Source: Jim Short
Date: 08/22/2007

SAN BERNARDINO, California – It was Rick Mears, the four-time Indianapolis 500 winner from Bakersfield, who generally gets credit for coining the phrase “to finish first you must first finish.”

It’s Brian Malone, the BSR West Late Model driver from Grand Terrace, who’s applying that philosophy to racing at Orange Show Speedway.

“I’m just trying to be consistent and put myself in position to where I’m there when the opportunity presents itself,” he said. “If you’re not there at the end, you’re never going to be there.”

Lately, no one has been better than Malone at being there at the end. The 40-year-old construction worker and father of three has won three of the past four main events and, in the process, rekindled championship hopes that seemed dim when he fell 34 points behind leader and defending champion Jim Conklin on June 9.

Saturday, Aug. 25, when the BSR West Late Models roll onto the ASA-sanctioned quarter-mile for the 12th of their 15 races, Malone will start the evening 12 points behind Conklin and in a tie with Dave Arce for second in the standings.

The Late Models will be joined as usual by the Lucas Oil Outlaw Figure 8s, ASA Stock Ponys and Leno’s Rico Taco Legends Cars, and the Bandoleros will make their first appearance since May 26.

Spectator gates open at 5 p.m. and racing gets under way at 6:30 p.m. Admission is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors (62 and over), handicapped and juniors (13-16) and $2 for children (6-12). Active military personnel and veterans with valid military identification are admitted free of charge. Parking is $4 per car with entry through Gate 3 off Mill Street.

This Saturday is Family Night, however, and all children 12 and under will be admitted free with a paying adult.

Those unable to make it to the speedway still can follow the action with “Orange Show Speedway Live,” the radio broadcast on KTTD (AM 1350) that begins at 8 p.m. and is simulcast on the Internet at www.nixacountry.com.

Conklin, of Big Bear, has three wins and Arce, of Santee, has won twice. Malone leads the class with four victories, the first one coming in the March 2 season opener. He was second to Conklin in the standings until back-to-back 10th place finishes May 12 and May 26 dropped him to third.

Malone got things going in a positive direction again with a fifth place on June 9, even though he lost points to both Conklin, who won, and Arce, who was fourth. Since then he has three wins and a sixth, on July 28, and he believes he can overtake Conklin “if I just keep running up front. It’s definitely down to the three of us, that’s for sure.”

Malone, who credits his recent surge to some suspension changes he and crew chief Chris Doty made to his Palm Canyon Contractors Chevrolet, is aware that luck, mistakes and the actions of other drivers could be factors in deciding the title. He said, “you’ve got to think about that stuff when you’re racing. But I don’t think you can play it conservative, either, or you’ll find yourself in a worse spot. You’ve just got to race smart.

“Now that it’s getting near the end and every point really counts, I’m trying to be just as consistent as I have been and stay out of trouble.”

Following Saturday’s activity, the BSR West Late Models will close the season with races on Sept. 22, Sept. 29 and Oct. 27.

On Sunday, the Orange Show Speedway Quarter Midget Racing Association will hold the fifth of seven club races in what has been an extremely successful debut season. The activity will get under way at 9 a.m., and the local racers will be fine-tuning their cars in anticipation of a visit by clubs for Phoenix, Tucson and Albuquerque, N.M., for the the Desert Shootout on Labor Day weekend.

Racing at Orange Show Speedway is sponsored by Lucas Oil, Blackhawk Protection, Hype Manufacturing, Del Taco, Aflac Insurance, KTTD radio (AM 1350), Leno’s Rico Taco, Soboba Casino, Budweiser, Hoosier Racing Tires, Frank’s Radio Service, Torco Racing Fuels, Parker Pumper/BSR West, Eibach Springs, JP Striping, Center Chevrolet, Pepsi, Matich Coporation, L. Curti Truck and Equipment, One Stop Landscape Supply, Extreme Exhibits & Logistics, Little Green Onions and the San Bernardino County Sun.

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