IRWINDALE, California — - For the first time since opening night back in late March, LA s Half-Mile SuperSpeedway will be quiet and dark this Saturday night, October 23. But that doesn t mean that there won t be all sorts of strange spooky goings-on going on behind the scenes at the track Remember October 30 is the night before Halloween (aka The Night of Destruction ) and getting ready for that one always takes some hard work (and a bit of horseplay).
Saturday, October 30 will close out the regular season of racing for the Speedway but, fear not, there are a number of BIG events set for the Speedway over the Winter break including the 70th running of the Turkey Night Grand Prix, a new $50,000 Lucas Oil California Classic for stock cars on November 26 and 27, and the annual NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown on January on 28 and 29, 2011.
Ok, let s get back to October 30: We ll kick things off on Saturday night with a truly super 75-lap race for all three divisions of trucks that race weekly at Toyota Speedway: the King Taco Super Trucks, the Southwest Tour Trucks, and the ASA Truck Series. This one is not for season points, but it IS for off-season bragging rights, and it IS set for 75 grueling laps on the fast and unforgiving low banks in Irwindale. And there s some nice prize money involved.
The Drive Tech Late Models (with their ever-changing driver line-up) will be on track as will the final 2010 run for the Ken Porter Auction Classic Stocks. This is the tenth race for these veteran stockers and their drivers. As it has been all year long Lawndale s Ken Michaelian, Chatsworth s Mike Colato Jr., and Harry Michaelian (Lawndale too) are still locked in a three-way battle that will see one of the above crowned the champ. Points leader Ken goes in with 486, Mike s got 466, and Harry s holding an even 444. With 50 points up, well you get the idea. In all, 16 drivers from all over the southern part of the state ran in this budget/fun division this year. And, remember, the old skool Open Comp. cars run for fun with the KPACS too!.
We ve got the final Pick Your Part Outlaw Figure 8 race and everyone knows what that means right? We ve run 6 of the 7-race season and still have four drivers (out of the 15 who took part during the 2010 season) who are still in contention for the championship. From left to right, they are: Tony Curtis (Hawthorne, 246 pts.), Andy Schoening (Corona, 278 pts.), Steve Stewart (Long Beach, 282 pts.), and Billy Ziemann (Bloomington, 284 pts.). Close? Yeah. Of course the idea here, as in all of the above is to avoid destruction (even though pass through the X is a open invitation to a T-Boning). Anticipate, handle left and right turns equally, be aggressive and bring a rabbit s foot.
AND NOW ON TO THE DESTRUCTION PART OF THE NIGHT:
A real crowd favorite is the Toyota Speedway brand of TRAILER RACING This is flat out, NO HOLDS BARRED, runwhatchdreamed-up wacky racing. Perhaps the only from of motorsports that leaves any and all of the debris on the track for the whole race. Oops, look out for that Jet Ski!
And then there s a FWD (front wheel drive) Run for Fun Enduro (and an undisclosed number of laps) race followed by a DEMOLITION DERBY for same that ll smash, bash, fold, bend, mutilate, and generally just flat destroydicate a big old bunch of barely-running econo-boxes.
And then there s the first-ever, exciting, action-packed, incomparable, breathtaking, formidable, wild, wild WORLD GRAND PRIX CHAMPIONSHIP for SKID PLATE CARS! These are the machine that you ve heard so much about. The brainchild of veteran driver/designer/mad scientist Robert Rice, these machines must be seen in person to be fully enjoyed.
This signal event will introduce an new and very prestigious perpetual trophy at the Speedway. The Prestigious And Incomparable Robert Rice Trophy World Grand Prix Championship for Skid Plate Cars has an actual, spray-painted skid plate wheel bolted down to two sturdy 4-by4 s with plenty of room for the names of the winners of the great new annual event for many years to come.
As always, Kids under 12 are FREE, and every ticket comes with a full, iron-clad guarantee (after the first race of the night you don t like the show, head back to the ticket booth for a full refund).
As always, the King Taco On-Track Autograph Session gets all of the drivers, crews, track safety personnel (tell em thanks) together right on the track at 5:45PM for a close-up look at the racing machines and a face-to-face with all of the folks mentioned above. An essential part of the Toyota Speedway at Irwindale experience, this right-on-the-racetrack event was built for the kids, but everyone has a great time revving up for racin .
AS ALWAYS, GATES OPEN AT 4PM, YOU KNOW (ABOVE) WHEN THE KTO-TAS IS, & RACING STARTS AT 7PM.
FOR MORE INSIDER INFORMATION GO TO: www.toyotaspeedwayatirwindale.com TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE BY PHONE TOO: 626-358-1100
FOR ANYONE WHO JUST HAS GOT TO GET OUT TO THE TRACK: THE THURSDAY NIGHT STREET LEGAL NHRA DRAG RACES ARE GREAT FUN ... THERE'S PLENTY OF TIRE SMOKE AND SIDE-BY-SIDE COMPETITION!
GATES OPEN AT 4PM AND RACING STARTS AT 5PM ... AND YOU CAN RACE YOUR OWN CAR FOR $20!
