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Banditos in Tulare for the Chris and Brian Faria Memorial
by Peter “the Pretty Good”
This Saturday night will see the Bandit Series return to form at the Tulare Thunderbowl in a great program in conjunction with the Golden State Challenge and the Western States Modifieds. The Chris & Brian Faria memorial boasts an additional $500 to the purse. Promoters Steve Faria and Don Sharp have announced the payoff for the top 3 spots will be $1,250 to win, $900 for 2nd and $750 for 3rd. in this already special event.
Leading the charge will be one of the longest running Bandits and the winner of the latest Thunderbowl event, Danny “Showtime” Sheridan in his blue Kittle Motorsports number 18. Sheridan is a renowned contender for the USAC-CRA championship and claims a previous Bandit championship (1998) on his vast resume of accomplishments. The Kittle team has championships of its own to claim so this is a powerful combination.
Up to the challenge is the mighty Tarleton team led by Peter Murphy who claimed ever championship there was to claim in the central California wingless world. Well chronicled, the black 21 won the Bandit Championship, the Grand Slam Challenge Championship as well as track titles at both Santa Maria Speedway and Kings Speedway. Murphy, already a feature winner this season is hungry for the big pay check at the end of the evening. Tarleton teammate Michael Faccinto is also eager to get on the win list. A feature winner the past two seasons, the young lion is ready to make his mark in the sprint car scene.
Arguably the hottest team the Iturriria-Pombo team who have multiple wins in recent weeks. Davey is multiple time Bandit Champion with a thoroughbred pedigree. Nobody works harder and will rise to meet any challenge presented. This team has had the Thunderbowl series on its schedule since it was announced several months ago is certainly a favorite to claim the big trophy.
Series winners Jace and Richard VanderWeerd will definitely be taken seriously as they had their first taste of the Thunderbowl a month ago and were contenders from the very beginning. They are both looking to add another win to their growing tally in 2009 and will be seen in racing with USAC this season.
Wes Gutierrez is another young star to claim an ’09 win and will be on hand to race the Thunderbowl after announcing a hefty and ambitious schedule that will see the fine young pilot compete in just about everything in the open-wheeled world.
Now we cannot forget crowd favorite “Hollywood” Danny Faria. He will be there in his 17V machine. After a disappointing run a month ago, Faria is an even bet to make it to victory lane. Never needing any extra motivation other than winning every event he runs in, Danny really wants to win the race dedicated to the memory and spirit of family. Enough said!
Open wheeled superstar and famous mentor Cory Kruseman is said to be at the event with his team of rising stars including the Kingsberg Kowboy, Austin Mero. “Fast” Albert Pombo, T.J. Smith, Tyler Schmidt and a stable full of young stars of our sport will be there in force to challenge all of the veterans like Rusty Carlile and Davey Knott.
As Gary Thomas has noted, the Thunderbowlians wanted to give everyone a heads up that due to having three classes on Saturday the event at the Tulare Thunderbowl Raceway will be starting about 30 minutes to an hour earlier than usual, in an attempt to beat curfew and get everyone on their way home at a decent hour.
The plan is to try and start everything about an hour earlier than usual. The drivers meeting is expected to start at 4- 4:30pm, with wheel packing and qualifying to follow after that. The first race is scheduled to go off at about 6:30.
The pits will be open all day with pit passes being sold at 2pm. The pits will then be flushed at 3pm and then people with pit passes purchased will be allowed in.
We will see you there at this event that will be impossible to beat!
This will be a special event for me as it will be my last race in my position with the Bandit Series. Dave Swindell and Dave Sneed will be at all of the events in this change that is certainly going to benefit the Bandit Series as it moves forward. Dave Swindell is the creator of the series and has assumed the helm. I am thankful for the past 6 years of working with the fine folks that make-up this series. It will be my pleasure to thank as many folks as possible at the Thunderbowl event for everything over that time. I will be looking to broaden my racing horizons in the near future and seeing everyone down the road.
www.sprintcarchallengetour.com
www.placervillespeedway.com
www.stocktondirttrack.com
www.thunderbowlraceway.com
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