After a week of uncertainty and obstacles, Dave Byrd is set to take to the track, this evening, September 5th, for the Performance Electrical 130, at Madera Speedway, in Madera, California as part of the Spears SRL Southwest Tour Series.
The road blocks to competing in tonight’s race kept a steady pace through the week and culminated in Friday night’s practice session when the “new” rear end broke, in the car Dave was slated to drive. Thanks to several of Dave’s rival competitors and several of the series’ officials, a complete rear end for the car was located at Bob and Brennan Newberry’s NTS Motorsports shop in Bakersfield, California. The rear end was loaded in a truck and delivered to Madera Speedway in the early morning hours. With the cooperation of Madera Speedway track officials, the Spears SRL Southwest Tour officials and a dedicated Greg Voight Racing crew, the car is repaired and ready to go.
“I am in awe of how great this series and the people that race here are”, stated a obviously grateful Dave Byrd. “I’ve seen some amazing things over the years, but for the teams that I am out here to beat, to go out of their way to get me on the track, really leaves me speechless!”
Tonight’s Spears SRL Southwest Tour Series race in a follow up race to Dave’s last race a week ago, Saturday, August 29th when Dave raced in a personal “Race for Autism”. The fund raising race ended in a hard fought 4th place finish in a field of competitor’s that not only included the always fast local track regulars, but the special event had brought in many top racers from several Southern California tracks.
Stepping into the Quall’s Stock Car Rentals “house car”, Dave immediately worked to get through the stellar field from his 14th place starting position. It took all 100 laps to get from 14th to 4th.
“There was such a good turn out of cars that things got bunched up and I got stuck behind some guys that were using the whole track to get around the corners” explained Dave. “I really felt, during the race, that I could get the lead, if I could get around a couple of cars, but by the time I got by them I had pissed off the car, the tires and myself!”, Dave said laughingly.
In tonight’s race Dave will need to make a smooth transition from the necessary finesse needed to pilot a Western Late Model to the “on your toes” hooked up horsepower of a Southwest Tour Car. The car’s mission will be to keep that horsepower “hooked up” and in one piece.
All of Dave Byrd’s Racing efforts and his promotion of “Racing for Autism” are brought to you and supported by generous help from RH Motorsports, NTS Motorsports, Jim Pettit Racing, Quall’s Stock Car Rentals, Carlos Vierra Racing, Bob Strandwold Racing, Performance Electrical, Conti Material Service, “LA” Fever Logistics, Kevin Daley, Jim and Pam Garcia, Faith Bumper Service, Kenny Whalen Racing, JLM Motorsports, Mike Kanke and his RPM Motorsports team, Leadfoote Jim Foote and Fred Lind Racing.
Johny "LA" Fever. Find out more.
