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Hollywood Celebrities Race For a Cure in ‘Kids Against Cancer’ Night at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale

[media-credit id=50 align=”alignright” width=”200″][/media-credit]“Dear Mom and Dad, I know you’re going to miss me; but don’t think that I will ever forget you, or stop loving you, just ’cause I’m not around to say ‘I Love You’. Someday we will see each other again, and until then if you want to adopt a little boy so you won’t be so lonely, that’s okay with me, and he can have my room and old stuff to play with. Don’t be sad thinking about me since I don’t hurt anymore. The cancer is all gone, and I’m glad because I couldn’t stand that pain anymore and God couldn’t stand to see me hurt so much, either.” This is an all too familiar scene played out in some homes with sick children as cancer takes over as one of the biggest killers of our youth today.

Cancer, along with other diseases, are hard fought battles amongst the many professionals in the world of medicine, and until the war is finally won, there will be those individuals who will constantly be ready to help when the battle cry goes out. NASCAR racing has always been on the forefront when the need arises for that extra boost of help, and it’s not hard to look around at the many drivers who take time out of their busy schedules to support these worthy causes.

Not only do the drivers participate when the call is sent out, but also the many racing venues along with sponsors, team owners, celebrities, and radio personalities. I have had the honor of meeting one such individual who is a local radio host out here in Southern California (AM830 KLAA), by the name of Gordon “Lug Nutzz” Stewart, who goes beyond the call of duty when it comes to helping kids who feel they have no hope.

Stewart is known for reaching out to these kids, while taking the time to entertain them at various motorsports venues including Toyota Speedway at Irwindale which is hosting this weekend’s event. “For 8 years I have been blessed to meet many amazing kids with one unfortunate common bond. They are all battling cancer and life threatening illnesses.”

“There are so many memories working with The America’s Baby Cancer Foundation, and I am proud to now be the Vice Chairman of the foundation.” Stewart said when talking about the foundation.

Stewart also added that, “With the help of some amazing people, we continue to share some incredible experiences. Guy’s like NHRA 14 time Funny Car Champion John Force, NASCAR Champion Tony Stewart, Supercross/Motocross legend Ricky Carmichael, and X-Games star Travis Pastrana, have all taken their time and resources to provide once in a lifetime experiences for many of our little angels. Inspiration comes from unique opportunities.”

The celebrities who will be taking part in this special event at TS@I will be driving equally-prepared full bodied stock cars, complete with a 350 horsepower Chevy engine, along with a full roll cage and all the safety features which are included in all of NASCAR’s different divisions.

The S2 race cars as they are called, are built for speed, and are part of the speedways weekly racing program that takes place on Saturday nights. Therefore don’t think for a second these celebrities will be racing around the speedway’s half mile in a watered down version race car, instead they will drive a highly sophisticated racing machine.

Paul Blevin will begin the night’s action as the honorary starter, and is best known for his flagman duties in the IZOD IndyCar series which also included standing atop the flag stand for this year’s Indy 500.

“This is a great cause and a great group of celebrities,” said Blevin when he was asked to participate in this weekend’s event. Blevin also added that, “I know that they’ve received very good training on these machines, but, this is some serious stuff on a very fast racetrack…I want them all to have fun, but safely.”

Kim Coates who participated in this year’s pro-celebrity race during the Long Beach Grand Prix, is a cast member in “Sons of Anarchy” and “Human Target,” and will be participating this weekend’s celebrity race said that, “These cars are absolute beasts. As long as I don’t come in last I’ll be thrilled.” said Coates.

Coates also added that, “It’s nice to keep going on this charity Toyota field of racing that I get invited to these days. This is a celebrity race for kids against cancer, and making sure everyone is safe and enjoys the race. Coates also delayed a family trip to Canada to be a part of this weekend’s event, which shows the true spirit and meaning of how much these charities mean to them.”

Riki Rachtman who has raced one these S2’s in the weekly series here at the speedway, is best known for hosting the highly rated Headbangers Ball on MTV in the 90’s. Rachtman also hosts the nationally-syndicated radio show “Racing Rocks,” which is currently heard on over 100 stations across the country, and is a self proclaimed NASCAR nut.

“Everything about this is great; it’s great that we’re raising money for kids against cancer. There is some real talent and it’s gonna be fun,” said Rachtman. Rachtman also added that, “I really wanna beat Frankie Muniz he talks so much smack. He has been ruthless but he’s good.”

Bill Fichtner, who won this year’s pro-celebrity race in Long Beach, will be making his first start on an oval and is best known for his roles in, Entourage, Prison Break, and Dr. Bruce Kellerman in”MDs”.

