For a lot of people, Disneyland is their happy destination place. However, there are some who would gladly offer that the Ventura Raceway is their go-to joint. It is safe to say that Inland Rigging sprint car driver Tommy Dunkel is one of the latter. Last Saturday night at Jim Naylor’s racing emporium located mere feet from the crashing waves of the Pacific Ocean, Dunkel raced to another second-place finish in the VRA Sprint Car Series main event.
Dunkel’s prowess at Ventura, in what to date is his most ambitious season racing sprint cars, has been impressive, to say the least. In five starts on the famous 1/5 mile oval in 2023, he has one win, two second-place finishes, an 11th (that was a top-five until he got clobbered late in the race), and a 19th. The two second-place finishes have come back to back.
Despite not being a regular in the series, Dunkel began last Saturday night eighth in Ventura Racing Association Sprint Car points. Likewise, he started the 30-lap main event in the eighth spot. When the green flag and lights opened the 30-lapper, Dunkel moved forward and was in sixth when a yellow flag slowed the action on lap three. By the 1/3 mark, he had slipped back to seventh, but from that point on, he pushed the immaculate, white #17A forward.
Dunkel shot into third place at the halfway point. Four laps later, he raced into second. The friendly driver was stalking the leader but with about nine laps to go, an inadvertent white flag was thrown. The next lap past the line, Dunkel lifted thinking it was going to be the checkers. He jumped back on the throttle when he saw that the green lights were still on but by that point the damage was done. The leader had increased his advantage and Dunkel was forced to settle for second. While frustrated by the faux pas, he was still happy with placing second.
Currently in Arkansas with his Inland Rigging teammate Brody Roa, Dunkel and the team will head back home to Southern California after Saturday’s race. As soon as they get back, they will put the finishing touches on Dunkel’s car for next Saturday’s USAC West Coast Sprint Car Series race at Ventura. One week after that, on September 23rd, Dunkel will compete closer to home when the USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series converges at Perris Auto Speedway. In addition to Dunkel, series point leader Roa will be in action that night as well.
Fans can pick up a 2023 Inland Rigging Racing Team shirt from the crew after the races or online brodyroa.com.
As always, Brody Roa would be more than happy to jump in a race car on his weekends off from the #17R. His entire schedule is printed below. If anybody wishes to contact him about open dates, they can do so at 714-932-7994 or mailto:[email protected]
The team wants to thank the following sponsors for making the 2023 season possible. Inland Rigging, Dunkel Farms, United Asset Sales, Osborne Speed & Machine, “Biker” Bruce Fischer, ALR Virtual Services, Burris Racing, Caltrol, Jambo Barbeque Pits, Competition Suspension, K-1 Race Gear, Molecule, Rod End Supply, Driven Racing Oil, Baldwin Filters, and NGK Spark Plugs.
Inland Rigging Racing PR
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