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Tracks >> MERCED SPEEDWAY >> Sprint Cars at Merced Speedway this Sunday night
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Message started by LMR on 08/06/10 at 12:06am

Title: Sprint Cars at Merced Speedway this Sunday night
Post by LMR on 08/06/10 at 12:06am

August 5, 2010
Mike Adaskaveg: 617.694.1230
mikeadaskaveg@att.net

WILD OPEN WHEEL SPRINT CAR ACTION AT MERCED SPEEDWAY THIS SUNDAY EVENING

Merced, Calif. - The wild, raw excitement of open wheeled wingless sprint cars racing on a quarter mile dirt track will be part of the show this Sunday at Merced Speedway.

Drivers in the popular “360 Spec Sprint” division that races throughout Central California anticipate lots of passing and close competition in their first stop at the new speedway.

“I’m anxious to get to Merced,” said front-running driver Dave Press of San Mateo, Calif. “A quarter mile track should mean tight, close racing. I seem to do well in traffic.”

Press, along with the cult-like followers of sprint cars, views them as the ultimate racecar. He chose a driving career path away from the popular modified stock cars.

“Racers always want to go faster, and these cars are wicked fast,” he said. “And, they are a lot of fun to drive.”

Press has won twice at Merced’s sister track, Antioch Speedway. Though the “spec sprints” have some rules to save cost, they will still be the fastest cars on the track, according to Press.

“Fans not used to sprint cars will be surprised,” he explained. “The cars are different than the open wheeled modifieds, and will move quickly through the turns and accelerate rapidly on the straight-aways.”

For veteran competitor Brian Gray of Vallejo, Calif., the spec sprints were the answer in continuing his career after moving up to the “410 Sprints” and even race-touring Australia for a few seasons.

“You’re still looking at 500 horsepower in a light, open-wheeled car,” he said. “Without wings the cars drive quite well. So, competition is close.”

Gray has checked out Merced Speedway.

“I looked at the track the other day. It has multiple grooves, which means there will be a lot of passing,” he explained. “A driver can find his own line. With quick acceleration, and taking advantage of the banking in the turns, there should be a thrilling race.”

Modified stock car racing will headline this Sunday’s racing event. Bill Wesenberg leads the point battle three races into the season. Second place Alex Stanford, who missed last week’s event when his son was born, is expected to be back this Sunday. There were more than 20 modifieds competing for a position in the 20-car feature event last weekend.

The popular four-bangers, hobby stocks and valley sportsman will complete the program.

Merced Speedway is located at 900 Martin Luther King, Jr. Way in Merced, California. The track opens Sunday at 4 p.m. Racing begins at 5 p.m. Admission is $10 for adults, $7 for children, $8 for Senior Citizens, and there is a $23 family pack admission for two adults and two children.