MERCED, Calif. — A highly anticipated showdown on the Merced Speedway high banks is in store for the Elk Grove Ford Sprint Car Challenge Tour presented by Abreu Vineyards this Saturday night.
The Merced bullring happens to be one of the more centrally located tracks in California, which should make for a solid field of cars from throughout the Northern and Central part of our state. The always action-packed quarter mile lies one hour and 45 minutes from Sacramento and just under an hour from Fresno.
“We are excited to host the Sprint Car Challenge Tour at Merced Speedway this Saturday,” commented track general manager Doug Lockwood. “We don’t have that many sprint car shows in Merced, but when we do, it’s always a special time. It should be an outstanding field of competitors this weekend and is your only chance to catch a winged sprint car event here until November, so hopefully everyone can come out and fill these grandstands.”
All cars that competed at the Sprint Car Challenge Tour opener on March 25 will be vying for $3,000-to-win this Saturday in Merced, thanks to the Shop Kyle Larson bonus up for grabs. The 24-car feature, as always, pays a guaranteed $400-to-start.
Aromas’ Justin Sanders snagged victory during the SCCT lid-lifter in Placerville last month. The constantly hard-charging driver earned a runner up finish at Merced Speedway during a Kings of Thunder 360 event this past November.
The opening night win marked the seventh of Sanders’ career with the tour.
The SCCT appearance at Merced Speedway last season was scooped up by Hollister’s Ryan Bernal over eventual tour champion Andy Forsberg of Auburn and Roseville’s Colby Copeland. Both Bernal and Forsberg will be among the entries this Saturday, while San Jose’s Tim Kaeding climbs back aboard the Van Lare No. 5V mount.
Kaeding piloted the car to a fourth-place finish at the Sprint Car Challenge Tour opener in Placerville.
Other drivers looking to punch their ticket into victory lane on Saturday will include Fremont’s Shane Golobic, Lincoln’s Tanner Carrick, Clarksburg’s Justyn Cox, Oakley’s Dylan Bloomfield, Hanford’s Michael and Mitchell Faccinto, Suisun City’s Chance Grasty, Lemoore’s Gauge Garcia, Clovis’ Dominic Gordon, Fresno’s Caeden Steele, Dunnigan’s Luke Hays, Fresno’s Dominic Scelzi, El Cajon’s Braden Chiaramonte and many more.