Eddie Tafoya’s Long Season Winding Down in Arizona and California - Speedway Digest

A long season that began in February in Florida will begin to wind down for Eddie Tafoya Jr. when he contests this weekend’s annual Western World Championships at the Cocopah Speedway. After Saturday, he will head to Perris Auto Speedway for the USAC/CRA Series finale on November 11^th and the sprint car portion of the 82^nd Annual Turkey Night Grand Prix at the Ventura Raceway on Thanksgiving weekend.

Tafoya’s 2023 barnstorming tour saw him spend the majority of his time competing in the USAC National Sprint Car Series. He raced in eight different states and battled the rain in five of them. Since the Chino Hills, California racer returned to his home base in early September, he has made two appearances with the USAC/CRA Sprint Cars. A challenger for the win in both, fate intervened each time and robbed him of having a chance to score victories.

Tafoya headed back to the friendly confines of So Cal after a race in Arkansas on September 9^th. Two weeks later he made the short 30-minute trek from his home to Perris Auto Speedway. On his first night back he earned the second Woodland Auto Display Fast Qualifier award of his career with a lap of 16.831 on the famous half-mile clay oval. The well-spoken driver followed that up with a fourth-place finish in his heat race. In the main, he was up to second place and closing on the leader when a flat tire knocked him out of the race.

On October 14^th, Tafoya and the crew headed west for his second 2023 appearance at the Meyer’s family Mohave Valley Raceway. He qualified 10^th fastest on the banked 1/3 mile track, won his heat, and was once again headed to the front after starting 10^th in the 30-lapper. Clearly one of the fastest cars on the track, he was battling for second when his engine laid down and knocked him from the competition with a frustrating 13th-place finish.

This weekend will mark Tafoya’s first appearance on the fast Somerton, Arizona oval since last season’s Western World Championships. In 2022, he made five appearances at the track beginning with the first three USAC/CRA races of the season. After placing seventh and ninth on the first two nights, he scored his series-best finish with a hard-fought second on night three. At last season’s Western World, the affable racer made the main event each night placing 19^th and 16^th. Two seasons ago when he contested the Wester Worlds at the now defunct Arizona Speedway, he had 12^th and 21^st place finishes.

For fans who want to see this Friday and Saturday’s Western World Championships in person, gates at the Cocopah Speedway will open at 4:00 p.m. with racing at 6:00. Reserved seats are $35.00 and general admission is $25.00. Students 13-17 are $15.00. Kids 12 and under get in for free. The track is located at 3450 W County 15^th Streets in Somerton, Arizona (85360). The track website is racecocopahspeedway.com and the office phone number is (602) 292-7607. For those who cannot make it to the Arizona speed plant, the race will be shown live on Speed Sport TV. Ordering or more information is available at https://speedsport.tv/videos/30446.

If you would like to hear the friendly driver on the Dirt Tracks and Rib Racks Podcast, please visit the following link https://open.spotify.com/episode/1Hox9dg0iRGXo0szabeqDy

The Specialty Fasteners #51T team is always exploring corporate partnership opportunities. If you or your company would like to be a partner with the hard-working sprint car squad, please contact Eddie Tafoya Jr. via phone at (909) 393-3999 or by e-mail at mailto:[email protected]. He will be happy to talk to you and lay out the team’s plans.

Tafoya’s great-looking shirts and hoodies are available online at www.specialty-fasteners.com.

Tafoya has a great YouTube channel at the following link https://www.youtube.com/shorts/1hrmC5L80EU.

Fans can follow Tafoya on Instagram @eddietafoya51.

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 supporting its racing program.

Eddie Tafoya PR