TRACKS: Food 4 Less Super Late Models 'Twin 50s' on tap at Irwindale

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

April 12, 2001

Miller Challenge Race, Grand Ams, Pro 4's, and King Taco Legends Too!

Irwindale, Calif. - - Two chances to pick up valuable season points for the Food 4 Less Super Late Models are on tap for Saturday night, April 14, as the NASCAR weekly racing season really gets into top gear at Irwindale Speedway. And, if that's not pressure enough, the first 50-lapper will be for points in the Miller Challenge Big 10 money chase as well.

"Twin 50's" for the Super Lates means just that: two big, important points-paying "main events" wrapped up in one spectacular night for Irwindale Speedway's top NASCAR Weekly Racing Series division. Do well on this particular Saturday night (like wins or very high placings in both events) and leap up the points pile; do poorly in both and it's "knees UP for a hard night!" The 2001 Miller Lite Big 10 Challenge is a "race series within a race series" with a nice, foamy $15,000 prize fund to be paid at year's end. Food 4 Less Super Late Model points are kept as a separate tally from participation in these specially-earmarked events. At season's end the winner will receive the lion's share of the prize pot. Last year's "Big 10" first placer, Greg Voigt, credits the cash infusion with his being able to get his 2001 season off to a good start. (Unfortunately, Greg had an axle fail while leading the 99th lap of the opening night 100-lap main event, but he was clearly the guy to beat right up until his last-lap component failure.)

For April 14 the first Super Late 50-lapper of the night be the "Miller" race (points from that event going into the driver's "Big 10 Challenge" account as well as their overall season points cache) and the second 50-lapper at the end of the night will count "only" (only … ha!) toward the season total. Either way, both battles are bound to be barn-burners. Either way precious points are at stake and in contention.

Adding to the excitement on the 14 are the NASCAR Grand American Modifieds, the MSRA Pro 4's, and the King Taco Legend Cars, each bringing its own unique style of hot motorsports competition to the Irwindale table.

This will mark the 2001 season debut for the Pro 4's, a feisty bunch of super-refined stock cars featuring fast four cylinder motors and sleek fiberglass coachwork. If anyone still thinks that 4-cylinder motors are for economy cars, they're in for a rude awakening when they take a gander at their first MSRA race. These lightweights do everything but sprout wings and fly around the Irwindale oval! Turning laps in the mid-low 18's (97-99 miles-per-hour average lap speed), these "stockers" simply sail on the swoopy half-mile.

Oceanside's Dean Kuhn, last season's runner-up in divisional points, has up and won the first two Grand American Modified races of the season, one by a comfortable 0.504 seconds and the other by only 0.017.

Art Nevill leads the Legend contingent coming into Irwindale, by virtue of his win in the first King Taco race two weeks ago. The talented veteran just seems to have his car dialed exactly right for the Irwindale third mile; but the "young gun" contingent behind him are getting faster every race and planning on putting plenty of pressure on the man from Acton.

Tickets for the Saturday night speedfest are available pre-race both by phone (626-358-1100) and in person at the track's ticket offices Tuesday through Friday. The spectator gates open at 4:00 pm and fans are urged to come out early to view practice and qualifying as well as to take part in the pre-race autograph session and in-the-stands NASCAR Trivia Time game which awards neat prizes for NASCAR knowledge.

Text provided by Doug Stokes

Editors Note: To view hundreds of hot racing photos and art, visit The Racing Photo Museum and the Visions of Speed Art Gallery.