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Thunderbowl Raceway hosts Pombo/Sargent Classic this Saturday
By Gary Thomas
Tulare, CA - April 23, 2007... The Tulare Thunderbowl Raceway is proud to present the annual Pombo/Sargent Classic this Saturday night April 28. This will be the second consecutive year in which the Pombo/Sargent Classic is being contested at the Thunderbowl and everyone involved with the track couldn’t be happier to have it back in Tulare. The evening of action will be highlighted by the 410 winged sprint cars of the Golden State Challenge King of California Series who will be making their second trip of the season to the Thunderbowl. Also in competition during the night will be the Western States Modifieds, which will also mark their second start of the season at the wide and racy 1/3 mile clay oval.
The Pombo/Sargent Classic has been going on for over 20 years and it honors California racing legends Al Pombo and Marshall Sargent. It originally started at nearby Kings Speedway in Hanford and last season moved to the Thunderbowl. The traditional July date for the event was changed this season after crowd support dropped off in recent years due to the scorching Central Valley Summer heat. This year the event also has become a one day show, as opposed to a two day event like it had been in the past.
An interesting facet about the Pombo/Sargent Classic is the fact that the event was created while both legends were still alive. Marshall Sargent has since passed, but Al Pombo is still going strong and is seen at the majority of the Thunderbowl races at his booth below the main grandstands. The Golden State Challenge Series comes into the Pombo/Sargent Classic on the heels of two consecutive rain outs. The series hasn’t competed since April 7 and this weekend’s Tulare date will be the eighth night of action for the traveling 410 sprint car group.
Leading the Golden State Challenge Series points coming into the Pombo/Sargent Classic is former King of California Sean Becker of Oroville. The 26 year-old driver finished third in the GSC event at the Thunderbowl in March and has scored four consecutive podiums in GSC competition. The driver known as the "Shark" has finished among the top five in all but one of the GSC events this season as he pilots the Fisher/Main Motorsports, Cherry St. Mini Storage No. 35m. He holds an eight point lead in the series standings and will look to pick up his first GSC win of the year, as well as his first career Thunderbowl victory this Saturday.
Defending Pombo/Sargent Classic champion Brent Kaeding of Campbell comes into this year’s Classic sitting second in the Golden State Challenge Series point standings, just eight points back of Becker. Kaeding picked up his 71st career GSC victory in March at the Thunderbowl and also won the series’ most recent event in Antioch on April 7. Last year BK scored a clean sweep of the Pombo/Sargent Classic as he drove his Al’s Roofing Supply, Kaeding Performance No. 69 to feature victories both night’s.
Chico’s Jonathan Allard comes into the Pombo/Sargent Classic sitting third in points, 12 behind Becker for the lead. Last season Allard won his first Golden State Challenge King of California Series championship and picked up one win at the Thunderbowl along the way. The 30 year-old driver navigated the Williams Motorsports, GT Trends No. 0 to a sixth place finish in the GSC event at the Thunderbowl in March. Allard had a dramatic opening night at last year’s Pombo/Sargent Classic as he jumped out to a huge lead in the feature before spinning a 360 and falling back to fourth where he went on to finish. He has one win with GSC this season, which came on opening night in Chico.
San Jose’s Jason Statler currently ranks fourth in the Golden State Challenge Series point standings coming into the Thunderbowl. "The Big Guy" finished 10th at the Thunderbowl in March, which was also his first time in Tulare driving the Tom Rolfe Trucking, DF Rios Construction No. 10 machine. The former King of California scored a pair of fifth place finishes at last year’s Pombo/Sargent Classic.
Rounding out the top five in the Golden State Challenge Series point standings is first year full-timer Willie Croft of Sacramento. Croft scored an impressive second place finish at the Thunderbowl last month in what was just his third night of ever racing at the 1/3 mile clay oval. He also won the dash that night and led 26 laps in the feature before Kaeding was able to get around him up high in turn one. The driver of the Holey Smokes BBQ, LRB Manufacturing No. 29 has tallied two quick times this season and has finished in the top 10 five times.
Other Golden State Challenge travelers expected at the Pombo/Sargent Classic will include: Chico’s Brett Miller, Salinas’ Ronnie Day, Tracy’s Jason Botsford, Campbells’ Bud Kaeding, Grass Valley’s Brad Sweet, Fairmont, Indiana’s Brandon Wimmer, Gilroy’s Jon Maiwald, Discovery Bay’s Jim Skinner, Scott’s Valley’s Evan Suggs, Fresno’s Mark Workentine, Redding’s Ric McCormick and more.
The Central, CA contingent will be made up of two-time Pombo/Sargent Classic champ Tommy Tarlton of Fresno, Visalia’s Ricci Faria, Tipton’s Mike Faria, Fresno’s Craig Stidham, Tipton’s Danny Faria Jr, Caruthers’ Garrett Ishii and Fresno’s Mike Stallings. D. Faria Jr. is expected to debut a new, beautifully hand painted scheme on his Stinger Chassis No. 17v machine this weekend
Many of the old time cars from the Pombo/Sargent era will be on hand during the night to turn some exhibition laps. This always brings back some great memories for many of the long time race fans so it should be a can’t miss night.
The front gate at the Thunderbowl Raceway will open at 5 pm this Saturday with Reserved Grandstand tickets costing $18 and General Admission bleacher tickets costing $15. To purchase tickets call 559-688-0909. First race is scheduled for approximately 7pm. For a seating chart, directions, a list of hotels and more, log onto http://www.tularethunderbowl.com
For the full Golden State Challenge Series point standings visit http://www.johnpadjenmotorsports.com
The Tulare Thunderbowl Raceway is located at the Tulare County Fairgrounds on the corner of Bardsley and J Streets in Tulare.
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