IRWINDALE, California — - It's Super Saturday again at the Speedway and that means two very cool things are set to happen. One is that round seven of the ten-race NASCAR Lucas Oil Slick Mist Super Late Models is set for 75 laps and the points are v. tight (more on that next paragraph) and that KIDS 12 AND UNDER are FREE this weekend at Toyota Speedway. The other very special note is that the scappy, semi-open wheel (the front ones anyway) Lucas Modified Series is back (and faster than ever) for its final 2011 North-South Shootout race.
Canyon Country's Rod Johnson, Jr. leads the LOSMSLM's into Irwindale this Saturday with five wins (in 6 races!) and 282 points in the bank. But, only 16 points south of him is the redoubtable Ryan Partridge. The Rancho Cucamonga resident has not won a race in this division yet this year, but he's got four second places and 266 scratch marks on his tote sheet. Only 12 points behind Partridge is the Speedway's own "cross country cowboy" Kevin Thompson who commutes in from Conroe, Texas to Irwindale to race in the Lucas-sponsored series each time that it runs at the Speedway. Race Liberante (Quartz Hill) and Dennis Furden (Stevenson Ranch) round out the top five with 252, and 230 points respectively.
In the mirror-image (points-wise) of the above listing, Ryan Partridge (with 6 wins!) does NOT lead the points in the King Taco Super Trucks. That 6-point (414 to 408) margin belongs to Santa Clarita's Connor Cantrell who has NOT won a race so far this season (but he's never finished worst than fourth). Points is points, and the score sheet don't really care how you get 'em. Just for the official record, NASCAR points are: 50 for first, 48 for second, 46 for third, 44 for fourth, and 42 for fifth.
In the NASCAR S-2 spec. series division Lancaster's Andrew Anderson has the lead with two wins and 290 points in the every-car-identical (technically) race car series. La Verne's young racer Andrew Porter has also has 2 win and a 282 point total. Whittier driver Mike Colato has third place with 240 points, but will likely be checking his mirrors pretty well with Malibu's Austin Dyne right on his rear spoiler at 238!
The Southwest Tour Trucks are also on the showcard for Saturday night where Jeff Williams from Newbury Park has won ALL SIX OF THE SWTT RACES RUN THUS FAR IN 2011. Shhhhh Because Williams is in the process of the NASCAR racing equivalent of throwing a perfect game. This is the seventh race of the short ten-race 2011 series and well LET'S JUST LEAVE IT AT THAT.
AND FINALLY: The Lucas Oil Modified Racing Series, presented by Rockstar Energy Drink, will drop the green flag on the second, and final, round of their Dart Machinery LTD North-South Shootout, August 13th, at the Toyota Speedway at Irwindale, the fastest half mile oval in the southwest.
This highly lucrative two race shootout pits the talents of teams from the Lucas Oil Modified Racing Series, currently racing in southern California, Arizona and Nevada, against their counterparts from northern California, Idaho and Washington. Hence the name North-South Shootout.
The creation of the Dart Machinery LTD North-South Shootout was the result of several months of planning by officials from the Lucas Oil Modified Racing Series, the Madera Speedway the site of the round one race and the Toyota Speedway At Irwindale.
"I think our 75 lap event at Irwindale is going to be a great race," Scheidecker said. "We are going to count yellow flags there even though that's not the normal procedure for our modified series. But since it's our first time going 75 laps on that large of a track, we want to make sure that everybody has enough fuel. We're not a pit stop style of racing. With that in mind, we're doing a lot of things to raise the comfort level. I'm looking forward to going to Irwindale and I think we'll upwards of 25 and maybe even 30 cars", he added.
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 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 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 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 SATURDAY NIGHTS AT THE SPEEDWAY!
