Davey Hamilton's SRL Late Model Stock Car "Wild West Shootout 100" is one of the marquee events set for the season-opening Havoline Cavalcade of Motor Sports at the Stockton "99" Speedway on Sunday, March 30.

Joining the USAC/BCRA Midget Nationals, Western Late Models and Pure Stocks, the "tour style" machines of the SRL are purebred racing stock cars and are piloted by Northern and Central California's premier stock car drivers vying for their portion of the day's $38,000-plus purse.

Among the top SRL drivers in the four-division cavalcade are defending tour champion Jeff Anthony of Livermore aboard a Chevrolet Monte Carlo and the 2001 champion Nathan Tucker of Jamestown. Popular Tracy speedster David Philpott and Stockton's Ron Strmiska Jr. are entered, as are Jeff Belletto of Modesto and Rick Ruzbarsky of Livermore. Challenging the mostly Chevrolet field will be Ford entrant Chad Pais of Sonora and Michael Carver of Diamond Springs in a Pontiac.

The SRL tour cars will go the 100-lap distance on the high banked quarter-mile paved oval in the Sunday afternoon program.

Leading the way in the Western Late Model portion of the event will be the Stockton "99" Speedway's Winn ingest driver, Harry Belletto of Modesto, who has scourged the famed oval for more than 30-years with more than 70 feature wins. Among the full field of entries are Stockton's Danny Contessotto, Dave Byrd of San Jose, Verg Beaty of Ceres and Modesto's Kevin Gottula, all well prepared veterans of the Stockton speed plant. The Western Late Models will charge over the 40-lap route following their preliminary races..

The 25-lap Pure Stock main event, set to run last in the major program, will also run a trophy dash, heat races and a semi-main event.

Among the latest entries for the big Midget National is perhaps the most recognized midget racing team in the nation. Steve Lewis has entered three of his potent Performance Racing Industry Beasts, powered by Ed Pink Ford engines. Two of his cars will be driven by J.J. Yeley of Phoenix and Bobby East of Indianapolis. The third car is entered without a named driver, but it can be assured that one of the nation's top midget chauffeurs will be at the helm in the USAC/BCRA co-sanctioned national event.

Practice begins at 11 a.m. at which time the grandstands will open to the public. Qualifying is set for 12-noon with the first Havoline Cavalcade of Motor Sports race taking the green flag at 2:30 p.m.

The Stockton "99" Speedway is located on Wilson Way, just West of Highway 99. From the North take the Wilson Way off ramp. From the South take Cherokee, head west over Highway 99, turn right at the stop sign on Newton and then left on Wilson.

For information call (209) 466-9999 or visit the track website at: stockton99speedway.com.

#####