By Dave Grayson

With an abundance of race tracks presenting ever form of motorsports than you could name, spread out in a complex that measures 600 plus acres, there's always going to be plenty of action at the Willow Springs International Raceway, located in the beautiful community of Rosamond-California.

They're going to prove that point this weekend by treating their fans to another full weekend led by stock car racing at the Speedway Willow Spring, the facility's quarter mile paved oval, who will present six different racing divisions, this Saturday-April 16th, during the course of a special day race that will receive the green flag at 1pm. Those racing division on the schedule include: the Elite Division, Street Stocks, Hobby Stocks, Mini Stocks, Skid Plates and the So Cal Enduro Racers.

The Hooper's Rear End Service Elite Division is a unique racing group, created by the Speedway Willow Springs management team, that allows Super Late Model, Late Model, Modifieds, Southwest Tour and Spec Trucks to race together all under the guide lines of a single rule book. During the waning laps of the division's March 26th season opening main event, Alex Anderson staged a razor sharp maneuver that moved him from third place to victory lane.

However, it was runner up David Brandon who left Rosamond as the division's point leader. That''s because of a rather elaborate points system created by the management. In addition to main event championship points, bonus points are awarded based on qualifying, heat races and even passing. Brandon had a great night during those preliminary events and that's how he became the first points leader on opening day. However there's only a two point separation between these two drivers going into next Saturday's race and you can expect Anderson to address that issue.

The Platinum Jewelry and Loan Street Stocks were a major highlight of opening day when 71 year old Bruce Secord fended off a hard charging, and much younger, Tony Forfa IV. As the pair sailed under the checkers, the margin of victory was approximately half the length of Secord's left front fender. The other result was a crowd of excited race fans on their feet enjoying the action. Secord will go into next Saturday's race with a two point advantage over Forfa and we will all be watching them to see if they create another intense performance similar to what we observed on opening day.

Based on the strength of his main event win last month, Johnny Troesch will start next Saturday's race with a three point advantage in the championship standings over Brandon Fisk in the Wayne and Dave's Automotive Hobby Stock division. Here's yet another group of racers doing a fine job of putting on a great show.

In the Lucas Oil Products Mini Stock division John Dunlap scored his long awaited first ever win at Speedway Willow Springs on opening day and now will be focused on collecting his second, consecutive, win this Saturday. Dunlap also did extremely well in collecting bonus points during the preliminary events and will go into next Saturday with an eight point lead in the championship standings.

Skid Plate racing is a fun concept that has quickly captured the attention of fans at tracks all across the country. The division is comprised of sport compact cars with a low budget build factor. The rear tires are removed and replaced with a pair of hubs with steel plates attached to them. The result is a race car showering sparks off the rear wheels while the drivers to their best to control the direction of the sliding cars. It's a lot of fun to watch.

Brady Mertz was the first 2016 winner during last month's season opener. He will be going into next Saturday afternoon's second race of the season with a 13 point advantage in the championship standings over drivers John Carter and Angel Carter who are tied for second.

Last, but never least, will be the presence of the So Cal Enduro Racers. These are your basic low budget Mini Stocks but their literally fly around the Speedway Willow Springs quarter mile while sometimes racing under altered track conditions such as entering a straightaway through the infield while negotiating their way around large tractor tires.

At the conclusion of opening day, Nate Van DeVenter was the first 2016 series winner with Pete Chilbes and Michael Walters second in third in both the race and the points standings. Saturday's main event is being sponsored by Motion Tire and Wheel of Ridgecrest and DRC Pump System. Their main event has been dubbed the Motion Tire 100. That's right, these enduro drivers are going to run 100 very fast paced laps, while competing for a $400 winner's check, in what is highly anticipated as being one of the major highlights of next Saturday's race schedule.

General admission tickets are $10 with kids ten and under admitted free. The purchase of a $10 wrist band, at the front gate of the complex, will allow fans to watch all racing activities at all of the Willow Springs Tracks on both Saturday and Sunday.

A case in point regarding this particular weekend is the presence of Extreme Speed's Auto Track Days who will be racing high powered sports cars,on both Saturday and Sunday, on "Big Willow", the facility's premiere 2.5 mile nine turn road course.The cars will be on the track all day from 8am to 5pm.

Also on Saturday and Sunday will be hot motorcycle action presented by the California Superbike School. While the intent here is motorcycle racing lessons, the track will be filled all day with high powered bikes that will be a sight to see on the "Streets Of Willow Springs" the facility's other challenging road course measuring 1.6 miles of twisting right and left hand turns.

In the case of the action at both road courses, fans are allowed to visit the pit areas to meet the drivers and get an up close and personal look at their racing machines. That's a lot of action for a $10 weekend. It's exactly the reason why Willow Springs International Raceway is regarded as being one of the most fan friendly racing facilities in the country and why it's been in top flight operation since 1953. It's also the reason why it's going to be another busy, but fun, weekend at Willow Springs.

Make sure you visit the Speedway Willow Springs and its hot stock car show on the quarter mile paved oval this Saturday afternoon at 1pm. It's has all the makings of being the hottest racing show in the So Cal area.