IRWINDALE, California – TOYOTA Speedway at Irwindale announced today a sponsor partnership with the California Highway Patrol (CHP) www.chp.ca.gov which includes title sponsorship of the July 4th California Highway Patrol 200 NASCAR Camping World West Series event. The partnership also provides the law enforcement agency with year around branding presence on the Speedway’s oval track and drag strip, career recruitment and community relations activities and the promoting of safe driving messages during marquee oval track events.
“The California Highway Patrol is very excited about our partnership with TOYOTA Speedway at Irwindale,” said Chief Warren A. Stanley, Southern Division Commander of the California Highway Patrol. “Its events, including the July 4th California Highway Patrol 200, provide CHP with a productive environment to promote community relations, career opportunities and convey a very important safe driving message during one of the busiest holiday weekends on the state’s highways.”
In addition to the TOYOTA Speedway at Irwindale sponsorship program, the California Highway Patrol is also sponsoring the Team Yates No. 28 entry and driver Travis Kvapil in the June 20-22 Toyota / Save Mart 350 NASCAR Sprint Cup event at Infineon Raceway, Sonoma, Calif. It is also sponsoring the No. 85 entry driven by Travis Irving in a select number of Auto Club Late Model NASCAR Whelen All-American races at TOYOTA Speedway at Irwindale.
“TOYOTA Speedway at Irwindale has had a great relationship with the California Highway Patrol since we opened in 1999,” said Bob DeFazio, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of TOYOTA Speedway at Irwindale. “We are honored that our facility and the July 4th NASCAR event are important elements of CHP’s community relations program in Southern California.”
About the California Highway Patrol
On August 14, 1929, the California Highway Patrol was created through an act of the Legislature. The new law gave statewide authority to the Highway Patrol to enforce traffic laws on county and State highways - a responsibility which remains in effect today, along with many additional functions undreamed of in 1929.
The primary mission of the California Highway Patrol is "the management and regulation of traffic to achieve safe, lawful, and efficient use of the highway transportation system." As a major statewide law enforcement agency, the secondary mission of the Department is to assist in emergencies exceeding local capabilities. The CHP also provides disaster and lifesaving assistance.
During its first ten years, the Patrol successfully grew into a highly respected, effective traffic safety force of 730 uniformed personnel. After World War II, the legislature decided to consolidate and reorganize the Patrol's enforcement and administrative responsibilities. In October 1947, the Department of the California Highway Patrol was established and the position of commissioner was created to head the new Department.
The span of enforcement responsibility has expanded dramatically and the CHP has continued to grow and change. Today's responsibilities include truck and bus inspections, air operations (both airplanes and helicopters) and vehicle theft investigation and prevention. The 1995 merger with the California State Police also increased the areas of responsibility to include protection of state property and employees, the Governor and other dignitaries.
In addition to its enforcement responsibilities, the Department has taken a leadership role in educating the public concerning driver safety issues. The CHP has received state and national recognition for its innovative public awareness campaigns promoting use of safety belts, a Designated Driver when drinking, securing small children in safety seats and wearing motorcycle and bicycle helmets.
About TOYOTA Speedway at Irwindale
One of the country’s premier motor racing facilities featuring one-half mile and one third mile paved progressive banked variable grooved oval tracks and a one-eighth mile street legal drag strip, TOYOTA Speedway at Irwindale is centrally located within the Los Angeles, Calif. Basin, 25 minutes from downtown Los Angeles and easily accessible from anywhere in Southern California. The facility hosts NASCAR events including a 30 event Whelen All-American NASCAR Weekly Racing Series program and the NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown. It also hosts the annual USAC Turkey Night Grand Prix featuring Midget and Sprint cars, major Drifting events sanctioned by Formula Drift and the D1 Grand Prix and numerous NHRA sanctioned events including a weekly Thursday night program and the Summit E.T. Street Legal racing series.
