Forum: Northern California Sprint Car (go)
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$1,000 Wheelie Contest & $500 to start A-main during Golden State Challenge Series Doug Fort Memorial at Santa Maria Speedway July 11

By Gary Thomas

Santa Maria, CA – June 29, 2009…When the Golden State Challenge 410 Sprint Car Series invades the Santa Maria Speedway for the inaugural Doug Fort Memorial on July 11 there will be some special items on tap, including a $1,000 wheelie contest with $500 to the winner, $300 to 2nd and $200 for third, as well as added money to the main event making it $500 to start.

Angello's ATV Rental and Santa Maria Speedway promoter Chris Kearns have stepped up to the plate and have added the special events and extra money to try and gain some excitement for the night. "I really want this race to be an event and I know the fans are definitely looking forward to it because it's been a while since these guys have been down here," Kearns said.

A wheelie contest had been a mainstay during the mid-to-late 90's at the Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico and various others had also been held a handful of times, but it's been a number of years since one has occurred with the Golden State Challenge Sprint Car Series. "The wheelie contest was always a lot of fun and it's pretty cool that we're going to be bringing it back in Santa Maria with a $1,000 total money on the line," said 13-time King of California Brent Kaeding.

In fact Kaeding was also the 1978 Santa Maria Speedway Rookie of the Year and is looking forward to heading back to the 1/3 mile clay oval on July 11. "Santa Maria has always been a real nice track and we invite everybody to come on down and have some fun on July 11," Kaeding commented. "It's the track I won my first sprint car race at and we all really want to put on a good show for the fans and the promoter to have us back in the years to come."

With the extra money to start the main event the hopes are that many of the regulars from the Ocean Speedway in Watsonville will make the tow to Santa Maria for the night of action. "We definitely want all the 360 guys from Ocean to head on down, all the drivers in the Central Valley to come on over and even some of the drivers from up north as well," said "BK", who captured a World of Outlaws main event in 1997 at Santa Maria Speedway. "500 bucks to start the main event is pretty good so hopefully that'll be a nice incentive to help boost the field up for the race."

The inaugural Doug Fort Memorial on July 11 will be the first Golden State Challenge 410 Sprint Car Series event at the Santa Maria Speedway since 2005 and the anticipation is building among the local community. "We're really excited to have GSC return to our track and just can't wait for the night," said Matt Mussell, racing enthusiast and owner of Matt Mussell Designs. "Chris Kearns has done a great job with this place and I think the teams and fans are going to enjoy themselves."

Mussell will be designing a special billet aluminum trophy for the first Doug Fort Memorial and he and his brother Randy will also be putting on a tri-tip bbq for teams during the day. "I think this will probably be the best trophy so far because I'm going all out for this one with how special the night is," Mussell commented. "We invite all the teams to stop by during the day to get a bite to eat and we just love our sprint cars so hopefully this will be a great event. They're doing a great job with the track prep this year so it should be fun."

Doug Fort built the Santa Maria Speedway in 1964 and helped mold it into one of the top dirt tracks in the country as the owner/promoter until his passing in 1999. The 1/3 mile clay oval has been named "Best Short Track Operation West of the Mississippi" on two separate occasions and is nestled in a semi amphitheater of natural terrain, sheltered by dense eucalyptus trees at the top and to the back of the bleacher area. While most other track’s will feature blazing hot weather the Santa Maria area is cool and pleasant making it a great getaway in the summer months.

More information on the Santa Maria Speedway can be found at http://www.chriskearnspresents.com/ and more info on the Golden State Challenge King of California 410 Sprint Car Series can be acquired at http://www.goldenstatechallengeseries.com

www.sprintcarchallengetour.com
www.placervillespeedway.com
www.stocktondirttrack.com
www.thunderbowlraceway.com

Example of a trophy done by Matt Mussell Designs for the USAC/CRA Sanctioned Ron Otto Memorial earlier this year at Santa Maria Speedway.

www.sprintcarchallengetour.com
www.placervillespeedway.com
www.stocktondirttrack.com
www.thunderbowlraceway.com

July 11 Doug Fort Memorial Santa Maria Speedway- Golden State Challenge 410 Sprint Car Series

$1,000 Wheelie Contest:
$500 to win
$300 for second
$200 for third

$500 to start A-main

More Info-

Gates open at 3pm
qualifying at 5pm
Racing at 6pm

Adults $18.00
Senior/Military and spouses $16.00
Kids 6-12 $5.00
5 and under Free
Parking free

www.sprintcarchallengetour.com
www.placervillespeedway.com
www.stocktondirttrack.com
www.thunderbowlraceway.com

Hey Gary , do you think " HOLLYWOOD DAN " will be there ? We love watching him race. He could be very exciting in the WHEELIE CONTEST !!!

We hope he comes but I'm 100% sure how his non wing schedule goes. He did a good job last weekend in Tulare until the tire went.

www.sprintcarchallengetour.com
www.placervillespeedway.com
www.stocktondirttrack.com
www.thunderbowlraceway.com

Other business' helping out are:

Fanny Wrappers owned by Doug Fort's daughter Terry, Harbor Automotive owned by Doug's son Mike and MMI Services.

Also to access the Santa Maria website simply visit www.racesantamariaspeedway.com

www.sprintcarchallengetour.com
www.placervillespeedway.com
www.stocktondirttrack.com
www.thunderbowlraceway.com

After years of passing by the track on my way to Southern California I am finally going to Santa Maria for the 1st time and soo darn excited about it! I know it is really far away but who else is planning on going? I am also curious about how many 410/360 teams will be going. We are making a weekend out of it because we really need a vacation!

Looking forward to the new Golden State King of the 
West series schedule! 

Winged sprintcars = the fastest and most exciting 
racecars on dirt! 

Gary.

The old promoter is still holding the old website hostage.

The new promoter is Chris Kearns.

If the website doesn't look right, please check if you are at the right site.

http://www.racesantamariaspeedway.com/

Chris is doing everything he and his crew can do to make SMS the best track in the west again.

Those that go, they are in for a fast track. Have a great night of racing.

Kenny

Cover your beer, the race is on!

when are they going to run the wheelie event? I hope after the main. Allard blew a motor at Skagit doing the qualify competition and didnt get to run the scramble. I hope it is after the main. plus it might keep the crowd there to see the wheelie contest. Hope it a great show!

If you've never to Santa Maria Speedway before you are in for a treat! The place looks the best it has in years. Doug Fort meant a lot to us locals and its only fitting there is finally a race in his honor that is put on by a promoter who really loves the speedway.

"Winged or non-winged its all about 
the sprint cars for me!"
http://mattmusselldesigns.daportfolio.com

Thats good to hear Danny Faria will be there always enjoy a local farmer boy hanging out there with all them boys that race all the time can't wait to get down there and watch some dang good racing!!!