|
|
|
02/12/2011 |
|
CARQUEST
CHAMPIONS FOR CHARITIES DRIVER SPOTLIGHT:
BOBBY SANTOS III |
|
 As
the excitement builds for the June 28th CARQUEST
Extreme Tuesday Champions for Charities event,
Stafford Speedway has been busy coordinating
charities and the drivers that will represent them.
The field for the CARQUEST Champions for Charities
race is impressive, as it represents 42
championships among 12 drivers and 5 different open
wheel divisions.
Bobby Santos, III, the 2010 NASCAR Whelen Modified
Tour Champion, will be racing to help raise funds
for the USAC Benevolent Fund to support Eric
Saunders. Eric Saunders, the son of Hoosier Tire’s
Irish Saunders, was injured in a motocross crash
while he was practicing for the Steel City National
at his home track last year and he is now on the
road to recovery. The money that Bobby Santos, III
raises will go towards helping Eric's family
purchase equipment for his rehabilitation.
“We’re good friends with Irish Saunders and I knew
about Eric’s accident last year,” said Santos.
“Being a young driver myself, I could identify with
what happened to Eric. With him being so young and
to have an accident that potentially could end his
racing career, I can’t imagine what that would feel
like, not only for Eric, but for his friends and
family as well. I’ve never driven a caged go kart
before, so this race should be a lot of fun and
hopefully we can raise a lot of money for Eric in
the process.”
The USAC Benevolent Fund was established in 1959 as
a way to help provide support for individuals such
as drivers, officials, organizers, and mechanics who
have ties to USAC and Indy Racing League
competition. Since 1959, the USAC Benevolent Fund
has committed hundreds of thousands of dollars to
assist members and their families in time of need.
Although he is only 25 years old, Bobby Santos, III
has built up quite the racing resume. Santos began
his racing career in the quarter midget ranks and in
2000, at the age of 14, he moved into open wheeled
competition by racing modifieds at New Smyrna
Speedway and a 350 Supermodified at Star Speedway.
In his first season of 350 Super competition at
Star, Santos won a race and set a track record that
still stands today. Santos continued his foray into
the world of open wheels, racing ISMA Supermodifieds,
USAC Sprints, USAC Midgets, and USAC Silver Crown
cars. Santos is a Boston Louie NEMA winner and an
ISMA Bud Nationals winner at Oswego. Santos led all
drivers with 5 USAC Midget wins in 2006 and the 2006
season also saw Santos take home a $50,000 bonus
from CARQUEST Auto Parts and Valvoline as he won the
Midget and PRA Big Car races in the same night at
Stafford. Santos won his first career Whelen
Modified Tour event at Thompson in 2007 and the 2009
season saw him win races in USAC Sprints, Midgets,
and Silver Crown cars.
The 2010 season saw him move into the #4 Mystic
Missile owned by Bob Garbarino and he won 3 of the
first four races of the season on his way to his
first career NASCAR championship. Santos will look
to defend his championship with the Garbarino Mystic
Missile #4 for the 2011 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour
season.
The starting lineups for the CARQUEST Champions For
Charities qualifying races will be determined by how
much money each driver raises for their selected
charity. The starting grid will be set with the
drivers who have raised the most money starting up
front. Fans are encouraged to get involved in the
event by donating to their favorite driver or
favorite charity. To make a donation to the USAC
Benevolent Fund For Eric Saunders on behalf of Bobby
Santos, III, and for more information on the event,
please refer to the CARQUEST Champions for Charities
donation page located at www.staffordspeedway.com.
Stay tuned to www.staffordspeedway.com for more
driver spotlights and exciting information regarding
the CARQUEST Champions for Charities event.
Santos and the CARQUEST Champions For Charities
field will sit behind the wheel of Wild Thing Senior
Outlaw Go Karts and will race around the Stafford
Mini-Mile rather than the half-mile that the field
of champion drivers is used to navigating when they
come to race at Stafford.
CARQUEST Extreme Tuesday will take place on June 28,
2011 and will also feature the ISMA Super Modifieds,
NEMA Midgets, and Pro-4 Modifieds.
Tickets for CARQUEST Extreme Tuesday are on sale now
at the Speedway Box Office and are priced at $30.00
for adult general admission tickets, $5.00 for
children ages 6-14, and children ages 5 and under
are admitted free of charge when accompanied by an
adult. Reserved seating is priced at $32.00 for all
ages. As always, Stafford Motor Speedway offers free
parking with overnight parking available.
For more information, contact the Stafford Motor
Speedway track office at
860-684-2783 or visit us on the web at
www.staffordspeedway.com. |
|
Source: Scott Running / Stafford
Motor Speedway
Posted: February
12, 2011 |
|
|
