New division brings affordability and versatility to midget racing in Northern California
[i By Bill Sullivan, Handy Racing Promotions Media Relations]
[b CHICO, CA] – A brand new division will take to the track this Friday night at Silver Dollar Speedway. The new American Sprint Car Series (ASCS) Midgets of the Northern California are calling Silver Dollar Speedway home this year with their first season event here this Friday night during the opening night of the Feather Falls Casino-Hoosier Tires-Pepsi-Riebes Auto Parts championship racing season.
"We have a lot of interest in our Silver Dollar Speedway schedule this year," said Rick Young, director of the local ASCS series and formerly of the Capital City Midgets group. "We expect this newly formed partnership with Handy Racing Promotions to lead to big things by the end of 2010"
Friday night marks the first of eight visits the ASCS Midgets will make to the Silver Dollar quarter-mile and one of 27 events throughout the year available to the tour with their combined schedule with the Bay Cities Racing Association. The division will share the spotlight with the winged 410 sprint cars and Joe Hunt Magnetos Wingless Sprint Car tour.
The ASCS Midgets have already had quite a debut in 2010, starting with the Tulsa Shootout as well as the launch of a new raceway in Tulsa, Oklahoma that is dedicated to the class. The upcoming western schedule is one of the most active midget racing schedules in the nation according to Young.
The ASCS Midgets are designed to one day become to midget racing what the 360 car has become to sprint car racing. While it may not be the fastest class of midget racing, the division provides 90 percent of the performance at nearly 50 percent of the cost to the competitor with most teams utilizing the new Chevrolet EcoTec racing engine developed by Revolution Racing Engines.
In each event where they compete, the ASCS group will earn $300 to $500 per victory. Young and RAM Racing is also sponsoring the eight race Silver Dollar Series, contributing an additional $500 to each event.
"We expect the cost control nature of this class coupled with the regular races at the famed Silver Dollar Speedway to provide a foundation to build the ASCS Midget Division in Northern California," added Young. "There are many outlaw kart and micro drivers in the area that now have an affordable alternative to sprint car racing and the best track in California to race at."
Topping the list of drivers that are expected to compete in the Silver Dollar Series include Chico's own Dillon Silverman who is also currently among the top three drivers in the Bay Cities Racing Association point standings.
Silverman will be joined by Young, who resides in Shingle Springs and plans to compete as well as promote the series. Veteran driver JR Williams of Carson City is a likely entry along with Lonny Alton of Cameron Park, Chico's own Ryan Kaplan, Dan Jones of Lodi, Sammy VandenBurg of Medford, Bill Lyon of Lakeport, Tom Doherty of Elk Grove, Anderson's Rick Faeth, Vinney Marcella of Orland and more.
The ASCS Midgets will join the fire breathing 410 sprint car division Friday night and the brand new exciting Joe Hunt Magnetos Wingless Sprint Car Shootout which is competing in its second of 12 races at three different tracks Friday night. Look for stellar car counts in both divisions for an excellent opener to the long awaited season in the North State.
On Friday night the gates to Silver Dollar Speedway will open at 6 p.m. with racing beginning at 7 p.m. Adult tickets will be $12.00, juniors and seniors $10.00 and Children will be $5. For complete information on all of the racing action on Friday night visit the track's official website at www.silverdollarspeedway.com
- Bill Sullivan on Apr 20, 2010
- Article Date: 4/20/2010