Winston West at Irwindale

NASCAR’s Winston West series, recently elevated to Grand National status, will make its only appearance of the year tonight at Irwindale Speedway with the running of the King Taco 200.

Austin Cameron, the winner of last year’s race, will be attempting a comeback after missing four races while undergoing chemotherapy treatment for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma cancer in his lung. The El Cajon driver will be in one of owner Bill McAnally’s Chevrolets. McAnally cars have won the last four Winston West races at Irwindale.

The top Winston West drivers at the close of the season will be invited back to Irwindale for the inaugural Toyota All-Star Showdown, Nov. 6-8, in which they will face the best of the Busch North series for the Grand National championship.

Six races in the series this year have produced six different winners. Veteran Steve Portenga of Sparks, Nev., is the series leader with 917 points, followed by Mike Duncan of Lamont, Calif., with 901 and rookie Scott Lynch of Burley, Idaho, with 882.

Also on tonight’s program will be a 30-lap Dodge Weekly Racing Series late model main event.