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Mike Faria shoots out of turn 2 during the first heat of the 2004 Thunderbowl Spring Car Classic at the Tulare Fairgrounds. Faria is preparing for the Chris and Brian Faria Memorial at the track. The race is named for his late brothers, both of whom were involved in the local racing scene. Photo from Fresno Bee file.
Farias' have farm, race to harvest
By Nick Giannandrea / The Fresno Bee
05/18/07 05:08:47
Mike and Danny Faria Jr. are in the middle of their busiest time of the year.
The brothers have hay to bale, wheat to harvest and corn to plant on their family dairy farm in Tipton.
They also are spending every free minute preparing their 410 sprint cars for a race close to their hearts, the Chris and Brian Faria Memorial scheduled for Saturday at Tulare's Thunderbowl Raceway.
"We don't have a lot of time," Danny Faria Jr. said. "But we're going to make time for this race, trust me."
Mike and Danny will be the sentimental favorites to win a race -- which doubles as the 11th stop of Golden State Challenge this season -- that honors their deceased brothers.
Chris Faria -- a promising race car driver himself -- died in 1993 during an accident on the family farm. Brian Faria -- who didn't race but worked behind the scenes at the Thunderbowl -- died in an automobile crash in January 2006.
"You are not only out there racing for your brothers, but for all of their friends and everyone who wants to see a family member win it," Danny said.
And no one wants to win this race more than Mike or Danny. Neither brother has reached victory lane through the first 13 runnings of this event, but have thought a lot about doing so.
"I know there would be a lot of emotion, no doubt," Mike said. "I don't know what it would be like, but I want to find out what an honor it would be."
Danny Faria Jr. has come the closest to winning. He finished second by a bumper behind Tommy Tarlton in 1994, and was running in first with five laps to go in 2005 before getting knocked out of the race.
"It's been frustrating," Danny said.
Mike, who briefly gave up racing following Brian's death, has cut way back on his schedule to devote more time to farming. Mike is only running in races in Tulare this season.
But he still has a car capable of competing with the GSC regulars, who race all over Northern California every weekend. Mike has been second quickest in qualifying during the GSC's two previous visits to Tulare this season.
"I still feel we can win," Mike said. "If I didn't think I can win the race, I wouldn't have any desire to do it. But in Tulare, we can win at any given time."
The Faria brothers will be competing against a field that includes 12-time GSC champion Brent Kaeding, the current points leader with 738. Kaeding has won the past four GSC races in Tulare and four of the past five GSC races overall to vault past 2005 series champion Sean Becker (736) for the points lead. Defending GSC points champion Jonathan Allard is third with 666.
Danny Faria Jr., who has started three GSC races, sits at 178 points. Mike, with two starts and one top-10 finish, has 122 points.
"It's very hard to win this deal," Danny said. "There are such good drivers we're racing against, the best in the state. They are running every weekend. They kind of have an advantage on my brother and I because we can't race every weekend. If we were to win this, considering how much we race, it would be really special."
Racing starts at 7 p.m., with the Western States Modifieds as the support class.
Details: (559) 688-0909.
www.sprintcarchallengetour.com
www.placervillespeedway.com
www.stocktondirttrack.com
www.thunderbowlraceway.com
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