IRWINDALE, California — Five races highlight Saturday’s (September 13) Law Enforcement Appreciation Night and Family Night at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale. A full lineup of NASCAR Whelen short track races are scheduled including Auto Club Late Models, ACDelco Super Late Models, Vista Paint Super Stocks, Pure Stocks and a trailer race.
Any sworn and civilian law enforcement personnel associated with a Southern California area law enforcement organization will be admitted for free with employment identification or special promotion code. Also, youngsters 15 years of age and under will be admitted for free as part of a Family Night promotion.
Having clinched the ACDelco Super Late Model division championship last Saturday night, Nick Joanides of Woodland Hills now focuses his effort on capturing the Auto Club Late Model division crown. If Joanides is able to do it, it would mark the first time in the history of TOYOTA Speedway that a driver will have won championships in two major divisions in the same season. Joanides will have to overcome defending champion Tim Huddleston of Agoura Hills who leads the division point standings. Three races remain on the Late Model schedule and only two points separate Huddleston and Joanides. Both drivers have had impressive seasons with Joanides capturing podium finishes in 11 of 15 races, while Huddleston has been on fire in the last 10 races with five wins, two second place finishes and two third place finishes.
The ACDelco Super Late Model division concludes its 20-race season on Saturday night. With the top five positions in the division standings solidified, attention will be on the rookie of the year battle between Randel King of Riverside and Luis Martinez, Jr of Long Beach. The two drivers are separated by 44 points with King currently in 9th place in the division standings with 470 points while Martinez is in 13th place with 426 points. The season finale will also mark the return of Rip Michels, the three-time Super Late Model division champion including the 2007 season and the Speedway’s all-time race winner with 55 victories. Michels will be part of a three-car team fielded by D&D Construction Specialties / Dan Moore Racing which includes Moore, Michels and Rod Johnson, Jr who will be making his Super Late Model debut.
Three races remain in the Vista Paint Super Stock schedule and division points leader Bryan Harrell of Riverside will be looking to increase his 44 point lead over Rich DeLong III of Santa Clarita. Harrell has accumulated 484 points while DeLong is in second place with 440 points.
Only 34 points separate the top five positions in the Pure Stocks division standings. With three races remaining, division points leader Chad Kelly of Calabasas will have one eye focused on his rear view mirror looking out for Tommy Agosta of Chino (2nd place, 496 points), Mike Colato, Jr. of Chatsworth (3rd place, 478 points), Ron Davis of Norwalk (4th place, 476 points) and Ken Michaelian of Lawndale (5th place, 472 points) who are all in contention for the championship.
The evening’s racing activities will conclude with a Trailer race which is scheduled to be held on a course which includes the one-third mile oval and figure 8 course. The competition is open to any vehicle make and model but must be configured to the Speedway’s Demolition Derby competition rules. Each vehicle is required to pull a single axle trailer weighing a minimum of 500 pounds and may carry cargo including a boat, camper or tent trailer.
Spectator gates open and qualifying begins at 4 p.m. The King Taco fan appreciation autograph session with drivers, teams and race cars on the race track will begin at 5:45 p.m. Racing begins at 7 p.m.
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TOYOTA Speedway at Irwindale’s Drag Strip will host its Test and Tune street legal racing program this Thursday. Gates open at 4 p.m. with racing from 5-10 p.m. It costs $20.00 to compete and $10.00 for adult spectators to watch the action. Kids 5 and under get in free.
Round Six of the NHRA Summit ET Street Legal Drag Racing series resumes action on Sunday (September 14) at TOYOTA Speedway at Irwindale’s Drag Strip. Gates open at 7 a.m., technical inspection opens at 8 a.m. with eliminations scheduled to begin at 10 a.m.
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Tickets for all TOYOTA Speedway at Irwindale events are available for purchase at the Speedway ticket office, by calling (626) 358-1100 and online at www.toyotaspeedwayatirwindale.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 track races when they show their AAA membership card. Restrictions may apply.
TOYOTA Speedway at Irwindale is located at 500 Speedway Drive off of Live Oak Ave. and the I-605 freeway, between the I-10 and 210 freeways in Irwindale, Calif. Log on to www.toyotaspeedwayatirwindale.com for information and schedules
