IRWINDALE, California — - This is the tenth year of the Auto Club of Southern California’s ongoing sponsorship of Toyota Speedway’s exciting Late Model division, and, if the rest of the races in the 2010 season are anywhere near as exciting their opening night show, this will be the best year ever for this class!
Travis Irving was the dark horse winner of the first ACLM race two weeks ago. A division regular, the Long Beach driver overcame a couple of "jumpy" starts in the heat races to get final jump on the field for the win after a yellow flag bunched up the action with just six laps to go. Chris Holloway (Bakersfield) ran second, with second generation driver Rod Johnson Jr. (Canyon Country) getting a hard-raced third. After one race Irving, who finished third last year in the Auto Club Late Models, is on top of the standings, but there are lot of very fast people who want that spot.
Also on the card for Saturday night are the Vista Paint Super Stocks, King Taco Super Trucks, the Ken Porter Auctions Classic Stocks, the Echo Equipment Legends Cars, the Jan’s Towing Bandoleros, and those hold-your-breath Classic Stock Figure 8’s.
Going into Saturday night’s races a "Father/Son act" from Lawndale (Ken and Harry Michaelian) are first and third in the Ken Porter Auction Classic Stocks points, with Chatsworth’s Mike Colato Jr. keeping them honest at second in points.
After two races for the Vista Paint Super Stocks Rich DeLong from Santa Clarita has a 6-point lead (100 – 94) over Riverside’s Brian Harrel. Gary Read from nearby La Verne will come into Toyota Speedway at third place in points.
Rancho Cucamonga’s Ryan Partridge leads the King Taco Super Trucks into the Speedway for round two of their 2010 series with (very) local (Monrovia) driver Todd Cameron only two points behind, and multi-time champion/race winner Pat Mintey Jr. from Quartz Hill two of those precious markers behind him.
And here’s a familiar name: Huddelston, and a familiar position: points leader. Only this is the youngest Huddelson, Trevor, son of one of the Speedway’s winningest drivers ever Tim. He’s the points leader in the Jan’s Towing Bandoleros. These are the young stars of the day after the day after tomorrow.
And then there’s (this should be a good one!) the Classic Stock Figure-8’s. This is opening night for these brave knights of the wreck-prone intersection. Even though fans may not believe it, the idea is NOT to crash into each other, and (like all side-by-side racing), to be the fastest around the track while dodging cross traffic. The track always saves this one for the last and no one leaves early when the Classic Stock stalwarts run the Irwindale criss-cross course.
The really cool thing is the way that the fans are treated at the Speedway. "We want the whole family to come out and get into the NASCAR Home Track habit," said track VP Bob DeFazio. "We’ve kept our prices friendly and all kids under 12 are always free at all regular weekly NASCAR events." And the really young ones just love having their faces painted by Mimi the Clown, a track fixture since opening night, year two. Look for her under the grandstands.
A 5:45PM King Taco invites fans to come down out on the grandstands, see all the racing cars up close, and meet the drivers, get and their autograph or take their photo right on the race track.
As always the race show starts promptly at 7PM. But the fun really starts the minute that the fans get to the track! Advance tickets are available on-line at www.toyotaspeedwayatirwindale.com and (as always at all regular events) kids 12 and under are admitted free!
MEDIA CLARIFICATION: The Toyota Speedway Super Late Models title sponsor for 2010 is just good old refreshing PEPSI (not as previously reported PEPSI One). That makes it the PEPSI SUPER LATE MODELS. Thanks!
