SAN BERNARDINO, California -- It’s just another race. It’s just another race.
It isn’t. Saturday’s 100-lap ASA Late Model main event at Orange Show Speedway will be the longest and richest race the division has run this year, with $750 added to the prize money, and it will determine whether Anthony Mainella or Jim Conklin is crowned the 2006 champion.
Conklin said he’s eagerly looking forward to the race. But Mainella said it’s one he’s “trying not to think about 24-7. I’m actively ignoring it. There’s a lot riding on just one race, but I’m trying hard not to think about that.”
A pair of disqualifications for unapproved equipment following the Oct. 7 race caused a revision of the point standings and left Conklin, 53, of Big Bear City, two points ahead of Mainella, 41, of Palmdale.
Eric Ferguson of El Cajon, 10 points behind in third place after being one of those disqualified, is the only other driver with a mathematical chance of winning the title. However, Ferguson said he will not race Saturday, and that decision sets up a one-on-one battle between Conklin and Mainella.
Two points is the difference between finishing positions in Orange Show Speedway’s scoring system, and should the two finish in a tie, Mainella would claim the title based on main event wins (he has three and Conklin two). So Conklin needs to finish at least one spot ahead of Mainella, and their race within a race could be the highlight of a closing night program that includes the ASA Super Late Models, Pony Stocks, Legend Cars and Bandoleros on the quarter-mile oval and a season-ending Demolition Derby in the infield.
Glen Cummings of Highland takes a 10-point lead over Ron Overman of Lakeside into the 40-lap Super Late Model main and Riverside’s Jim Mardis has a 28-point lead over Corona’s Adrianne Murlin in the Stock Pony class, which will race 75 laps for an additional $500 in prize money.
Spectator gates at the track on the National Orange Show grounds will open at 5 p.m. and racing will get under way at 6:30 p.m. Admission is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and military personnel and $2 for children 6 through 12. Parking is $4, with the entrance off Mill Street at Gate 3.
Those who can’t make it to the track will be able to follow the night’s activity through Racing West’s live Internet web cast. Access the RacingWest.com home page and click on the Orange Show Speedway link.
Both Conklin and Mainella like the added distance for the finale, and they’re approaching it in similar fashion.
Conklin, who won the Street Stock title as a rookie in 1998 but hadn’t raced a full season since in five years, said he usually makes some minor changes on his Chevrolet Camaro from one race to another, but this week it will “be set up exactly the same (as on Oct. 7), but with a new set of tires. We’re not going to try anything new at this stage of the game. I’m going to be very patient. The first half I’ll just be taking it easy, surviving, and the second half we’ll race.”
Mainella, who finished third in the class as a rookie in 2005, said he and his crew are “going over every little thing on the car (a Chevrolet Monte Carlo) to make sure it can go the distance. I think we have the car set up so it will be stronger in the second half. If I can, I’m going to race it like any other race during year, try to stay out of trouble and run hard and hopefully save something for the second half of the race.”
Racing at Orange Show Speedway is sponsored by Leno’s Rico Taco, Blackhawk Protection, CEC Embroidery, Golden West Tire, Lucas Oil, Soboba Casino, Budweiser, Sunoco Racing Fuel, Hoosier Racing Tires, Center Chevrolet, Pick A Part, Neff Rental, Pepsi, Loma Linda University Medical Center, J&M Trophy, Matich Corp., Lazer Radio (101.7 and 105.7 FM), La Salle Medical Associates, California Highway Patrol, KCAL radio (96.7 FM) and the San Bernardino County Sun newspaper.
