---

NASCAR FSWT: Irwindale Featherlite Southwest Series Promises to be a real stand up show

29 July 1999

The last time that they were at Irwindale Speedway they put up the closest-ever 
finish in a NASCAR Featherlite Southwest Series event … A scant .019 of a second, 
or as the fans saw it … A quarter of a hood-length in 100 laps on the fiery-fast 
Irwindale half-mile.   

Newhall's Greg Pursley led all 100 laps while Keith Spangler from Chatsworth 
fought his way from a 24th starting position to what looked to many to be a gap 
of less than 20 inches short of the win.  Was the crowd on its feet for virtually 
all of those hundred laps?  

ARE TIRES MADE OUT OF RUBBER?

So, what can we expect the next time that NASCAR brings the super-fast guns of 
their hot, hot, hot  Featherlite Series to Irwindale Speedway for a hundred laps 
on Saturday, July 31st for the series' fiftieth race on a ½-imile since it began 
in 1986?  How about a new lap record?  Conditions should be just about right 
for Bryan Germone's fantastic 17.363 (103.5 MPH) track record to be eclipsed. 

"The track has more rubber down, it gets wider with every race,  and are we are 
seeing some terrific times in testing,"  indicated Bob DeFazio, the track's Director 
of Operations, and the man most directly involved with the racing surface.  "If 
the track cools slightly at qualifying time and we have one of our regularly-scheduled 
afternoon breezes come up to take the air temperature down a notch or two … We 
could see some spectacular speeds out there."  

But, raw speed isn't the only reason that fans will flock to Irwindale to see 
the stars of the Featherlite Series.  "It's the kind of two and three-wide racing 
that we're seeing at every race that makes this place so popular,"  said VP/COO 
Ray Wilkings.  "Yes, this is the fastest ½-mile in the west, but, more importantly, 
it's the most competitive, that's what the fans really come out to see in person."

Competition will be fierce for the second of three appearances of the series 
at Irwindale, the fact that these racers have not had a series race since Sears 
Point (over a month ago), and the night of August 31 portends a full bore racing 
happening for everyone in the place.  "We're expecting another "stand-up" (and 
cheer) night at IS, these racers are not planning to take any prisoners," smiled 
Wilkings.

Tickets are available right up to the 7:00 P.M. show time at the track's on-site 
ticket office and available by phone (626) 358-1100 during regular business hours 
M-F. Appearing with the NASCAR Featherlite Southwest Series racers on Saturday 
night are the rambunctious Ultra Wheel Spec Trucks, and the swift MSRA 
Pro-4 Modified stock cars.