Daytona Beach, FL — In a change that further cements the NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown as the ‘Daytona 500 of short-track racing,’ NASCAR announced today that the sixth edition of the postseason special event will be held Jan. 23-24, 2009 at the Toyota Speedway at Irwindale.
In its five-year history, the NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown – held at one of NASCAR’s premier racing facilities – has quickly become a showcase of top short-track racing.
The race includes protected starting spots for the champions of each of the NASCAR Developmental Series. The move of the race from the Fall to January allows for increased preparation and provides greater exposure for the teams and drivers.
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Faas #1 in Focuses; Championships to Coons, Kaplan & Skoglund
Irwindale, CA — “The car was absolutely perfect from start to finish,” said Dave Darland of Lincoln, Ind. in victory lane Thursday night after winning the 67th “Turkey Night Grand Prix” at Irwindale Speedway. Darland passed pole starter Kody Swanson on lap three and led the final 96 laps of the 98-lap race in his Nine Racing Toyota/Oakley – Performance Racing Industry Beast/Pink Toyota. NASCAR vet Kasey Kahne finished second ahead of Bobby East, Don Basile “Rookie of the Race” winner Mike Murgoitio and Garrett Hansen. “This is a tough race,” added Darland. “It’s a great feeling to beat the best competition anywhere. The only nervous point came when some cars crashed right in front of me. We might have won this race before if It had been 98 laps a few years back.” Darland finished third in 1999 and fourth in 1998. Swanson was the fastest qualifier in a 66-car field, while Ricky Ehrgott and Brad Kuhn won the “qualifying races.” Jerry Coons Jr. and Wilke/Pak Motorsports emerged as National Midget Champion driver and car owner, while Johnny Rodriguez and Mitchell Motorsports grabbed the Western Midget driver and owner titles.
Bobby Santos III of Franklin, Mass. gave Toyota a victory in its USAC Sprint car debut, winning the 40-lap Lucas Oil Western Sprint car feature in his Western Speed Racing TRD/K & N Filters Eagle. Santos trailed Cole Whitt fo 31 laps, then led the last nine to beat Whitt, Tony Hunt, fast qualifier Nick Greenand 2007 series champion Ryan Kaplan. The series car owner title went to Michael Swanson.
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Stafford, CT — The 2007 season has been an unforgettable one for Woody Pitkat. If there was a race somewhere along the Eastern Seaboard, chances are Pitkat was behind the…
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After each clinched a championship this season in the NASCAR Grand National Division, Joey Logano (No. 10 Joe Gibbs Driven Chevrolet) and Mike David (No. 2 Bennett Lane Winery Ford) have turned their attention to this year’s NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown.
David, who wrapped up the Grand National West Series title by a 114-point margin in the season finale on Sept. 15, is a series veteran making his fourth appearance in the prestigious post-season event.
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