Eddie Tafoya Jr. Ready for Salute to Indy at Perris Auto Speedway

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When the USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series rolls back into its home track, Perris Auto Speedway, this Saturday for the “Salute to Indy,” Eddie Tafoya Jr. will have fond and not so fond memories of last year’s edition of the race.  The fond memory is of running second and pulling away from the third-place driver in the main event.  The not so fond memory is running out of fuel with less than five laps to go.

Going into last year’s edition of the celebrated race, Tafoya was coming off a fourth-place finish at Perris a month earlier. Sporting new, eye-catching graphics on the #51T, he qualified 10th fastest and started fourth in his heat race.  He was body-checked off his line on lap one of the heat and knocked back to sixth.  He did gain one spot to fifth, but that was one position shy of the transfer spot to the feature and he was forced into the 12-lap B main.  Tafoya dominated that race and won by a wide margin to earn a ticket into the prestigious “Salute to Indy” main event.

For the main, the Chino Hills, California resident started in 10th.   In a race that can best be described as chaotic, Tafoya managed to steer clear of all the drama and late in the going, found himself in second.  He had pulled away from the third place driver and seemed destined for his best-ever finish up to that time.  However, with under four laps to go, he ran out of fuel and ended up placing 18th.

This year’s version of the “Salute to Indy” sees Tafoya enter the night fifth in the series championship standings and he is knocking on the door of fourth.  He has racked up two podium finishes (a second at Cocopah and a third at Mohave Valley) and comes into the night after a best-ever Bakersfield Speedway finish of fifth two weeks ago. In two outings at Perris this year, his best finish was an eighth on April 30th. 

The “Salute to Indy” was born in 1948 to honor the Indianapolis 500.  This year’s running will be the 71st edition of the race and the 26th time the race has been held at Perris.  It will be the third time Tafoya has participated in the event.  In addition to his heartbreaking finish in 2021, he placed 21st in his first crack at the race during his Rookie of the Year season in 2019.

The #51T team gets a week off before heading to the smallest track on the USAC/CRA circuit, the Ventura Raceway, on June 11th.  They will then return to Perris on June 25th for the “Bubby Jones/Ray Scheetz Memorial.”

Tafoya and the crew will be available to meet the fans at intermission during the autograph session and candy giveaway on Saturday or in the pits after the races.  The great-looking Eddie Tafoya shirts will be available both times.

Adult tickets for Saturday’s race are $30.00.  Seniors 65 and over get in for $25.00.  For kids 6 to 12 it is just $5.00 and children 5 and under are admitted free. The fairgrounds charges $10.00 for parking. There will be plenty of tickets available at the track on Saturday, this event will not sell out.  Perris Auto Speedway is located on the Lake Perris Fairgrounds at 18700 Lake Perris Drive in Perris (92571). For those who wish to purchase advance tickets, they are available at https://www.tix.com/ticket-sales/pas/7 or by calling 1-800-595-4849.  The track website is http://www.perrisautospeedway.com/ and the office phone number is (951) 940-0134.

Tafoya and the #51T team would like to thank Specialty Fasteners, DRC Chassis, Ryder Racing Engines, Simpson Safety Products, Bell, Benic Enterprises, BR Motorsports, PSC Powder Coating, Magik Graphics, Gasper Transportation, Owen’s Insurance Services, and Weld Wheels for making the 2022 season possible.

If you or your company would like to be a part of the Specialty Fastener team’s 2022 season effort, please contact Eddie Tafoya Jr. via phone at (909) 393-3999 or by e-mail at [email protected]. He will be happy to talk to you and lay out the team’s 2022 plans.

Fans can follow Tafoya on Instagram @eddietafoya51. The same contact point can be used to purchase his great-looking shirts via mail.

Eddie Tafoya PR

Speedway Digest Staff
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