IRWINDALE, California — - This season's designated NASCAR national championship division is back at the Speedway on Saturday night with young Brandon Davis on a roll and sporting a perfect 4-for-4 record in the Auto Club Late Models.
Davis, who commutes from Henderson, Nevada each race to run one of these sharp stockers for multi-time track champion Tim Huddleston, has a 24-point lead on Toni McCray from San Bernardino (200 to 176). Morgan Hill's Devon Osthimer stands alone in third place (170 points) with Taylor Minch (Alpine) and Chris Holloway (Bakersfield) all locked up in a tie for fourth place at 140 each. Rest assured that Davis will have a rather large bull s eye target pinned to his back this Saturday night. But of late, the newly-betrothed lad really seemed to thrive under all sort of pressure.
In the King Taco Super Trucks, 2010 Champion, Ryan Partridge has the lead but has "only" won one of the two races run so far in the 15-race 2011 series. The Rancho Cucamonga driver came in second to Monrovia s Todd Cameron last race and leads the series with a slim 4 point margin over Duarte s Dennis Arena (98 94). Connor Cantrell will come to the line on Saturday night with 90 points that put him third in this hot haulin series.
Another "perfect game" is in progress in the Echo Equipment Legends Cars where Oak Hills' Chad Schug has won all three of the first 18 events thus far run in 2011 season. Eric Gunderson (San Diego) and Brent Scheidmantle (Alta Loma) both have 140 each (to Schug s 150) with Aaron Wells (Studio City) and Blake Dunkleberger (Simi Valley) making up the rest of the top five in these feisty little machines at 124 and 114 points each.
In a valuable lesson in consitantacy after the first five races in the season Ricky Shlick, from Claremont has the points lead in the Jan s Towing Bandoleros without winning any events. His string of 2nd, 2nd, 3rd, 3rd, and 5th adding up to 230 which overshadows Christain McGhee's three wins, a second, and a slip (earning him only 18 points) that sees him locked in a three-way third place tie with Brandon Weaver (Baker) and Mikael Lovas (Menifee) at 214 points all. Lest we forget, the youngster who won the last two races for these 8 to 14 year-olds, is Granada Hills' own Daniel Nokolai who s only two points down (228 to 230) from first place coming in Saturday night.
And here s a little hint for fans who are real "Stars of the Future" fans: The Jan's Bandos race on Friday night too this week at the Speedway. Fans are admitted free to the Pit Grandstands and these youngsters really respond well to fan enthusiasm.
One of the best parts of the NASCAR races at Toyota Speedway is the Free King Taco Autograph Session right on the track before the races at 5:45PM. All the cars, all the drivers, and all the fans in a great pre-race fan fest that includes autographs, photos, kids in race car driver's seats, candy, hero cards, and up-close-and-personal face-to-face meets with the stars of the night and their machines. This is the one to get the kids (of all ages) out to, this is the event that sets the whole night up for great fun with a real insider's look at NASCAR.
Gates open at 4PM and at 5:45 all fans are invited right down on the track for the Speedway's special time to meet the drivers, see the cars up close, get a snapshot or two, the autograph of a favorite driver and just generally mix and mingle in the pre-race party that we call the King Taco On-Track Autograph Session. Bring the kids and don t miss this unique part of the NASCAR fan experience at the Speedway!
Toyota Speedway and Event Center opened on March 27, 1999 and has become one of the premier NASCAR Home Tracks in the country.
Featuring virtually every aspect of stadium-style motorsports competition, the facility is clean, family-friendly and features a unique money-back guarantee that refunds any fan's ticket price if they are not 100% happy with the show.
Located on the 605 freeway in Irwindale, California, the track is easy to get to from just about anywhere in southern California.
For more information, tickets, or directions: www.toyotaspeedwayatirwindale.com
