SAN BERNARDINO, California — Josh Whitfield said when 1-800LoanMart’s $15,000 Street Stock Shootout was added to the Orange Show Speedway schedule he knew he would “almost do anything to get down there.”
Fortunately for the 23-year-old driver and car builder, all he had to do was “work my butt off to get sponsorship” for a trip he estimates is going to cost about $2,500, and late next week he’ll tow his Chevrolet Camaro south from Rocklin to be on hand for the Oct. 22 race that has been the talk of the short-track racing world since it was announced in mid-August.
The race, which is expected to attract about 50 entries to the banked, paved quarter-mile oval at ASA-sanctioned Orange Show Speedway, will be 65 laps total run in two segments – 25 and 40 laps. The winner will take home $4,000, with $2,500 to second, $1,500 for third, $1,000 to fourth, $750 for fifth and at least $250 to all of the 22 starters in the main event. Those are unheard of payoffs for drivers who are accustomed to getting between $200 and $500 for a victory.
“I don’t think anybody has ever put on this big of a show for the Street Stock racers,” said Whitfield, who competes at Stockton (Calif.) 99 Speedway and All-American Speedway in Roseville (Calif.) when he’s not working with teams in the Spears SRL Southwest Tour and other series.
“I ran Late Models the last couple of years at Roseville,” Whitfield said, “and I built the Street Stock for Stockton. This is a big show so I’m going to head down and see what I can do.
“I’ve never raced there, but I’ve been there a few times with the SRL series and pitted for people. I’ve been hearing a lot about how small of a track it is, and I guess it’s a little flatter track” than he usually races on.
The Street Stock Shootout isn’t the only thing on the schedule for Oct. 22. The Late Models, Pony Stocks and Factory Fours will be on hand for their final points races and a boat drag race will bring the curtain down on the California Speed Jams season.
Sponsor 1-800LoanMart hasn’t forgotten the fans, either. The first 1,000 spectators entering the track will receive a gift and one fan chosen in a drawing will have a chance to win $25,000. Every adult fan attending the event will be entered in the drawing, and anyone contributing a non-perishable food item to the Second Harvest Food Bank will get an extra entry.
Spectators gates will open at 5 p.m. and racing will commence at 7 p.m. Tickets are $15 for adults and $12 for seniors, students with valid identification and active military personnel with identification. Children under 12 are admitted free. Parking is $5 with entry through Gate 4 off Mill Street.
