By GARY THOMAS
Special to the Bulletin
STOCKTON — Fresh off a double header last weekend the Sprint Car Challenge Tour presented by Elk Grove Ford and Abreu Vineyards will now visit the centrally located Stockton Dirt Track this Saturday, July 6, for the annual “Salute to LeRoy Van Conett.”
The event at the San Joaquin County Fairgrounds facility begins the start of four races to go in the Sprint Car Challenge Tour season. After this Saturday the tour will have a few weekends off before resuming action with the inaugural appearance at Merced Speedway on Aug. 3. The race for the championship has tightened up even more heading into the Stockton Dirt Track and it’s expected to be a battle right down to the end.
Adult tickets this Saturday at the Stockton Dirt Track will cost $20, kids 5-12 and military with ID will be $15 and those four and under are free. All seating will be general admission. Online tickets are available at https://noceti-group.ticketleap.com/july-6th-2019/dates/Jul-06-2019_at_0500PM
The Stockton Dirt Track is a lightning fast 4/10-mile clay oval located on the San Joaquin County Fairgrounds in Stockton. The physical address is 1658 S Airport Way, Stockton. For information on the speedway visit www.stocktondirttrack.com
This Saturday night honors retired Galt racer LeRoy Van Conett, who was born in Stockton and would go on to become one of the very best to wheel a Sprint Car in California. Special event shirts will be available under the grandstands and LeRoy will be on hand during the night for autographs.
The driver simply known as the “Dragon from Galt” is the all-time leader in wins at the famed Calistoga Speedway half-mile, with an amazing 31 victories to his credit. He also captured the track title seven-times in his illustrious career.
Van Conett claimed 65 career wins with the Northern Auto Racing Club and eight series titles, both of which rank second to only Campbell’s Brent Kaeding. In 1976 he scored victory at the Gold Cup Race of Champions and in 1999 was bestowed one of the highest honors any driver can receive, by being inducted into the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in Knoxville, Iowa.
Heading into the Salute to LeRoy Van Conett this Saturday Paradise’s Kyle Hirst continues to lead the Sprint Car Challenge Tour standings, but has San Jose’s Tim Kaeding breathing down his neck, as he sits only six-digits back in second. Hirst is attempting to bring home his third consecutive SCCT driving title, but first while piloting the Tiner-Hirst Enterprises No. 94, which debuted this season. The now 31-year-old father of two will be gunning for his first Stockton victory.
Kaeding is the defending winner of the Salute to LeRoy Van Conett and will be looking for another this weekend to try and wrestle the point lead away from Hirst. The always exciting driver is searching to give car owner Joshua Bates his second straight car owner title this year. Hollister’s Tony Gualda, Roseville’s Sean Becker and Tracy’s Kyle Offill complete the top-five in points. Rounding out the top-10 are Fremont’s Shane Golobic, Roseville’s Colby Copeland, Clarksburg’s Justyn Cox, Lemoore’s Cole Macedo and Auburn’s Andy Forsberg.
