Patison hoping to rebound in Modifieds
final race at Orange Show Speedway
SAN BERNARDINO (July 31, 2007) –
Early in June, before the Lucas Oil ASA Modified Series made its first
stop at Orange Show Speedway, defending champion Jason Patison said
the quarter-mile paved oval was one of his favorite race tracks.
Saturday night (Aug. 4), when the “no smoking”
rule goes into effect for all grandstands, the Modifieds will run their
third straight race on the ASA-sanctioned track at the National Orange
Show Events Center, and Patison said he stills like the place “a
lot,” even though the past two races haven’t gone well for
him.
Patison
went into the June 9 race at Orange Show Speedway as the points leader
after winning the first two events of the season at Blythe and Lake
Havasu City , Ariz. He’ll go into this week’s 75-lap main
event third in the standings after finishing fourth behind Dean Kuhn
June 9 and 21st in the July 21 race won by new points leader Danny Gay.
The fast, radical Modifieds will be joined again
by the Hype Manufacturing Super Late Models, ASA Pro 4s, Aflac Factory
Fours and Stock Cars USA to supply the motor sports action. And the
OC RollerGirls will be on hand to help fill out a program that really
will have something for everyone.
The RollerGirls, who were formed last year, are one
of the newest entries in the resurgence of Roller Derby, and they’ll
demonstrate their form of four-wheeled competition with a 10-minute
“bout” on the front straightaway of the speedway during
intermission. Each of the RollerGirls will be paired with a driver from
the Stock Cars USA series. The skaters will earn points during their
bout. Those points will be added to the finishing points each driver
earns in the main event, and the top three driver-skater teams will
earn cash prizes donated by Philly‘s Best restaurants.
Spectator gates open at 5 p.m. and racing gets under
way at 6:30 p.m. Admission is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors (62 and
over), handicapped and juniors (13-16) and $2 for children (6-12). Active
military personnel and veterans with valid military identification are
admitted free of charge. Parking is $4 per car with entry through Gate
3 off Mill Street .
Those unable to make it to the speedway still can
follow the action with “Orange Show Speedway Live,” the
radio broadcast on KTTD (AM 1350) that begins at 8 p.m. and is simulcast
on the Internet at www.nixacountry.com.
In addition, RacingWest.com will have former Cajon
Speedway publicist Bob Gardner on hand to do another of his excellent
“Near Live” lap-by-lap Internet reports of all the night’s
activity.
DEFENDING LUCAS OIL ASA MODIFIEDS CHAMPION JASON PATISON
“The last two races have been rough,”
said Patison, who showed his fondness for Orange Show Speedway by posting
the best qualifying time for both races, “but it’s still
one of my favorite tracks and our luck will change. I definitely need
to roll the dice a little better after qualifying.”
The fast qualifier in each class rolls a die or draws
a chip to determine how many of the qualifying positions will be inverted
for the start of the main event. Patison rolled a two June 9. That left
him on the front row, but to the outside of Kuhn, who had the preferred
inside line and scored a wire-to-wire victory. Two weeks ago, Patison
rolled a six. That put him on the outside of row three, and in position
to get caught up in a first-lap, first-turn melee.
“I saw them bunching up and I went high
to try to miss them,” Patison said. “But I got up in some
oil that was left from the race before and then I was just along for
the ride. It (the accident) pretty much broke everything in the right
front – the upper and lower control arms, the tie rods, the spindle
… ”
The mishap sent Patison to the pits where crew chief
Steve Teets and others “worked their tails off” while the
race got under way. Patison said he was “very surprised”
that he was able to return to the track. But he had fallen so many laps
behind that he still only finished 21st and fell to third in the standings,
two points behind Mike Salm and two ahead of Jimmy Dickerson with five
of the series’ nine races remaining.
Gay leads with 180 points. Salm has 156, Patison
154 and Dickerson 152. Orange Show Speedway regular Jim Mardis, who
was third two weeks ago, is in a three-way tie for fifth with Randy
Forbis and Scott Brown, all with 132 points.
“It doesn’t put any pressure on
me,” Patison said of his position in the standings. “I know
the Lucas Oil team is great. We have good equipment, a great crew chief
and everyone works hard. It’s just been racing luck and that will
change. We’ve got five races to make it up.”
Remember, smoking now is prohibited in all Orange
Show Speedway grandstands. This is a change from the policy originally
announced, which indicated that smoking would be allowed in the South
grandstand. The change has been made to put the speedway in compliance
with San Bernardino County Ordinance 31.0215, which states that “smoking
is not permitted in any spectator seating area, including outdoor athletic
recreation bleachers or similar area used for the viewing of sports
and athletic competition.”
Smoking will be permitted in all areas not immediately
adjacent to the grandstands.
Racing at Orange Show Speedway is sponsored by Lucas
Oil, Blackhawk Protection, Hype Manufacturing, Del Taco, Aflac Insurance,
KTTD radio (AM 1350), Leno’s Rico Taco, Soboba Casino, Budweiser,
Hoosier Racing Tires, Frank’s Radio Service, Torco Racing Fuels,
Parker Pumper/BSR West, Eibach Springs, JP Striping, Center Chevrolet,
Pepsi, Matich Coporation, L. Curti Truck and Equipment, One Stop Landscape
Supply, Extreme Exhibits & Logistics, Little Green Onions and the
San Bernardino County Sun.
For further information, contact Jim Short at 951-203-2649
or jimshort65@sbcglobal.net, call Orange Show Speedway at 909-888-6788,
X438, or visit the web site at www.nosevents.com.
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