Racing action is highlighted by Super Late Model Twin races

During this Saturday’s (July 26) Southern California Auto Club Night at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale, Auto Club members will be admitted for free when they show their membership card at the Speedway ticket office. Six NASCAR Whelen All-American Racing Series races are scheduled including an Auto Club Late Model race and ACDelco Super Late Model twin races.

Nick Joanides, who is vying to win championships in both the Auto Club Late Model and ACDelco Super Late Model divisions, will be in the Speedway’s spot light on Saturday night. The Woodland Hills resident will attempt to pad his Super Late Model division points lead by competing in twin 40 lap races. Joanides has a 16 point lead over Travis Thirkettle (456) of Newhall while Scott Conaway of Rancho Cucamonga is in third place with 450 points.

In Late Model competition, Joanides is in a two-way tie for first place with Andrew Myers of Huntington Beach with each driver accumulating 442 points. Most wins serves as the tie breaker with Myers accumulating victories in the first five races of the season while Joanides has won three of the last four races. Defending champion Tim Huddleston of Agoura Hills is in third place with 406 points including a victory and three second place finishes in four of his last five races.

While Bryan Harrell of Covina leads the Vista Paint Super Stock division with 334 points, Greg Crutcher of Covina has served notice to the former champion that his run for the crown will not go unchallenged. During the last race on July 12, Crutcher held off Harrell on the last lap winning by a 0.373 second margin. Rich DeLong III of Santa Clarita is in second place in the standings with 318 points while Larry Cerquettini of Redlands is third with 292 points. Crutcher occupies the fourth place with 284 points.

The Justice Brothers Mini Stocks return to action after a two-week respite. Rich Garver of Torrance, who works as a technician for Toyota’s Pace Car and Pro / Celebrity race car program, leads the standings with 326 points. Daryl Scoggins of Sunland leads the division in wins with three and is only 18 points back with 308. Jacob Rogers of Riverside notched his first ever division win on June 28 and is in third place with 290 points.

Tom Landreth of Alta Loma leads the Legends Cars division standings with 420 points but it has been 14-year old rookie Eric Gunderson attracting the most attention in recent months. Even though the San Diego resident currently trails the five-time division champion by 66 points in the standings, Gunderson has already notched three wins and three top five finishes including winning a rain-shortened 25 lap contest On July 12.

The Auto Club will host one of its popular AAA Teen Driver Safety Resource Fairs from 2-5 p.m. on Saturday. The fair will feature a teen driver "car fit" to ensure that new drivers are "correctly fitted" to a vehicle for driving safety and road visibility. The first 300 visitors to the resource and educational fair for novice drivers and their parents will receive free tickets to the race event that evening. Robert Hight’s Auto Club sponsored NHRA Nitro Funny car will be on display during the event on Saturday.

Spectator gates open and qualifying begins at 4 p.m. The King Taco fan appreciation autograph session with drivers, crews and cars will take place on the track beginning at 5:45 p.m. Green flag racing action begins at 7 p.m.

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TOYOTA Speedway at Irwindale’s Drag Strip will host Test and Tune this Thursday and Sunday. On Thursday, gates open at 4 p.m. with racing from 5-10 p.m. On Sunday, gates open at 9 a.m. with racing from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. It costs $20.00 to compete and $10.00 for adult spectators to watch the action. Kids 5 and under get in free.

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Tickets for all TOYOTA Speedway at Irwindale events including the August 16 Pipe Careers 200 Presented by Pipe Trades NASCAR Camping World Series event, are available for purchase at the Speedway ticket office, by calling (626) 358-1100 and online at www.toyotaspeedwayatirwindale.com. Auto Club members receive a 10% discount off of the purchase of up to four (4) adult general admission tickets for Saturday oval track races when they show their AAA membership card. Restrictions may apply.

TOYOTA Speedway at Irwindale is located at 500 Speedway Drive off of Live Oak Ave. and the I-605 freeway, between the I-10 and 210 freeways in Irwindale, Calif. Log on to www.toyotaspeedwayatirwindale.com for information and schedules.