Santa Maria Raceway Race Track in Nipomo, California, USA

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Surface: 1/3 mile clay oval

1900 Hutton Road
Nipomo, California, 93444 USA
lat: 35.003636, lng: -120.440265
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THREE RACES IN TWO CLASSES FOR SEXTON GATLIN RACING THIS FRIDAY AND SATURDAY
(Lakeside, CA, September 11, 2024) After a weekend away from the track, Sexton Gatlin Racing returns to action with a busy 24 hours this Friday and Saturday, contesting three races in two nights at two tracks. On Friday, Grant Sexton will return to the site of one of his biggest wins, the Bakersfield Speedway, to race in the California Lightning Sprint Car Series vs Bay Cities Racing Association Civil War event. Twenty-four hours later, he will be joined by his father, Brent, for the Ultimate Sprint Car Series race presented by Inland Rigging at the Ventura Raceway. Friday's race will be the second time the CLS has teamed with the World of Outlaws at the "Okie Bowl." The race will bring back memories of the then-17-year-old's magnificent triumph in March of 2022. Competing in front of a near-capacity live crowd and thousands more World of Outlaw fans watching from around the world on Dirt Vision, Grant fearlessly banged the Bakersfield boards over the final few laps and took the lead less than a foot before the checkered flag. Sexton's thrilling win that night sent the crowd into a frenzy and earned him a standing ovation. His enthusiastic victory speech afterward charged the crowd up one more time before the CLS turned the track over to the World of Outlaws. For Grant, whose mantel at home already sports the 2021 POWRi Southwest Lightning Sprint Car Championship hardware, 2019 POWRi Nationals Night #1 winner's trophy, and the 2023 USAC/CRA Rookie of the Year award, Friday will only be his second lightning sprint car race of 2024. His first came minutes away from the family's Lakeside, California compound at the Barona Speedway on May 11th. That night, the young driver arrived late at the track and had to start last in each race. In the main event, he started 13th and was up to fourth before the lap five mark. By the end of the 20-lapper, he had advanced another spot to finish third and win the race Hard Charger award. In addition to both of the Sexton's racing in the USCS event at Santa Maria on Saturday, USAC/CRA star AJ Bender of San Diego will step into the team's lightning sprint for the CLS race at Ventura. Bender has been a lethal hired gun for SGR in the past. Last year, in November's Hangtown 100 at Placerville, he won the first two nights and finished second to Grant at the finale. That bookended a season that saw him win the March SWLS opener at Imperial Valley. In 2021, Bender won a round of the Cal Cup in Lemoore and placed second on all three nights at the Hangtown 100 in Placerville in an SGR car. Advance tickets for the World of Outlaws/CLS show at Bakersfield are available now at the following link: https://worldofoutlaws.com/sprintcars/The track is located at 5001 North Chester Ext. Ave., Bakersfield (93308). The track website is bakersfieldspeedway.com, and the office phone number is (661) 393-3373. Adult tickets for Ventura are $22.00. For seniors 65 and over, it is $18.00. Military and students with id also get in for $18.00. Kids 12 and under are free when they are accompanied by an adult. The track is located on the Ventura County Fairgrounds at 10 W. Harbor Boulevard (93001). The website is http://venturaraceway.com/ and the office phone number is (805) 648-RACE. Fans from out of town can catch both of the races streaming live this weekend. Friday's race will be on Dirt Vision and Saturday's show will be on Flo Racing. Grant and Brent were last on track over Labor Day weekend at the Avanti Windows and Doors USAC/CRA race at Kevin Harvick's Kern Raceway on Saturday and the USCS race at Santa Maria the next night. At Kern, things started off bright enough for Grant when he qualified ninth fastest in the 27-car field. In his heat, he finished fourth, which was one position better than Brent, who earlier in the night qualified 18th. Grant started the main in ninth, with Brent coming from 18th. Unfortunately, Grant's night ended early when he broke a drag link. That stuck him with a 20th-place finish. Brent, who is 52, started 18th in the main event and moved forward to finish 13th. The following night at Santa Maria, Grant was third fastest in his qualifying group and 10th overall with a lap of 14.105. His dad's qualifying time was 14.333. That was the fourth fastest in his group and 15th best of the night. Brent had success in his 10-lap heat race. He started on the pole and steered his white and orange #44 to his first USCS heat victory. Grant was in heat three and moved up one position to place second. When the 30-lap main event pushed through the pit gate, Brent was starting fifth. Grant was a couple of rows behind on the inside of row five in ninth. Unfortunately for Grant, his main event ended early for the second night in a row with another issue. Things went better for Brent, who had his best run in a full-size car this year. However, it was not without a problem. Running in the top five early in the race, he had to go to the back of the pack after going around on the back chute. As the yellow flag came out for his mishap, Brent had to restart at the back. From there, he stayed focused and drove all the way up to ninth. Sexton Gatlin Racing would like to thank the following companies for making the 2024 season possible. East County Electric Works, Keys Brothers, BR Motorsports, Maxima Oil, Automated Interiors, Sexton Fire Protection, BK Wings, Troy Dirt. If you or your company are interested in becoming a marketing partner with Sexton Gatlin Racing in 2024, please call (619) 454-6945 or E-mail mailto:sextonfire@cox.net or mailto:sextonfire@gmail.com. Brent Sexton 2024 Results 2/24/24 Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 15th A Main 3/1/24 Imperial Valley Raceway SoCal Lightning Sprints 4th A Main 3/2/24 Imperial Valley Raceway SoCal Lightning Sprints 2nd A Main 3/8/24 Imperial Valley Raceway Imperial Valley 360/410 Sprint Cars 12th A Main 3/9/24 Imperial Valley Raceway Imperial Valley 360/410 Sprint Cars 16th A Main 3/16/24 Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 13th A Main 3/23/24 Cocopah Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 14th A Main 4/6/24 Mohave Valley Raceway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 17th A Main 4/20/24 Bakersfield Speedway USCS Sprint Cars 25th A Main 4/20/24 Bakersfield Speedway California Lightning Sprints 6th A Main 4/27/24 Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 16th A Main 5/18/24 Bakersfield Speedway California Lightning Sprints 6th A Main 5/25/24 Barona Speedway SoCal Lightning Sprints 1st A Main 6/1/24 Ventura Raceway USCS Sprint Cars 10th A Main 6/8/24 Barona Speedway SoCal Lightning Sprints 5th A Main 6/22/24 Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 13th A Main 7/6/24 Santa Maria Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 15th A Main 7/13/24 Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 9th A Main 7/20/24 Ventura Raceway USCS Sprint Cars 7th B Main 8/10/24 Santa Maria Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 14th A Main 8/31/24 Kevin Harvick's Kern Raceway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 13th A Main 9/1/24 Santa Maria Raceway USCS Sprint Cars 9th A Main Grant Sexton 2024 Results 2/24/24 Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 18th A Main 3/8/24 Imperial Valley Raceway Imperial Valley 360/410 Sprint Cars 9th A Main 3/9/24 Imperial Valley Raceway Imperial Valley 360/410 Sprint Cars 5th A Main 3/16/24 Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 21st A Main 3/23/24 Cocopah Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 16th A Main 4/6/24 Mohave Valley Raceway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 11th A Main 4/20/24 Bakersfield Speedway USCS Sprint Cars 16th A Main 4/27/24 Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 19th A Main 5/11/24 Barona Speedway So Cal Lightning Sprints 3rd A Main 5/18/24 Bakersfield Speedway USCS Sprint Car Series 5th A Main 6/1/24 Ventura Raceway USCS Sprint Cars 3rd A Main 6/22/24 Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 6th A Main 7/6/24 Santa Maria Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 20th A Main 7/20/24 Ventura Raceway USCS Sprint Cars 7th A Main 8/10/24 Santa Maria Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 23rd A Main 8/31/24 Kevin Harvick's Kern Raceway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 20th A Main 9/1/24 Santa Maria Raceway USCS Sprint Cars 24th A Main Braydin Collie 2024 Results 7/6/24 Santa Maria Speedway California Lightning Sprints 6th A Main 8/3/24 Barona Speedway SoCal Lightning Sprints 5th A Main 8/17/24 Barona Speedway SoCal Lightning Sprints 9th A Main This release was produced by Scott Daloisio. Contact (909) 226-7768 mailto:sdaloisiosports@gmail.com
EDDIE TAFOYA JR SCORES ANOTHER TOP 10 FINISH AT KERN - HEADED TO VENTURA THIS WEEK
(Chino, CA, September 7, 2024) After racing on two different racetracks in 24 hours two weeks ago, Eddie Tafoya Jr. returns to action this Saturday night when the Ultimate Sprint Car Series presented by Inland Rigging returns to the Ventura Raceway. It will be the final tune-up at the track before the series returns to wrap up its initial season at the Turkey Night Grand Prix in November. Tafoya's last appearances came on August 31st and September 1st. Up first was the Avanti Windows and Doors USAC/CRA Sprint Cars in the Johnny Vermeer/Narcie Ferreira Classic at Kevin Harvick's Kern Raceway in Bakersfield, where he finished ninth in the main event. Twenty-four hours later, the popular driver led several laps before getting knocked out of the race and finishing 17th in the USCS event at the Santa Maria Speedway. At Kern, Tafoya qualified 14th fastest of the 27 USAC/CRA Cars who turned up to race at the track in the city known as "Nashville West." A second-place finish in the beautiful #51T in his 10-lap heat race had the 27-year-old primed and ready for a good run in the main event. Despite starting 14th in the 30 lapper, Tafoya showed that he had speed on the night. The Chino Hills, California Racer managed to move forward and stay out of the turn-one hole that plagued many competitors. When the checkered flag ended the race, he had moved up five spots to finish ninth. That gave the friendly driver eight straight top 10s in USAC/CRA this season. It was also his eighth top 10 in 11 starts in the tough series. The following night, Tafoya shined in qualifying at Santa Maria. In the USCS, drivers draw a number and time trial against the racers they will compete with in their heat race. Tafoya was the fastest qualifier in his group, and his time of 13.522 was the fourth fastest time in the 26-car field. After a fifth-place finish in his 10-lap heat, Tafoya lined up outside the front row for the main event. On a track that was definitely a "Cowboy Up Surface," Tafoya flew into the lead at the drop of the green flag. The 2019 USAC/CRA Rookie of the Year maintained the top spot for the first five laps before slipping back to second on the rough terrain. "It was very tough," Tafoya said of leading the race with cars right behind. "Especially getting into lapped traffic in two and a half laps or whatever it was. I kind of overshot the setup a little bit. I got too aggressive when I probably should have rolled it back a bit when I knew it was going to be rough. I knew I was starting up front, and I knew I did not want to be too loose and I ended up being too tight." "It is really tough on the restarts when you are tight," the 2018 Perris Young Gun champion continued. "That is pretty much the only time I was losing anything. Besides that, we were going forward." Tafoya stayed in the top five for over three-quarters of the race. However, after a lap 24 restart, he was hit by another car on his left side in turn four. The clatter sheared off the steering arm from the steering box. It knocked him out of the race and lowered him from a top-five finish to 17th. "For the first time in a long time, I felt really balanced," Tafoya said about the speed over the weekend. "I felt like I could go anywhere I really wanted to. That was good to feel as it has been a while since I had that. It was work through the week; I just went through everything. I made sure everything was perfect, square, and centered. I made sure all of my measurements were right. Sometimes you have a spell of races where you're just not feeling it, so you just have to go back through all that stuff." Tafoya will be making his third appearance of the season at Ventura this Saturday, September 14. The now-veteran driver hopes to improve on his frustrating results at the famous track earlier this year. On June 1st, at the start of the main, Tafoya was leading the pack going into turn one when something broke in the front end of his car and sent him careening into the wall. That ended his night. Seven weeks later, at the track known as "The Commotion By The Ocean," he was drilled from behind on a restart. The blow resulted in a flat tire that knocked him out of the race. The veteran driver is more than capable of big results on the track located adjacent to the crashing waves of the Pacific Ocean on the Ventura County Fairgrounds. Two years ago when USAC/CRA visited Ventura, Tafoya outqualified the field and placed fifth in the 30-lap main event. Spectator gates to see Tafoya at Ventura will open at 3:00 p.m., with racing at 5:30. Adult tickets are $22.00. Seniors 60 and over, military with ID, and students with an ID get in for $18.00. Children 12 and under are free when they are accompanied by an adult. The track is located on the Ventura County Fairgrounds at 10 W. Harbor Boulevard (93001). The website is http://venturaraceway.com/, and the office phone number is (805) 648-RACE. Friendly Tafoya is always happy to meet the fans in the pits after every race. He will sign autographs, pose for photos, and sell his beautiful 2024 team shirts. 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 Sprints 13th A Main March 10 Imperial Valley Raceway Imperial Valley 360/410 Sprints 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 USCS Sprint Cars 22nd A Main April 27th Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 9th A Main May 11th Kevin Harvick's Kern Raceway USCS Sprint Cars Rained Out May 18 Bakersfield Speedway USCS Sprint Cars 20th A Main May 25 Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cas Series 8th A Main June 1 Ventura Raceway USCS Sprint Cars 23rd A Main June 5 Lawrenceburg Speedway 410 Sprint Cars 8th A Main June 6 Lincoln Park Speedway 410 Sprint Cars 12th A Main June 7 Bloomington Speedway 410 Sprint Cars 6th B Main June 8 Kevin Harvick's Kern Raceway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 4th A Main June 15 Santa Maria Raceway USCS Sprint Cars 2nd A Main June 22 Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 8th A Main July 13 Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 7th A Main July 27 Ventura Raceway USCS Sprint Cars 21st A Main August 17 Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 10th A Main August 31 Kevin Harvick's Kern Raceway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 9th A Main September 1 Santa Maria Speedway USCS Sprint Cars 17th A Main This release was produced by Scott Daloisio. (909) 226-7768 or E-mail mailto:sdaloisiosports@gmail.com
