Irwindale Geared Up for Opener

Irwindale Speedway will open its second season of racing tonight on its paved half-mile oval track with four classes of NASCAR Weekly (formerly Winston) Racing Series competition.

Featured will be the Home Depot 100 for super late-model stock cars, a 100-lap main event with a $15,000 purse. The winner will collect $3,000. Super late models are fiberglass replicas of favorites such as the Camaro, Taurus, Gran Prix, and Cutlass, powered by 360-cubic-inch V-8 engines.

Also on the program will be late models, Grand American modifieds and superstocks.

Each class is part of NASCAR’s $1.7-million national championship season for short tracks. Irwindale is in the Pacific Coast region with Orange Show Speedway in San Bernardino, Mesa Marin Raceway in Bakersfield, Cajon Speedway in El Cajon and five Northern California tracks.

Orange Show and Cajon also will open their 2000 seasons tonight.

Rod Johnson of Santa Clarita, in his father Donnie’s No. 15 Chevy Monte Carlo, is expected to defend his super late-model championship against a field of about 60 cars. Among the challengers is Sean Woodside of Saugus, last year’s Winston West champion, who is scheduled to drive after qualifying a NASCAR Craftsman Truck at Mesa Marin.

Thirty cars will be in the main event, 24 through time trials and six from the B-main. The track record is 100.5 mph, set last April 16 by Greg Pursley of Sun Valley.

Other defending champions are Larry Kreiger of Los Angeles in Grand Am modifieds, Dusty McDonald of San Pedro in late models and Mike Price of Simi Valley in superstocks.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

Irwindale Opener

* What: NASCAR stock cars

* Where: Irwindale Speedway

* When: 7 tonight

* Directions: Irwindale Speedway is located at Live Oak Avenue and the 605 Freeway. Details:

www.irwindalespeedway.com

* Tickets: www.tickets.com, (626) 358-1100, or at the box office.