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The Record
It's not the Wild West Shootout of last year or the Tri-Track Challenge of years past but more a combination of the two.
Davey Hamilton's SRL Wild West Shootout for the Late Model Sportsman class was announced Monday, a 12-race series with Stockton 99 Speedway, Altamont Raceway Park and Madera Speedway playing host to four events each.
The series begins Saturday in Madera. Stockton 99 will be host to the series on April 7, May 11, Sept. 14 and the finale Sept. 28. Those dates add to Stockton 99's busy schedule, which will include the return of the NASCAR Southwest Series and a Winston West race, tentatively scheduled for Aug. 17.
The Tri-Track Challenge was discontinued after the 2000 season, and the Wild West Shootout last season ran at Altamont and Madera.
''Last year was kind of a building year,'' series director Steve Fensler said. ''This year, the response has been overwhelming.''
Cars that run this season's series will for the most part be Southwest Series legal. There will be $16,000 in awards.
Nathan Tucker of Sonora is the defending champion, and runner-up Ken Boyd of Ceres is expected to compete. David Philpott of Tracy and Ron Strmiska Jr. of Manteca will drive full time, former Altamont champion Jeff Anthony is racing, and 2001 rookie of the year Tim Stratmeyer returns. Seven rookies are registered in the series, and they'll race for a $2,500 award.
Tickets for Saturday's opener are $18 for adults and $9 for children. Racing begins at 6 p.m.
Stockton 99, which is having new lights installed, will have play days March 23 and 30 and a car show March 24 at the 99 Speedway NASCAR Store at 6315 Pacific Ave.
The season schedule for Davey Hamilton's SRL Wild West Shootout for the Late Model Sportsman division:
Date Track
March 16 Madera
April 7 Stockton 99
April 20 Madera
May 11 Stockton 99
June 1 Altamont
June 5 Altamont
July 13 Madera
Aug. 3 Altamont
Aug. 10 Madera
Sept. 14 Stockton 99
Sept. 21 Altamont
Sept. 28 Stockton 99