IRWINDALE, California — - Toyota Speedway will welcome and show special appreciation for all law enforcement officers this Saturday night at the Speedway. "We have the ultimate respect for all of the men and women who wear the badge of law enforcement and who put our lives and welfare ahead their own as a part of what they do every day." That was Speedway VP/GM Bob DeFazio announcing that all law enforcement personnel are invited out to Toyota Speedway this Saturday night and enjoy a night or exciting up-close NASCAR racing "on the house" by simply showing their ID at the box office.
"All Law Enforcement Personnel FREE w/ID SATURDAY - AUGUST 6, 2011 - GATES OPEN @ 4PM"
"During the week our facility is in almost constant use by both law enforcement and fire departments. They use our large parking lots for many types of dynamic training sessions, meetings, staging, commercial vehicle inspection round-ups, and many other purposes that all benefit the community," said DeFazio. "We appreciate what all law enforcement officers do for the community and we want them to be able to just relax and have a fun night watching NASCAR races here at the Speedway. Unless they're coming off duty on Saturday night there's no need to wear the badge on Saturday night, a department ID will get them a sincere 'THANK YOU!' and a grandstand ticket."
And, from that close-up and personal grandstand seat they'll be seeing six great divisions of real short track racing with the battling Auto Club Late Models national championship division where Huntington Beach's favorite son Brandon Davis seems to back at it winning races - - including the first five and the last three of the 20-race series. Keeping Davis honest. Taylor Miinch (Alpine) and Dylan Lupton (Wilton) have both had solid finishes (Lupton won three races). And the points for the top trio coming into round 14 of the series are: 590, 532, 526 - - that close enough for you? And you wouldn't dare count out rookie Nik Romano from Atherton, Toni McCray from San Bernardino, and Devon Ostheimer from Morgan Hill who are holding 518, 494, and 467 point respectively either - - would you?
Next up two third-mile divisions, both of which have very close point battles going on and both of which are great fun to watch! The Echo Equipment Legends Cars are fast and fun little replicas of some of the first NASCAR stockers of the late 40's and early 50's. They're bolt-fast a each has a 4-cylinder, 4-carb, 1,200cc motorcycle engine up front pouring the power to a (Toyota right a Toyota) rear axle and chewing up the scenery like banshees. Oak Hill's very own Chad Schug lead the Legends Cars points with 498 and five wins in eleven races, however Brent Scheidmantle from Alta Loma, with only two wins is only four points behind at 494.
In the "BANDOS" - - er - - the Jan's Towing (those clean, beautiful service rigs that work every race at the Speedway and who are so fast, efficient, and courteous out on the highways in the greater San Gabriel Valley) Bandoleros are back and looking at running race 18 on Saturday night with 8-race winner Christian McGhee in the lead with a nine, round, 800 (!) points (coming in second 7 times did not hurt either!). But the lad from La Verne will still have to be looking over his shoulder as 7- race winner Daniel Nickolai (Please note: feel free to insert the words young or youthful after any/all of the driver names in this 'graph as all of them are between 8 and 14 years of age ) of Granada Hills is di-rectly behind McGhee only 22 points back at 778. And, in descending points order, the rest of the top five are: Mikaell Lovas, Menifee (726), Brandon Weaver, Baker (712), and Ricky Schlick, Claremont (694). Have at it kids!
Daryl Scoggins leads the always-fun Justice Brothers Mini-Stocks into race five of their 2011 NASCAR series championship with 232 points, which puts the Sunland driver exactly 10 points ahead of Beaumont's Ryan Bragdon at 222. Kevin Bernhardt from Fontana, trails Bragdon by only 8 points at 212, and with 50 for first and 0 for a DNF there's plenty of racing that's fixing to get done (as usual!) on Saturday night at the Speedway.
It just wouldn't be a complete night of crackling circle-track action without a great set of race trucks on the Irwindale half-mile for fast laps and a lots of 3-wide fun and games. This week the Southwest Tour Trucks take to the tarmac (actually the racing surface at Toyota Speedway is a very unique, very high-tech, very expensive grade of very special high-polymer asphalt - - but we digress) with Jeff Williams from Newbury Park listed tops on the leaderboard, followed by Brady Helm (Huntington Park), Ed Cutler (Ventura), Krik Knostman (Hesperia), and Neil Conrad (Arcadia) .
AND THEN - - AND ONLY THEN - - WILL FANS OF THE WILD WORLD OF SKID PLATE RACING BE 100% SATISFIED WHEN THE SPARKLING, DITZY, COLORFUL,* AND COMPETITIVE SKID PLATE CARS TAKE TO THE TRACK FOR SATURDAY NIGHT'S FINAL EPISODE
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!
This authentic NASCAR Home Track's gates open to the pubic at 4PM and at 5:45 everyone is invited right down on the track to take part in the Speedway's special time to meet the drivers, see the race cars up close, get a snapshot or two, get the autograph of a favorite driver and just generally mix and mingle in the pre-race party that's called 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 at Irwindale 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 LIVE AND LOCAL NASCAR SATURDAYS NIGHT AT THE SPEEDWAY!
*forgot WHACKY, WONDERFUL AND ALL THAT HYPE
