By Scott Daloisio
(Cypress, CA, March 19, 2024) In 1986, the band Timex Social Club had a hit top-10 single named “Rumors.” Last Saturday night when the Avanti Windows and Doors USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series visited Perris Auto Speedway, drivers were hoping that reports of defending series champion Brody Roa being in the house were rumors. Much to their chagrin, the rumors proved to be true and Roa was back on the track where he scored two of his eight series victories in 2023.
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Brody Roa qualifying in Chris Bonneau’s car last Saturday at Perris. Christopher Batt photo.
Last year Roa teamed with Tom & Christy Dunkel and drove their immaculate Inland Rigging #17R to the series championship. In January of this year, he announced that he was stepping out of the car to spend more time with his wife Tailor, and their two young daughters. That was great news for the competition as Roa had a 40.9 win percentage in 2023. That was the best 410 non-wing win percentage in the nation. Needless to say, hearing he was at the track, the competition knew they would have to step up their game. They are going to have to do that again this coming Saturday night when the series heads to Arizona’s Cocopah Speedway.
Roa has stated all along that he was not retiring from racing, but he wanted to step aside from working on a race car every night. Last week, he started looking for a car to drive at Perris. Initially, he hunted in Southern California. When he did not turn anything up, he decided to shift his effort east to Arizona, and that is where he struck gold.
“I had been reaching out to a few people throughout the week,” Roa said while watching his daughters play on Tuesday night. “I saw a replay of a race from last year and saw Chris Bonneau racing and was wondering what he was doing last week. I sent him a message and he was originally planning on coming over himself to race. I got a text from him about 3:30 on Friday asking if I wanted to drive his car.”
Roa’s wife asked the veteran driver if he knew Bonneau. He told her he had said, “Hi,” to him before, but they never really talked and he had never really looked at Bonneau’s race car. He did know that some good drivers had driven it before and Bonneau had done good in it as well.
“Every time I see him at the track, he really looks good,” the Garden Grove, California racer said. “It (the car) runs and he never looks like he is fighting any issues. That was kind of the deciding factor on a hard “YES” once he asked me if I wanted to run it. Seeing how nice it was, was really comforting walking into it.”
The race was Roa’s first in nearly four months since last season’s Turkey Night Grand Prix at the Ventura Raceway. Anyone who had notions that there could be some rust on the friendly driver had those thoughts quickly expunged in qualifying. He turned a sizzling 16.482 lap on the brightly lit oval. That was the seventh fastest time in the talent-laden 24-car field.
On what turned out to be an extremely fierce night of competition, Roa started fourth in his 10-lap heat race. He slipped one spot back and finished fifth. That knocked him out of the possibility of getting into the inversion for a top-six start in the 30-lap main.
When the 22-car field rolled onto the track for the A main on the windy, and cold Southern California night, Roa was starting on the outside of the fifth row in 10th. Needless to say, he faced a difficult task if he wanted to get to the front. Undeterred and up for the challenge, he got his elbows up and started driving his way towards the head of the pack. It was a night when getting there was going to be tough. Not only due to the stiff competition starting in front of him but also avoiding multiple wild crashes that saw cars sustain heavy damage or flat out being destroyed.
Roa’s persistence paid dividends. Much to the delight of the crowd, he raced Boneau’s Priced Right Auto Sales/Triple X Racing Components/Competition Suspension Incorporated/Fisher Engines/DRC #15, into the lead on lap 24. As soon as he got there, he started moving away from the competition. However, his time at the point of the field was limited to a pair of laps as he slowed on lap 26.
“I can’t exactly tell you how it happened, but I can tell you what did happen,” Roa said reflecting back on the race. “On the bleeders, there are two hoses that go in the wheel. The two plastic fittings that snap into the wheel were snapped off. Some how a rock got through the inside of the wheel or something. I have no idea how it ever could have happened. But when my dad pulled the wheel cover off in the work area, the bleeder hoses were sticking straight out and the bases were still in the wheel. Kind of a freak deal.”
“It (the right rear tire) just went flat. I passed for the lead and after a couple of laps, I went down the back straightaway and felt it getting low. I went into three and the car just kept wanting to go straight. I immediately slowed up and it brought out a caution. I was just hoping we could get back by as many cars as we could.”
On the restart, Roa had some fast cars and some not-so-fast cars starting in front of him. So once again, he had his work cut out to try and go forward. He masterfully worked his way past cars over the final four circuits. When the Steve Russell checkered flag ended the exciting 30-lapper that featured seven official lead changes, Roa was fourth.
Needless to say, “The Pride of Garden Grove” was happy with Bonneau’s car and the team was happy with him. The driver and owner both left the window open and he may get other shots in the car as Bonneau wants his car to win a main at Perris.
If anybody is interested in having Roa drive for them this year, he will gladly take the call. That is the case this weekend when he jumps into one of the Avanti Windows and Doors/Glen Styres Racing/Apache Scapes/CK Electric cars owned by Jack Yeley Racing at the Cocopah Speedway. The race will be on the same track that Roa swept the weekend with two victories in January of 2023.
“It just came together,” Roa said. “I talked to him (“Cactus” Jack Yeley) Saturday a little bit. He was giving me crap for sitting on the couch for the first Perris race. I told him I was looking for rides. I told him he had my number if he wanted me to race for him this weekend and he called me last night to come drive one of his cars.”
The front gate will open at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday at Cocopah with the first race at 7:00. Adult tickets are $20.00. Seniors and military with id get in for $18.00. For students 13-17 it is only $10.00 and children 12 & under are free. The track is located at 3450 W. County 15th Street in Somerton, Arizona (85350). The track website is http://www.racecocopahspeedway.com/ and the office phone number is 602-292-7607.
On Saturday, March 30th, Roa will return to longtime friend and car owner Jayson May’s #8M for the inaugural race in the Ultimate Sprint Car Series Presented by Inland Rigging at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway. The May Motorsports entry is sponsored by Winfield’s Racing Engines, RDM Mechanics, Cooper’s Propane, TJM Distribution, TJM Distribution, Ten West Towing, Arctic Sea Mining, Wesco International, Elite Signs and Fastenal.
Roa would like to thank his own sponsors, “Biker” Bruce Fischer, ALR Virtual Services, Burris Racing, Caltrol, Competition Suspension, K-1 Race Gear, Rod End Supply, Driven Racing Oil, Baldwin Filters, and NGK Spark Plugs. If you would like to be a marketing partner in 2024, contact Roa using the information at the top of this release.