EDDIE TAFOYA JR HEADS TO PERRIS AUTO SPEEDWAY FOR SATURDAY'S USAC/CRA RACE
(Chino, CA, August 14, 2024) After a month away from the racetrack, Eddie Tafoya Jr. will climb back into his gorgeous #51T Avanti Windows and Doors USAC/CRA Sprint Car for Saturday's Brother Brett Classic at Perris Auto Speedway. It will be his first race back on the track since July 27th. After 11 of the 23 races on the 2024 USAC/CRA schedule, Tafoya, who calls Chino Hills, California home, sits ninth in the championship standings. Over the last six series starts, the 27-year-old has finished ninth or better every time. His best result came when he placed fourth at Kevin Harvick's Kern County Raceway on June 8. Tafoya's season at Perris got off to a rocky start in the first two races. In the season opener in February, he was on the verge of breaking into the top five on lap nine when he was blasted from behind on the front straightaway. The blow sent him careening into the inside wall, causing front-end damage that knocked him out of the race. Three weeks later, at The PAS, he was racing inside the top 10 when a steering issue sent him into the turn three wall, ending his night. Since the first two races, things have gone much better for Tafoya at Perris, the track that is located closest to his Chino Hills, California home. In the last four races at the track, he has placed in the top 10 every time. He finished ninth on April 27th and then recorded back-to-back eighth-place results at the Salute to Indy on May 25th and on June 22nd. His best finish of the year at Perris came five weeks ago when he took the checkered flag in seventh place. In addition to contesting the USAC/CRA Series, Tafoya, the 2018 Perris Auto Speedway Young Guns Champion and the 2019 USAC/CRA Rookie of the Year, is also a regular in the Ultimate Sprint Car Series presented by Inland Rigging. He is currently sixth in USCS points, and his overall best result of 2024 came in the USCS race at Santa Maria on June 15th when he finished second. To see Tafoya and the remainder of the USAC/CRA stars in action on Saturday at Perris, spectator gates will open at 5:00 PM, and racing will commence at 7:00. Adult tickets 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 free. Advance tickets are available online at https://www.tix.com/ticket-sales/pas/7/event/1366772 or by calling 1-800-595-4849. For those who do not wish to buy advance tickets, there will be plenty available for everyone at the ticket window on Saturday. Perris Auto Speedway is conveniently located on the freeway close Lake Perris Fairgrounds at 18700 Lake Perris Drive in the City of Perris. The track's website is http://www.perrisautospeedway.com/ and the office phone number is (951) 940-0134. Friendly Tafoya is always happy to meet the fans in the pits after every race. He will sign autographs, pose for photos, and sell his beautiful 2024 team shirts. 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 Sprints 13th A Main March 10 Imperial Valley Raceway Imperial Valley 360/410 Sprints 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 USCS Sprint Cars 22nd A Main April 27th Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 9th A Main May 11th Kevin Harvick's Kern Raceway USCS Sprint Cars Rained Out May 18 Bakersfield Speedway USCS Sprint Cars 20th A Main May 25 Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cas Series 8th A Main June 1 Ventura Raceway USCS Sprint Cars 23rd A Main June 5 Lawrenceburg Speedway 410 Sprint Cars 8th A Main June 6 Lincoln Park Speedway 410 Sprint Cars 12th A Main June 7 Bloomington Speedway 410 Sprint Cars 6th B Main June 8 Kevin Harvick's Kern Raceway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 4th A Main June 15 Santa Maria Raceway USCS Sprint Cars 2nd A Main June 22 Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 8th A Main July 13 Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 7th A Main July 27 Ventura Raceway USCS Sprint Cars 21st A Main This release was produced by Scott Daloisio. (909) 226-7768 or E-mail mailto:sdaloisiosports@gmail.com
EDDIE TAFOYA JR HEADS TO SANTA MARIA FOR SATURDAY'S USAC/CRA RACE
(Chino, CA, August 7, 2024) After three weeks away from the racetrack and a brief trip south of the border for some rest and relaxation, Eddie Tafoya Jr. will put the Nomex back on for Saturday's Avanti Windows and Doors USAC/CRA Sprint Car race at the Santa Maria Speedway. It will be his first race back at the Central Coast track since a second-place finish in the Ultimate Sprint Car Series, presented by Inland Rigging, on June 15th. After 10 of the 23 races on the 2024 USAC/CRA schedule, Tafoya, who calls Chino Hills, California home, has fought and clawed his way up to eighth in the championship standings. Over the last six series races, the 27-year-old has finished ninth or better every time. His best result came when he placed fourth at Kevin Harvick's Kern County Raceway on the 8th of June. Dating back to 2021, Tafoya has made two appearances with USAC/CRA at the 60-year-old Santa Maria track. The first came on July 3rd, 2021, when he finished sixth. Two years ago, at the last CRA race on the 1/3 of a mile banked clay oval until this season, he came home eighth in the 30-lap main event. In addition to contesting the USAC/CRA Series, Tafoya, the 2018 Perris Auto Speedway Young Guns Champion and the 2019 USAC/CRA Rookie of the Year, is also a regular in the USCS. It was with the USCS That he recorded his best finish of the year. That was a second place on June 15th on the same Santa Maria oval that he will be racing on this Saturday night. Tafoya is currently sixth in USCS points. After Saturday's race at Santa Maria, Tafoya returns to Perris Auto Speedway for round #12 of the USAC/CRA Series on August 17th. To see Tafoya and the remainder of the USAC/CRA stars in action on Saturday, spectator gates at the revamped speed plant will open at 4:00 PM; qualifying will begin at 5:00, and the first race will be at 7:00.Adult tickets are $30.00. Seniors, military, and students get a $2.00 discount. Kids 6-12 are $10.00, and children 5 and under are free. The track is located at 1900 Hutton Road in Nipomo. The track website is https://santamariaspeedway.net/. Friendly Tafoya is always happy to meet the fans in the pits after every race. He will sign autographs, pose for photos, and sell his beautiful 2024 team shirts. 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 Sprints 13th A Main March 10 Imperial Valley Raceway Imperial Valley 360/410 Sprints 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 USCS Sprint Cars 22nd A Main April 27th Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 9th A Main May 11th Kevin Harvick's Kern Raceway USCS Sprint Cars Rained Out May 18 Bakersfield Speedway USCS Sprint Cars 20th A Main May 25 Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cas Series 8th A Main June 1 Ventura Raceway USCS Sprint Cars 23rd A Main June 5 Lawrenceburg Speedway 410 Sprint Cars 8th A Main June 6 Lincoln Park Speedway 410 Sprint Cars 12th A Main June 7 Bloomington Speedway 410 Sprint Cars 6th B Main June 8 Kevin Harvick's Kern Raceway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 4th A Main June 15 Santa Maria Raceway USCS Sprint Cars 2nd A Main June 22 Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 8th A Main July 13 Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 7th A Main July 27 Ventura Raceway USCS Sprint Cars 21st A Main This release was produced by Scott Daloisio. (909) 226-7768 or E-mail mailto:sdaloisiosports@gmail.com
CUT TIRE ENDS EDDIE TAFOYA JR'S NIGHT AT VENTURA - SANTA MARIA IS UP NEXT AUGUST 10
