The NASCAR K&N Pro Series West returns to Stockton’s 99 Speedway this Saturday for G-Oil 150, one of the biggest events on the 2013 schedule.

With an entry list of 32 cars, the qualifying just to make the 24-car starting grid should be fierce.

Joining the series’ regular drivers — including last year’s Stockton race winner and 2012 season champion Dylan Kwasniewski, age 17 of Las Vegas — will be several special entrants such as Eric Holmes of Escalon and Manteca’s Jacob Gomes.

Gomes along with Tracy’s Ryan Philpott and Atwater’s Carlos Vieira will be carrying sponsorship for the 51 FIFTY Energy Drink as well as Racing for Autism.

Race for Autism is a campaign that raises awareness and money to help families living with autism. Vieira has been behind this campaign since 2007. Since then, Race for Autism has raised over $250,000 to help many families in need.

This weekend’s race will mark the season debut of three-time NASCAR K&N Pro Series West Champion Holmes, who is only racing a limited schedule in 2013 for Bill McAnally Racing. In his three series visits to Stockton, he won the Pole Award once and finished in second place twice.

“I’m really looking forward to racing at Stockton 99,” said Holmes, who will be back in his familiar No. 20 NAPA/Ace Almond Packing Toyota. ”It’s a track I consider a home track and with two second place finishes; I really want to add a victory to my record here.”

The green flag for the G-Oil 150 is set to drop at 8:30 PM and the race will be televised on SPEED May 16 at noon.

 Also racing on this Saturday’s card will be the Modifieds, Basically-4-Cylinders, and Legends of the Pacific. General admission tickets will be $30 for this event.

For more ticket and event information, please visit www.stockton99.com.

The Madera Speedway will also be in action this Saturday with the return of the Vukovich Classic featuring a 50-lap main for the Super Modifieds verses Winged Sprints, along with the  BCRA/USAC Midgets in a 30-lap shootout, the NCMA non-winged sprint cars, Vintage Supers, Vintage Midgets, Vintage Sportsman, and the 18 second bracket race.

The annual event honors one of the iconic families in racing history. Bill Vukovich won the 1953 and 1954 Indianapolis 500 and was killed in a chain-reaction crash while leading on the 57th lap of the 1955 race. Several drivers of his generation have referred to Vukovich as the greatest driver of the era in American motorsport.

Madera qualifying starts at 5 p.m. and the main events begin at 7.



To contact Dale Bosowski, email dalebosowski@yahoo.com.