IRWINDALE, California --Five races including an Auto Club Late Model race and a K&N Filters Ford Focus Midget race highlight Saturday night’s (June 23) King Taco Family Night at Irwindale Speedway. Children 12 years of age and under will be admitted for free when accompanied by an adult. All-State Insurance, NASCAR’s official insurance partner, is the event sponsor that evening.
The Auto Club Late Model division, featuring one of the most competitive fields in recent years, headlines Saturday’s racing schedule. Aided by top three finishes in his last four races including two victories, Canyon Country’s Aaron Staudinger currently leads the division point standings with 270 points. However, five other drivers are within striking distance of the leader including Tim Huddleston of Agoura Hills (268), Doug McComb of Thousand Oaks (240), rookie Jace Meier of Las Vegas (236), Michael Wright of Yucca Valley (230) and Brian Jones of Thousand Oaks (224).
Thanks to six top three finishes in as many races, Quartz Hill’s Pat Mintey Jr is having an impressive season leading the King Taco Super Trucks division with 286 points. Matt Hicks of Santee is in second place with 236 points. Logan Henson of Santee is in third pace with 224 points.
Only six points separate Vista Paint Super Stock current division points leader Bryan Harrell of Riverside and Darren Cheek of San Bernardino. In the last race on June 9, Harrell, the defending division champion, had his three-race win streak snapped by Cheek who won his second race of the season. Cheek has finished no lower than third in any race this season.
While Oak Hill’s Chad Schug has won three of the first six Legend Cars races this season including last week’s hotly contested race, Darren Amidon of Santee has played the role of Mr. Consistency finishing no lower that 4th place including a victory and two runner-up finishes, good enough to lead the division standings with 282 points. Upland’s Austin Grabowski is in second place with 248 points with Schug in 9th place having missed two starts.
The K&N Filters Ford Focus Midgets make their first appearance of the season, the first of a special five race series at the Speedway. Tim Skoglund leads the USAC California Paved Ford Focus series with 326 points with Tom Dyer in second with 310 points and Nic Faas in third with 301 points
Spectator gates open at 4 p.m. with qualifying sessions. The King Taco fan appreciation autograph session will take place on the track with the drivers, crew members and race cars at 5:45 p.m. and the first green flag waved at 7 p.m.
Test and Tune, the popular drag racing activity is held every Thursday under the lights from 5-10 p.m. The activity allows local drag racers the opportunity race their street legal cars on Irwindale Speedway’s 1/8-mile drag strip. It costs only $20.00 to race, $10.00 to watch ($5.00 for kids 12-6 yrs. and 5 yrs. and under are admitted for free).
Tickets for all Irwindale Speedway events, including the July 4th event featuring the NASCAR Grand National West King Taco 200 and Auto Club late Model Firecracker 100 races followed by a spectacular fireworks show, are available for purchase at the Speedway ticket office, by calling (626) 358-1100 and online at www.irwindalespeedway.com. Auto Club of Southern California members receive a 10% discount off of the purchase of up to four (4) adult general admission tickets for Saturday oval racing when they show their AAA membership card. Auto Club members can also receive discounts on special offers at the concession and souvenir stands.