Fichtner said, “I was fortunate to run in the pro-am race in Long Beach and win it, but each year that goes by we visit the hospitals and as much fun as I’m having in the race car we get the bigger meaning of it. I walk away with a sense of what’s happening, and an awful lot of money will be going to kids against cancer and I am really proud of that.”

Along with these three stars, Frankie Muniz, Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Mark Krsiki, Peter Shikoda, and Skeet Ulrich will also participate in the evenings race for charity.

July 24, 2011
NASCAR’s Unsung Heroes; The Research and Development Team Saves Another Life

[media-credit name=”Freddy Martinez” align=”alignright” width=”225″][/media-credit]The last noise a race car driver never wants to hear when his mind is focused on maneuvering around his favorite track, is the deafening screech of tires, followed by the impact of the car exploding against a retaining wall or tire and foam attenuator.

After the initial impact, there is usually an eerie moment of silence from the fans as the driver slowly gathers his thoughts, while wondering if it’s an indication he is no longer breathing the air around him.

For the fans there is nothing more spectacular and exciting than watching some aggressive side by side racing, where each driver pushes the limits of his Sunoco burning race car beyond what is almost abnormal for a 3500 pound motor vehicle. As with all forms motorsports, there is always the high element of danger lurking around lap after lap, as it waits for the driver to make one crucial mistake so it can strike with deceitful intentions.

Each driver knows ahead of time the risks they take playing a game of cat-and-mouse, which pits man or woman against a highly sophisticated, and extremely dangerous fast moving maze of metal parts. It’s this maze of metal parts coupled together with a high performance power plant that can change a driver’s world in a moment’s notice, because of the high speeds they are racing at.

NASCAR racing at any level will always be one of most competitive forms of motorsports, when you factor in all the banging and bumping that takes place as each driver fights for the same piece of real estate. So what happens when two, three, or even four drivers are racing for the same piece of track, and within a moment’s notice the cars become entangled with one another?

Jason Patison, a driver in the Lucas Oil Slick Mist Super Late Model series at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale, found out first hand as so many driver have in the past just how dangerous this sport can become in the blink of an eye. It wasn’t so much who was at fault, or the circumstances that led up to Patison and fellow driver Dennis Schlarbaum both sliding against the front stretch wall, and hitting the tire and rubber attenuator which is in front of the exit to the track.

Instead it was the fact that both drivers were able to walk away from yet another spectacular crash, but looking at the cars it would leave one to believe the driver of the No. 17 should have sustained some sort of life threatening injuries. Patison was transported to an area for hospital for precautionary measures after complaining of a headache, and was found to have suffered a mild concussion, but was treated and released after his injuries were found not to be life threatening. “It happened so fast I didn’t have time to back out of it.

The car carried momentum and pushed me out the exit into the attenuator. I closed my eyes and waited for the hit. Honestly it jarred me it hurt but it wasn’t as bad as I was expecting. I thought it was gonna be a lot worse,” said Patison the next day after the crash. Patison added that, “I think with the way the seats are built and the Hans device, and the cage was built really well. It absorbed a lot of the impact. I commend the car builder Port City Muskegon, MI and Short Track Racecars in Ramona, CA. for building a safe car.”

The NASCAR research and development team is responsible for every aspect when it comes to driver safety, and the team spends countless hours testing, designing, and carefully looking for any flaws to ensure that each driver has the safest car possible. From the twisted metal steel that makes up the roll cage, to the six-point racing harness, along with the carbon fiber seat that holds the driver snuggly in place, no expense is spared in the construction of these technically advanced racing machines.

These are just a few of the safety features that are very noticeable, along with the rest of the equipment that goes into building some of the safest race cars that are out on the track today. Track safety also plays a major role, and has always come under fire anytime an incident such as the one that involved Patison this past weekend, with most of the controversy surrounding the magnitude of the wreck.

The tracks are continuously evaluated to ensure the safety of the drivers, and also the fans that come out to enjoy this high speed and dangerous sport which pits man against machine. I talked with Bob DeFazio who is the Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale, about their policy on keeping the drivers safe, and giving the fans the comfort of knowing the track is as safe as it can possibly be.

DeFazio started off by saying that, “There are guidelines we have to follow. We are the poster child for NASCAR in the weekly series, and they look at our race track but also the emergency and safety personal crews.” DeFazio also added that, “There are 50 plus tracks around the country in their weekly family, and we are looked at for all our procedures,” which should give both driver and fan the comfort of knowing that NASCAR does consider TS@I one their safest and a premier facility.

The speedway has never spared any expense when it comes to driver safety, “We constantly look at safety whether there is an incident or not. Two cars were involved and both drivers walked away because of the steps we take to make sure the race track is safe.”

