Carelli Has Rocked Southwest With 3 Victories in 4 Starts

Rick Carelli had one question Thursday before beginning the 1,100-mile trip to Saugus Speedway.

“How bad was that earthquake out there?” Carelli asked by telephone from his home in Denver.

Wednesday night’s temblor caused only minor damage locally. Carelli, on the other hand, has all but shattered his NASCAR Southwest Tour competition this season. In four starts, he has won three times and finished second once. And with $102,318 in career earnings, Carelli is the only driver in the series’ seven-year history to exceed $100,000.

The defending tour champion and this season’s points leader, Carelli heads the field in tonight’s Miller Genuine Draft 100 at Saugus Speedway. It is race No. 5 in the 17-race series and the first of two Southwest Tour events this season on Saugus’ one-third-mile paved oval.

Carelli, 36, is vying for his third consecutive win, which would tie a tour record.

For Carelli, each Southwest Tour race is preceded by a two-day drive from his home to tracks stretching from Oregon to San Diego.

“I do get to see a lot of (the country),” Carelli said. “But it does get tiring.”

Kind of like watching him win. Among those chasing him are local drivers Ron Hornaday Jr. of Palmdale, third in the standings, Will Harper of Tarzana (eighth), Bob Lyon of Newhall (11th), Mark Perry of Sylmar (12th) and Bill Sedgwick of Granada Hills (18th).

Tonight’s schedule also includes Saugus’ Pro Stock division and a destruction derby. Racing begins at 7.