Next Saturday is Hawaiian Shirt Night at Stockton, with the first 200 fans receiving leis. The evening also features a hot rod show and Round "8½" of the Western Late Model Hot Wood 1000, a make-up 100-lapper from the one that was shortened before last week's Grand National West race.

Championship Battles Rage On at Stockton 99 Speedway This Saturday Night

It will be “Dodge Dealers Night” as Stockton’s 99 Speedway returns to action this Saturday night, August 19, with a big NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Program featuring the Havoline Western Late Models in a 100-lap feature, plus the Grand American Modifieds, American Limited Stock Cars and Pro-4 Trucks by C.L. Bryant.

Manteca’s Guy Guibor is still setting the pace in the Western Late Model, but defending track champion Pete Anderson Jr. and Ron Strmiska Jr., both of Stockton, continue to slowly reel him in. With just four races remaining on the schedule, including the “double points” finale on September 16, the battle for the final track championship in the 60-year history of the 99 Speedway looks like it will go right down to the wire.

Last Saturday, Anderson, #5, and Strmiska, #90, went one-two in the Western Late Model main for the second straight week while former two-time track champion #50, David Philpott of Tracy ‘stirred the echoes’ by posting his strongest finish of the season with a third place showing.

“We had fun tonight and that was the best car I have had all year. I wish it had been a 100 lapper because the car was getting better,” said Philpott, who posted a win earlier this year at Altamont Motorsports Park. “The competition is so close together out here and everybody running up front is fast. I am going to pull one out before the end of the year though. We’ll get one.”

With his seventh place finish, Guibor, #61, saw his lead in the current 2006 season point standings shrink to just 18 points (722-704) over Strmiska and 30 points over the hard charging Anderson (792). NASCAR diversity driver, Pete Hernandez of Chicago/Sacramento, sits in fourth with 745 points.

While Anderson sits third in the regular track points, he has assumed the lead in the special “HOTWOOD 1000” competition, in which only the best 16 finishes out of a possible 20 starts count for each car. The latest HOTWOOD standings show Anderson holding a slim nine-point (677-668) margin over Guibor and a 19-point edge on Strmiska (658). Several other drivers, including Chowchilla’s Eric Humphries, Mark Holeman of Los Altos and Hernandez, also remain in serious contention for the HOTWOOD crown.

The HOTWOOD competition is about to become even more interesting now that 16 races now officially in the record books this season. Expect the HOTWOOD standings change dramatically over the final weeks as some drivers, who did not race the complete schedule, get full credit for their upcoming results, while others drivers, who have run the full schedule, begin to drop their worst finishes.

Third generation driver Ross Strmiska, of Stockton, is expected to make his Western Late Model debut this Saturday. Ross is the son of Ron Stmiska Jr. and grandson of Ron “the Manteca Missile” Strmiska Sr., the former two-time Late Model track champion.

The Grand American Modified (GAM) division returns to the 99 Speedway following a three week absence for a big 50-lap feature in which Ripon’s Mike Regelman will try to extend his two race winning streak. The GAM standings show Jay Linstroth, of Citrus Heights, holding a 28-point (456-428) advantage over defending champion Jason Philpot of Sacramento while Galt’s Jason Kerby sits only 12 points behind Philpot with 416.

The only driver that appears capable of standing between hometown hot shoe Chad “the Iceman” Holeman and the 2006 American Limited Stock Car (ALSC) championship is #28, Darrell Hughes of Escalon. Last week Hughes inched closer to Holeman by picking up his second win of the season and his career over determined veteran Pete Anderson Sr., of Stockton, in a wild and exciting 30-lap feature that had the crowd standing and cheering the entire distance.

“This second win actually feels better than the first one,” said an elated Hughes, who now trails Holeman by an 859 to 797 deficit in the ALSC point standings. “The first one was more emotional, but to beat Pete Anderson Sr. like that is really something special.”

Lathrop’s Mark Henslee continues his quest for the Pro-4 Truck championship as he goes for his seventh victory of the season this Saturday. Henslee holds a dominating 769 to 677 point lead over Ron Robeck of Milpitas in the current standings.

In addition to all of the great racing action, it will be “Beach Party Night” at the speedway this Saturday with festivities that will include 1950’s style singers and dancers plus a parade of 20 vintage hot rods. Fans are encouraged to wear their best Hawaiian shirts and skirts to the beach party and the first 200 fans thru the gates will receive leis.

Also the first 1,000 adult paying fans in attendance will have an opportunity to win free concert tickets to the beautiful Ironstone Amphitheatre in Murphys, courtesy of Ironstone Vineyards and HOTWOOD, for shows starring Heart/Kansas on September 10th, Bonnie Raitt/Keb Mo on September 15th and Train on October 7th.

Only four events remain on the 2006 schedule so come out and join in on all the fun this Saturday night, August 19, as the Stockton 99 Speedway - the “Little Bristol of the West” - continues with its season long celebration of 60 years of thunder and excitement.

This Saturday the pit gates will open for registration at 1:00 PM, practice will run from 2:30 PM to 4:30 PM, the grandstands open at 3:00 PM, qualifying begins at 4:30 PM and the first green flag for racing will fly at approximately 6:10 PM.

Ticket prices this Saturday are only $15.00 for adults, $12.00 for seniors 65 years of age or older, $10.00 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 ticket is also available for the bargain price of $39.99. VISA and MasterCard are welcome at Gate 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.

For the latest Stockton 99 Speedway racing information call the 99 Race Line at (209) 466-9999 or visit the track website at www.stockton99speedway.com.

TIMES AND PRICES FOR 8-19-06

“DODGE DEALERS NIGHT”

ROUND 8 ½ OF THE HOTWOOD 1000 BY JM ENVIRONMENTAL/

HAVOLINE WESTERN LATE MODEL 100, MODIFIEDS 50, ALSC & TRUCKS

·         

·        1:00  PITS OPEN FOR HAULERS AND REGISTRATION

·        2:30 – 4:30 PRACTICE

·        3:00  PM GRANDSTANDS OPEN

·        4:30  QUALIFYING

·        6:10 GREEN FLAG FIRST RACE

PRICES

·         ADUILTS----$15.00

·         FAMILY-----$39.99  2 ADULTS AND UP TO 4 KIDS 12 AND UNDER

·         SENIORS ----$12.00  (65+)

·         JUNIORS----$10.00  (13-17)

·         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