Brody Roa Takes a 360 From 17th to 9th in Usac/Cra 410 Main Event at Santa Maria - Speedway Digest

After two months off, Brody Roa finally returned to action when the Avanti Windows and Doors USAC/CRA Sprint Cars visited the Santa Maria Speedway for the second time in 2024. Driving Jayson May’s powerful #8M 360 against a field of 410 cars on the banked 1/3 mile oval, Roa looked like he had been racing every week when he went from 17th to ninth in the 30-lap main event.

FB79F64C-80D5-4A97-96D5-0FBDA692A523_1_201_a.jpgBrody Roa sliding through turn two at Perris. AJ Johnson/P1 Race Image Photo.

Roa, who lives near Los Angeles in Garden Grove, California, has been a Santa Maria specialist the past few seasons. Since 2017, he has started eight races at the popular track and has placed in the top three seven times. Included were four wins, one of which came in May’s 360 against a stout USAC/CRA 410 field in 2021. Thus, he could not be counted out at Saturday’s race.

The defending USAC/CRA champion’s quickest lap in qualifying was a 13.982. That was only the 17th fastest, placing him on the pole position for the 10-lap second heat. The veteran steered May’s beautiful car to a fourth-place finish in the heat. That gave him the possibility to be in the invert for one of the first six starting spots in the 30-lap main event. However, the friendly racer’s qualifying time pretty much ensured that he was going to begin 17th in the feature event.

Roa’s biggest challenge in the main came before he hit turn three on the first lap. A massive tangle triggered by the cars starting fourth and sixth in turn two caused drivers to scramble all over the back chute. The
Pride of Garden Grove” headed to the inside. Without his cat-like reflexes, he could have become entangled in the mess. Fortunately, he quickly steered to the inside and slipped by the catastrophe without a scratch.

Once the race got going, it stayed green for most of the way. Roa did a fine job of moving forward throughout the 30-lapper, and raced up to ninth at the end.

After having only two races in two and a half months, Roa will be much busier in September. Details are forthcoming.

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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