By Susan Arnold
PERRIS, Calif. (April 13, 2013) –The SoCal Showdown at Perris Auto Speedway, the World of Outlaws spring West Coast finale, was a rare 30 lap all-green event with no cautions or red flags.
It was a fast clay track enabling the drivers to showcase ‘hammer down’ racing.
Joey Saldana, driver of the Motter Equipment Fatheadz Eyewear 71M Sprint Car, was the first car out on the track for qualifying and was quickest with a 14.295-second lap around the oval, until the next to last driver, Chad Kemeneh, nabbed quick time with a 14.232 while Saldana took second-place honors.
In heat race action, Saldana started fourth in the second group. In turn one of the first lap, the Brownsburg Bullet gained a position and was being challenged by Cody Darrah through the turns. With three laps to go, the field started to spread out and the 71M crossed the stripe as the third finisher, earning a position in the dash.
Saldana was seeded fifth in the starting order for the six-lap event after the No. 6 ping pong ball was drawn for the dash inversion. There was very little passing by any of the competitors and Saldana was fifth across the finish line, earning the corresponding fifth place starting position in the A-Main.
The crowd rose to their feet to cheer the drivers as they performed their four-wide salute to the fans. When the green flew, the entire field of drivers was on the throttle. The half-mile track was so fast that all the drivers were able to navigate the circuit at full throttle and there wasn’t much passing even through lapped traffic. The field began to spread out and Saldana came home in the sixth position.
“We are consistent, and as long we continue to qualify for the dash, sooner or later the luck of the dash inversion draw will fall in our favor,” said Saldana. “We’re not doing anything wrong it’s just the luck of the draw right now in terms of qualifying at the time the track is the fastest whether it’s an early draw or a later number. If you get the qualifying order at an optimum time, and you make the dash, you need the lucky ping pong draw with a number that will place you at the front of the field.
“We just need to not get discouraged right now. We’re right there. Our wins will come.
We are happy to have gained a position in the Outlaws point standings and we are now second.”
The event was won by Daryn Pittman with Tim Kaeding second.