July 16, 2011
Rod Johnson Jr. Picks-Up Fourth Win of Season at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale

[media-credit name=”Position One Motorsports” align=”alignright” width=”225″][/media-credit]For those fans who have never visited your local short track for a night of excitement on a Saturday night. Let’s just say you don’t what you’re missing unless you take the time to support not only the track, but the drivers who race just as hard, and sometimes harder than your favorite Sprint Cup star.

Once again it was a wild night of racing race at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale, with six different divisions taking to the half and third mile asphalt paved tracks before an estimated crowd of 1,800 fans. The main event of the evening was the Lucas Oil Slick Mist Super Late Model 75-lap feature race. It has been a little over a month since Rod Johnson Jr., driver of the #03 King Taco/Sunrise Ford has climbed behind the wheel of his Super Late Model at this progressively banked half-mile.

Starting with the day’s first practice session, Johnson quickly found himself first on top of the leader board with a time of 18.219 seconds. Before the second session was about to begin, Johnson along with his team felt the car was set up to his liking, so they chose to skip the session and stay with what they had from the first time out.

Qualifying was equally successful for Johnson, when he placed the car on the pole with a time of 18.101 seconds. Not satisfied with this, Johnson bested his first lap performance with a time of 18.099 seconds while securing his fourth pole of the season. Because of the invert, Johnson would end up starting the race from the 13th position, but quickly made his way to the front after two separate red flag incidents stopped the race on the first lap.

Johnson restarted the race from the sixth position, and after 50 laps of green flag racing captured his fourth win of the season.

“Once we were able to get in a long run, we were able to pick off some cars and finally get to the #11 car and get passed him to bring home the win. I really have to thank the whole Position One Motorsports team. They worked their butts off all week and I have the honor of working with these guys and driving the car. A big thanks to my sponsors as well for supporting us and helping us make this a reality for us.”

July 12, 2011
NASCAR’s Greg Pursley Continues Dream Season Defeating a Long-Time Nemesis

[media-credit name=”RacingWest/Charly Porter” align=”alignright” width=”210″][/media-credit]NASCAR’s K&N Pro Series West division rolled into Toyota Speedway at Irwindale on Saturday night for the Southern California Toyota Dealers 200 presented by King Taco, and the only obstacle in the way of point’s leader Greg Pursley continuing his dream season, was the fact he had never won in a West race in 11 starts at this track he calls his home.

Pursley who drives the No. 26 Gene Price Motorsports/Star Nursery sponsored Ford in the West series, has been to victory lane 28 times at this progressively banked half mile including a Super Late Model championship in 2004.

Pursley also became the NASCAR Whelen All-American series national champion that same season winning 13 of 18 races, and in 2007 picked up a Super Late Model win in the prestigious NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown. ”We have been trying many years in this car to win here. We have won everything there is to win here,” Pursley said while waiting for the first of two practice sessions to begin.

The Newhall, California native wasted no time in preparing himself to overcome his nemesis by taking the pole, his third of the season and second-in-a-row at an oval track after deciding not to run the run the second practice session.

“We have been here enough to where we know what’s gonna happen and don’t want to get yourself in trouble in practice. We’ll know what we got after qualifying and that will tell us how we are gonna run tonight,” said Pursley.

Pursley also added that, “The communication is very well between myself and Jerry Pitts (Crew chief) and he understands what I like to feel in the car. I can get in the car and not have to worry about it and it takes a lot of stuff off the back of my mind.”

Once the green flag waved, Pursley quickly went to the front where he led the first 66 laps of the 200 lap feature race, which included a 10 minute break at the 100-lap mark to give the teams a chance to make adjustments.

Before the break, Michael Self would lead the last 36 laps of the first 100-lap segment when Pursley let the faster driver go by to save his car for the second half of the race. “The first 100 when the 21 passed it was planned. I told them I wasn’t going any faster. So if they want to go ahead let him go. I knew we needed to save our tires so we just let him go,” Pursley said when talking about the reason he moved over and let Self pass.

Once the cars came into the pits for the 10 minute break and restarted on lap 103, Pursley once again pulled away and led the next 55 laps when a caution came out because of a fire on pit road. The race restarted on lap 164 with Pursley showing the dominance he has shown all season when he pulled away from the rest of field, and took the checkered flag in front of a near sell-out crowd.

The win gave Pursley his fifth win on the season, but more importantly he was able to defeat the track that has eluded him throughout his K&N West Series career. “We have come so close so many times in this car and finally got one. When you’re on a roll like this you have to ride it as long as you can. Everyone knows in racing in can end like that you can go to the bottom as fast as you’re at the top,” Pursley said.

