|
Walker, Allard and Kaeding separated by just 6 points with Golden State Challenge Sprint Car Series heading to Antioch Saturday
By Gary Thomas
Antioch, CA – July 15, 2009…With just six events remaining in the 2009 season the fight for the King of California title has become even tighter after this past weekends action as just six points now separate the top three in the Golden State Challenge Series standings going into the Antioch Speedway this Saturday night.
Since bringing 410 sprint car racing back to the Antioch Speedway in July of 2003 the Golden State Challenge Series has competed in 11 nights of racing at the track since, with the action being very exciting and unpredictable over the past few years. In the off-season however, the track was slightly lengthened and banked and this weekend's event will be just the second time that GSC will compete on the newly revamped surface.
Re-claiming the top spot in the Golden State Challenge standings after his sixth win of the season last Saturday is Los Angeles, CA's Tyler Walker, who captured the first series visit to the Antioch Speedway back in April. The victory in Santa Maria last weekend marked his 11th career GSC win and he'll bring the SC Motorsports, NMI Industrial Contractors No. 24 into the Antioch Speedway this weekend holding a two point lead in the standings.
"T-dub" has been strong in Antioch since joining the Scott & Kathy Chastain owned 24 team, having won his very first career GSC feature at the track in April of last season and also finishing third during the July event at the bullring last year. Walker is also just two victories away from tying the single season win mark with the traveling 410 winged sprint car tour, which was set by Tim Kaeding in 2004.
Now sitting second in points and looking to close the two point gap between himself and Walker going into the Antioch Speedway on Saturday is Chico's Jonathan Allard. The two-time & defending King of California took over the GSC point lead on Memorial Day weekend and used a number of consistent runs to stay atop the standings, until a seventh place effort last Saturday dropped him back to the number two position.
The driver of the Williams Motorsports, Red Line Oil No. 0 led the first 26 laps in the main event during the GSC visit to Antioch in April, until Walker was able to take advantage of traffic late in the going and make the pass for the win. Allard will be looking for his second victory of the GSC season this weekend and is still searching for his first 410 win at the Antioch Speedway.
Lurking back in third place in the Golden State Challenge standings is 13-time King of California Brent Kaeding, who always runs strong at the Antioch Speedway. "BK" has claimed three wins at the Contra Costa County Fairgrounds facility since the return in 2003 and he always seems to be a factor in the outcome whenever the series competes at the track.
The Campbell veteran sits only six points out of the lead and will be looking for a strong run to move back atop the standings. Kaeding has driven his driven his Al's Roofing Supply, High Five Pizza No. 69 sprinter to three wins with GSC this year and his 12 top-five finishes is tied with Allard for the most this season. Last season saw him finish runner-up in both Antioch appearances and he also scored a fourth place effort this past April at the track.
Coming into Antioch following a career best night with the Golden State Challenge Series last weekend is Scotts Valley's Evan Suggs, who currently sits fourth in the standings. The 22 year-old set fast-time, won the dash and picked up a second place finish in the main event last Saturday in Santa Maria aboard his Suggs Racing, Riley Collins Body Shop No. 33e. The result in the feature marked his first ever GSC podium and should give him some momentum heading into the Antioch Speedway this weekend, a track he finished fourth at in April of last season. Suggs is also tied for the point lead in the weekly GLR 360 point standings at the Ocean Speedway in Watsonville, where he'll be in action on Friday night.
Rounding out the top five in points is GSC rookie driver Kyle Larson of Elk Grove, who will be looking to rebound following a further back finish than what he wanted last weekend in Santa Maria. The driver of the Vertullo Racing, Starr Property Management No. 83v made his first career Antioch Speedway start in April and put on a strong charge from 16th to seventh in the main event. The 16 year-old has picked up one GSC victory on the season so far and will be looking to make it number two this weekend.
Fellow Golden State Challenge Series Rookie of the Year contender Brandon Carey comes into the Antioch Speedway just 14 digits behind Larson for the fifth spot in the standings. The Ripon driver has scored career best fourth place finishes in two of the past three main events with the series and has been impressive in recent weeks at the helm of his Carey Racing, Vernon Transportation Company No. 55. The youngster finished eighth in the feature during July of last season at Antioch to mark his best ever finish at the track.
Former King of California Jason Statler of Grass Valley will return to GSC competition at the Antioch Speedway this weekend. "The Big Guy" has had very strong performance out of his DF Rios Construction, YAK Graphics No. 00 this season and is coming off a fifth place finish during his most recent Golden State Challenge Series appearance over the Fourth of July weekend. Statler was also the winner of the first main event back at Antioch in July of 2003 and will be looking for his first win of the season with GSC this weekend.
Other possibilities this Saturday night at the Antioch Speedway will include Placerville's Andy Gregg, Fremont's Shane Golobic and Brent Bjork, Calistoga's Mike Benson, Fresno's Mike Stallings and Anthony Simone, Morgan Hill's Ricky Wright Jr. and more.
The front gate will open at 5pm this Saturday night with qualifying scheduled for 7. Adult tickets will be $16 while kids 6-12 and seniors will be $10. An early arrival to the track is recommended as all seating is general admission and the Antioch grandstand tends to fill to capacity when the Golden State Challenge Series is in town. The Antioch Speedway is located at the Contra Costa County Fairgrounds on the corner of 10th & L Streets in Antioch. For more info on the track log onto http://www.antiochspeedway.com
Up next- Next weekend will find the Golden State Challenge Series in action during a Friday-Saturday double-header at the Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico. Saturday's event will mark the 26th annual Tribute to Gary Patterson and it is expected that the famed Walt Ross No. 56 sprinter will be on hand during the night. Commemorative event t-shirts will also be on sale at the Tribute to GP. More info on Gary Patterson can be found at http://www.garypattersonracing.com/
More news and info on the Golden State Challenge King of California Series can be found at http://www.goldenstatechallengeseries.com
---------------------------
Los Angeles driver Tyler Walker will come into the Antioch Speedway on Saturday holding a two point lead in the GSC standings over Chico's Jonathan Allard and a six advantage over Campbell's Brent Kaeding. In April Walker picked up victory in Antioch aboard his SC Motorsports No. 24 after having an entertaining late race duel with Allard. Photo by http://www.stevesracingphotos.com
www.sprintcarchallengetour.com
www.placervillespeedway.com
www.stocktondirttrack.com
www.thunderbowlraceway.com
|
