STOCKTON — Stockton 99 Speedway’s Saturday night season opener was billed as a tribute to Norman David, but it doubled as an appreciation for Tony Noceti, and both moments were equally emotional and heartfelt.

David was a crowd favorite at the track from the 1970s into the 1990s. Son Mike entered the 19-car starting grid for the Pro Late Model main event driving the last car his dad built – 30 years ago.

Noceti, a former driver turned promoter who helped resurrect Stockton 99 in 2009 and continues to keep it humming, was at the track for the opener after being seriously injured in a head-on collision in November.

With some 50 Norman David fans clad in yellow No. 77 T-shirts lining the front stretch, Mike David did a lap in the car holding a checkered flag outside the window.

“It was awesome,” David said. “It was good to see everybody come out, a lot of fans, good car count, it was pretty special.”

As Noceti addressed the crowd, Scott and Sheila Bollengier were introduced as the people who pulled over after the accident and rendered aid to Noceti and his wife, Rowena, until first responders arrived. Rowena was hard at work in a concession stand Saturday night. Noceti sustained several broken bones and has undergone multiple surgeries.

“Thirty-one days I was in the hospital,” Noceti told the large crowd. “I went upstairs, and the Big Boy upstairs pushed a button and sent me back down here, said you’re not done yet. It’s a little tough on me watching everyone doing the work around here. But you, the fans, are the ones that made me happy. I’m blessed to be here tonight. … Thank you again for all your prayers and all your support. I can’t say that enough.”

Reigning track champion Sammy Solari of Escalon – who’s close to the David family – moved by Henk Gaalswyk of Ripon and into the lead on a restart on lap 54 and drove to the checkered flag in the 77-lap main event (Norman David’s car number).

The leader board included five familiar Stockton 99 names as the Pro Late Model feature neared the way halfway point with Manteca’s Bubba Nascimento leading, followed by Solari, Gaalswyk, Justin Philpott of Tracy and David, who had his dad’s old racer rolling until hitting the wall and breaking the rear end on lap 34.

“It hasn’t run in eight years,” David said. “If we would have had time to test and practice, we might have been better.”

Solari (14.366 seconds) and Nascimento (14.393) qualified 1-2 on Stockton 99’s quarter-mile paved oval, but it was Nascimento who maintained the lead over Solari over the first few restarts, including an entertaining side-by-side duel from laps 19-23.

Then on lap 37, Solari and Nascimento came together in Turn 2 on another restart with Nascimento’s car spinning and shooting sparks. Stockton’s JoJo Stearns, Oakdale’s Blaine Rocha and Philpott were also all collected as the rest of the pack barreled into the leaders.

The right side of Solari’s machine was a bent mess, but he stayed on the track to retain the lead.

“I think it made it faster actually,” he quipped, explaining his car was hit by Gaalswyk’s car, sending him sliding, and “that’s when I got into (Nascimento). It wasn’t anything hard, but when you’re running hard, a little bit is a lot.”

Stearns and Nascimento were not as fortunate. Both suffered extensive damage and were out of the race while Philpott and Rocha were able to rejoin the pack after making repairs in the pits.

Solari was never seriously challenged over the remainder of the race, and he beat Gaalswyk to the checkered flag by 1.439 seconds. Hans Beeler of Salida finished third, Philpott fourth and Mike Beeler of Modesto fifth.

Norman David served as crew chief on Solari’s car during his championship Late Model season in 2018 at Stockton 99. Now, it’s Mike David extending a helping hand.

“They don’t quit. (Friday) night, (Mike) takes time after we leave here, he calls me (Saturday) morning and asks, ‘What do you need man?’ And he’s racing,” Solari said. “That shows you how much dedication and the true person he really is because he don’t have time to be working on this car. But he makes time. He’s just that kind of a stand-up man.”

As for racing the family car again this season, David said, “Probably not.”

Solari, however, said he always told Norman David, “I want to drive your racecar. He goes, ‘You’re too fat.’ That’s

been a joke between me and Mike. I’ve been on a diet like big time and I told Mike, ‘30 more pounds, I’m driving that 77 car.’ I believe I’m going to get to drive it.”

Solari expects to be very busy this season. Besides defending his track championship in the Stockton Late Model division, he hopes to run the full schedule in the Pro Late Model class if funding permits.

The NorCal Legends drew a whopping 31 cars and were split into Pro/Master and Semipro/Young Lions categories.

NorCal Legends (Pro/Master): Tanner Reif of Henderson,

Nevada, led wire to wire to capture the 40-lap NorCal Legends Pro/Master main event with Brandon White of Eureka all over his back bumper for the last several laps. Reif’s winning margin was .274 of a second.

Brenden Ruzbarsky of Tracy finished third, Cody Winchell of Sebastopol was fourth and trophy dash winner Taylor Mayhew of Bakersfield rounded out the top five.

If Reif’s name sounds familiar to race fans, it’s because he was in a reality TV show called “RAM Race for the Seat,” in which 15 grassroots drivers competed for a full-time ride in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series with Kaulig Racing. Mini Tyrrell, aged 21 of Manassas, Virginia, captured the seat.

“It’s definitely a TV show, let’s put it out there like that,” Reif said, before giving his winner’s trophy to a young boy in the stands. “I want to thanks all the fans for coming out tonight.”

NorCal Legends (Semipro/Young Lions): Zach Sansom of Linden led wire to wire to win the 35-lap feature by .674 of a second over Sacramento’s Turner Brown with Fort Bragg’s Aidan Daniels finishing third.

Sansom had the quickest car in the second practice session and held onto the lead over Brown coming out of the only caution of the race on lap 14.

“The car was phenomenal, the best it’s ever been out here,” Sansom said.

Winning the trophy dash was 12-year-old Brody Glaze.

Fast Kar Solutions Mini Modified: Freddy Irvin of Modesto was unbeatable. He had the quickest car in both practice sessions, won the heat race and trophy dash, then led from start to finish to capture the 20-lap feature by 2.746 seconds over Mike Brooks Jr.

Solari and Stockton 99 will be right back at it next Saturday, March 28, with the season debut of the Stockton Late Model class plus the Stockton Mini Stock, Pure Stock and Legends of Kearney Bowl divisions. Ticket prices are $20 for ages 16-59 and $15 for seniors $60 and up, juniors 11-15 and military with an ID. A family pass (two adults, two juniors) costs $55. Kids 10 and under are admitted for free. Parking is free at Stockton 99. Gates open at 5 p.m. with racing at 6.