Orange Show Speedway could have more fireworks than expected Saturday night

SAN BERNARDINO – There is a fireworks show scheduled for the conclusion of the stock car racing program at Orange Show Speedway Saturday night (May 26). The question is whether there also will be fireworks earlier in the evening, when the BSR West Late Models are on the track for their sixth race of the year.

Through the first third of the 15-race season, the Late Model division has been Orange Show Speedway’s answer to World Wrestling Entertainment, with heated competition on the quarter-mile paved oval and constant verbal battles off the track.

Things came to a head two weeks ago (May 12) when a mid-race incident led to the suspension of a driver and two spectators and made race winner Dave Arce the first to reach victory lane after being temporarily airborne and driving over the front end of another car.

Arce’s over-the-top move is more fitting to the Lucas Oil Outlaw Figure 8 division or a Demolition Derby, both of which also are on the schedule for “A Race to Remember – Honoring Our Heroes.” The Legends Cars and vintage Sprint cars and Midgets of the Western Racing Association round out a special program saluting the men and women serving in our armed forces.

Saturday’s races are being run in conjunction with the 92nd National Orange Show Festival. Anyone with a paid admission to the Festival will be admitted to the speedway free of charge, courtesy of the Matich Corporation, and all military and civilian support personnel will receive complimentary admission to both venues. There will be no speedway-only tickets on sale.

Spectator gates at the speedway will open at 5 p.m. (the Festival opens at 11 a.m.) and racing will get under way at 6:30 p.m. Pre-race activities will include an invocation by Chaplain Michael Taylor of the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center at Twentynine Palms, independent country music artist BECCA and a flyover by twin-engined A-10 Thunderbolts, the anti-tank aircraft referred to as warthogs.

Those unable to attend will be able to follow the action at home through an expanded edition of “Orange Show Speedway Live” on The Toad (KTTD, 1350 AM). The radio show normally airs from 8 to 9 p.m. every race night. But this week, through the generosity of Toyota of San Bernardino, the entire evening will be broadcast from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. It also will be available on the Internet at www.nixacountry.com.

Racing at Orange Show Speedway is sponsored by Lucas Oil, Blackhawk Protection, Hype Manufacturing, Del Taco, 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, La Salle Medical Associates, L. Curti Truck and Equipment, One Stop Landscape Supply, Extreme Exhibits & Logistics, Little Green Onions restaurant 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.