PLACERVILLE, Calif. — Placerville Speedway will be the destination for the Elk Grove Ford Sprint Car Challenge Tour this Saturday, as the always competitive Winged 360 series opens its campaign.
The annual Spring Fever Frenzy kicks-off a 17-race season for the Sprint Car Challenge Tour. It marks the first of three appearances at the popular El Dorado County Fairgrounds venue, which is located just a short drive from the capital city of Sacramento.
Saturday’s 35-lap feature will award $3,000-to-win and $400-to-start. The tour will again hand out $10,000 to its champion at season’s end.
Last season saw the Elk Grove Ford Sprint Car Challenge Tour have its closest championship battle in series history, with the top-three in points separated by just 11 markers following the Stockton finale.
Justyn Cox ultimately fended off Kaleb Montgomery by four slim points to secure his initial SCCT title. Cox, who piloted the Bates-Hamilton Racing No. 42x, became the fourth driver to claim a Sprint Car Challenge Tour championship, joining Andy Forsberg, Ryan Robinson and Kyle Hirst.
Despite coming up just short, both Montgomery and Dylan Bloomfield made it an ultra-close fight right down to the end. Youngster Chance Grasty locked up the Garth Moore Insurance Rookie of the Year Award and finished fourth in the standings, while Dominic Gorden completed the top five.
Dale Miller Racing also captured their first SCCT owner championship last season in dominating fashion. Aromas wheel-man Justin Sanders piloted the car for much of the year and book ended the campaign by winning the opener in Placerville, along with the finale at Stockton. Sanders has struck gold at the Spring Fever Frenzy each of the last two seasons.
Former Spring Fever Frenzy winners, Forsberg and Tanner Carrick will both be favorites on Saturday. Forsberg has claimed nine career Placerville Speedway titles and earned his 200th career victory at the Tribute to Al Hinds this past season. Carrick was a winner on the red clay in July of last year and has shown the propensity to get around Placerville as well as anybody.
Additional drivers looking to punch their ticket to victory lane at the Spring Fever Frenzy include Shane Golobic, Michael Faccinto, Tony Gomes, Colby Copeland, Sean Becker, Shane Hopkins, Ashton Torgerson and many more.