SRL News and Notes “Wild West Shootout 127” Stockton 99 Speedway
Event: Saturday, September 21st will mark the 33rd time the Spears SRL Southwest Tour Series has competed at Stockton 99 Speedway (CA), in its’ 75th year of operation. Teams will compete for a $10,000 payday in the “JM Environmental Wild West Shootout There’s Gonna Be Some Rockin’ 127”. It is Round #2 of the “Wild West Shootout” Series which pays a minimum of $10,000 to the winner of each event. The Super Late Models will be joined by the Spears Pro Late Model Series in the “Masellis Drilling 60 presented by All Pro Coatings”. The Pro Late Models will be racing for a $2,000 payday. It will be series visit number nine to the historic ¼-mile oval and the second in 2024. NorCal Legends, NCMA Sprint Cars, and Pro 4 Modifieds also join the action.
SRL Championship: After Round #4 of the Spears SRL Southwest Tour Series at Redwood Acres Raceway (CA), 2021 Rookie-of-the-Year Buddy Shepherd leads the standings with 670 points. Two-time series winner Blaine Rocha sits second in the standings with 635 points. 2022 Kulwicki Driver Development Program champion Dylan Zampa (619) is third with all-time starts leader Scott Sanchez (515) and three-time race runner-up Cale Kanke (427) the top five. 35 different teams have made starts in 2024.
PLM Championship: Christian Bazen leads the Pro Late Model standings with 580 points after four events. Nash Youngren sits in the runner-up position with 500 points. Former series champion Seth Wise is third with 467 points. Kade McClenny (340) and Scott Youngren (326) round out the top five. 33 different drivers have competed with the series in 2024.
History: 25 NASCAR Southwest Tour Series events have been held at the historic ¼-mile oval, with 17 different winners. Ken Boyd (2), Rick Carelli (2), Dan Press (2), Troy Beebe (2), Ron Hornaday Jr. (3), and Craig Raudman (2) were the only multi-time winners. Of the 33 Spears SRL Southwest Tour Series winners, there were 18 different drivers to take the checkered flag first. Multi-time winners included Ron Strmiska Jr. (3), Joey Zampa (2), Jason Fensler (2), Jim Pettit (2), Jacob Gomes (3), Derek Thorn (7), and Jeremy Doss (3). The NASCAR Southwest Tour Series conducted their second series race at the facility in 1986, with Ken Boyd the winner. The SRL made their first appearance in 2002 with Ron Strmiska Jr. grabbing the victory.
2023 Results SLM: Dylan Zampa earned his first Stockton SRL win in last year’s edition of the “Wild West Shootout”. It was his second win of the season, which saw the Rookie-of-the-Year finish third in the championship standings. Zampa earned the win in a 14-car field, that was a typical wild Stockton event. Ross Strmiska, Blaine Rocha, Zach Telford, and Scott Sanchez were the top five finishers.
Recent Results PLM: For the first time in series history there was only one Spears Pro Late Model event held at Stockton in 2023. Linny White won the “Labor Day 100 presented by Masellis Drilling” followed by Logan Zampa, Ross Strmiska, Seth Wise, and Jason Romero. The series visited in May with Justin Philpott grabbing his first series win, with 17 PLM starting the “Spears Pro Late Model 75 presented by All Pro Coatings”. Kyle Gottula scored his best series finish in second, with Chris Monez, Ethan Nascimento, and JoJo Stearns the top five.
Multi-Time Winners: Five former Spears SRL Southwest Tour Series multi-time winners are entered for this weekend’s event, representing 30 victories. Jacob Gomes (17) leads the list with Eric Schmidt (5), Buddy Shepherd (4), Blaine Rocha (2), and Dylan Zampa (2) also entered. Both Gomes and Schmidt are former series champions. Mike Beeler and John Moore are former Pacific Challenge Series champions, with multiple Super Late Model wins.
First Time Starters: Eric Nascimento Jr., Tim Spurgeon, and Michael Sandoval will make their first starts of the 2024 Spears SRL Southwest Tour Series season. Nascimento has 15 career starts in the series with one top five and four top 10 results. He was a Rookie-of-the-Year candidate in 2019 and has a best finish of third at Stockton in 2021. Spurgeon has five previous starts in the SRL. His best finish was sixth in last year’s Wild West Shootout at Stockton. Sandoval was the series Rookie-of-the-Year in 2011 and has 31 career starts. His best finish was a fourth at Stockton in 2013.
