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EDDIE TAFOYA JR. IS BACK ON THE ROAD TO ARIZONA

2025-02-22 14:31

(Chino, CA, February 21, 2025) In the last three weeks, sprint car racer Eddie Tafoya Jr. has only been home for three days. Most of the time away he was on the road driving to the Amsoil USAC National Sprint Car races in Florida and then turning around and heading back to his Chino Hills, California home. Saturday morning, he will be back on the road for the 240-mile trek to Arizona's Mohave Valley Raceway for the Avanti Windows and Doors USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series 21st season opener.

Tafoya, 27, faced a grueling schedule racing six straight nights in the "Sunshine State." The first two evenings were at the Volusia Speedway Park. He followed those races with four nights of high-speed competition at the Ocala Speedway. While fast the first three nights, including the ninth quickest time in qualifying at the Volusia opener, the 2019 USAC/CRA Rookie of the Year missed the transfer from the B to the A main by one spot two times. Things fared better for Tafoya and the #51T in the final three races at Ocala when he made the A main each time.

"It was good," Tafoya commented on his Florida trip. "We came out of the gate swinging. We were 10th in hot laps and ninth in qualifying (at the first race at Volusia). I found myself one spot out every time I was on the track whether it was a heat race or a B main. At Ocala, I missed the first night (main). We took what we learned and put it towards the next nights and made the next three mains. So, that was good."

Making the main event at Ocala can be tough on someone who does not have a lot of laps on the track. Tafoya fits that bill well, having only raced on the track two times previously in 2023. The track is an odd shape and its two ends are totally different.

"It is definitely awkward, I guess you could say," Tafoya spoke about Ocala. "One and two is real sweeping and bouncy. Three and four is more you have to pitch it sideways and drive off. You have to get in tune with the track and get in tune to what your car is going to do."

Tafoya and his father, past sprint car racer Eddie Tafoya Sr., started the cross-country return trip home last Sunday and arrived at their Chino Hills residence at about 9:30 on Wednesday. By Thursday, it was back in the shop to prepare the car for this weekend's battle in Arizona.

"Luckily, I kept my nose clean while we were out there," Tafoya happily said. "So, just normal maintenance for this week. "Washing and stuff like that. We should be getting it turned around here quickly. We were in a good spot (performance-wise) when we left off. So, we should not have to do too much."

Racing against the national series drivers pits Tafoya against the best traditional racers in the world. Competing with them fine-tunes his performances for when he races in the West. One of the differences he notes racing against the national drivers is you cannot wait. If you do, you are going to pay.

"It is definitely different," Tafoya said when comparing the national vs western drivers. "Here, you kind of feel everyone out and see what they are going to do and where they are going to go. If you do that there, they are going to be gone. There is no catching them. There is no downtime to figure anything out. You have just got to go."

"We have some good momentum coming in and I just need to keep driving like I did there," the well-spoken driver said. "If I do, we should be in a good spot. I think we will have a good show at Mohave. We are usually a real good car out of the box when we get there. I think the only times I have not run good there is when I have had motor issues."

In six previous races at Mohave, Tafoya's best finish was a third-place result in April of 2023. In three appearances at the Arizona dirt track in 2024, his best outing was a sixth in April.

The Florida trip saw the drivers on the track for seven consecutive nights. A night of practice at Ocala before racing six nights in a row. However, the team had a little bit of time for some fun.

"Luckily, we got there two days early, so we went to the Supercross race in Tampa," Tafoya laughed. "We did a gator boat one morning and some local stuff when we had some time. We were staying on the beach at Daytona, so it was just kind of nice to hang out, relax, and get ready for the week."

Adult tickets for Saturday's race at Mohave Valley, which is located five minutes from the Colorado River and 20 minutes from downtown Laughlin, Nevada, are $25.00. Kids' tickets are $15.00, and children 5 and under are free. Parking is free.

Spectator gates will open at 3:30 on Saturday, and the first race will take the green flag at 5:30. The Mohave Valley Raceway is located at 2750 Laguna Road in Mohave Valley, Arizona. The track's website is https://www.mohavevalleyraceway.com/. The office phone number is 928-346-3000.

After Saturday, Tafoya will return to action when the Avanti Windows and Doors USAC/CRA Sprint Cars race a mere 36 miles from his home at Perris Auto Speedway

Fans can follow Tafoya on Instagram eddietafoya51.

Tafoya and the #51T team would like to thank Specialty Fasteners, 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 2025 racing endeavors.

Eddie Tafoya's 2025 Results

2/10/25 Volusia Speedway Park USAC National Sprint Cars 5th B Main

2/11/25 Volusia Speedway Park USAC National Sprint Cars 7th B Main

2/12/25 Ocala Speedway USAC National Sprint Cars 5th B Main

2/13/25 Ocala Speedway USAC National Sprint Cars 19th A Main

2/14/25 Ocala Speedway USAC National Sprint Cars 18th A Main

2/15/25 Ocala Speedway USAC National Sprint Cars 20th A Main

This release was produced by Scott Daloisio. (909) 226-7768 or E-mail mailto:sdaloisiosports@gmail.com