Pursley also added that, “It’s a tribute to my team and the preparation of my car and I probably have a different mindset entering these races being a little more careful and being a smarter driver. If we can win one were gonna win one and if not we have to get out with the best finish we can. “

July 7, 2011
NASCAR’s Short Tracks; The Beginning To The End

[media-credit name=”Photo by Steve Grayson/Getty Images for NASCAR)” align=”alignright” width=”233″][/media-credit]

Short track racing as we know today is dying a very slow death, and with that it’s not hard to look around and see how many of them have closed their gates in the last five to 10 years. At one time they were the backbone, as well as the places where some of NASCAR’s top name drivers built their racing careers on.

On any given weekend it wasn’t uncommon to walk through the turnstiles and if you weren’t there early enough, finding a few empty seats together was about as hard as driving the speed limit here in Los Angeles before and after work.

The foundations that were built at each one these racing facilities quickly became part of the motorsports culture, as fans from around the country flocked to see these courageous men race their family vehicle. Stock car racing as it was known, rapidly grew as track owners began buying vacant parcels of land to build their own facilities while utilizing surface’s such as dirt, clay or paved with asphalt for the drivers to race on.

As the sport grew, so did the technology that went into building some America’s most famous tracks throughout the country, which included automatic scoring, smoother racing surfaces, and a more safer environment for the drivers as well as the fans just to name a few. It wasn’t long before an up-and-down economy along with a fan base that began to lose interest, that’s about the time we started to see some of our favorite racing facilities close their gates in favor of land prices that far exceeded the operating costs.

With most of the tracks being built down south and in the Eastern part of the region, it wasn’t long before the racing bug caught fire to their neighbors west of the Mississippi, and tracks began sprawling up in just about every state. Even though NASCAR’s roots were founded in the south, California quickly became a hot bed for the sport when tracks were built to accommodate those drivers who were looking for a place to race their souped up hot rods. Nestled between the rock quarries in a city with a population of less than 1500 people, lies one of NASCAR’s finest state of the art short track racing facilities.

Irwindale Speedway as it was known when the facility first opened its gates back in March of 1999, became the first privately owned short track to pick-up a major sponsor when Toyota acquired the naming rights to the track in 2008. “Bringing a major sponsor to the track was a dream of mine. Track owner Jim Williams, and myself felt that an automotive company would be a good fit,” said general manager Bob DeFazio when asked how Toyota became the track’s major sponsor.

DeFazio also added that, “With Toyota being Southern California based and just getting into the racing business it was a natural to get involved. It also gave Toyota a chance to showcase their vehicles.” Toyota Speedway at Irwindale as it is known today is asphalt paved, progressively banked half mile track with a third mile track snuggled on the infield. TS@I is known around the NASCAR faithful as one the premier short tracks in the Nation, and has hosted the Toyota All-Star Showdown since 2003 which is dubbed, “The Daytona 500 of short track racing.”

The showdown brings together drivers from both the K&N Pro Series West and East divisions to battle for bragging rights, given that it’s a non-points event. The speedway also plays host to NASCAR’s Whelan All-American Series, which is designed to reward excellence at local tracks, comparing performance against drivers of each region, and ultimately against drivers across the United States. Through a formula known as the Competition Performance Index (CPI), eventually a State as well as a National points champion will be crowned based on finishes for the best 18 races ending September 30.

Along with the Whelan Series, the track also runs various other divisions on both the half and third mile, along with demo derby’s and figure eight racing. When you think about the cost of entertainment which does not come cheap these days, especially with Los Angeles being considered the entertainment capitol of the world, TS@I has kept the price of admission the same since they first opened the track 12 years ago. “We knew we were in the entertainment capitol of the world when we built this place. We have a lot of competition and knew that coming in and they set the standard and we have to be good to compete with them,” said DeFazio.

DeFazio also added that, “We set a standard that if we give people a good value and a good price, and that came from Mr. Williams when he worked at McDonalds.” In 2002, TS@I added a 1/8 mile drag strip on the south-east corner on the parking lot where people of all ages can come out and watch, as well as race their street-legal vehicles in a safe and controlled atmosphere on Thursday nights.

“The drags are great and it has become a happening. We get anywhere from 150 to 300 cars during the summer to race for time slips. We get about 1000 spectators every Thursday night,” said DeFazio. DeFazio finished with, “It’s a different group of people and they are out here to have a good time. It’s something easy for them to do on a Thursday night.” TS@I is a family oriented NASCAR sanctioned track that has something to offer for people of all ages whether you are a seasoned racing veteran, a novice fan looking to learn more about the sport, or just looking for a place to hang out on a Saturday night with some friends.

TS@I is just one of many of NASCAR’s hidden treasures where some of motorsport’s best racing is usually found, and you never know when the next big star will emerge from one of these short tracks. Take the time to support your local track, because one day they may become a distant memory like as so many of them have already have.

June 26, 2011