SANTA MARIA, California — The Western Allstars Dirt Car Late Model Series will be back at Santa Maria Speedway Saturday night for the second time this season, presented by Toyota-Scion of Santa Maria. Papich Construction IMCA Modifieds and Toste Grading & Paving Mini Stocks will also be racing.
*For the second week in-a-row celebrity pit announcer Brett Wagner, known as the "Big Schwag" will be at the Speedway. Wagner is known as being the voice of Monster Garage and is the current host of the Speed Network Drag Race Show "Pass Time".
*Top 2009 point getter Bobby Hogge IV, of Salinas, will lead the Late Models into action, with a 43 point margin over second place Mike Johnson, of Lompoc, and a 51 point advantage over Chris Shannon of Merced. El Segundo's Nick Bartels is 88 points out of the lead in fourth, and fifth place Rob Sanders, of Bakersfield, is 102 points in arrears.
*IMCA Modified point leader Chad Weber, of Arroyo Grande, helped his own cause last weekend with a runner-up finish in the feature event that increased his lead over second place Doug Thornton, of Santa Maria, to 23 markers. Third place Tony Toste, of Arroyo Grande, is 28 points behind the leader but just a point in front of fourth place Danny Lauer of Santa Maria. Another Santa Maria driver, Josh Vogt, trails the leader by 35.
*2003-2004 Mini Stock champion Tom Grzincic, of Atascadero, is trying his best to make this year's title chase a ho-hum affair after scoring his sixth consecutive feature win last Saturday night. Nipomo's Jeremy Heroux, with 4 seconds, a third and a fourth in features this season, is trying to keep in touch with Grzincic but already trails by 46 points. Third place Rob Gilbertson, of Santa Maria, was running third in last week's main event but went out with mechanical problems with 3 laps to go, and is now 65 points out of the lead. Nipomo drivers Kurt Larsen and Dustin Ensign trail by 92 and 105 points respectively.
*Saturday's spectator gates will open at 3:00 p.m., with qualifying at 5:00 p.m. and racing at 6:00 p.m. Admission prices will be: $16.00 for adults, $14.00 for seniors & military, $5.00 for children 6 to 12, five and under free. SMS is located 1/4-mile north of the 101/166 interchange on Hutton Road.
