AFTER A GOOD START, MECHANICAL WOES TOOK A TOLL ON TAFOYA AT BAKERSFIELD
2024-04-27 12:06
dirtFan website https://dirtfan.com/dirtfan/assets/graphics/dirtfan-200x200.jpg
(Chino, CA, April 25, 2026) After a good start in the inaugural Ultimate Sprint Car Series race Presented By Inland Rigging at the Bakersfield Speedway, mechanical ills foiled Eddie Tafoya Jr.'s hopes of victory last Saturday night. This Saturday Tafoya will be at his home track, Perris Auto Speedway, for round #5 of the Avanti Windows and Doors USAC/CRA Sprint Cars Series.
Tafoya, in the Tom and Christy Dunkel-owned Inland Rigging #17T, came out in the second of the three qualifying groups and turned in a lap of 13.711. That was good enough for fourth fastest in the group of 10 and the 10th fastest of the 28 cars that recorded qualifying times.
Tafoya's time placed him outside the front row for the second heat race in USCS history. The steady driver stayed there for the duration of the 10-lap race. That sounds easier than it was. He had to fend off a couple of determined drivers to hang onto the runnerup spot on "The Fastest 1/3 High Banked Clay Oval In The West."
For the main, second-generation racer Tafoya, who spent a lot of time racing with the USAC National Sprint Cars in 2023, came from the outside of row four in the eighth position on the start. It was clear that he had a good car as he advanced one spot forward to seventh before the end of the second go-around. A couple of laps later he was up to sixth and looked to be ready for the top five when he was rocked by mechanical issues and was done for the night. What seemed to be a certain top-five ended up with a frustrating 22nd. Nonetheless, he still comes out of the inaugural event 10th in USCS points.
This Saturday night, Tafoya will be back in the family-owned #51T for the USAC/CRA Series event on the track that is nearest to his Chino Hills, California home, Perris Auto Speedway. Tafoya goes into Saturday's race after a season-best USAC/CRA sixth-place finish three weeks ago at the Mohave Valley Raceway. The MVR result advanced him to 12th in the USAC/CRA standings, only 15 points out of 10th.
For fans who would like to see Tafoya live in action at Perris, spectator gates will open at 5:00 p.m. on Saturday and the first race will take the green flag at 7:00. Adult tickets for the night of exciting dirt track racing action and clean family fun are $30.00. Seniors 65 and over get in for $25.00. For kids 6-12 it is only $5.00, and children 5 and under are admitted free. Advance tickets are available online at https://www.tix.com/ticket-sales/pas/7. They can also be ordered by phone at 1-800-595-4849. For fans who do not wish to purchase tickets in advance, there will be plenty available at the ticket window. The track is located on the Lake Perris Fairgrounds at 18700 Lake Perris Drive in the City of Perris. The fairgrounds charge $10.00 for parking.
After Saturday, Tafoya will have three races in the month of May. The first two will be USCS races starting with the David Calderwood Memorial at Kevin Harvick's Kern County Raceway on the fourth. On the 18th, he will be back at the Bakersfield Speedway. He will close the month with the prestigious USAC/CRA Salute to Indy at Perris on the 25th.
Affable Tafoya is always happy to meet the fans in the pits after every race. He will be signing autographs, posing for photos, and will also have his beautiful 2024 team shirts for sale. For fans who cannot attend the races, the team shirts are available at www.specialty-fasteners.com.
Fans can follow Tafoya on Instagram @eddietafoya51.
Tafoya and the #51T team would like to thank Specialty Fasteners, Inland Rigging, BR Motorsports, King Racing Products, Gasper Transportation, CMI Precision Machining, Owen's Insurance Services, Keen Concrete, DRC Chassis, and Rider Racing Engines for supporting its racing program.
Eddie Tafoya Jr. 2024 USAC National Results
January 11 Tulsa Expo Raceway Chili Bowl Midget Nationals 22nd A Main
January 14 Tulsa Expo Raceway Chili Bowl Midget Nationals 7th D Main
February 24 Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 21st A Main
March 9 Imperial Valley Raceway Imperial Valley 360/410 Sprint Cars 13th A Main
March 10 Imperial Valley Raceway Imperial Valley 360/410 Sprint Cars 17th A Main
March 16 Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 16th A Main
March 23 Cocopah Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 12th A Main
April 6 Mohave Valley Raceway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 6th A Main
April 20 Bakersfield Speedway Ultimate Sprint Car Series 22nd A Main
This release was produced by Scott Daloisio. (909) 226-7768 or E-mail mailto:sdaloisiosports@gmail.com