IRWINDALE, Calif — - - Toyota Speedway s annual Armed Forces Appreciation Night is set to see seven divisions of action-packed racing, a special military color guard unit in the pre-event ceremonies, $1-Hot Dogs and $2 Beer, and even a scheduled Air Force fly-over by a gigantic C-130 Hercules heavy-lifter.
The special night of NASCAR (and more) will be brought to the fans by Echo Equipment and sponsored by USG.
We want everyone to know that all uniformed members of our Armed Forces will be admitted free on Saturday night, and we d really like to see our stands filled with service people, said track GM Bob DeFazio. If I know our fans, they d all love nothing more than to give these heroes a standing ovation, shake their hands, and then sit down next to them for a night of great NASCAR short-track action. The more, the better!
And DeFazio is right, beginning with the agile Auto Club Late Models who will be right in the middle of a three-straight Saturday s in a row series that s set to really test everyone running for national honors in this division. And talking about being right in the middle of something, Brandon Davis is in the middle of stretching his winning record in the Late Mods, after chalking up yet another win (that s five in a row for the Henderson, Nevada hotshoe) last time he was here. Bakersfield s Chris Holloway got 48 points for second place, and Dylan Lupton finished third. All of the above and about 20 of their closest friends will be back again to carry the colors of the Auto Club into battle again.
Not to be outdone by the Late Mods, the enervating Echo Equipment Legends Cars are doing a double stint too, and this this their second race in row. Last week Brent Scheidemantle was the fastest of them on all on the fast inner third-mile at Toyota Speedway with Mitchell DeJong, and Jared Torres right behind. Close racing? You might say so, DeJong was only 0.151 seconds (that 15/hundredths of a second) back at the checker and all three of these drivers qualified within 0.262 seconds of each other! They ll be back on Saturday night, and fans with youngsters really should try to get to the track in time for the King On-Track Autograph Session (below) to meet these very serious junior drivers and get a look at their way-cool racing cars.
After the first two races of 2011, Rich DeLong III, last year s vivid Vista Paint Super Stocks Champion is back in the lead again in this year s 11-race series. The Santa Clarita driver has a 10-point lead on his Saugus neighbor, veteran driver Gerrit Cromsigt. Another perennial Super Stock runner, Curtis White from Norwalk, is locked in a three-way tie for third with Burbank s Brad Keegan and Zack Green from Long Beach, each and every one of them showing 80 ducats on the old points meter.
Ryan Bragdon from Beaumont has a slim 2-point lead in the jaunty Justice Brothers Mini Stocks over Fontana s Kevin Bernhardt, and last year s Champ Sunland s own Daryl Scoggins 94 to 92, 92.
And in the persuasive Pick Your Part Outlaw Figure 8 s Steve Stewart from Bloomington, with a first and a second in the nine-race 2011 series, has 98 points to Venice s Jerry Toporek s 90. Jeff Marquet, Jay Henson, and Andrew Schoening are all knotted up with 82 points each for third place honors. Respectively, the trio hails from: Norco, Oak Hills, and Corona. Which brings us to last year s crazy eights Champ, Barefoot Billy Ziemann (who s NOT allowed to race barefooted, but who greets all of his fans at the On-Track Autograph Session with a broad smile in his OEM bare feet) is a few points down on the others at 76.
SKID, SKID, SKIDDING AWAY: The slinky Siedner s Collision Skid Plate Cars are also on the docket for Saturday night. Just in case fans don t what an SCSPC is, here s the official recipe:
1. Take one front wheel drive automobile
2. Knock out all of the windows
3. Bolt (or weld) all the doors shut
4. Take off the rear wheels (just throw the tires away)
5. Weld big-old half-inch thick steel plates to the wheels
6. Bolt both of the rear wheels back on
7. Paint a number on the hood, trunk, and both sides
8. Drive this crazed concoction faster than 30 other drivers
9. Have at it boys! (and girls!) on the Irwindale third-mile
10. Smile so wide that your face feels like cracking
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.
The track s gates open to the pubic at 4PM and at 5:45 everyone invited right down on the track to take part in 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. Fans are reminded to bring the kids and not to miss this unique part of the special 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
