Brody Roa’s late decision to head to the Mohave Valley Raceway for the USAC/CRA Sprint car race last Saturday night proved to be a wise one. The veteran driver started 11th in the 30-lap main event and took the lead with three laps to go and raced on to victory. The current hottest driver in USAC/CRA, the win was his third in the series’ last five races.
It was the first race for the 31-year-old Garden Grove, California driver at the track that is located just minutes inside the Arizona border. His bright green #91R was one of 32 cars at the track’s second sprint car race of the season. Roa’s qualifying time of 14.907 was only the 11th fastest of the night. That time was not going to do him any favors when it came time to line up for the main event.
Before the main, Roa had to contest a 10-lap heat race. For that one, he was starting on the outside of row two. By the end of the third circuit he was out front and soon thereafter he established a lead of more than a half straightaway. His prowess was hindered late in the race when a yellow flag brought the field to the back of his car. However, when the green flag waved again with just a couple of laps remaining, he streaked away and won by nearly a half straight.
Before the main event, the track staff completely reworked the racetrack. Roa was coming from the inside of row 6 in the 11th starting position. Odds on winning from that far back in the field are usually stacked against the driver. Somebody forgot to tell Roa about that! He methodically worked his way forward early on and was up to sixth at the halfway point. However, five laps later, he became the driver to watch.
Roa advanced to the 5th place spot on lap 20 and moved up one position in each of the next three laps. That put the streaking #91R in the runner-up position with seven laps to go. Running the top through one and two and the bottom in three and four, he was clearly the fastest car on the racetrack. Within a couple of laps, he was on the pace setter’s tail. On lap 27, he blew by for the lead. From that point on he easily pulled away and scored the win by nearly a half straightaway. Overall, that was his fourth sprint car victory of 2022.
“It had a lot of character, that is for sure,” Roa replied when asked what he thought of the track on his first visit. “We went with that same package we have been experimenting with recently. With all the character on the track, we really had to tune on it all night.”
“With how good we were in the heat race, I wasn’t ruling it out,” the veteran said when queried about starting 11th. “Did I think we were going to win, maybe not. I definitely knew we could have driven up to the podium. It became one of those tracks that fell into what I think my wheelhouse is. Especially with the bottom of three and four where you had to be really patient getting in through the center to hit the exit. It seemed that is where everybody else seemed to struggle and where I drove through the field with them committing to the top or missing the bottom. I don’t know if I passed anybody down in one and two.”
This Saturday Roa will be right back at it as he will be steering Jayson May’s #8M in the USAC West Coast Sprint Car Series’ George “Ziggy” Snider Classic on the Dirt Track at the Kern County Raceway Park in Bakersfield. Roa drove the same car to victory at Jim Naylor’s Ventura Raceway on August 27th. Four weeks ago at Ventura, he drove the same car to a win in his heat race but the team withdrew the car before the main event due to a parts malfunction. Fortunately, the damage was minor and they are ready to return.
Gates at Kern County will open at 4:00 p.m. With racing at 6:30. Adult tickets are $25.00. Juniors 6-10 are only $5.00 and children 5 and under are admitted free. The track is located at 13500 Raceway Blvd at Interstate 5 and Enos Lane in Bakersfield. The track website is https://www.kernraceway.com/ and the phone number is 661-835-1264.
If you wish to hear Roa’s recent appearance on the Dirt Tracks and Rib Racks podcast, you can do so at the following link https://spoti.fi/3cjQrLL.
In 2022, Roa is racing in the USAC/CRA, USAC National, and other select events, in his #91R BR Performance/HD Industries Eagle. He will also drive the #8M for May Motorsports in select USAC West Coast events. The 2019 USAC Southwest and 2017 USAC West Coast champion is always open to discussing other driving opportunities.
Roa and the team want to thank the following sponsors for making the 2022 season possible. HD Industries, Burris Racing, Sander Engineering, Inland Rigging, Caltrol, “Biker” Bruce Fischer, Competition Suspension, ALR Virtual Services, K-1 Race Gear, Molecule, Rod End Supply, Driven Racing Oil, Baldwin Filters, and NGK Spark Plugs. In addition, the veteran driver offers thanks to RDM Mechanics, Fastenal, KC Keen Concrete, Coopers Propane, Ten West Towing, Ten West Environmental, TJM Distribution, and Westco International for sponsoring the #8M he will pilot for Jayson May on 10 occasions in 2022.
If you or your company would like to jump on board and receive recognition as a team partner throughout the 2022 racing season, please give the two-time USAC champion racer a phone call or drop him a note at the contact information on the top of this release.
Fans can learn more about Roa and the team at https://www.brodyroa.com/. Fans can also check out the team news at Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/
To keep up with May Motorsports, please check out and “like” its Facebook page. https://www.facebook.
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