(Chino, CA, July 30, 2024) Southern California Racing Star Eddie Tafoya Jr. had a shot in the Surecan Shootout at the famous Ventura Raceway. However, a cut tire knocked the pleasant driver out of the Ultimate Sprint Car Series 30-lap main event presented by Inland Rigging. Tafoya, the 2018 PAS Young Guns champion and 2019 USAC/CRA Rookie of the Year, was racing the family-owned #51T for the first time in USCS competition. Two years prior to Saturday's show, Tafoya drove to his first-ever USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series Woodland Automotive Display fast time at Ventura. On the same night, he finished 5th in the 30-lap main event. Therefore, it came as no surprise to anyone when he drove to the second fastest time in his qualifying group of eight cars at the Shootout. After qualifying, he continued to show speed in his 10-lap heat race. Starting on the outside of row two, he drove forward to finish second. The main event saw Tafoya coming off the outside of row five in 10th. The veteran driver worked his way up to eighth in the caution flag-plagued race. Most importantly, he stayed out of the numerous tangles. However, on one of the restarts, he got clobbered from behind. The blow tore a hole in his left rear tire and knocked the 27-year-old Chino Hills, California driver out of the race. Unfortunately, that saddled him with a 21st-place finish. Despite the disappointing outcome, he is sixth overall in the USCS championship standings. Tafoya is amidst a three-week break in his racing schedule. He used the first part of his time off to grab some sun and fun south of the border. When he gets back, he will be prepping his cars for a pair of races in the Avanti Windows and Doors USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series. First up will be an August 10th outing at the Santa Maria Speedway where he finished second in a USCS race on June 15th. One week later he will return to his home track, Perris Auto Speedway. Friendly Tafoya is always happy to meet the fans in the pits after every race. He will sign autographs, pose for photos, and sell his beautiful 2024 team shirts. 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 Sprints 13th A Main March 10 Imperial Valley Raceway Imperial Valley 360/410 Sprints 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 USCS Sprint Cars 22nd A Main April 27th Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 9th A Main May 11th Kevin Harvick's Kern Raceway USCS Sprint Cars Rained Out May 18 Bakersfield Speedway USCS Sprint Cars 20th A Main May 25 Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cas Series 8th A Main June 1 Ventura Raceway USCS Sprint Cars 23rd A Main June 5 Lawrenceburg Speedway 410 Sprint Cars 8th A Main June 6 Lincoln Park Speedway 410 Sprint Cars 12th A Main June 7 Bloomington Speedway 410 Sprint Cars 6th B Main June 8 Kevin Harvick's Kern Raceway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 4th A Main June 15 Santa Maria Raceway USCS Sprint Cars 2nd A Main June 22 Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 8th A Main July 13 Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 7th A Main July 27 Ventura Raceway USCS Sprint Cars 21st A Main This release was produced by Scott Daloisio. (909) 226-7768 or E-mail mailto:sdaloisiosports@gmail.com
EDDIE TAFOYA JR. GOES FROM THE BACK TO SEVENTH IN PERRIS USAC/CRA RACE - VENTURA THIS WEEK
(Chino, CA, July 17, 2024) After an early program set back in hot laps, Eddie Tafoya Jr. had an impressive recovery by going from 15th to seventh to capture the "In Memory of Jim and Chet Gardner Hard Charger Award" at last Saturday's Avanti Windows and Doors USAC/CRA Sprint Car race at Perris Auto Speedway. This week, the veteran racer will head to the Ventura Raceway for the Ultimate Sprint Car Series event presented by Inland Rigging. Tafoya, who turned 27 a few days before the race, was coming into the night after an eighth-place finish on the same half-mile clay oval three weeks earlier. Bolstering his effort in the pits on the evening was Zac Bozanich. While Tafoya had worked with Bozanich on the Tom and Christy Dunkel Inland Rigging #17T, it was the first time the award-winning crew chief was helping Tafoya with his family-owned #51T. Unfortunately, things did not get off to a good start in hot laps. Tafoya, who lives in Chino Hills, California, had a big vibration in the car. Turns out the rear end of his car was letting go. He quickly returned to the pits where the crew swarmed over the machine to get it back on the track. "The first lap of hot laps, I had a real bad vibration coming out of two," Tafoya lamented. "I pulled her back into the pits and figured out the whole rear plate was cracked, the gears were stripped, and it started throwing the lower shaft out of it. At that point, it was kind of a scramble time to try and get the spare one off the wall. Luckily we got that done before the heat races. It put us behind the eight-ball, but we made the best of it." "I trust all the equipment we have," Tafoya continued when asked if that affected his focus for the remainder of the night. "All of our spares are real good. We didn't know that rear end was a thicker wall tubing. So, our bleeders did not work. I was out of luck on the bleeders for the rest of the night. That kind of sucked." While the team did get it changed for the heat races, they could not do it in time for qualifying. Thus, Tafoya had to start at the back of the eight-car field in the second heat race. He moved forward to finish sixth. Then, the personable driver had to start last in the 16-car, 30-lap main event. That is when things turned around. In a main that had more than its share of chaos, Tafoya, who is seldom involved in any of the mayhem, used his track savvy to avoid getting tangled up in any of the wrecks. "When you are starting back there, you kind of pick your battles," Tafoya stated. "You know when to go and when not to go. Luckily, I could see those pileups coming from a mile away. I did my best to stay out of them, and luckily it worked out." "I felt really good," Tafoya said when asked if he thought he had a car that could have been a contender if he started closer to the front. "When Tommy (eventual winner Tommy Malcolm) went by me, I did not really want to mess with him too much. I felt I was not too far off his pace, and the same with AJ (second-place finisher AJ Bender). I feel if we could have been up there closer to the front on the start we could have fought for a podium position. When the checkers ended the race, Tafoya crawled out of the car in seventh place. It was his sixth top 10 finish in nine USAC/CRA starts in 2024. The result also kept him seventh in the series championship standings heading into a busy month of August that will see races on the 10th at Santa Maria, the 17th at Perris and the 31st at Kevin Harvick's Kern Raceway. Tafoya enjoyed having Bozanich work on the car in the pit area. In his years working with Brody Roa, Bozanich captured the coveted USAC/CRA Crew Chief of the Year Award one season and was the champion crew chief in 2023. Needless to say, Tafoya would not mind working with him again in the future. "We are definitely on the same page when it comes to setup stuff," Tafoya said. "It is easy to work with someone when you are both thinking the same about the car and are not butting heads. It is definitely easier when you are making decisions. It was the first time he helped on the #51T. I try to get as much help as I can whenever I can. So, hopefully, it works out a few more times this year and he can be with us." This Saturday, Tafoya will make the 100-mile track to the Ventura Raceway, which is located on the beach at the Ventura County Fairgrounds, to drive his own #51T car. At the first USCS race at the track on June 1st, he led the field into