Brody Roa Is Ready to Return to His Best Track This Saturday - Speedway Digest

This Saturday night, June 15th, many California race fans will see something they fretted would never happen: the grand reopening of the popular Santa Maria Speedway. Like race fans, the drivers are also elated about the rebirth of the Central Coast banked oval. None of them will be more excited than Brody Roa, who will be competing in the Ultimate Sprint Car Series presented by Inland Rigging.

445533736_7589728261063510_7385958345203600019_n.jpgBrody Roa on his way to a third-place finish at Perris on May 25th. Doug Allen photo.

Dating back to the start of the 2017 season, the pleasant Garden Grove, California racer has started eight races on the track that is located within San Luis Obispo County. Amazingly, Roa finished in the top three seven times! Among those were four wins, a second-place finish, and a third. The only time he did not finish in the top three at Santa Maria over that period of time came in a 2019 race when he finished 16th. His main event finishing average at the track is 3.50 since 2017. Take away the 16th-place finish, and the average would have been an astounding 1.71.

Between Covid in 2020 and the track being shuttered in 2021, Roa has only competed at Santa Maria two times since 2019. On July 3rd, 2021, he finished third in the main. The last time the Avanti Windows and Doors USAC/CRA Sprint Cars raced at the track was in August of 2022. To say the least, it was a memorable night. First of all, it was the first night the track had been open since shutting down a year earlier. It was also the final event at the track before this coming weekend’s race. A sellout crowd was on hand, and they witnessed Roa pull off a rare USAC/CRA feat. He steered Jayson May’s 360-powered car to win the main event against a full field of 410s. Unfortunately, the track that opened in 1964, was shuttered again after that. That all changes this Saturday.

Last week, when the USAC/CRA Series was at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway for the Golden Empire Clash, Roa set the fifth-fastest time in qualifying. That placed him on the outside of the second row for his 10-lap heat. The 2023 series champion stayed second for the race’s first seven laps. Entering turn three on the eighth circuit, he used a textbook slider that propelled him into the lead and onto the victory. Combined with his race win in the USCS event on the 1/3 mile oval at the start of May, Roa has won heat races each time he has been at the track this year.

Things were looking like Roa was going to have a great night. After winning the heat, he started inside row two for the 30-lap main. Early on, he was running third. However, engine problems started to slow the gorgeous #8M. On lap 18, Roa decided to call it a night. Afterward, he stated, “I didn’t want to jeopardize hurting anyone.”

To see if Roa can make it three wins in four USCS starts, spectator gates will open at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday at Santa Maria. Qualifying will begin at 5:00, and the first race will be at 6:00. Adult tickets are $25.00. Seniors and military get in for $23.00. For kids 6-12, it is only $5.00, and children 5 and under are free. The track is located at 1900 Hutton Road in Nipomo, California.

The May Motorsports entry is sponsored by Winfield’s Racing Engines, RDM Mechanics, Cooper’s Propane, TJM Distribution, TJM Distribution, Ten West Towing, Arctic Sea Mining, Wesco International, Elite Signs and Fastenal.

Roa would like to thank his own sponsors, “Biker” Bruce Fischer, ALR Virtual Services, Burris Racing, Caltrol, Competition Suspension, Simpson Race Gear, Rod End Supply, Driven Racing Oil, Baldwin Filters, and NGK Spark Plugs. If you would like to be a marketing partner in 2024, contact Roa using the information at the top of this release.

@roygamityanauctioneer @burris_racing_usa @mikeburrisoc @csishocks @theoriginalloosebruce @alrvirtualservices @simpsonracegear @moleculesports @rodendsupply @baldwinfilters @ngkracing @originalngksparkplugs @usacnation @usac_cra @perrisautospeedway @b_roa91 @tai_xoxo_roa @joegibb83, @caltrolinc @narc410 @drivenracingoil

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