2005 Ticket Prices

Father uses holiday races to salute son

SCOTT LINESBURGH
Published Friday, Jul 1, 2005

Stockton 99
Speedway
• When: 6 p.m. Saturday
• Featured events: Tri Holiday Classic, SRL Wild West Shootout, fireworks.
• Individual ticket prices: Adults $25, Seniors (65-over) $20, Juniors (13-17) $15, children (6-12) $5; children under 6 are free.
• Family package: $59.99 (two adults, four children 12-under)
• Information: 466-9999

STOCKTON -- John Moore could have picked any race of the season to honor his late son, J.D. Moore. But there are many reasons why he chose the annual Fourth of July show on Saturday at Stockton 99 Speedway.

J.D. loved racing, and it's the most festive night of the season, with the NASCAR Tri-Holiday Classic and SRL Wild West Shootout providing 200 laps of stock car racing. And it would have been J.D.'s first race at Stockton 99.

John Dexter Moore of Granite Bay was killed at age 15 in a crash during a practice session at Stockton 99 on Oct. 16, 2004. Saturday's "Salute to the Memory of J.D. Moore" will feature the release of 1,000 red, white and blue balloons while his father drives around the track with the checkered flag in honor of his son.

"It will be a very emotional day for my family, and we feel this is a fitting way to honor him," John Moore said. "Track promoter Ken Clapp told me I could have picked any night of the year to honor J.D., which I truly appreciated. I knew this was the right one."

J.D. Moore would have turned 16 on June 20 and would have been eligible to race.

"He would have been in a Western Late Model car in this race, that was the plan," Moore said. "I really feel my son's spirit will be there, and this might be my last chance to honor him in front of a crowd."

Tri-Holiday Classic

Moore will be racing in both the Western Late Model race and the SRL event. The Tri-Holiday Classic race also counts in the red-hot Western Late Model points race, in which the top four drivers are 32 points apart. Pete Anderson Jr. of Stockton leads with 433, and he is followed by Moore 419, Allison Duncan, #20, (right), of San Rafael 419 and Chris Monez of Turlock 401.

The biggest challenge the field faces is #5, Anderson's strength in the 100-lap races. He has won the two Western Late model 100 lappers this season.

"I can't explain it, but I do really like the longer races," Anderson said. "I'm comfortable with them. We've done well."

Monez, #11, also is look for another top-five finish. He finished 22nd in the opening-day race on April 3 but has worked his way back into title contention.

"I think everybody has the feeling that you really do have to stay in the top three or five in the main event the rest of the season to have a chance to win it," Monez said. "I don't think anybody can make many mistakes."

Wild West Shootout
Can anyone stop Jason Fensler?

Fensler won the last SRL event at Altamont Raceway and Arena on June 18 and has won five of six races this season. Halfway through the 12-race series, the driver from Wilton has opened a comfortable lead in the points standings.

Fensler has a lead of 49 points, 293-244, over Troy Ermish. They are followed by Mark Smith 229, Joey Zampa 228 and Ken Boyd 225.

Besides John Moore, two other drivers are scheduled to run both the Tri-Holiday and Wild West races -- Dave Byrd and Joey Stearns of Stockton.

Racing is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m., and the American Limited Stock Car and Pro-4 Truck divisions also will compete. There will be a fireworks display during the show.

Contact reporter Scott Linesburgh at 209 546-8281 or slinesbu@recordnet.com