Mechanical Issues Sideline Roa at Perris; Calistoga Plans in September
2026-07-25 13:48
dirtFan website https://dirtfan.com/assets/graphics/dirtfan-200x200.jpg
Cypress, CA — July 22, 2026 — Coming off two outstanding finishes in the Avanti Windows and Doors USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series at Perris Auto Speedway, everything appeared to be going Brody Roa's way when he arrived at the track on July 11. As the saying goes, things were going well—until they weren't.
The Garden Grove, California, resident had plenty of reason for optimism heading into the race. In his first USAC/CRA start of the season, he placed second in the prestigious Salute to Indy. Four weeks later, he dominated the competition and scored a runaway victory on the same half-mile clay oval.
Those performances gave Roa plenty of confidence entering the July 11 race at Perris. Things got off to a strong start on the warm, humid evening. He was sixth fastest in hot laps with a best time of 17.372.
On his first qualifying lap, Roa guided his brilliant green No. 91R to a time of 16.977. He was one of only three drivers to break the 17-second barrier during the session.
His second lap did not go nearly as well. As Roa exited turn two, the car suddenly slowed. Rather than complete the lap, he knocked it out of gear and coasted back to the pit area.
His first lap ultimately stood as the third-fastest qualifying time of the night. However, there was no time to celebrate, as the No. 91R crew immediately swarmed over the car in an attempt to determine what had gone wrong.
"I got into turn one after a decent first lap in qualifying," the 2023 USAC/CRA champion said. "I got back on the throttle and it clearly had dropped a cylinder. I jumped it out of the throttle and pulled it in. Did not get to finish lap two."
Back in the pits, the crew worked feverishly to diagnose the problem and pushed the car off several times in an effort to pinpoint the issue.
It was eventually determined that the bolts securing the rocker arms had failed, knocking several pushrods out of position.
"It took a while to find out what it was because the push rod stayed in place, but it obviously did not have the lift that it needed," Roa lamented. "We struggled to find that and finally it broke after pushing off a few times."
"It ran really good, the two races we had it. It was good in hot laps and I was excited about it. Hopefully we get it back together fairly quickly. I drop it off at Shaver tomorrow morning before I go to work when they open up. We will see what they find and hopefully we will be back at Perris next month."
While Roa hopes to return to Perris for the August 15 race, he also revealed that the team is targeting two races at his favorite track, Calistoga Speedway, over Labor Day weekend.
"It has been a long time and that is my favorite track on the West Coast," he said of the racing facility located in Northern California's Wine Country. "It is big, and extremely fast. I like that stuff; it is just kind of my style. I am excited to get back up there. Hopefully, the engine is not hurt too bad."
Roa also indicated that the team is seeking additional sponsorship support to help make the trip to Calistoga possible.
"If anybody is interested, the side of the hood is wide open for a primary sponsor. They can jump on for a night or for a bunch of races. It is kind of wide open for anyone who wants to be a part of a winning race team."
Roa skipped Calistoga last year because he was concerned that the Dash 12 engine he was using would not be competitive on the large, high-speed track.
"It is a long drive to run with a lot of good guys with a lot of horsepower," Roa explained. "You have to run a super tall gear. What we had last year wasn't going to be good enough to go up there. I am at the point in my life with my racing and my family; I do not want to show up and not expect to win. I am excited to get up there with this thing we have this year because I think we can win."
Anyone interested in joining Roa's team as a sponsor for Calistoga or any of the remaining races at Perris this season can use the contact information below.
The following marketing partners have backed Roa for the 2026 campaign. ALR Virtual Services, Biker Bruce, Caltrol, Innovative Sewer Scope and Plumbing, Big Chino Ranch, Molecule, Shaver Racing Engines, Barnes Pumps, and Specialized Coatings. If you would like to get involved and be a partner, contact Roa at the following mailto:brodyroa91@gmail.com - 714-932-7994.
@roygamityanauctioneer @burris_racing_usa @mikeburrisoc @csishocks @theoriginalloosebruce @alrvirtualservices @simpsonracegear @moleculesports @rodendsupply @baldwinfilters @ngkracing @originalngksparkplugs @usacnation @usac_cra @perrisautospeedway @b_roa91 @tai_xoxo_roa @joegibb83, @caltrolinc @drivenracingoil
This release was produced by Scott Daloisio Sports (909) 226-7768 mailto:sdaloisiosports@gmail.com
Brody Roa 2026 Results
1/16/26 Tulsa Expo Center Chill Bowl Midget Nationals 9th B Main
1/17/26 Tulsa Expo Center Chilli Bowl Midger Nationals 15th B Main
5/23/26 Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 2nd A Main
6/20/26 Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 1st A Main
7/11/26 Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars DNS