IRWINDALE, Calif — - - To take off on an old bumper sticker:
"If You Can Read This (LAP CHART) Thank A Teacher."
This Saturday night, teachers and their students will be thanked by the Speedway by being invited out to take part in a great night of NASCAR stock car racing (plus!). "This is our annual salute to education," said Track GM/VP Bob DeFazio. "We really appreciate what teachers do, we want students to know that we believe that they're the future, and that we want it to be our treat for a great night of NASCAR on Saturday."
And that racing will be lead off by the always-exciting Auto Club Late Models where, what had really started to look like a runaway, now is starting to show signs of becoming a very competitive 18-race series that holds the key to a possible national NASCAR championship in addition to a track championship at Toyota Speedway.
Brandon Davis, who won the first 5 Auto Club races of the season "only" got second place in races 6 and 7. Right now the Huntington Beach driver has a 60-point lead (348-286) over his nearest pursuer, Tony McCray of San Bernardino. McCray has not won one yet but heads-up, consistent driving has paid off and has her 16 points ahead of Devon Ostheimer of Morgan Hill, California. McCray grew up racing in the tight confines of the Orange Show Speedway in San Bernardino and has learned that being around to see the checkered flag is a good thing for chasing championship points.
In VERY particular order after Ostheimer and McCray come: 4) Chris Holloway 276, 5) Taylor Miinch 270, 6) Rookie Nik Romano 250, race winner last time Dylan Lupton 263, Benjamin Hahan 196, and veteran shoe Mike Johnson 166. They are from (respectively): Bakersfield, Alpine, Atherton, Wilton, Covina, Newbury Park, and Oak Hills, California.
In the highly "Kompetitive" King Taco Super Trucks, Ryan Partridge from Rancho Cucamonga has a slim 12-point lead (148-136) lead over Santa Clarita s Connor Cantrell with Dennis Arena (Duarte) only 6 markers back in third. These difficult-to-drive racing pickup trucks are among the most popular feature events at the Speedway and they ALWAYS put on a show every time that they get on track!
Also on the ovals (there are two of them at the twin-ring Toyota Speedway!) are the Mini-Stocks. Sponsored by Justice Brothers these mighty mites never seem to have a nice, uneventful race on the flat, fast inner third-mile track but that s a good thing Right?
The Echo Equipment Legends Cars and the Jan's Towing Bandoleros are sort of "cousins". Both are very strictly-controlled spec racing machines (every part every car is the same as all the other cars), and both come 600 Racing in Charlotte. Both are also hotly-contested divisions at Toyota Speedway.
The "Bandos" have become a very popular for a number of hardcore racing junkies who stop by the track on Friday nights to watch the NASCAR Divisions practice and to see the Friday night Bandolero race. Stars of the day after the day after tomorrow.
All of the above adds up to another "More (NASCAR) Racing For Your Money" Saturday night at Toyota Speedway in nearby Irwindale, California where ticket and parking prices have not changed since opening day 1999, and where racing is just the beginning of all the fun!
The track's gates open to the pubic at 4PM and, at 5:45 everyone of all ages is invited right down on the banked race track to take part in the Speedway s "signature" 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 no-extra-charge 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 ... please: www.toyotaspeedwayatirwindale.com ... thanks!
