Davidson going for $15,000 Texas Two-Step

[NickHolt]

For Immediate Release – June 14, 2006

Contact: Nick Holt, USRA Media Director

(210) 415-1251

(210) 690-8564

cnholt@sbcglobal.net

nick@texasspeedzone.com

 

 

Chris Davidson Hoping for $15,000 USRA Payday at San Antonio Speedway on Saturday

 

San Antonio, TX (June 14, 2006) – The second segment of the United States Racing Association (USRA) Texas Two-Step Nationals – the “TexasSpeedZone.Com 150” with a possible $15,000 at stake – is set for this Saturday evening at San Antonio Speedway.

 

USRA Super Late Model driver Chris Davidson won the first segment of the Texas Two-Step Nationals – the “Konica Minolta 100” held at Texas Motor Speedway last weekend – and stands to win $15,000 if he can win the 150-lap feature at the half-mile, high-banked, paved San Antonio oval this weekend.

 

The Texas Two-Step Nationals pays $5,000 to the winner of each race and a $5,000 bonus if the same driver wins both.

 

“I’m absolutely going for the $15,000,” Davidson said. “We have a pretty good track record at San Antonio, but it’s been a while since I’ve won a race there. Hopefully we learned enough the last time we ran there to be good enough to accomplish our goal.”

 

When asked about the competition that might stand between him and the big payday, Davidson emphasized that there are any number of teams capable of winning.

 

“Of course Casey (Smith, winner of the first two USRA SLM events at SAS this season) is going to be tough to beat and don’t forget my old man (Davidson’s father, veteran Greg Davidson).” Davidson said. “I know that (rookie) Matt Merrell tested there a couple of weeks ago and they were very good. And Brandon (Bendele) will be there and he’s won more races there than anyone on the face of the earth than perhaps his dad (multi-time SAS champion Larry Bendele) and Todd (McLemore) is always good there too. You really can’t count any of these USRA Super Late Model guys out and I hear there might be a few teams coming from the Southeast that could be tough too.”

 

Casey Smith was contacted at his shop earlier this week had a slightly different prediction.

 

“I’m going to do everything I can to win this weekend,” Smith said. “My team has given me an awesome car and we won the first two USRA races at San Antonio this year with it. And we’ve done some things to the car that will make it even better for this one. I know how bad Chris is wanting that bonus money, but I think we will have the car to beat this Saturday. We’re very optimistic.”

 

One thing they both agree on is that tires will play an important role in the 150-lap event.

 

“You can’t be running the tires off the car in the first 75 or 100 laps,” Davidson warned. “The team that saves its tires for the last 25 laps will have the advantage at the end.”

 

The speedway will be hosting a Test and Tune session on Friday, June 16, from 5 p.m. until 9 p.m. for all classes.

 

On Saturday, the pits will be open for business at noon with practice sessions beginning at 1 p.m. Qualifying will start at 6 p.m. with racing in the support divisions beginning at 7 p.m. Joining the USRA Super Late Models will be the NASCAR Late Models, the SAS Sportsman, Road Runners and Grand Stocks in heat races and feature events.

 

San Antonio Speedway is the only NASCAR sanctioned short-track in the state of Texas. It is located 3.5 miles south of Loop 410 on State Highway 16 South towards Poteet, near the new Toyota facility.

 

The grandstand gates will open at 5:00 p.m.

 

Admission is $20 for adults, $10 for Senior/Military with ID, $3 for children 7-12. Children 6 and under are free.

 

For more information about San Antonio Speedway, call Rick Day at 210-827-4524 or call the SAS race hotline at 210-628-1499. The San Antonio Speedway website address is http://sanantoniospeedway.com. Information on USRA may be found at http://usraspeed.com.

 

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[TAMS boy]

After making some calls yesterday. We're looking at around 25 late models if all goes well.