10/12/2026
Solari steers focus toward Championship Night #1 after latest victory at Stockton 99
Sammy Solari lost the power steering in his Pro Late Model racer Saturday night but muscled his white No. 22 to victory in the 40-lap main event at Stockton 99 Speedway.
Checkered flag in hand, his toddler great-nephew in his arm, the Escalon racer then immediately looked ahead to this coming Saturday night, Oct. 17, where the Stockton Late Model track title will be on the line. Solari, driving his black car, leads Morada teenager Mason Beghtel by two points, 521-519, and double points are up for grabs on Championship Night #1 at Stockton 99.
“Next week’s gonna be hard. It’s gonna be whoever beats who,” Solari said as his great-nephew playfully waved Solari’s latest checkered flag, his third in Pro Late Model this season to go with five Stockton Late Model victories.
“The kid’s done a great job,” Solari said of Beghtel, who has three wins in his first season in the Stockton Late Model division after winning the Pure Stock championship in 2025. “We’re going home tonight, and we’re gonna forget about it tonight because we’re moving on to next week. We’re coming out to do our best.”
Solari holds a wider points lead in Pro Late Model, which will run again Oct. 24 on Championship Night #2, with $10,000 going to the race winner. Solari trailed Modesto’s Mike Beeler on Saturday night until taking the lead on lap 20 following a restart. Having lost his power steering, Solari stopped on the inside of the front stretch during the preceding caution flag.
“Whatever broke burned up. It won’t even turn right,” said Solari, who slid coming out of turn 2 following the restart because he “couldn’t turn back right.”
The reigning track champion still kept his distance over Hans Beeler of Salida over the final 17 laps and won by 1.199 seconds to snap Hans Beeler’s three-race win streak.
“That goes to show we’re not quitters,” said Solari, who qualified No. 1 at 14.35 seconds around Stockton 99’s quarter-mile paved oval, a full tenth ahead of Mike Beeler’s 14.476. “It was everything I could do to drive the wheels off this thing. I actually put my head down and drove it harder and I’m like, ‘All right we’re gonna get this restart.’ I’m not conservative, everybody knows that.”
Legends of 99: Linden brothers Zach and Wyatt Sansom staged their most entertaining duel yet this season with Zach Sansom claiming his third consecutive victory in an all-green, action-packed 30-lap main event that took just under eight minutes to complete.
The brothers exchanged the lead four times, running low and high on the track when they weren’t door to door. Once again the two quickest Legends on the track, Zach Sansom regained the lead for good on lap 27 and pulled away to beat Wyatt Sansom by 1.811 seconds. Jason Gilbert of Danville and Justin Gantt of Stockton ran third and fourth the entire race.
“That’s the most fun I’ve had in this racecar in a long time,” Zach Sansom said. “It’s always fun to run side by side with someone you’ve had good competition with for a long time. Both of these cars are fast. It’s just kind of who was in the right place at the right time.”
The win was Zach Sansom’s fourth overall this year. Wyatt Sansom has three victories and will take a comfortable points lead into Championship Night #1 on Oct. 17.
Also, Stockton’s Andy Rumsey claimed his third trophy dash.
Pure Stock: Brandon Jones of Lodi remained perfect this season by winning his eighth main event.
There were two red flags in the 20-lap feature, caused by cars oiling down the track. Jones took the lead from Dilan Prigmore on the third lap when the first-time trophy dash winner got squirrely coming out of turn 2 and slammed into the wall. Prigmore guided his wounded, smoking racer along the back wall and exited to the pits, trickling liquid.
Jones led Stockton’s Jeremy Tucker, his toughest competition yet this season, over the next 14 laps until Larry Thornhill’s car threw a rod just before turn 1. Jones then beat Tucker to the checkered flag by 1.03 seconds.
“I actually had some fun this time,” said Jones, the runaway points leader. “Jeremy’s always a strong contender. Me and him have raced side by side, ripping body panels off, flat tires, rims. That’s not as fun, but it’s fun for the stands and I know it puts on a show. I’m glad that he came back out here. Hopefully, he’s back the next race, too.”
Championship Night #1 also includes racing in the Legends of 99, Grand American Modified and Fast Kar Solutions Mini Modified divisions. Ticket prices are $20 for ages 16-59 and $15 for juniors ages 11-15, seniors 60 and over and military with an ID. A family pass (two adults, two juniors) costs $55. A pit pass costs $50 for all ages. Kids 10 and under are admitted for free, and parking is free at Stockton 99. Gates open at 5 p.m. with racing at 6. Visit stockton99.com or call 209-466-9999.
Stockton 99 Speedway would to thank its sponsors: Black Oak Casino Resort, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Shamblin Softwash and Pressure Washing, Hoosier Racing Tire, Community West Bank, Raising Cane’s, Bass Pro Shops, J. Milano Co. Hardware, Franks, N&S Tractor, Masellis Drilling, Sunoco Race Fuels, Queirolo’s Heating and Air, Garton Tractor, Kleen Blast and Tracy Ford.
STOCKTON 99 SPEEDWAY
Results for Oct. 10
Pro Late Model (40 laps): 1. Sammy Solari, 2. Hans Beeler, 3. Mike Beeler, 4. Henk Gaalswyk, 5. Michael Sandoval, 6. Glenn Cook, 7. Mike Fickin, 8. Tim Kelly, 9. Chris Lyon, 10. Ian Elliot.
Legends of 99 (30 laps): 1. Zach Sansom, 2. Wyatt Sansom, 3. Jason Gilbert, 4. Justin Gantt, 5. Lawrence Massone, 6. Barrett Sugden, 7. Andy Rumsey, 8. Michael Ball, 9. Randy Gilbert, 10. Jameson Morrissey.
Pure Stock (20 laps): 1. Brandon Jones, 2. Jeremy Tucker, 3. Larry Thornhill, 4. Tony White, 5. Jerry Crawford, 6. Dilan Prigmore, 7. Garland Powell.
📸 & ✍️ by BILL POINDEXTER
Sammy Solari prepares to climb out of his No. 22 "Double Deuce" after winning the Pro Late Model main event Saturday night, Oct. 10, at Stockton 99 Speedway. It was his eighth victory overall this season in the track’s two Late Model divisions.
Sammy Solari roars into the front stretch en route to the checkered flag on the 40th and final lap of the Pro Late Model main event at Stockton 99 Speedway on Saturday night, Oct. 10.
Zach Sansom of Linden is interviewed Saturday night, Oct. 10, after winning his third Legends of 99 main event in a row and fourth overall this year at Stockton 99 Speedway.
Doughnuts to go around: Lodi's Brandon Jones celebrates his eighth Pure Stock victory of 2026 along the front stretch at Stockton 99 Speedway on Saturday night, Oct. 10.
