Two familiar faces and names return to Toyota Speedway in Irwindale Friday, January 23, with hopes of winning the NASCAR Whelen All-American Super Late Model (SLM) event during this year’s sixth annual NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown.
Two-time NASCAR champion Ron Esau (1986 NASCAR Featherlite Southwest Tour & 1978 Cajon Speedway) and David Beat, two-time Cajon Speedway (El Cajon, Calif.) Late Model champion (2003 & 2004) switch duties this weekend with Esau of El Cajon, putting on a car owner’s cap (Rapid Ron Racing, Inc.) and Beat of Blossom Valley (Calif.) slipping into Esau’s driver’s seat piloting the white and orange No.6 LKQ CORPORATION/ PICK YOUR PART Chevrolet.
The Showdown, NASCAR’s premier short-track event the past six years referred to as the “Daytona 500 of short-track racing”, each year draws the nation’s best short-track racers to Southern California’s premier ½-mile oval in Irwindale, Calif.
Over 40 SLM cars are expected for Friday’s 7:35 p.m. televised event to be held before Saturday evening’s NASCAR Camping World Series race.
As a driver, Ron Esau finished 17th in point standings in 2007 with a limited schedule (9 races) and a best finish of 9th. Esau also won a trophy dash in 2007, expressed his car is for sale and he may return to racing if sponsorship permits in 2009.
David Beat boasts some impressive Irwindale SLM stats including: 2008-Season Standings 11th ,16 starts, best finish 2nd / 2007- Season Standings 4th, 19 starts, 2 wins / 2006-Season Standings 2nd, 16 starts, one win / 2005-limited schedule, 3 starts, best finish 4th / 2003-limited schedule, 3 starts, best finish 5th / 2002-limited schedule, 2 starts / 2001-Season Standing 6th. Beat is also hoping to return to Irwindale racing this year depending on sponsorship.
Calling the shots for Esau’s team this week and the 150-lap SLM race will be Kevin Clark, joining his long-time friends, Esau and Beat. Clark of Lakeside (Calif.) received a kidney November 7, 2007 from David Beat and both are doing well after the one year anniversary. David heard Kevin was in need of a healthy kidney after the UCSD Medical Center (San Diego, Calif.) put Kevin on the National Kidney Registry (www.kidneyregistry.org) in 2000 due to Chronic Kidney Disease. In 2006, UCSD completed testing on David and their team of kidney transplant doctors gave the okay as Kevin’s kidneys were in major renal failure and the operation was scheduled November 2007, just weeks after Esau and Beat’s last Showdown appearances.
Tune in to SIRIUS NASCAR Radio Channel 128 on Friday, January 23, for Claire B. Lang’s radio show, Dialed In, 7-10 p.m. ET previewing the Toyota All-Star Showdown event.
Two days of high adrenaline racing will air live on SPEED beginning at 7 p.m. PT both Friday and Saturday. On Friday, 150-lap NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Super Late Model race and Saturday, 75-lap NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late Model and 250-lap NASCAR Camping World Series race.
Team Ron Esau Racing, Inc. and David Beat would like to thank the following sponsors, companies and associations for their sponsorship and support enabling them to make their presence at this year’s NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown SLM race possible: Pick Your Part, LKQ Corporation, ApprovedMemory.com, Bernardo Construction and Remodeling, Inc., Memory Lane, Paul Copenhaver Motorsports (PCM), Custeau Signs & Custom Auto Wrap, Image on Trak and the National Kidney Foundation.
To purchase tickets for the NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown, go to www.toyotaspeedwayatirwindale.com or contact (626) 358-1100.
NATIONAL KIDNEY FOUNDATION (www.kidney.org)
About 26 million American adults have Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) and millions of others are at increased risk. Early detection can help prevent the progression of kidney disease to kidney failure The National Kidney Foundation, a major voluntary nonprofit health organization, is dedicated to preventing kidney and urinary tract diseases, improving the health and well-being of individuals and families affected by kidney disease and increasing the availability of all organs for transplantation. Through its more than 50 local offices nationwide, the NKF provides vital patient and community services, conducts extensive public and professional education, advocates for patients through legislative action and supports kidney research to identify new treatments. The NKF relies on individual and corporate donations, business partnerships, foundation and government grants and revenue from special events. More than 81 cents of each dollar donated to NKF goes directly to support its programs and services.