turn one after the green flag. However, his steering broke, and he slammed into the turn-one wall and tipped over. That left him with a 23rd-place finish. While the June 1st race result at Ventura was not to his liking, Tafoya has done well at the track in the past in USAC/CRA competition. His best showing at Ventura came in May 2022, when he set the fastest qualifying time and finished fifth in the main event. "I feel good," the 2019 USAC/CRA Rookie of the Year responded when asked about this week's race at the beach. "The time before we ran good, and at Turkey Night (last November) we were winning heat races and qualifiers. So, I definitely feel good going back there on Saturday." Tafoya's best finish in the first four races with the USCS was a second at Santa Maria on June 15th. He enters Saturday's fray fifth in series points. Spectator gates for Saturday's USCS race at Ventura will open at 3:00 p.m., with racing at 5:30. Adult tickets are $22.00. Seniors 60 and over, military with ID, and students with an ID get in for $18.00. Children 12 and under are free when they are accompanied by an adult. The track is located on the Ventura County Fairgrounds at 10 W. Harbor Boulevard (93001). The website is http://venturaraceway.com/, and the office phone number is (805) 648-RACE. Perris Auto Speedway is located on the Lake Perris Fairgrounds at 18700 Lake Perris Drive in the City of Perris. The track website is https://santamariaspeedway.net/. Friendly Tafoya is always happy to meet the fans in the pits after every race. He will sign autographs, pose for photos, and sell his beautiful 2024 team shirts. 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 Sprints 13th A Main March 10 Imperial Valley Raceway Imperial Valley 360/410 Sprints 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 USCS Sprint Cars 22nd A Main April 27th Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 9th A Main May 11th Kevin Harvick's Kern Raceway USCS Sprint Cars Rained Out May 18 Bakersfield Speedway USCS Sprint Cars 20th A Main May 25 Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cas Series 8th A Main June 1 Ventura Raceway USCS Sprint Cars 23rd A Main June 5 Lawrenceburg Speedway 410 Sprint Cars 8th A Main June 6 Lincoln Park Speedway 410 Sprint Cars 12th A Main June 7 Bloomington Speedway 410 Sprint Cars 6th B Main June 8 Kevin Harvick's Kern Raceway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 4th A Main June 15 Santa Maria Raceway USCS Sprint Cars 2nd A Main June 22 Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 8th A Main July 13 Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 7th A Main This release was produced by Scott Daloisio. (909) 226-7768 or E-mail mailto:sdaloisiosports@gmail.com
EDDIE TAFOYA JR. RETURNS TO ACTION SATURDAY WITH THE USAC/CRA SPRINT CARS AT PERRIS
(Chino, CA, July 11, 2024) After a two-week break in his busy racing schedule, Eddie Tafoya Jr. will be back in the gorgeous, family-owned #51T for this weekend's Avanti Windows and Doors USAC/CRA Sprint Car race at Perris Auto Speedway. The track's 2018 Young Gun Sprint Car Series champion will enter the battleground eighth in USAC/CRA points. The Chino Hills, California resident, who turned 27 on Wednesday, comes into Saturday's Perris race after a busy month of June that saw him compete seven times. Four of the races were in his native California, and three were in Indiana, a hotbed of open-wheel racing. One other race that he was in the "Hoosier State" for was rained out. The likable driver's best June result came in the Ultimate Sprint Car Series presented by Inland Rigging main event at the Santa Maria Speedway on June 15th when he placed second. That event was sandwiched in between USAC/CRA races at Kevin Harvick's Kern County Raceway on June 8th and Perris on the 22nd. He placed fourth at Kern and came from the back to finish eighth at Perris. Earlier in the month of June, Tafoya finished 23rd when something broke in his steering while leading the field into turn one at the USCS race at Ventura on the 1st. He then jetted to Indiana and finished eighth in the A main at the Lawrenceburg Speedway on the fifth and 12th at the Lincoln Park Speedway 24 hours later. He wrapped up his Indiana journey with a sixth-place finish in the B main at Bloomington on the seventh before flying back to California for the Kern race 24 hours later. Unlike June, when Tafoya originally had eight race dates on his schedule, there are only two scheduled thus far in July. The first is this Saturday's USAC/CRA affair at Perris. He will follow that up when the USCS returns to Ventura on the 20th. If you are coming to Saturday's race, be sure to stop by Eddie's pit and wish him a belated Happy Birthday. Spectator gates will open at 5:00 p.m. at Perris on Saturday, and the first race will take the green flag at 7:00. Adult tickets for Saturday's race 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 free. The fairgrounds charge $10.00 for parking. Advance tickets are available at https://www.tix.com/ticket-sales/pas/7/event/1366778 or by calling 1-800-595-4849. For fans who do not wish to purchase tickets in advance, there will be plenty available for everyone at the ticket window on Saturday night. Perris Auto Speedway is located on the Lake Perris Fairgrounds at 18700 Lake Perris Drive in the City of Perris. The track website is https://santamariaspeedway.net/. Friendly Tafoya is always happy to meet the fans in the pits after every race. He will sign autographs, pose for photos, and sell his beautiful 2024 team shirts. 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 Sprints 13th A Main March 10 Imperial Valley Raceway Imperial Valley 360/410 Sprints 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 April 27th Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 9th A Main May 11th Kevin Harvick's Kern Raceway Ultimate Sprint Car Series Rained Out May 18 Bakersfield Speedway Ultimate Sprint Car Series 20th A Main May 25 Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cas Series 8th A Main June 1 Ventura Raceway Ultimate Sprint Car Series 23rd A Main June 5 Lawrenceburg Speedway 410 Sprint Cars 8th A Main June 6 Lincoln Park Speedway 410 Sprint Cars 12th A Main June 7 Bloomington Speedway 410 Sprint Cars 6th B Main June 8 Kevin Harvick's Kern Raceway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 4th A Main June 15 Santa Maria Raceway USCS Sprint Cars 2nd A Main June 22 Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 8th Main This release was produced by Scott Daloisio. (909) 226-7768 or E-mail mailto:sdaloisiosports@gmail.com
USAC/CRA POINT BATTLE THE BEST IN SERIES HISTORY?
