Chico, CA — Welcome back to Silver Dollar Speedway, dirt Late Model division.
The Northern California track well-known as a haven for 410 Sprint Car racing is set to rekindle full-fender competition after an absence of nearly a decade, hosting the Western Allstars DIRTcar Late Model Series for the first time on Sat., Aug. 16.
“I’ve had a lot of people ask me the last few years when we were going to run the Late Models again,” said Silver Dollar Speedway promoter John Padjen. “I’ve been watching the division build up in California, so we decided it’s time to bring them back. It will be something different for our fans and they’re all excited.”
Padjen has posted a $3,000 first-place prize for the winner of the 30-lap Western Allstars DIRTcar Late Model Series event, which headlines a special Saturday-night program on Aug. 16 at the high-banked, quarter-mile oval located in Chico, Calif.
Anticipation is running high for the rare dirt Late Model spectacular at Silver Dollar Speedway, a popular facility that brings added cachet to the ever-growing Western Allstars DIRTcar Late Model Series. The West Coast’s leading dirt Late Model tour has been operating under the auspices of DIRTcar Racing – the brand name for the sanctioning body run by the World Racing Group of Concord, N.C. – since mid-June and is in the midst of the most exciting and successful season in its three-year history.
“Racing at Silver Dollar Speedway is another big milestone for the Western Allstars DIRTcar Late Model Series,” said Chris Morgan, who oversees the tour as the director of the DIRTcar Racing Western Region. “We continue striving to expand our presence in Northern California and visiting a premier track in the region is a perfect way to spread the Western Allstars DIRTcar Late Model Series brand to more fans and drivers.
“We’re honored that a well-respected promoter like John Padjen recognizes that the Western Allstars DIRTcar Late Model Series has arrived and wants to have us compete at his track. At the same time, we are excited for the opportunity to expose Northern California’s fans to the best dirt Late Model racing on the West Coast.”
A former national Promoter of the Year award winner, Padjen anticipates bright days ahead for dirt Late Model racing on the West Coast with DIRTcar Racing administering the Western Allstars DIRTcar Late Model Series.
“The biggest thing Late Model racing needs in California is to get all the tracks running uniform rules,” said Padjen, whose prestigious 55th annual Gold Cup Race of Champions featuring the Advance Auto Parts World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series is scheduled for Sept. 3-6 at Silver Dollar Speedway. “I think we’re heading in that direction with DIRTcar (Racing) now involved.”
A field glistening with dirt Late Model stars from across the Golden State is expected at Silver Dollar Speedway on Aug. 16, led by current Western Allstars DIRTcar Late Model Series points leader Bobby Hogge IV of Salinas, Calif. Hogge is the tour’s winningest driver in 2008, with five victories in 14 A-Mains.
Other well-known series names with plans to tackle Padjen’s track include Chris Shannon of Merced, Calif., who is second in the points standings; A.J. Kirkpatrick of Castroville, Calif., a three-time ’08 tour winner who sits third in the current points standings; Richard Papenhausen, a resident of Chico, Calif., who is chomping at the bit to battle the Western Allstars standouts on his hometown oval; and Zach Forster of Bakersfield, Calif.
For more information on the Western Allstars DIRTcar Late Model Series event at Silver Dollar Speedway, visit www.johnpadjenmotorsports.com or www.westernallstars.com.
Additional info on all of the series, sanctioning and member tracks of DIRTcar Racing is available by logging on to www.DIRTcar.com.
