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Eddie Tafoya Jr. Set to Return to Action at Perris, Calistoga, and Placerville

2025-08-06 14:28

Chino Hills, CA — August 4, 2025 — After a brief summer break, Eddie Tafoya Jr. is ready to get back behind the wheel when the Avanti Windows and Doors USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series returns to Perris Auto Speedway on Saturday, August 16th. The race marks the beginning of a busy late-summer schedule for the driver of the Specialty Fasteners #51T.

Following the Perris event, Tafoya and the team will head north for one of the most anticipated weekends in recent sprint car history — the grand re-opening of the legendary Calistoga Speedway on August 30th and 31st. The doubleheader promises to be a major highlight on the USAC/CRA calendar. Then, on September 1st, Tafoya will cap off the Labor Day holiday weekend by competing with the Ultimate Sprint Car Series at Placerville Speedway.

Prior to the break, Tafoya raced at his home track, Perris Auto Speedway, on July 19th — just 10 days after celebrating his 28th birthday. Though the final result wasn't what he'd hoped for, the Southern California veteran showed speed and poise throughout the night.

He qualified a strong seventh fastest out of 21 cars with a lap of 16.875. In his heat race, the 2018 PAS Young Gun Champion and 2019 USAC/CRA Rookie of the Year started and finished fourth in a stacked field. That set him up in the seventh position for the 30-lap main event.

In front of the second-largest crowd of the season, Tafoya jumped into a fierce battle for fifth place early in the main. Showing the speed to challenge for a top-four spot, his momentum was unfortunately stalled by lapped traffic. After clearing a slower car, Tafoya's night took an unfortunate turn when he came to a stop in turn one, ending his charge.

Despite the setback, Tafoya's performance showed his car and confidence are in the right place heading into the late-season stretch.

"I just have to eliminate the mistakes and figure how to get around traffic when it gets slick like that," Tafoya said. "I was dealing with traffic and switching lines every lap. The lapper would go to where I switched to. I was just kind of going back and forth. I finally got a good run down the front straight. I just held it on a little longer than I should have just to get around the lapper. Then I got in the slick and locked up the brakes and slid to a stop."

Forced to restart at the back of the field with only limited laps remaining, the odds were stacked against him. But Tafoya wasn't done. He mounted a determined comeback, charging through the field and clawing his way back to a 10th-place finish at the checkered flag — a clear indicator of the team's pace and persistence.

"I thought for a second there we were going to start on the front row again (after qualifying), but we missed it by .01," Tafoya commented about the night of racing. "That definitely could have changed the way that main event went for us."

"I am happy with the speed, and I think I have been driving good," he continued. "I just have to focus and put it all together on the same night. I have been trying to put myself in a good position and we have been doing that lately. Part of it is mental and part is car set up and stuff like that. Knowing that you have enough to be up there, we have definitely been showing that lately."

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 their 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

2/22/25 Mohave Valley Raceway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 5th A Main

3/1/25 Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 13th A Main

4/5/25 Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 8th A Main

4/11/25 Central Arizona Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 13th A Main

4/12/25 Central Arizona Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 19th A Main

5/24/25 Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 9th A Main

6/7/25 Bakersfield Speedway USCS Sprint Cars 9th A Main

6/21/25 Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 5th A Main
7/19/25 Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 10th A Main

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