Two-time Sam Stringer Memorial winner will be absent from the field

The Sam Stringer Memorial race will be this Saturday and will crown a new champion.

Two-time defending champion Kyle Heckman will not be at the Pahrump Valley Speedway when the flag drops on the fifth annual event at 8 p.m., citing other commitments.

“He said he just opened up a new business and this is taking much of his time,” race organizer Sheree Stringer, Sam Stringer’s widow, said. “So maybe this year we will have a new name on the trophy.”

This year’s race promises to be one of the best, despite the absence of the California-based Heckman.

“We already have 13 pre-entries,” Stringer said. “I think seven of those are from out of town.”

According to Stringer, the absence of Heckman might even bolster the amount of racers racing because they might think they have a better chance of winning the purse. Last year the race attracted 19 racers.

“I will be happy if 22 racers show up for this race,” Stringer said.

The 48-lap main event is a Modified Class race and pays $1,500 to win, $750 for second, $600 third, $500 fourth and $300 for fifth.

The race is a tribute to Sam Stringer, who lost his battle with cancer in May of 2012 at the age of 56. That year, the first memorial race was held and a scholarship fund was opened in his name.

For local race fans, the sheer number of Modified cars on the track should make it one of the most exciting races of the year to watch. All the other classes will be racing too.

Pahrump racer Clifton King is excited to race this weekend and currently leads the Pahrump Valley Speedway Modified racers by 32 points. He is expecting a big local racer turnout for this race for the first time in a long time.

“It should be a great bunch of drivers going to the race,” he said. “We will have a lot of older drivers coming back for this race. I know of a lot coming from out of town too.”

King is a two-time Pahrump Valley Speedway champion, but was humble as far as his chances to win the race.

“I really don’t know about my chances to win this race,” he said. “I will be in Dan Snowden’s number 42 car for this race. I have raced it five times this year and have won twice. But I have less power in this car because it’s a crate motor. I am hoping for a dry track this weekend.”

King believes a dry track favors him. He also said with Heckman out of the picture, anyone could win.

Two-time winner, racer Levi Kiefer will be at the race and certainly shouldn’t be counted out. He finished second to Heckman last year in the 19-car field.

In addition to King, Bryan Wulfenstein in his number 12 car will be there too. He has beaten King but has also lost to him. Then there are the Stringer boys, Steve and Josh. The two sons of Sam Stringer would love to bring home the trophy. Last year Josh had car troubles, but brother Steve Stringer finished in seventh place.

Sheree Stringer spends hours of her time raising money each year for the annual race to keep her husband’s name alive. Daughters LeAnn Long and Carrie Keaton help with the fundraising and her sons talk to the racers to generate hype and excitement for the race. All the money goes to a scholarship fund, which is given out annually to college-bound students looking to get into auto technology.

“After five years it is running smoother, but it’s not running by itself,” Stringer said. “I just took a small vacation to do some trout fishing because these past weeks have been busy ones. We caught 22 trout over the weekend.”

Despite all the hard work it takes to put on this race, Stringer said she still enjoys meeting all of Sam’s old friends.

“People will come by and talk about my husband and I will not even know who they are, but they would still come up to me just to stop by and tell me how they knew Sam. I love talking to all of them and the race is keeping Sam’s name alive.”

Contact sports editor Vern Hee at vhee@pvtimes.com