Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Irwindale - Race Notes


The race … The King Taco 200 is the sixth event on the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West schedule in 2010.

The procedure … The starting field is 30 cars, including provisionals. The first 26 cars will qualify through two-lap time trials. The remaining four spots will be awarded through the provisional process. The race will be 200 laps (100 miles).

The track … Toyota Speedway at Irwindale is a half-mile paved oval with blended banking of six, nine and 12 degrees in the corners and banking of six degrees in the straights. This will be the 20th visit by the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West, dating back to June of 1999.

The records … Qualifying: Butch Gilliland, June 19, 1999, 100.722 mph, 17.871 seconds; Race: Jason Bowles, Aug. 16, 2008, 76.255 mph, 1 hour 18 minutes 41 seconds.

Back in action … The entry list includes two drivers who made their regular season series debut in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East-West combination race at Iowa in May. Open-wheel racer Chad Boat (No. 30 Curb Records Chevrolet) of Phoenix, Ariz., finished 12th overall in that event — while Brennan Newberry (No. 39 Dale Jr. Sharpie Chevrolet) of Bakersfield, Calif., finished 22nd.

Returning to the series … The entry list also includes Robbie Brand (No. 37 Lagunitas Brewing Co./WorldCom Financial Ford) of Barstow, Calif. Brand, a former motorcycle racer, competed in six series races in 2005 and 2006.

Hall of Fame festivities … The West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame will hold its annual induction and dinner at the Azusa Greens Country Club on Friday, July 2, beginning with a no-host cocktail reception at 5:30 p.m., followed by dinner at 7 p.m.

Going the distance … The 19 events have varied in distance. Seven were 250-lap races (two in 1999, two in 2000 and three in 2001); eight were 200 laps (one each in 2002 and 2003, two in 2006, one in 2007, two in 2008 and one in 2009); three were 150 laps (both in 2004 and one in 2005) and one was 300 laps (the season finale in 2000).

Special Hauler Parade

NASCAR K&N Pro Series West team haulers will parade from Arcadia to Irwindale on Friday evening, leading to Toyota Speedway at Irwindale.

The parade is set to roll out at 6:15 p.m. and pass through Arcadia, Monrovia, Duarte, Azusa and Irwindale en route to the track.

“A parade like this has become a real tradition at a number of major NASCAR races around the country, and we felt that we should celebrate one of our biggest NASCAR races of the year with our own hauler parade,” said track GM Bob DeFazio.

Photo by Denny Strimple

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