Stockton 99 Speedway
Saturday, April 22, 2006

Stockton 99 Speedway Set To Host Gerhardt
Open-Wheel Extravaganza This Saturday Night
More on this Saturday's Show

Stockton 99 Speedway Media Release – April 18, 2006

Dale Bosowski – Media Relations

With two races in the books, the Western Late Models will get a well earned Saturday off this weekend as the exciting Midgets of the United States Automobile Club (USAC) and Bay Cities Racing Association (BCRA) return to Stockton’s 99 Speedway for the first of two very special appearances in 2006.

The “Gerhardt 100” is named in tribute of racing pioneer Fred Gerhardt, a leading car builder in the 1960’s and 1970’s for driving legends such as Gordon Johncock and Gary Bettenhausen. In his honor, the Midgets will take the green flag for Saturday’s feature lined up in rows of three abreast in the traditional starting formation of the Indianapolis 500.

The powerful Midgets run 166 cubic inch, four cylinder engines that produce upwards of 350 horsepower and are capable of reaching speeds of 130 mph! John Starks of Puyallup, Washington, set the Stockton track record for a Midget in the 2002 race with a blistering qualifying lap of 12.742 seconds. Only Johnny Brazil’s 1985 fast time of 11.899 set in a Super Modified is quicker.

Drivers such as Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon are among some of the current NASCAR luminaries that have cut their teeth in the Midgets and Sprints. Kasey Kahne, one of the new rising stars on the NASCAR Nextel Cup circuit, is the 2000 winner of this event, beating out another young upstart at the time by the name of Ryan Newman.

The “Gerhardt 100” will be one of only four 2006 shows in which the USAC Western series combines its field with the BCRA Midgets. As a result, a huge field of over 30 Midgets is expected to be competing this Saturday, with drivers and teams converging on Stockton from all over the western United States.

“There will be a lot of good drivers here this weekend. You have a nice mix of talented young kids and plenty of veterans,” said Stockton native John Sarale, driver of the Sarale Farms “Asparagus Special” entry and the defending BCRA Midget champion.

Definitely listed in the veteran category is 70-year old Floyd Alvis, a member of the National Modified Hall of Fame in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin. After sitting out last season, Alvis of San Carlos will be making his return to the series as he seeks an unprecedented eighth BCRA driving championship.

Michael Lewis of Noblesville, Ind. is the defending race champion and he leads the USAC point standings after three events on the busy 26 race 2006 schedule. After earning the Sprint title in 2003, Lewis is looking to duplicate the feat of Rick Hendrix and become only the second driver to win championships in both USAC’s Western Sprint and Midget series.

What can the fans expect when the field of 30 plus Midgets takes the green flag on the tight high-banked quarter mile oval?

“This is a really good facility to race at and I hate to see it go. There are a couple of different grooves so you will see some very good racing.  The key is to hit the set up right so you can run hard on the bottom,” explained Sarale. “I think this track kind of hates me though. I have had some bad luck here.”

Joining the Midgets on Saturday will be the USAC Western and California Asphalt Sprintcar Association (CASA) Sprint cars in a 50-lap feature that will serve as the opening race of the season for both series. Defending series champions are Kody Swanson (USAC) of Kingsburg, Calif. and Nick Rescino Jr. (CASA) of San Francisco.

The American Limited Stocks and Pro 4 Trucks, sponsored by Havoline/C.L. Bryant, will complete the big quadruple header of racing on Saturday. 

The gates will open for haulers at 8:00 AM on Saturday April 22, grandstands open at 2:00 PM, qualifying begins at 3:00 PM and the first green flag will wave at 6:00 PM.  

Stockton 99 Speedway Info/Race Line (209) 466-9999.

TIMES AND PRICES FOR 4-22-06

·        0800  AM PITS OPEN FOR HAULERS AND REGISTRATION

·        12:00 – 300 PM PRACTICE

·        2:00 PM GRANDSTANDS OPEN

·        3:00  QUALIFYING

·        6:00  PM NATIONAL ANTHEM

·        6:10 GREEN FLAG FIRST RACE

PRICES

·        ADULTS                           $30.00

·        FAMILY PACK                $69.99  2 ADULTS AND UP TO 4 KIDS 12 AND UNDER

·        JUNIORS                          $20.00  12 – 17 YEARS OLD

·        KIDS                                 $5.00       6 – 12 YEARS OLD

·        KIDS   5 AND UNDER ARE FREE WITH A PAYING ADULT

MASTER CARD AND VISA ARE ALWAYS WELCOMED AT GATE NUMBER 2

The Stockton 99 Speedway is located just off Highway 99 at 4105 North Wilson Way. If you are traveling south on Highway 99 take the Wilson Way exit. If you are heading north on Highway 99 take the Cherokee Road exit, loop over the freeway, turn right onto Newton Road and then turn left on Wilson Way.