(Perris, CA, July 8, 2024) In 2024, the Avanti Windows and Doors USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series is celebrating its 20th anniversary. Over the years, it has had some great battles for the championship. However, the question to be raised is whether this season's point war is the best in series history. Fans can check into the fight for the crown this Saturday night, July 13th, when round #10 of the season takes place at Perris Auto Speedway. Joining USAC/CRA on Saturday will be the GAS Chassis Young Gun Sprint Cars, PAS Senior Sprint Cars, and the PASSCAR Super Stocks and American Factory Stocks. Spectator gates will open at 5:00 p.m., and racing will begin at 7:00. Heading into Saturday's race, Tommy "Thunder" Malcolm, who began his racing career at Perris when he was in his early teens, is seeking his third straight USAC/CRA win. He rolled to the victory at the last race at The PAS on June 22nd and backed that up with a triumph at the newly reopened Santa Maria Raceway last Saturday night. The Yucaipa, California-based racer was dominant and led every lap in each race. In addition, in a series that has produced seven different winners in the first nine races, he is one of only two drivers who have more than one victory. He and Costa Mesa's Matt Mitchell have two wins apiece. His prowess in the last two races has propelled Malcolm, who drives a car owned by his stepdad Dino Napier, to reclaim the point lead. Coming into Saturday's race, he has a two-point advantage over longtime Laveen, Arizona driver RJ Johnson. However, those two veterans cannot rest on their laurels. The drivers ranked third through seventh, Austin Williams of Corona, his younger brother Logan Williams of Yorba Linda, San Diego's AJ Bender, leading rookie David Gasper of Santa Barbara, and Cody Williams of Norco, are all within 100 points of the lead duo. Like the impressive number of winners and the close points race through the first nine events, the lead in the standings has changed five times between four drivers. Johnson has led the standings after four races, and Malcolm has been on top of the heap three times. "It is shaping up as a great season," said Perris promoter Don Kazarian, whose track has been the series home venue since day one. "You have had several different winners and the points chase is tight. Hopefully, the title race stays tight and will come down to the final races in November. It is great for the series and for the fans." "Of the seven drivers within 100 points of each other at the top of the standings, all but one have been around Perris for a while," Kazarian continued. "All of the Williams brothers followed in their father's footsteps into sprint car racing and began their USAC/CRA careers at The PAS. The youngest of the three, Logan, was our first-ever PAS Young Guns champion. Before his days in USAC/CRA, AJ Bender raced alongside his older brother Bobby at The PAS with the California Lightning Sprints. Tommy Malcolm started his career with us in street stocks, and RJ Johnson was USAC/CRA Rookie of the Year in 2005. David Gasper started racing with USAC/CRA late last season and is a great addition to the show. He won his first-ever CRA main event at The PAS in March. Whichever one prevails will be a deserving champion." The USAC/CRA points battle is extremely close, but there are other great championship fights on Saturday's card. "The CRA points race is not the only tight one we have coming into this weekend," the longtime promoter said. "The PASSCAR Super Stocks and American Factory Stocks are having a phenomenal battle for the season-long championships. In the superstocks, Chuck Becker leads Billy Griffin by one point. Those two have been racing each other for over three decades. In the American Factory Stocks, the top four, David Uraine, David Stites, Ethan Kintop, and James Keller, are only separated by six points. Expect those guys to all be fired up for Saturday as they all want to take the title in their respective classes." The GAS Chassis Young Gun Sprints and PAS Senior Sprints will also be in action on Saturday. In the Young Guns, Brecken Guerrero of Westminster has a comfortable 59-point lead over Redlands racer Jake McKee. That also has him putting one hand on the brand-new GAS Chassis that will go to the champion at the end of the year. Riverside's Cody Deloy, Seth Dyer of Yucca Valley, and Apple Valley's Sean Rogers have also scored points in the class this season. All four have shown great potential and should be moving up to the USAC/CRA series in the not-too-distant future. In the senior sprints, Tustin's Bob Suchy has dominated the action so far and has a 64-point lead over Greg Badgwell of Yorba Linda. Badgwell snared his first PAS win three weeks ago. Adult tickets for Saturday's family fun show are $30.00. For seniors 65 and over it is $25.00. Kids ages 6 to 12 get in for only $5.00, and children five and under are admitted free. The fairgrounds charges $10 for parking. Advance tickets for all Perris Auto Speedway shows are available 24 hours a day online at https://www.tix.com/ticket-sales/pas/7 or by calling 1-800-595-4849. For fans who do not wish to buy tickets in advance, there will be plenty available at the ticket window every race night. The PAS is conveniently located on the freeway close Lake Perris Fairgrounds, home of the Southern California Fair, in nearby Riverside County. Take the 215 freeway. Exit at the Ramona Expressway and go three miles east to the fairgrounds. For directions online, the address to enter is 18700 Lake Perris Drive, and the zip code is 92571. To keep up with everything happening at The PAS, please visit the track's social media efforts on Facebook and Instagram and visit the website at perrisautospeedway.com. 2024 Perris Auto Speedway Schedule July 13th AVANTI USAC/CRA SPRINT CARS, PAS Senior Sprints, GAS CHASSIS YOUNG GUNS SERIES, AND PASSCAR SUPER AND FACTORY STOCKS August 10th LKQ Pick Your Part Presents NIGHT OF DESTRUCTION: DEMO CROSS, FIGURE 8'S, TRAILER FIGURE 8'S, MINI STOCKS AND DOUBLE DECKERS August 17th BROTHER BRETT CLASSIC AT THE CALIFORNIA RACER'S HALL OF FAME NIGHT, AVANTI USAC/CRA SPRINT CARS, PAS Senior Sprints, GAS CHASSIS YOUNG GUNS SERIES AND PASSCAR SUPER AND STREET STOCKS September 7th LKQ Pick Your Part Presents NIGHT OF DESTRUCTION: DEMO CROSS, FIGURE 8'S, TRAILER FIGURE 8'S, MINI STOCKS AND DOUBLE DECKERS September 21st AVANTI USAC/CRA SPRINT CARS, PAS Senior Sprints, GAS CHASSIS YOUNG GUNS SERIES AND PASSCAR SUPER AND FACTORY STOCKS October 26th LKQ Pick Your Part Presents NIGHT OF DESTRUCTION: DEMO CROSS, FIGURE 8'S, TRAILER FIGURE 8'S, MINI STOCKS AND DOUBLE DECKERS November 8th 27TH RUNNING OF THE OVAL NATIONALS Featuring AVANTI USAC/CRA SPRINT CARS, PAS SENIOR SPRINTS, GAS CHASSIS YOUNG GUN SERIES AND PASSCAR SUPER, STREET AND FACTORY STOCKS November 9th 27TH RUNNING OF THE OVAL NATIONALS Featuring AVANTI USAC/CRA SPRINT CARS, PAS SENIOR SPRINTS, GAS CHASSIS YOUNG GUN SERIES - JERRY DODD CHAMPIONS NIGHT, PASSCAR SUPER, STREET AND FACTORY STOCKS THIS SCHEDULE IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE. The PAS would like to thank all of its 2024 marketing partners. Avanti Doors and Windows - https://www.avantiwindow.com/ Budweiser- https://us.budweiser.com/ Chris's Hauling Ed Pink Racing Engines - edpink.com Flowdynamics - http://www.flowdynamicsonline.com/ GAS Chassis Heimark Distributors - https://heimark.com/ Hoosier Tire - https://www.hoosiertire.com/ Jugo Superfoods - https://jugobrands.com/ Living Waters Hospice - https://livingwatershospice.com/ LKQ Pick Your Part - https://www.lkqpickyourpart.com/ Marjon RV's - https://marjonrvs.com/ Mike's Produce Performance Online - https://www.performanceonline.com/ Premier Medical Transportation - https://pmtpremier.com/ Sunoco Race Fuels - https://www.sunocoracefuels.com/ Symbiosis - https://symbiosiscare.com/ Trench Shoring - https://www.trenchshoring.com/ Team Stites - https://teamstites.com/ Vista Paint - https://www.vistapaint.com/ Wind N Sea Towing - https://windnseatowing.com/ 4 Wheel Parts - https://www.4wheelparts.com/ For information on 2024 billboard advertising at The PAS, please call 951-940-0134 and ask for Charlie Watson. Fans can stay up to date on track and driver news on The PAS social media efforts at the links below. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Perris-Auto-Speedway/113876798686480?ref=hl Twitter: Perris Auto Speedway on Twitter Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/perrisautospeedway/ Website: http://perrisautospeedway.com/ DVDs of all the PASSCAR/IMCA racing and Nights of Destruction at The PAS are available from Fourvideos. For more information call (714) 225-9500. mailto:perrisautospeedway1@gmail.com is the only authorized Internet address to issue official media news released from The Perris Auto Speedway or Oval Entertainment.
