SAN BERNARDINO, California — The JAM Sportswear Late Models drivers will have two chances for success Saturday night (August 21) at Orange Show Speedway.
Of course, that also means they’ll have twice as many opportunities to run into trouble, and with four races left in the season that’s definitely something both Ron Daniel and Jeff Peterson want to avoid.
Daniel, a 53-year-old welder from Mentone (Ca.), leads the point standings as he has since the second race of the 15-event season. But with three wins and two seconds in the past five outings, Peterson has trimmed Daniel’s advantage to just 7 points and left everyone else in the class trying to figure out how to slow down the 19-year-old rookie from Riverside (Ca.) who said the ASA Member Track’s quarter-mile oval configuration “really suits my driving style.”
Three other classes will be in action Saturday, too – the Pick-A-Part Street Stocks, Budweiser Legends Cars and M.C. Erectors Bandoleros – and the evening will conclude with what promises to be an extremely entertaining Drag Boat race. That will be a Trailer race without trailers. Instead, the boats will be chained to the cars and towed over a Figure 8 course that will be wet down before the green flag is waved.
To make the night even more attractive a coupon available at www.bestinthewestracing.com can be exchanged for as many as four general admission tickets for $5 each, a 50 percent saving on the adult price. And part of the money saved can be reinvested in tickets (at $5 each) to win the Bobby Allison Coca Cola Chevrolet replica that is ready to race in the Stock Cars USA class. The drawing will be conducted and the winner of the car will be announced on Sept. 11.
Spectator gates open at 4 p.m. and the first race is at 7 p.m each Saturday.
Tickets are priced at $10 for general admission and $8 for seniors (60 and older), students 11 to 18 and military personnel with valid identification. Children 10 and under are admitted free. A Family Pack, which includes admission for four plus a hot dog and small soft drink for each person, is priced at $45.
Parking is $5, with entry through Gate 4 off Mill Street.
The battle for the Late Model title actually is two fights in one because that class also is involved in the Joe Gibbs Driven Racing Oil ASA Member Track National Championship. The winner of that, decided from among track champions nationwide by a formula that measures various performance areas, will get a test session with the Joe Gibbs Racing’s NASCAR team.
Orange Show Speedway has three races remaining (Saturday and Sept. 11) before the Sept. 26 deadline for inclusion in the national championship, but four races left (the finale is Oct. 2) in the track series. That creates a potential scenario in which one driver could be considered the track champion for ASA consideration and the other could win the track championship and $5,000 bonus being offered by JAM Sportswear president Mike Sullivan and his associate sponsors – Craig and Sons Termite and Pest Control of Redlands (Ca.), A.J. Barile’s Chicago Pizza of Yucaipa (Ca.), Hot Rod City of San Bernardino and Circle Track Performance of Perris (Ca.)
The other classes in action Saturday with their titles undecided are the Pick-A-Part Street Stocks and M.C. Erectors Bandoleros.
In the Street Stocks, 22 points separate six-time and reigning champion Johnny Russo and fourth-place Kyle Meyer with three races to go. Jesse Lawson is second, 8 points behind Russo, and third-place Cliff Conklin is 14 back after two straight main event wins. And in the Bandoleros, Parker Malone leads RJ Stearns by 26 points and Ricky Schlick by 38 with two events remaining.
Riley Sawyers has clinched the Budweiser Legends Cars crown with three races left.
Best in the West Racing’s promotions at Orange Show Speedway are sponsored by Lucas Oil Products, Budweiser, San Bernardino Pick-A-Part, Team Too Termite and Pest Control, JAM Sportswear, Interstate Batteries, MC Erectors, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Rockstar Energy Drinks, Hoosier Tire West, KCAL 96.7 Rocks, Best Buy, Tri-City Towing, Pacific West Interiors (PWI), Luke’s Transmission, Print Depot, Riverside Mission Florist, Wayne’s Engine, Cal’s Towing, JP Striping, K1 Speed, Jerry’s Brake and Wheel, and Arrow Track GPS.com.
For information on sponsorship and promotional opportunities, please contact Best in the West Racing by telephone at 909-885-9000 or visit the new web site at www.BestInTheWestRacing.com.
For all other information, please contact Jim Short by telephone at 951-203-2649 or by e-mail at jimshort65@sbcglobal.net.
