SATURDAY’S KING TACO FAMILY NIGHT AT TOYOTA SPEEDWAY AT IRWINDALE INCLUDES FOUR RACES, A DEMO DERBY AND AN OPEN CASTING CALL FOR THE NBC TELEVISION

Source: Toyota Speedway Media Relations
Date: 07/16/2008

IRWINDALE, California – Variety is the word which best describes King Taco Restaurants Family Night this Saturday (July 19) AT Toyota Speedway at Irwindale. Youngsters 15 years of age and under will be admitted for free with four races and a demolition derby highlighting the racing activities on the track. And, to round out the evening’s activities, fans of the popular television show “Deal or No Deal” will be able to try their luck at becoming a millionaire as NBC’s high stakes international game show will be holding an open casting call.

Skill and luck are elements competitors will need on the track during the demolition derby and the four races featured on Saturday’s NASCAR Whelen All-American Series schedule which includes the Auto Club Late Models, King Taco Super Trucks, Pure Stocks and the ASA Speed Truck Challenge.

Nick Joanides of Woodland Hills is attempting win two division championships at the Speedway in both the ACDelco Super Late Model and Auto Club Late Model Series. While Joanides leads the Super Late Model points standings, he along with the other drivers have been chasing Andrew Myers of Huntington Beach who has led the Late Model point standings for the first nine races of the season. Myers got off to a commanding start with victories in the first five races but Joanides has closed the gap to ten points by winning two of the last three races along with top three finishes in five other races. With eight races remaining Myers has 402 points, followed by Joanides with 392 points and defending division champion Tim Huddleston is in third place with 358 points.

Fans are in for a treat if Saturday’s King Taco Super Truck race is anything like the last race on June 28. Seventeen year old Conner Cantrell of Valencia won the 40 lap contest in spectacular fashion by catching race leader Pat Mintey Jr. on the outside line of the final lap coming out of turn four. As both drivers approached the finish line, Cantrell squeezed between Mintey and the wall as they bumped across the finish line. Cantrell edged Mintey by 0.024 seconds for the win. Mintey is the defending division champion and leads the Super Truck standings with 322 points followed by Cantrell who is 16 points back.

With only 12 points separating the top four drivers in the Pure Stocks division standings, Saturday’s race on the one-third mile oval is expected to be pivotal with five races remaining. Chad Kelly of Calabasas leads the standings with 366 points with Tommy Agosta of Chino, who won the last race on June 21, only four points back with 362. Ron Davis of Norwalk is in third place with 360 points and Mike Colato Jr. of Chatsworth is in fourth with 354 points.

The ASA Speed Truck Challenge makes its third appearance of the season at TOYOTA Speedway. Darren Young leads the division with 515 points followed by Todd McLauchlan with 502 points. McLauchlan won the first two on April 5 and June 7 with Young finishing second both times.

The demolition derby will close out the evening’s schedule. Spectator gates open and qualifying begins at 4 p.m. The Deal or No Deal casting call will begin promptly at 5 p.m., with all hopeful participants lined up by 8 p.m. which is the cutoff time for the casting. All those standing in line by 8 p.m. will be seen by a casting director from the show. The King Taco fan appreciation autograph session with drivers, crews and cars will take place on the track beginning at 5:45 p.m. Green flag racing action begins at 7 p.m.

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Round 4 of the NHRA Summit ET Street Legal drag racing series resumes action on Sunday (July 20) at TOYOTA Speedway at Irwindale’s Drag Strip. Gates open at 7 a.m., technical inspection opens at 8 a.m. with

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