AUTO RACING: California drivers eager to race at Silver Dollar Speedway, Stockton Dirt Track
CONCORD, N.C. –
California natives conquered the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series’ excursion via the Golden State last year and are hoping to repeat that achievement in this weekend’s races at Silver Dollar Speedway and the Stockton Dirt Track. Grass Valley native Brad Sweet and St. Helena local Rico Abreu observed victory at Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico, even as Visala native Cory Eliason claimed his first Series win on the Stockton Dirt Track in Stockton remaining year. For Sweet, it became his first win at the quarter-mile Chico music, but no matter if the win becomes in Chico or Stockton, he stated it’s miles always fulfilling to win in front of family and pals.
“The biggest thing for me is I grew up here (in California) racing, so they are domestic tracks,” Sweet stated. “There’s always something approximately in which you discovered and in which you grew up racing that is special. You understand I hadn’t had a whole lot of success at Chico inside the last few years, however closing 12 months, I was able to get a win there, so I sense a bit bit more assured going lower back there and excited.”
Sweet commenced off Series’ month-long swing via California strong with a top-5 end at Thunderbowl Raceway in Tulare, leaving him 0.33 inside the Series’ factors status — forty-two points behind chief Daryn Pittman.
Abreu hasn’t been as fortunate, unable to qualify for the Feature in Tulare. But like Sweet, he said he is asking ahead to go back to Silver Dollar Speedway — music he has won two times now with the World of Outlaws. He also has one Series win at the 3/eight-mile Stockton Dirt Track.
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He cites the Chico and Stockton tracks like his most a hit tracks, having grown up racing at them. “I’ve run probably most people of my California races at the ones two tracks,” Abreu stated. “I’ve simply made certain my motors are near whenever we get there and wherein it puts the ball in my courtroom in which I can maneuver my vehicle around. I like going to the tracks of the one.” Eliason has had a stable start to the season, claiming 3 top-10s and KSE Hard Charger awards in the first 5 races of the season, putting him 5th in factors. He is coming off a 7th-area finish at Thunderbowl Raceway and hitting his stride simply in time for his favorite part of the 12 months. “The whole California swing is (a confidence booster), simply because’s where I grew up racing,” Eliason stated. “I suppose we completed in the pinnacle-5 every time we were in California last year, in the March and the September swings. There’s several self-assurance simply being able to roll out here and recognize, even if it is no longer ideal, we can still make something of it just because of understanding the race tracks and being from around right here.”
Having raced and gained on the tracks before, Eliason said that understanding not simplest helps him, however, his crew. With a bit of luck, he can relay to his crew what he wishes in his vehicle, making their activity less difficult. “Every race is hard with these (World of Outlaws) guys, but it needs to at least degree the playing field returned to ordinary with them, in place of going someplace wherein we have not been and that they dominate as opposed to us,” Eliason stated.
\Sweet said, for a few drivers, the California swing is tough touring from the East Coast to the West Coast and missing their households. California drivers benefit from staying home with their own family approximately every night at some stage in the swing. “There’s simply something to be stated about that,” Sweet said. “I, obviously, love the beginning of the year West Coast swing.”