PLACERVILLE, Calif. — Russell Motorsports Inc. has released the schedule of events for the Elk Grove Ford Sprint Car Challenge Tour presented by Abreu Vineyards.
The California-based winged 360 sprint car series is set to contest its sixth season.
The Sprint Car Challenge Tour is pleased to welcome back Elk Grove Ford, Abreu Vineyards and Hoosier Racing Tires as major sponsors for the upcoming 14-race season, which gets underway with the “Spring Fever Frenzy” on Saturday, March 25 — marking the first of two appearances at Placerville Speedway.
The tour then returns to Placerville on Friday, June 2, for opening night of the prestigious “Dave Bradway Jr. Memorial.” It creates a massive double header weekend on the red clay, with the NARC 410 Sprint Cars in action the following evening.
Meanwhile, Merced Speedway continues to rise in popularity among fans and teams and has made it back on the Sprint Car Challenge Tour schedule. California’s top winged 360 sprint car teams will invade the high-banked quarter-mile on Saturday, April 22.
The Elk Grove Ford Sprint Car Challenge Tour will again be part of the always spectacular “Peter Murphy Classic” on Saturday, May 13, at Keller Auto Speedway in Hanford. The night of hard-hitting action also features the NARC 410 Sprint Cars. Following that show the SCCT 360s return to Keller Auto Speedway on Friday, Sept. 29, for the 38th annual “Cotton Classic.”
The centrally located Stockton Dirt Track will host two SCCT events this coming year, with those taking place on Saturday, April 1, for the annual “Asparagus Cup” and Saturday, Nov. 4th, which marks the 40th annual “Tribute to Patterson.” As is customary, the November showdown features championship night for both the Sprint Car Challenge Tour and the Northern Auto Racing Club.
After competing at Silver Dollar Speedway the last couple of years, SCCT heads back to the famed Chico bullring for two events in 2023. The first visit will be for the 10th annual “Tyler Wolf Memorial” on Saturday, July 22.
The second appearance will then take place on Wednesday, Sept. 6, as the Sprint Car Challenge Tour helps launch Gold Cup Race of Champions week with the “Pacific Sprint Cup.”
This year’s event will feature just winged 360 sprint cars and has no car count limit.
The always racy Petaluma Speedway will play host to a pair of Sprint Car Challenge Tour events. Those dates will occur on Saturday, June 10, and Saturday, Sept. 23, as SCCT sanctions the $5,000-to-win “Adobe Cup” for the second time. The Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds based three-eights-mile clay oval routinely provides non-stop action and much of the same is expected this season.
The Marysville Raceway and Ocean Speedway in Watsonville also return to the schedule, both hosting special events respectively. The Sprint Car Challenge Tour will again sanction the annual “Mel and Marlyn Hall Memorial” in Marysville, this year moving to a Saturday date on May 27. The Hall Memorial has certainly provided its share of thrills the last two seasons on Memorial Day weekend.
For the third consecutive year the tour will be part of the prestigious “Johnny Key Classic” in Watsonville on Saturday, Aug. 19. The SCCT 360s vs. Taco Bravo Sprints will surely be a can’t miss night during the 63rd running of the event.
Returning to the schedule for the first time since 2017, Antioch Speedway will host the Sprint Car Challenge Tour on Saturday, July 1. The Contra Costa County Fairgrounds venue has received several updates and a major facelift since the most recent SCCT event held five years ago.
SCCT 2023 Schedule
Saturday, March 25 — Placerville Speedway (Spring Fever Frenzy)
Saturday, April 1 — Stockton Dirt Track (Asparagus Cup w/NARC)
Saturday, April 22 — Merced Speedway
Saturday, May 13 — Keller Auto Speedway in Hanford (Ninth annual Peter Murphy Classic w/NARC)
Saturday, May 27 — Marysville Raceway (23rd Mel and Marlyn Hall Memorial)
Friday, June 2 — Placerville Speedway (Dave Bradway Jr. Memorial Opening Night)
Saturday, June 10 — Petaluma Speedway
Saturday, July 1 — Antioch Speedway
Saturday, July 22 — Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico (10th annual Tyler Wolf Memorial)
Saturday, August 19 — Ocean Speedway in Watsonville (63rd Johnny Key Classic)
Wednesday, September 6 — Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico (Pacific Sprint Cup)
Saturday, September 23 — Petaluma Speedway ($5,000-to-win 12th annual Adobe Cup)
Friday, September 29 — Keller Auto Speedway in Hanford (38th annual Cotton Classic)
Saturday, November 4 — Stockton Dirt Track (40th annual Tribute to Gary Patterson w/NARC)
Saturday, December 9 — Awards Banquet | Night of Champions at El Dorado County Fairgrounds