IRWINDALE, California — Four races which include some tight division point battles and a Demolition Derby highlight this Saturday’s (July 25) Family Night at TOYOTA Speedway at Irwindale. Youngsters 15 years of age and under get in free and students 16-18 will be admitted for $7.50.
Saturday evening’s NASCAR Whelen All-American racing action includes an Auto Club Late Model 40-lap race and a 40-lap King Taco Super Truck race. Also scheduled is a 35-lap Legends Cars race, a 20-lap Pick Your Part Outlaw Figure 8 race and a much anticipated Demolition Derby.
Entering Saturday’s Late Model race, reigning champion Tim Huddleston of Agoura Hills and Nick Joanides of Woodland Hills are deadlocked for the championship points lead with 454 points. Huddleston has been on a tear winning five out of the last six races including the last contest on July 4. Joanides finished second that race and in his last eight races he has finished in the top five seven times including a win and two runner-up finishes.
Pat Mintey Jr of Quartz Hill leads the King Taco Super Truck standings with 370 points but has reason to look over his shoulder with hard charging Rod Johnson Jr. of Canyon Country moving within 22 points (348 points) of the reigning division champion. Johnson has been on fire winning three in a row and four of the last five races. Johnson has also racked up runner-up finishes in two races this season. Mintey has maintained his points lead with consistent runs finishing in the top-five in every race this season including two wins and two runner-ups. Tied for third place is the father-son tandem of Ron and Jeff Peterson of Riverside, each with 344 points.
Only six points separate Legends Cars series leader Ryan Reed (368 points) and Brandon Toy (362 points). Both are Bakersfield residents and each has seven top five finishes this season. Toy has one victory while Reed seeks his first victory of the season on Saturday.
Reigning Pick Your Part Outlaw Figure 8 champion Steve Stewart of Long Beach leads the division standings with 290 points but Barefoot Billy Ziemann of Bloomington is in second place (274 points) trailing by 16 points. Ziemann picked up his second win of the season in the last outing on June 27 snapping Stewart’s two-race win streak.
The Demolition Derby will close out the evening’s activities.
Spectator gates open at 4 p.m. The King Taco fan appreciation autograph session is scheduled for 5:45 p.m. with drivers, crews and race cars on the oval track. Late Model qualifying gets underway at 7 p.m. followed by racing.
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NHRA Summit Series Street Legal drag racing action returns to TOYOTA Speedway at Irwindale’s one-eighth mile drag strip this Sunday (July 26). Gates open at 7 a.m. with eliminations beginning at 1 p.m. Test and Tune drag racing takes place each Thursday evening with gates opening at 4 p.m. and competition at 5 p.m. It costs $20.00 to race and $10.00 to watch and kids five and under get in free.
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The TOYOTA Speedway management and staff and its racing competitors express condolences to Joe and Jannelle Nava and family for the loss of their daughter Lindsay, age 24 who died in an auto accident last Sunday. Lindsay was an event employee at the Speedway. Joe is an associate of the Speedway and has campaigned a NASCAR Camping World Series team and is a board member of the West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame. The service for Lindsay will be held on Thursday (July 23) at 2 p.m. at Grace Church of Glendora, 1515 S. Glendora Ave., Glendora, CA 91740. In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has been established in Lindsay’s name: Lindsay Lynnelle Nava Memorial Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 277, Glendora, CA 91740.
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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.
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 Foothill freeways in Irwindale, California. Log on to www.toyotaspeedwayatirwindale.com for additional information including schedule and promotion details.
