Five things to know about Fresno-area motorsports in 2020 including when the season begins
The 2020 central San Joaquin Valley motorsports season gets rolling Saturday night in Hanford. Here are five things to know.
Where is Peter Murphy?
The seventh annual race named after him is May 15-16 at Tulare Thunderbowl Raceway but fans will be seeing a lot more of Murphy – he’s the new promoter at Keller Auto Speedway at Kings Fairgrounds. Murphy and his crew have been busy getting the Hanford track ready for Saturday’s opening night featuring the second season of the Kings of Thunder sprint cars.
The biggest change is bringing the racing surface on the 3/8-mile clay oval down to its original width. Last year’s widening didn’t result in more competitive racing; Murphy says less width means less down time on race nights for track prep.
Murphy, an Australian who put roots down in Clovis, had a successful sprint car racing career cut short by a violent crash in 2013.
Where are the young guns?
No fewer than five of the Valley’s brightest up-and-coming stars are charting their career paths elsewhere.
Gio Scelzi, 18, has already made his mark in open-wheel racing with accomplishments including youngest winner in World of Outlaws history.
The Fresno driver is still planning a busy open-wheel schedule, but Scelzi is branching into stock cars with Bill McAnally Racing. Scelzi, who won in his first stock car race last season at Irwindale Speedway, picked up win No. 2 in Florida earlier this month and made his ARCA West series debut Thursday night in Las Vegas, finishing 10th.
Carson Macedo, 22, of Lemoore is back on the Outlaws tour for Kyle Larson Racing after a Rookie of the Year season in 2019.
Cory Eliason, 28, is back for his second season on the All-Star Circuit of Champions after finishing third in the sprint car series’ points standings last year. Eliason lived in Kingsburg but has relocated to Brownsville, Indiana.
Mason Daniel, 19, of Springville is on the Outlaws tour.
and Cole Macedo, Carson’s younger brother, has joined an Ohio-based sprint car team.
Where’s Kody Swanson?
Kingsburg native Kody Swanson was a trendsetter in going East. He is based out of Indianapolis now and will be seeking his sixth U.S. Auto Club Silver Crown championship; he is already the winningest driver in series history.
Where can I get on TV?
That’d be Madera Speedway, where promoter Kenny Shepherd has forged a successful partnership with MAVTV to give the third-mile paved oval great exposure. The season begins March 14 and continues through October.
Where can I see the Outlaws?
Blame the national tour for California’s dry spell. The circuit had several idle dates during recent February/March swings through the state; this year, the World of Outlaws doesn’t arrive until March 28 in Perris. Other stops are March 29 at Santa Maria Raceway, April 3-4 at Thunderbowl and April 10 at Merced Speedway.
Thunderbowl’s season starts March 21; Merced gets going March 6.
This story was originally published February 20, 2020 at 12:00 PM.