the beautiful Napa County Fairgrounds in Calistoga, California and is located at 1435 North Oak Street.
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Former winners of Salute to Walter T Ross:
1991- Darrell Hanestad
1992- Kyle Schild & Mark Zieske (Twin 20's)
1993- Steve Kent
1994- Darrell Hanestad
1995- Paul Mcmahan
1996- Ronnie Day
1997- Bobby Mcmahan
1998- Ronnie Day
1999- Ronnie Day
2000- Steve Kent
2001- Jim Skinner
2002- Sammy Swindell
2003- Tim Kaeding
2004- Tim Kaeding
2005- Brent Kaeding
2006- Steve Kent
2007- Jason Statler
www.sprintcarchallengetour.com
www.placervillespeedway.com
www.stocktondirttrack.com
www.thunderbowlraceway.com
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This message was edited on
May 22, 2009 at
01:39:53 PM by Gary Thomas
The track crew was out prepping the track yesterday. Got it bladed and put down some loads of water so they're definitley putting the effort in. I can't remember the last time I was there on a Memorial Day weekend and saw track prep going on during a Thursday. Looking forward to tommorow and hopefully we'll get a good track to run on.
p.s. Whenever Carwash Mike doesn't go to a race we usually see some of the best action of the year so expect good stuff this weekend. haha 
Gonna miss ya this weekend Wash!
www.sprintcarchallengetour.com
www.placervillespeedway.com
www.stocktondirttrack.com
www.thunderbowlraceway.com
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