EDDIE TAFOYA JR. STARTS THREE STRAIGHT WEEKS OF RACING SATURDAY NIGHT AT SANTA MARIA
(Chino, CA, July 4, 2024) Eddie Tafoya Jr. begins three straight Saturday nights of racing when the Avanti Windows and Doors USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series makes its first of three 2024 appearances at the newly rejuvenated Santa Maria Speedway this Saturday, July 6th. One week later, on July 13th, he will contest the USAC/CRA race at Perris Auto Speedway and will close the month when the Ultimate Sprint Car Series, presented by Inland Rigging, visits the Ventura Raceway on July 20th. Tafoya, who will turn 27 next Wednesday, will be making his 21st start of the season on Saturday. As of late, the friendly racer has been steadily climbing higher on the USAC/CRA Series championship point ladder. The Chino Hills, California resident enters Saturday's fray on the 1/3 mile banked clay oval eighth in the standings. He is a mere 10 points out of seventh and less than 90 points behind the third-place driver. Advancing so high in the standings comes after a wild start to the season when he seemed to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. In the first three USAC/CRA races of the year, Tafoya finished 21st, 16th and 12th. The main event finishing average of those three races was 16.33. In the last five races, he has a fourth, a sixth, two eight-place results, and a ninth. His average finish in the last five is 7.00. His overall average for all eight USAC/CRA races this year is 10.37. The average for the last five races and for all eight races on the schedule would more than likely have been lower had the last series race on June 22nd not been stopped 10 laps early. Series officials red-flagged the event due to dusty conditions. In that race, Tafoya had to restart at the back after a tangle on lap 16. In just four laps, he raced all the way up to eighth. Had the race run its 30-lap duration; in all likelihood, he would have passed more cars. In going to Santa Maria on Saturday, Tafoya returns to the site of his best finish of the year. On June 15th, he placed second in the USCS main event at the 60-year-old facility. In addition to it being his best finish of the year, it was also his best-ever finish at Santa Maria. The result came at the first race at the track since 2022. The surface that night was a tire eater. However, this will be the track's second race since then, and teams are looking for improved track conditions on Saturday. The gates for Saturday's race at Santa Maria will open at 4:00 p.m. Qualifying will begin at 5:00, and the first race will start at 6:00. Adult tickets are $25.00. Seniors and military get in for $23.00. For kids 6-12, it is only $5.00, and children 5 and under are free. The track is located at 1900 Hutton Road in Nipomo. The track website is https://santamariaspeedway.net/. Friendly Tafoya is always happy to meet the fans in the pits after every race. He will sign autographs, pose for photos, and sell his beautiful 2024 team shirts. 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 Sprints 13th A Main March 10 Imperial Valley Raceway Imperial Valley 360/410 Sprints 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 April 27th Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 9th A Main May 11th Kevin Harvick's Kern Raceway Ultimate Sprint Car Series Rained Out May 18 Bakersfield Speedway Ultimate Sprint Car Series 20th A Main May 25 Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cas Series 8th A Main June 1 Ventura Raceway Ultimate Sprint Car Series 23rd A Main June 5 Lawrenceburg Speedway 410 Sprint Cars 8th A Main June 6 Lincoln Park Speedway 410 Sprint Cars 12th A Main June 7 Bloomington Speedway 410 Sprint Cars 6th B Main June 8 Kevin Harvick's Kern Raceway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 4th A Main June 15 Santa Maria Raceway USCS Sprint Cars 2nd A Main June 22 Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 8th Main This release was produced by Scott Daloisio. (909) 226-7768 or E-mail mailto:sdaloisiosports@gmail.com
FOURTH IN POINTS, LOGAN WILLIAMS GOES TO THE SANTA MARIA RACEWAY ON SATURDAY
(Ontario, CA, July 3, 2024) Enjoying the best season of his career, Logan Williams will be behind the wheel of the Flowdynamics #5W when the Avanti Windows and Doors USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series makes its first appearance at the Santa Maria Speedway since 2022 this Saturday, July 6th. Spectator gates at the newly reopened 1/3 mile banked clay oval will open at 4:00 p.m., qualifying will start at 5:00, and the first race will take the green flag at 6:00. Williams, who lives in Yorba Linda, California, has performed well in his last two outings at Santa Maria. On July 3, 2021, he placed eighth in the main. At the last USAC/CRA race at the track on August 6, 2022, he finished the 30-lapper in fourth place. The 2013 Perris Auto Speedway Young Guns champion and 2014 USAC/CRA Rookie of the Year, Williams has been one of the most consistent drivers in the USAC/CRA Series this season. He has seven top-10s and four top-five finishes in the first eight races. The only night he placed out of the top 10 came at Perris when driveline issues sent him off the track early in the going on April 27th. He ended up 22nd on that night. Entering this Saturday's race, he is fourth in the series championship point standings, and he is only five points out of third. At the series last race at Perris on June 22nd, Williams and teammate Matt McCarthy, who lives in Riverside, California, had flashes of brilliance on what turned out to be a strange race. On a hot, windy night, Williams turned in the seventh fastest time of the 22 cars on hand during qualifying when he toured the half-mile oval with a lap of 17.651. McCarthy's 17.950 was the 13th fastest on the night. The times in qualifying ensured the teammates that they would be starting in the same heat race. In fact, they were starting nose to tail in the first heat. McCarthy was on the outside of row one and Williams was directly behind him. They finished next to each other for the second Perris heat in a row. At the Salute to Indy in May, McCarthy was second, and Williams was third when they were matched up in the same heat. This time, it was McCarthy for the win with Williams second. It was his third heat race win in five starts in 2024 for McCarthy, who makes his home in Riverside, California. The main turned into one of the most bizarre races in the 28-season history of Perris Auto Speedway. Afternoon temperatures surpassed the century mark. To throw another wrench into the situation, Mother Nature was supplying wind. Normally when there is wind at Perris, it lays down late in the afternoon. On this occasion, the wind did not stop, and the temperature was 80 degrees when the main bumped off. Williams started the 30-lap main in seventh, with McCarthy coming from 13th. Due to the heat and wind, the track quickly became very dusty, hindering the driver's visibility. McCarthy was involved in a skirmish with three other cars on lap 16, ending his night with an 18th-place finish. Williams' night ended on lap 20 when series officials threw the red flag and ended the race due to the dusty conditions. By that time, Williams had advanced his position to fourth. That gave him three straight top fours, including a second at Kevin Harvick's Kern County Raceway on June 8th. Adult tickets are $25.00 for Saturday's race at Santa Maria. Seniors and military get in for $23.00. For kids 6-12, it is only $5.00, and children 5 and under are free. The track is located at 1900 Hutton Road in Nipomo. The track website is https://santamariaspeedway.net/. Whenever you get the chance to meet the Flowdynamics drivers in person, be sure to visit them in the pits. They will be glad to sign your autographs, and each of them will have their fine-looking team shirts available. If you or your company would like to be a part of one of the West Coast's most prominent sprint car teams in the 2024 season, please contact John McCarthy at 909 930-5522 or mailto:john@flodyinc.com. McCarthy and Williams would like to thank the following sponsors for making the 2023 season possible. Flowdynamics Inc., PurgePlugs.com, Cal Therm Mechanical Insulators, JFK Design Build, So Cal Racing Fuel, and Full Throttle Lift. Matt McCarthy 2024 Results 2/24/24 Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA 13th B Main 3/16/24 Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA 10th A Main 4/27/24 Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA 6th A Main 5/25/24 Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA 12th A Main 6/22/24 Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA 18th A Main Logan Williams 2024 Results 2/24/24 Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA 7th A Main 3/16/24 Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA 5th A Main 3/23/24 Cocopah Speedway USAC/CRA 6th A Main 4/6/24 Mohave Valley Raceway USAC/CRA 9th A Main 4/27/24 Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA 22nd A Main 5/25/24 Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA 4th A Main 6/8/24 Kevin Harvick's Kern Raceway USAC/CRA 2nd A Main 6/22/24 Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA 4th A Main This release was produced by Scott Daloisio. Contact is available at (909) 226-7768 or via email at mailto:sdaloisiosports@gmail.com
