The final chapter in the renowned history of United States Auto Club (USAC) open-wheel racing at the Stockton 99 Speedway will be written this Saturday July 8 when the best Sprint and Midget drivers and teams from across the Western United States return to Stockton to challenge the high-banked, quarter mile paved oval for the final time ever.

This Saturday’s 50-lap Sprint Car feature will be co-sanctioned by USAC and the California Asphalt Sprintcar Association (CASA) while USAC and the Bay Cities Racing Association (BCRA) will team up to co-sanction the 30-lap Midget event. USAC has sanctioned events since 1959 at the 99 Speedway, which is scheduled to close following the 2006 season.

Tony Hunt, a third generation racer and four-time USAC champion from Fair Oaks, leads in both the USAC and CASA Sprint Car 2006 season point standings. He will be challenged this Saturday by defending CASA champion Kody Swanson of Kingsburg and Nick Rescino Jr., the two-time reigning CASA champion from San Francisco.

Hunt, after starting from the 11^th position in a stellar 24-car field, completed a daring wheel touching pass on Antioch’s Matt DeMartini with just four laps remaining to earn an exciting victory in the 50-lap Sprint car feature in Stockton on April 22. It was a special win for Hunt who had sustained a broken tailbone in a horrific accident at the 99 Speedway in 2005 when his throttle stuck causing him to crash hard into the turn one wall.

“This track has a real sentimental value to me now. It is great to be back in victory lane after experiencing near death here,” said Hunt following the April race.

Defending USAC champion and current point leader Jerome Rodela of El Monte will be among the favorites in the 30-lap Midget feature. He will be challenged by hometown driver John Sarale, the defending 2005 BCRA champion, seven-time BCRA champion Floyd Alvis, age 70, of San Carlos and current BCRA point leader Travis Berryhill of American Canyon.

The powerful Midgets and Sprints have become a breeding ground for several of the current stars in the NASCAR Nextel Cup series such as defending Cup champion Tony Stewart and four-time champion Jeff Gordon. Young guns Kasey Kahne, J. J. Yeley and Ryan Newman have all raced at the 99 Speedway in past open-wheel events.

A purse of approximately $19,000 in total will be up for grabs this Saturday for a full field of Sprints and Midgets.

The NASCAR Dodge Weekly Racing Series Havoline Western Late Models, American Limited Stock Cars (ALCS) and Pro 4 Trucks, presented by C.L. Bryant, will complete the big five-division show this Saturday.

The battle for the 2006 track championship for the Havoline Western Late Models continues to look as though it will not be decided until the final race of the season. Last Saturday, Ron Strmiska Jr. of Stockton charged to his second victory of the season by holding off 20-year-old rookie Mark Holeman of Los Altos and the rest of the strong 22-car field in the HOTWOOD 1000 Series 100-lap feature.

Defending champion Pete Anderson Jr. of Stockton finished in seventh last Saturday, which was good enough to retain his narrow lead in the season standings by 18 points (490-472) over Manteca’s Guy Guibor. Strmiska moved into third on the strength of his win and now trails the leader by just 23 points. Chowchilla’s Eric Humphries (458) and NASCAR diversity driver Pete Hernandez of Chicago, Illinois (447) round out the top five.

Like their open-wheel counterparts, the Western Late Models will be competing for a considerable purse. With an entry of 25 or more cars all 50-lap races will pay approximately $10,000 for the night with $2,000 going to the winner alone.

The Chad “the Iceman” Holman of Stockton holds a 28 point (534-506) advantage over Matt Erickson of Ceres in the always changing ALCS standings and Lathrop’s Mark Henslee has a 20 point (484-464) lead on Ron Robeck of Milpitas in the Pro 4 Trucks.

The gates will open for haulers and registration at 9:00 AM this Saturday, practice will run from 12:30-3:10 PM, the grandstands open at 3:00 PM, qualifying begins at 3:30 PM and the first green flag will wave at 6:00 PM.

Ticket prices the Saturday July 8 program are $30.00 for adults, $25,00 for seniors 65 years of age and older, $15.00 for juniors age 13-17, $5.00 for kids age 6-12 and kids 5 and under are free when accompanied by an adult. A family pack ticket (2 adults & up to 4 kids 12 and under) is also available for the bargain price of $69.99. VISA and MasterCard are accepted at Gate 2.