HANFORD, Calif. – Following an extended layoff, the Sprint Car Challenge Tour presented by Elk Grove Ford and Abreu Vineyards is prepared to get the season back underway at Keller Auto Speedway this Friday night.
The event marks the 36th annual Cotton Classic and one of three remaining series point events.
A season filled with close competition and immense parity finally saw the first repeat winner of the year when Shane Golobic captured the Johnny Key Classic back in August.
The Cotton Classic has been one of the long-standing and prestigious showcases in the Central Valley over the years.
Apart from 2014, it has been held at the Kings County Fairgrounds venue every season since the mid-1980s.
This Friday’s show also includes the Kings of Thunder 410 sprint cars while Saturday’s Morrie Williams Legends Tribute features the King of the West-NARC 410s and KoT 360 sprints.
Ryan Robinson has been consistent, tallying six consecutive top five finishes with the Sprint Car Challenge Tour. Four of those finishes have been on the podium.
The driver of the Weiher Racing No. 14W has built a 46-point lead and will be looking to record his first victory of the SCCT campaign Saturday in Hanford.Â
Colby Copeland has also put together a strong season and heads into Keller Auto Speedway second in the standings. The wheelman of the Van Lare Steering Repair No. 5V has tallied top five finishes in half of the SCCT races, including a runner-up at Hanford in May.Â
Copeland searches for his second triumph of the year on Friday to try and close in on Robinson.
Fellow series winners this year, Justyn Cox and Tanner Carrick, sit third and fourth in the points, respectively.
Cox piloted the C&M Motorsports No. 7C to a victory at Placerville (Calif.) Speedway in June, while Carrick drove his CVC Concrete No. 83T to a win at the season opener in March.
Sean Becker, in his Monhoff Racing Np. 35, rounds out the top five.
Dominic Scelzi, who captured the SCCT event at the track in May, is expected to tackle the three-eighths-mile clay oval on Friday.
Other expected entries include Chase Majdic, Andy Forsberg, Isaiah Vasquez, Kaleb Montgomery, Blake Carrick, DJ Netto, Corey Day, Michael Faccinto, Joey Ancona and Grant Duinkerken.
After Friday, the Sprint Car Challenge Tour points battle wraps up Oct. 16 at Petaluma (Calif.) Speedway and Nov. 6 at Stockton (Calif.) Dirt Track.
A non-point special with the USAC NOS Energy Drink National Midget Series concludes the season Mov. 24 at Merced (Calif.) Speedway.