EDDIE TAFOYA JR. COMES FROM THE BACK TO FINISH EIGHTH IN SHORTENED PERRIS AUTO SPEEDWAY MAIN
(Chino, CA, June 27, 2024) In what can best be described as a bizarre night, Eddie Tafoya Jr. came from the back of the pack to finish eighth in last Saturday's Avanti Windows and Doors USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series main event at Perris Auto Speedway. The race was called complete at the end of 20 laps leaving fans to wonder where he would have finished if it had gone the full 30-circuits. Tafoya, who was racing at the track closest to his Chino Hills, California home, was the 10th fastest car of the 22 on hand in qualifying. The quickest of his two laps on the clocks was a 17.848. The time sent the affable racer to the first heat race on the hot evening. Starting on the inside of row two in the 10-lapper, he placed fifth. During the afternoon, the thermometer was registering at over 100 degrees at the 28 year old track. In addition, the wind was blowing. By the time the eighth series 30-lap main event of 2024 was ready to push off, the wind was still blowing, and the temperature was 80 degrees. When the 22-car field of 900+ horsepower cars began the race, a problem that rarely exists at the track reared its ugly head. That problem was copious amounts of dust. Early on, veteran racer Tafoya, who started the main event in 10th, got caught up in somebody else's mess. After a quick trip to the work area, he returned to the battleground but had to restart the race at the back. While the dust had settled during the yellow flag period, it came up again as soon as the race resumed. Despite issues seeing, Tafoya managed to steer the car, which is a fan favorite with its red foil trim, forward. He was one of the few cars making passes, and he found himself impressively back up to eighth spot. However, that was as far as he was going to get. As conditions were not improving, series officials called the race complete at 20-laps. While it would have been interesting to see where 26-year-old Tafoya would have finished had the race not been shortened, it was an impressive performance in less-than-ideal conditions. It also gave him six top 10 finishes in the last 10 Southern California A mains he has started. Included in the top 10s is a second place at the grand reopening of the Santa Maria Speedway on June 15th. Saturday's finish saw Tafoya close to within 10-points of the driver currently ranked seventh in the championship standings. With more than half the season remaining, the 2019 series Rookie of the Year will surely rise higher in the point battle before the season ends. Tafoya gets this weekend off, but he will be back at it on July 5th when the USAC/CRA Series heads to Santa Maria for the first time since 2022. Friendly Tafoya is always happy to meet the fans in the pits after every race. He will sign autographs, pose for photos, and sell his beautiful 2024 team shirts. 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 Sprints 13th A Main March 10 Imperial Valley Raceway Imperial Valley 360/410 Sprints 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 April 27th Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 9th A Main May 11th Kevin Harvick's Kern Raceway Ultimate Sprint Car Series Rained Out May 18 Bakersfield Speedway Ultimate Sprint Car Series 20th A Main May 25 Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cas Series 8th A Main June 1 Ventura Raceway Ultimate Sprint Car Series 23rd A Main June 5 Lawrenceburg Speedway 410 Sprint Cars 8th A Main June 6 Lincoln Park Speedway 410 Sprint Cars 12th A Main June 7 Bloomington Speedway 410 Sprint Cars 6th B Main June 8 Kevin Harvick's Kern Raceway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 4th A Main June 15 Santa Maria Raceway USCS Sprint Cars 2nd A Main June 22 Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 8th Main This release was produced by Scott Daloisio. (909) 226-7768 or E-mail mailto:sdaloisiosports@gmail.com
EDDIE TAFOYA JR. GETS SEASON-BEST 2ND PLACE FINISH LAST SATURDAY - ON TO PERRIS THIS WEEK
(Chino, CA, June 19, 2024) Eddie Tafoya Jr. notched his best finish of the 2024 season when he placed second last Saturday night in the Ultimate Sprint Car Series main event presented by Inland Rigging at the Santa Maria Speedway. The result gave the veteran racer six top-10 finishes in his last nine Southern California starts. This Saturday night, Tafoya will take his driving talents to Perris Auto Speedway for the next round of the Avanti Windows and Doors USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series. Last Saturday's well-attended race was the grand reopening of the famous Santa Maria Speedway, which began operation in 1964. Since 2021, the track only hosted one race and that was in August of 2022. Needless to say, the race was highly anticipated by the fans and all the racers, including Chino Hills, California-based Tafoya. Wheeling the Tom and Christy Dunkel-owned Inland Rigging #17T sprint car; he qualified second fastest in his group on a track surface that proved to be a tire eater, with a 14.434. That was good for the seventh best of the 25 cars on hand. In the main, the soon-to-be 27-year-old started in the ninth position. The track was still tough on tires and to succeed, drivers were going to have to manage them. Tafoya did just that. By the time the race ended, he had his best finish of 2024 and his best-ever finish at Santa Maria. "You had to make sure, especially in the second half of the race, that you were not blowing off the tires," Tafoya said. "You had to stay patient. I kind of waited for things to come my way and took my opportunities when I had to. It's good to finally have a night where everything goes our way and to put a good run in the books." "The track was pretty tough," Tafoya continued. "It started taking rubber early in the night. A couple times they reworked it but it seemed to go back to what it was pretty quick. Our setup was kind of staying the same all night. We were just watching the track. We were quick in qualifying and that helped us out in the heat race. In the main event, we stayed patient, saved our tires, and passed a lot of cars." Tafoya will return to Santa Maria with the USAC/CRA Series on July 5th and 6th. One of the differences those two nights will be Tafoya driving his family owned #51T. "Definitely driving two of the same chassis (DRC), no matter what motor I am running, helps out a lot," Tafoya said about set up for the next race at the track. "So, it has been pretty simple lately." This Saturday, the 2019 USAC/CRA Rookie of the Year is focusing on qualifying. It has not been where he would like it, and he is set on improving. In the four races of Perris this year, he has qualified 10th, 14th, 12th, and 8th. That can be a big hindrance with other cars starting in front of him in the main events. "I just really, really need to focus on qualifying," he said. "That really hurts me later in the night. For me, it is almost trying to drive too hard. Trying to get a good lap time. Maybe for me, tone it down a little bit on Saturday night. Just need everything right, hit everything smooth, and make sure I am carrying my speed." In points chases, Tafoya's second place finish last Saturday saw him jump from eight to fifth in the USCS standings. Tafoya will enter the fray eighth in the standings this Saturday at Perris. He is only 12 points out of seventh and only 65 out of fourth. For fans who want to see the talented Tafoya in action on Saturday, spectator gates at Perris Auto Speedway will open at 5:00 PM in the first race will be at 7:00. Adult tickets are $30.00. For seniors 65 and over, it is $25.00. Kids 6 to 12 get in for only $5.00, and children five and under are admitted free. The fairgrounds charge $10.00 for parking. Advance tickets are available at the following website or by calling one eight hundred 595-4849. For fans who do not wish to buy tickets in advance, plenty of tickets will be available for everyone at the ticket window on Saturday night. Perris Auto Speedway is conveniently located on the freeway Lake Perris Fairgrounds at 18700 Lake Perris Drive in the city of Perris. Friendly Tafoya is always happy to meet the fans in the pits after every race. He will sign autographs, pose for photos, and sell his beautiful 2024 team shirts. 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 Sprints 13th A Main March 10 Imperial Valley Raceway Imperial Valley 360/410 Sprints 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 April 27th Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 9th A Main May 11th Kevin Harvick's Kern Raceway Ultimate Sprint Car Series Rained Out May 18 Bakersfield Speedway Ultimate Sprint Car Series 20th A Main May 25 Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cas Series 8th A Main June 1 Ventura Raceway Ultimate Sprint Car Series 23rd A Main June 5 Lawrenceburg Speedway 410 Sprint Cars 8th A Main June 6 Lincoln Park Speedway 410 Sprint Cars 12th A Main June 7 Bloomington Speedway 410 Sprint Cars 6th B Main June 8 Kevin Harvick's Kern Raceway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 4th A Main June 15 Santa Maria Raceway USCS Sprint Cars 2nd A Main This release was produced by Scott Daloisio. (909) 226-7768 or E-mail mailto:sdaloisiosports@gmail.com