Rookies of the Year: Four former Rookie-of-the-Year competitors are competing this weekend at Stockton. Dylan Zampa (2023), Buddy Shepherd (2021), Michael Sandoval (2011) and Jacob Gomes (2010) were all former winners of the award.
Mr. Excitement: When John Moore shows up at Stockton, exciting things are bound to happen. Moore ended up on his lid the last time he visited Stockton, in the “Firecracker 100”, but he also scored both of his Pacific Challenge Series victories at the facility. The first win led to his 2015 series title. It was the track he began his Late Model career at. But it was also the site of the tragic loss of his son JD, in a practice accident in 2004. The tale of Stockton 99 Speedway is often the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. When you win at Stockton, Moore knows you have to earn it.
“My favorite thing about racing Stockton 99 is the battle, the crowd, the smack talking with the other teams, and the history of 99 Speedway, the most notorious short track west of the Mississippi (River). The most difficult part about racing “99”, like any other short track, is getting your car hooked up and staying hooked up for 127 laps”, Moore explained. “Like always it will be a double throwdown get down … pom-poms out the window gas is on the right night at Stockton 99.”
NASCAR National ROTY: Jacob Gomes was the NASCAR National Rookie-of-the-Year in 2009, competing at his hometrack, Stockton 99 Speedway, while also turning laps at Madera Speedway and All-American Speedway. The three-time series champion will now return to his hometrack, where he has three Spears SRL Southwest Tour Series victories. He hasn’t won there since 2015 but will be a favorite this weekend, after grabbing two series wins in-a-row.
Nascimento Returns: Eric (Bubba) Nascimento Jr. won the Stockton Late Model track championship in 2020. He was a Rookie-of-the-Year competitor with the SRL in 2019, finishing 12th overall. In 2023 he ran the full season in the ARCA Menards Pro Series West, finishing seventh in the championship standings, grabbing a pole and finishing second at Irwindale Speedway. His career best SRL finish was at Stockton in 2021, when he grabbed a third-place effort. He now returns to a track he considers one of the most exciting tracks in the country.
“99 Speedway is one of the tightest most exciting racetracks I’ve ever been to, especially when you put Super Late Models on it”, Nascimento stated. “It’s gonna be door-to-door, beating and banging for 127 laps. We haven’t run a “Super” all year long, and I haven’t been in the car much. But Nascimento Motorsports always shows up with a hot rod.”
Two in-a-Row: The winner of last year’s “Wild West Shootout” at Stockton was Dylan Zampa. He will be back to defend his race win this weekend in the Randy Hedrick, Sierra Speed and Technology, CFR Toyota Camry. Zampa was the Rookie-of-the-Year in 2023 and won two races. He is looking forward to heading back to the site of his last series victory.
“Stockton 99 Speedway is such a great track to race at”, Zampa explained. “Both turns are completely different, which makes setting up the car difficult. But I know we have a great baseline to go back with, after last years’ win. We are getting better with the car each time we hit the track, so I am looking forward to getting back in the seat at Stockton.”
Schedule: Saturday, race day, will find the teams of the Spears Pro Late Models and Spears SRL Southwest Tour Series on track for one 45-minute practice session each. The PLM’s will begin at 2:30 PM with the SLM’s at 3:15 PM. The NorCal Legends practice from 4:00 PM to 4:45 PM, the Pro 4 Modifieds from 4:45 PM to 4:55 PM and the NCMA Sprint Car Series from 4:55 PM to 5:10 PM. Practice / Qualifying Sessions for the Pro 4 Modifieds and NCMA Sprints begin at 5:10 PM. Admission Gates open at 5:00 PM. Group Qualifying for the Legends begin at 5:30 PM. Qualifying for the Pro Late Models and then Super Late Models will begin at 6:00 PM. Opening Ceremonies are to follow. The B-Main for the Legends follows, if required. Main Events for the NCMA Sprint Cars, Pro 4 Modifieds, Spears Pro Late Models, Legends and Spears Southwest Tour Series will follow.
Broadcast: For those unable to attend, catch all the action LIVE at www.SpearsRacing.TV. The event will also air on MAVTV at a time and date to be announced later.
Celebrating its twenty fourth season in 2024, the SPEARS Southwest Tour Series is a regional stock car series competing on paved ovals in the southwestern portion of the U.S. “The SPEARS Southwest Tour Series…Where the Champions Race”.
Story: K. Petres
PC: Sal Sigala Jr.
