Steven Blakesley / Westcar Late Model Series

2005 Westcar Late Model Series champion Byron Gonzales of Carmichael, CA embarks on 2006 with his eye on a repeat championship.

Gonzales will face off with an even tougher group of drivers vying for the title and a schedule that features races at Altamont Motorsports Park and Stockton 99 Speedway —both tracks that Gonzales does not have starts at yet. Gonzales does have experience at Shasta Raceway Park and Lakeport Speedway, however.

“I feel like we’re capable but it's going to be stiff competition,” Gonzales said. “We are at a disadvantage because of our inexperience at most of these tracks.”

Gonzales, the 2001 Street Stock champion and 2003 Pro Stock champion at All American Speedway, has spent the off-season re-doing the front suspension and rear suspension to counter new Westcar rules that disallow the big-bar, soft-spring set-up.

“We’re redoing the front suspension from lefthander style to regular style,” Gonzales said. “I don’t like (the new rules). I think people should be able to run what they want. It’s survival of the fittest.”

The 25-year old driver will be able to focus more on his 2006 efforts as he recently graduated from Sacramento State University.

He’ll need it as the competition level should be farther increased in 2006. Kyle Cattanach of Redding, CA and Gary Glenn of Orangevale, CA are the early names to emerge as championship contenders, but much is still unknown on which drivers will attempt the full-2006 slate.

“Last year Gary probably would have run away with it if he hadn’t had mechanical problems,” Gonzales said. “It’s going to real tough to be up-front every week this year. It’s really hard to make a prediction on how its going to go.”

Altamont drivers Michael Clarke of Pleasanton, CA and Tony Flores are planning to run the full-slate, as well as Chet Danburg, Dan Knight, and both Christina Davis and 2005 Westcar Late Model Series runner-up Melissa Davis. Steve Daniels of Orangevale, CA finished the 2005 season with momentum as well.

Gonzales is focusing on his changes, instead of worrying about the competition.

“We’re focusing on our changes. We’ll be pretty competitive and we’re confident that we can adapt to the new tracks.”

”I’d say on a 100% scale we know about 60% of what we could know. We still don’t know everything. What sets us apart is our ability to adapt. It’s a constant learning process.”

More on the 2006 Westcar Late Model Series will be announced shortly. The 2006 Westcar Late Model Series kicks off Sunday, April 2 at Stockton 99 Speedway. The 2006 schedule will be announced once the dates at Altamont are firm.