Saturday Night Short Track Takes Center Stage

The Toyota All Star Showdown has been refered to as the "Daytona 500" of short track racing and is ready to fire up again this coming weekend. On January 23-24 the Speed Channel will be televising the action live starting at 7:00 PM Pacific Time on both nights. 

Three time Craftsman (now Camping World) Truck Series Champion Ron Hornaday Jr. will be competing for the first time in the All Star Race but is no stranger to the 1/2 mile oval in Irwindale, Ca.. 

"I remember like it was the back of my hand, because it was racing just like Tucson where I kind of made a name for myself," he said. "It’s a triple-groove race track, where you can run the top, middle and bottom." 

Hornaday raced at the speedway in the NASCAR Camping World Series West, making 46 starts and narrowly missing the title in 1996. Ron expects the competition to be fierce this weekend in the 250 lap Nascar Toyota All Star Showdown with Camping World Series West Champion Eric Holmes and East Champion Matt Kobyluck in attendance, along with 2007 West Champion Mike David. 

Hornaday is from Southern California, having grown up in Palmdale, and is looking forward to meeting some of his old friends. 

"I’ve got a lot of friends that I grew up with and went to school with and some who have followed my career. It’ll be great to see them," he said.

 Joining Ron Hornaday at this event will be fellow Camping World Truck Series driver Matt Crafton who also hails from California. Crafton will be returning to Toyota Speedway for the first time in 8 years. His only race at the track was a mixture of highs and lows. Matt led 194 laps of the Nascar Camping World Series West season finale only to be beaten in a "Green, White, Checker" three wide finish by Bobby Dotter. The .024 second loss is still ranked as the most exiting finish of the series and garnered Crafton a Truck Series ride the following season. 

Also returning to this years event will be last years race winner and the new driver of the #20 Joe Gibbs Home Depot Chevrolet , 18 year old phenom, Joey Lagano. 

"I can’t wait to go back," said Lagano. "I’ve got the same car and that track is just a real cool race track. And we had a great time out in Southern California. I really enjoyed being out there."

Lagano's teammate Marc Davis will be in Satuday nights race along with past Camping World Series rookie of the year winners Jason Bowles, Payton Sellers, Jeff Barkshire, and Austin Dillon.

In addition to the Toyota All Star Race there will be a 150 lap Super Late Model event on Friday and a 75 lap Modified race Saturday. 

For more information contact Toyota Speedway at Irwindale.