Racing family bands together to install
electronic scoreboard at Orange Show Speedway
SAN BERNARDINO (Oct. 9, 2007) –
One of the most significant events in Orange Show Speedway history took
place without fanfare Saturday night (Oct. 6) when spectators and competitors
were able to follow the night’s racing activity on a new, electronic
scoreboard.
The
board, overlooking Turns 1 and 2 on the quarter-mile oval, is a first
for the 60-year facility. The board displays the numbers of the first
five cars on each lap of a race, the number of laps completed and the
track condition, so that for the first time the fans in the stands and
the racers on the track won’t have to rely on guesswork while
following the progress of an event.
“This is a major step forward in our
efforts to make Orange Show Speedway one of the best racing venues in
the country,” said Director of Racing Joe Ganino Jr., “and
there’s no way to adequately express our gratitude to Bob Patison
and Lucas Oil for providing the scoreboard and to all the companies
and individuals who worked so hard to get it installed and operating
in time for Saturday’s races.
“The
board was in a crate on Thursday so we didn’t want to make any
announcements because we weren’t sure it would be ready. But there
wasn’t even a glitch on Saturday night. It took a lot of effort
by a lot of people to make it happen and none of them were concerned
about personal recognition or anything like that.”
Lucas Oil, by far the biggest supporter of grassroots
racing in the nation, paid for the board and had it shipped and delivered
to the track at the National Orange Show Events Center .
Stockall Services owner Gary Stockman, whose son
Travis races in the Hype Manufacturing Super Late Model class, donated
all the steel for the mounting system that he designed and fabricated.
Clay Wooster, Gerald Lair and Steve Smith of Tri City
Towing and Mike Scheidecker of Rollings Automotive, the official towing
companies for the speedway, combined their efforts to move the board
into position and Quiel Brothers Signs hung it.
Pro
4 driver Eddie Secord provided all the welding services for the project
and Legends Cars driver Larry Meredith helped mount and paint the frame
and donated the paint.
“There were a lot of others involved,
too,” Ganino said, “guys like our own John Pope (OSS technical
director) and Ryan Kelley and Frank Tovar from the (NOS) maintenance
department. I want to thank everybody. It’s another example of
the kinds of positive things that can happen when the racing family
works together.
“It’s also a great way to help
wrap up a good season.”
There are three weekends of racing remaining, highlighted
by the rescheduled Toys for Tots 100 Late Model race Oct. 27, but planning
is well under way for 2008, when Ganino and the OSS staff will continue
to build on the groundwork that has been laid since Ganino became Director
of Racing in June, 2006.
This year’s list of improvements includes the
paving of the infield, the establishment of the track’s first
Winner’s Circle, the return of quarter midget racing and the establishment
of the Orange Show Quarter Midget Racing Association, and the introduction
of what is believed to be the nation’s only orange crash wall
– an appropriate choice for Orange Show Speedway.
The paving of the infield has been a major factor
in making the weekly racing schedule more fan-friendly by significantly
reducing the time necessary for cleanup after racing incidents. It also
made possible the debut of the Lucas Oil Outlaw Figure 8 class.
The new scoreboard is not yet operating at full efficiency
because the information is being entered by hand. But Ganino said work
already has begun to install all the wiring and electronics necessary
to outfit the race cars with transponders and make the scoreboard fully
operational for the 2008 season.
Improvements to the pit area and continued upgrading
of the spectator facilities are among the other projects under consideration
for the future.
The next racing program at the speedway, on Oct.
20, will feature the Hype Manufacturing Super Late Models, ASA Pro 4s,
Stock Cars USA, Street Stocks and Jr. Mini StocKars.
Spectator gates open at 5 p.m. and racing gets under
way at 6:30 p.m. Admission is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors (62 and
over), handicapped and juniors (13-16) and $2 for children (6-12). Active
military personnel and veterans with valid military identification are
admitted free of charge. Parking is $4 per car with entry through Gate
3 off Mill Street .
Those unable to make it to the speedway still can
follow the action with “Orange Show Speedway Live,” the
radio broadcast on KTTD (AM 1350) that begins at 8 p.m. and is simulcast
on the Internet at www.nixacountry.com.
Racing at Orange Show Speedway is sponsored by Lucas
Oil, Blackhawk Protection, Hype Manufacturing, Del Taco, Aflac Insurance,
KTTD radio (AM 1350), Leno’s Rico Taco, Soboba Casino, Budweiser,
Hoosier Racing Tires, Frank’s Radio Service, Torco Racing Fuels,
Parker Pumper/BSR West, Eibach Springs, JP Striping, Star Auto Parts,
Pepsi, Matich Coporation, L. Curti Truck and Equipment, One Stop Landscape
Supply, Extreme Exhibits & Logistics, Little Green Onions and the
San Bernardino County Sun.
For further information, contact Jim Short at 951-203-2649
or jimshort65@sbcglobal.net, call Orange Show Speedway at 909-888-6788,
X438, or visit the web site at www.nosevents.com.
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