Sacramento, CA … The NARC Fujitsu General 410 Sprint Cars roll right into round two this weekend with the second edition of the Anthony Simone Classic this Saturday, April 9th at Hanford’s Keller Auto Speedway.

The event honors the late Anthony “Mr. Excitement” Simone who sadly passed last year and awards a whopping $10,000 to the winner. As a tip of the cap to the versatile driver, a special NARC non-wing race will take place immediately after the Fujitsu Feature concludes. The wingless event will consist only of drivers who competed in the winged portion, and like last year the teams will remove the wings and make adjustments in the work area on the front stretch.

A unique format also awaits the drivers with an emphasis on the number 10, Simone’s car number. There will be five six-lap Heat Races lined up straight up based on ARP Qualifying times and will take the top-two finishers to the Sunnyvalley Bacon Trophy Dash, equaling 10 cars. Those 10 cars will take part in a pill draw with the options of four, six, or eight to set the lineup for the Dash. Then, they’ll duke it out open wheel-style for 10 laps to determine the first five rows of the 30-lap Fujitsu Feature.

Keller Auto Speedway underwent a minor reconfiguration in the off-season which may throw a curve ball to the entire pit area as promoter Peter Murphy continues to improve the facility. Saturday will mark the first of three NARC visits to Hanford in 2022.

The Championship Chase

Following this past weekend’s NARC opener, a part-time driver leads the standings in the form of Roseville’s Colby Copeland courtesy of his Stockton win. Copeland doesn’t plan to race this Saturday, so he’ll relinquish the top spot.

Looking to take his place will be current runner-up and reigning series titlist Dominic Scelzi. The Fresno native opened his championship defense with a second-place run at Stockton, his sixth career podium at the facility and 11th in his last 15 series starts dating back to 2021.

Just two markers behind Scelzi is Tarlton Motorsports pilot Mitchell Faccinto. He picked up his 12th career series podium in his maiden NARC voyage aboard the No. 21 as he began the pursuit of his first championship.

Among other confirmed full-time drivers toward the front Colfax’s Willie Croft sits fifth in points (-6 behind Copeland), Tim Kaeding is seventh (-8), and Bud Kaeding is ninth (-10).

Who to Watch

This weekend is a home game for brothers Mitchell and Michael Faccinto who hail from Hanford. Two of Mitchell’s three career NARC wins have come at Keller Auto Speedway. Michael picked up a USAC Western States Midget victory at Hanford last year, and his first two career NARC feature starts came at the three-eighths mile, including his debut in his current ride, the Mike Phulps No. 56, last season.

“Getting an early season win at Hanford for the Simone would be huge for this team (Tarlton Motorsports),” Mitchell Faccinto said heading into the weekend. “With the different track layout, we were able to at least get one night on it before we start points racing which will help. Even though we struggled a little during the World of Outlaws (California) swing, I have full confidence that we should be contending for wins the rest of the year.”

“We got the notes from last year, and we have a couple races under our belts now,” Michael Faccinto said. “A top-five run with the stout NARC field that is following the series this year would be a good run for our team.”

Entering the event as the defending Anthony Simone Classic winner is Fremont’s Shane Golobic after taking home the $10,000 check last year. The Matt Wood Racing pilot has also podiumed in five of his last six NARC feature starts at Hanford.

Keller Auto Speedway is tied for the second winningest track on Tim Kaeding’s extensive NARC resumé. Nine of TK’s 71 career feature wins have come in Hanford. While the San Jose driver hasn’t visited victory lane there since 2013, he has finished fourth or better in seven of his last nine series starts.

Dominic Scelzi has won a NARC feature event at Keller Auto Speedway in each of the last two years. Last year during Scelzi’s 22 overall feature win season, six of those came at Hanford.

Campbell native Bud Kaeding has chalked up four series victories in Hanford. In fact, three of his first four NARC wins came at Keller Auto Speedway. Kaeding hasn’t visited NARC victory lane there since 2012 but does own a steady record as of late with six top-10s in his last eight starts.

A driver still seeking his first Keller Auto Speedway triumph is 11-time NARC feature winner Justin Sanders. Though the Aromas racer is still in search of that inaugural victory, he’s been remarkably consistent in Hanford with three top-fives in four series starts last year, two of those being podium runs.

One of Sebastopol’s Joel Myers Jr.’s two NARC top-fives from 2021 came at Keller Auto Speedway in the Simone, and he’s hoping for a similarly strong effort to bounce back from a tough opening outing at Stockton with Vertullo Motorsports.

Also expected to compete are Hanford’s D.J. Netto, Benicia’s Billy Aton, Idaho’s Logan Forler, Lincoln’s Tanner and Blake Carrick, Oregon’s Tanner Holmes, Washington’s Colby Thornhill, and more!

Fan & Competitor Info

The NARC Hoosier Tire format will feature ARP Fast Time Qualifying, Brown & Miller Racing Solutions 5-lap Heat Races, an eight-lap Sunnyvalley Bacon Trophy Dash, a Kaeding Performance Semi, the 30-lap Fujitsu Feature and the special 20-lap wingless Fujitsu Feature

The pit gate will open at 1:00 P.M. with the front gate following at 4:00 P.M. The driver’s meeting will take place at 4:30 P.M. Cars will be on track for wheel pack/hot laps at 5:00 P.M., and racing will begin around 6:00 P.M. The new and already popular Pete’s Pub will be from 4:30-5:30 P.M. and allow fans without pit passes the opportunity to enjoy a small section of the pit area with food and drinks being sold.

Adult General Admission tickets will be $20. Kids ages 6-17, seniors ages 62 and up, and military (ID required) will be admitted for the discounted price of $15. Tickets can be purchased at the gate or via the following link https://www.myracepass.com/events/401628/tickets/. The MyRacePass app can also be used to buy tickets.

Keller Auto Speedway is located on the Kings County Fairgrounds at 801 South 10th Avenue Hanford, CA 93230. For more information visit racekingsspeedway.com or email kellerautospeedway@yahoo.com.

The Anthony Simone Classic will be broadcast live on floracing.com along with the entire NARC Fujitsu General Sprint Car schedule.