(1988)
Major rule changes are the order of the day this year, with the track adopting Southwest Tour rules and dropping to 101-105 inch wheel base cars that put the Regal and Cutlass models on the shelf and open the track to the use of Camaro's and Firebird's.
Current late model driver 'Wild Wayne' Pierce of Stockton is running his rookie season in the charger division this season, and on June eighteenth, 'Mr. Quick' Ken Boyd, sets his first of a record establishing string of fast times. Boyd also collects two track records this year with his best being a 13.590 clocking on August 6th.
Boyd ends the year with twenty fast trips and six feature wins along with nineteen main top five runs, while thirteen different drivers take a share of the twenty-two dash wins. Dennis Cashdollar of Stockton is the overall event winner on the year with fourteen. Boyd puts away his first season championship running ahead of Gottula and Reed. Danny Kienitz of Stockton and Harry Belletto also record super stats for the season.
Tom Taylor has the speed department all to himself with fourteen fast times in hobby action, but the twenty-one main top five finishes and thirty-three overall top runs posted to the record books by Rip Van Winkle earn him the season crown to make him the oldest driver in Winston Short track memory to win a title at age 67.
Dennis Cashdollar takes the semi main crown, with most improved going to Stockton's Carl Batterton. Ross Trent of Modesto is this season's rookie of the year and his Dad, M.D. 'Frog' Trent receives a standing ovation at the awards dinner as he is announced as the Sportsman of the year.
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