NORCAL Nationals and SRL titles to be decided
Tracy, Calif., October 11, 2007 - A huge 2007 for Northern California Late Model
racing will come to a close this weekend, as the Western Late Models and SRL
Late Models highlight the inaugural NORCAL Nationals Big Dog Open at Altamont
Motorsports Park in Tracy, CA.
American Limited Stockcars and Grand American Modifieds will also be in action.
The Big Dog Open, presented by Hoosier Tires, will encompass three days, with
open practice kicking off Friday night. Practice and qualifying is slated for
Saturday, as well as the Mid-Valley Iron & Metal 100 to close the 2007 SRL Wild
West Shootout. Sunday will see feature action for the Late Models, ALSC, and
Modifieds.
The Western Late Model 125 lap feature on Sunday will pay $4000 to win, the ALSC
75 lap event on the quarter-mile track will be 75 laps and $1500. Modifieds will
go 50 laps on the half-mile for a whopping $2500 to win.
Some of the top drivers in the nation will be on hand to do battle.
Saturday's SRL event sees 2006 Altamont Motorsports Park WLM champion Dave Byrd
of Monterrey, CA holding a slight lead over Modesto's Steve Belletto. The
Byrdman has 13 career NASCAR championships and is often ranked as one of the top
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series drivers of all-time.
Former Southwest Series standouts Jim Petit, Greg Voigt, Eddie McKean, Bob Lyon,
and Darrell Lamoure are also entered, along with Tracy driver Rick Ruzbarsky.
The weekend's Western Late Model activities will be chock full of talent,
headlined by the return of West Sacramento's Burney Lamar to west coast racing
competition.
Lamar began his career at the late Stockton Speedway before advancing through
the ranks and competing for the first half of 2006 for Kevin Harvick Inc. in the
NASCAR Busch Series.
Lamar will have to contend, among others, with 2005 SRL Wild West Shootout
champion Jason Fensler of Wilton, CA. Fensler has several Late Model wins in
2007 and is currently on-track to compete in the NASCAR Grand National West
Series in 2008.
Both drivers will have their eyes squarely focused on 2007 Altamont Western Late
Model champion Ryan Philpott of Tracy, CA. Philpott nabbed ten wins and 15
fast-times this year in weekly competition.
Another driver to watch will be 2007 All American Speedway and 2006 SRL champion
Eric Schmidt of Roseville, CA. Philpott bettered Schmidt in their previous
meeting at Altamont back in May.
Other headlining drivers include Greg Potts and Tracy's Rick Ruzbarsky, who will
both run double-duty, Troy Shirk, a former Altamont Modified champion, Hispanic
driver Juan Pitta, Altamont runner-up Ken Benhamou, three-time Altamont ALSC
champion Matt Erickson, and Carson City, NV teenager Bobby Hodges.
One of the Late Model long-tows will be Las Vegas, NV's Glen Burke.
Alan Beebe and Mike Doss are expected to field two cars each.
In the Grand American Modified division, stars from multiple states will be
chasing the big money.
All American Speedway champion Scott Winters will be back, and he will have his
hands full. Lodi's Mikey Regalman will be in action, along with Altamont
standouts Jaime Jackson, Tracy's Todd Lynch, and Thomas Leiby of Copperopolis,
CA.
Modesto's Kyle Gottula will be behind the wheel of the Tom Burkett-owned 22
entry.
Rob Vest will be making the long tow from Magic Valley Speedway in Idaho, coming
off of a third place points finish in that track’s Premier Series.
American Limited Stock Car action features another field that has multiple
championships and wins to its credit, with drivers from as many as five tracks
taking part in the 75 lap feature.
Altamont champion Jim Dulla of Hayward, CA leads the field that will include
drivers from Roseville's All American Speedway and Madera Speedway.
Pleasanton driver Ryan Steele will be making his return engagement to Altamont
Motorsports Park, after running full-time in 2006.
Friday night serves as open practice session for the teams. Cost is $125 per
team. Gates open at 1 p.m. with practice from 2 - 7 p.m.
Saturday action kick starts with pit gates opening at 8 a.m. and practice
beginning at 11:30 a.m. Racing action starts at 5 p.m.
Pit gates will again open at 8 a.m. Sunday with racing beginning at 1 p.m.
Full event schedules and details are online at www.altamontracing.com
Altamont Motorsports Park is located between Livermore and Tracy, Calif., within
an hour's drive from most points in the San Francisco Bay Area as well as the
Central Valley.
Source: Steven Blakesley/Altamont Motorsports Park
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Altamont Motorsports Park Event Notification
Where: Altamont Motorsports Park
17001, Midway Road, between Tracy and Livermore, California
What/When:
Saturday October 13 -
Qualifying at 3:15pm
Opening Ceremonies start at 5pm
Saturday October 14 -
Opening Ceremonies start at 1pm
Pricing:
1-Day tickets:
General Admission: $25
Seniors (65+): $20
Youth (6-12): $15
Under 6: Free
Family Pack (2 adults + 2 youth): $65
2-day discounted tickets (wristband re-entry):
General Admission:$45
Senior: $35
Youth: $25
Family: $120
ABOUT ALTAMONT MOTORSPORTS PARK
Located in Alameda County, between Tracy and Livermore, Calif., Altamont
Motorsports Park (www.AltamontRacing.com.) is a NASCAR-sanctioned motorsports
facility featuring a 1/2-mile, high-banked paved oval that is the only 1/2-mile
paved oval between Redding and Los Angeles. The facility also features a
1/4-mile paved oval, a 1.1-mile road course, Figure 8 track, and Kart course. An
operating short-track in Northern California since 1963, the facility was
acquired and refurbished in 2006, by Riverside Motorsports Park, LLC (www.RMPracing.com)
of Atwater, Calif. Altamont Motorsports Park features the NASCAR Whelen
All-American Weekly Racing Series, USAC-CASA-BCRA sprint car competitions, and a
variety of automobile and motorcycle motorsports events. In 2006, Altamont
Motorsports Park was awarded the Race Organizer of the Year Award by the United
States Automobile Club (USAC) racing organization, and the Best Facility
Improvement Award, as a Premier Short Track, by NASCAR.