Brody Roa rebounded from a disastrous USAC/CRA Sprint Car race at Perris Auto Speedway in August to finish third in the Glenn Howard Memorial last Saturday night. This Saturday he will journey north to team up with Jayson May in the USAC West Coast Series race at the Ventura Raceway.
After two weeks of scorching heat, race teams and fans were greeted by temperatures in the mid-80s for Saturday’s show. Roa, who lives in Garden Grove California, was one of 24 USAC/CRA Sprint Car drivers on hand for the show. Stopping the clocks at 16.540, the 31-year-old veteran racer was eighth fastest on the night. That is not the ideal place to qualify. If the seven cars who qualified faster than him all finished in the top four in their heat race, that would mean the best Roa could start in the main event would be eighth. However, things worked out perfectly. He won his heat race and two cars who qualified faster than he finished, fifth or worse. That meant Roa would be on the pole for the 30-lap main event.
Before he got to that main event, Roa contested a 10-lap heat race. Starting on the outside of row 2, he led the last 6 laps for his fourth heat win of the year in the series.
“Seems like we are always pretty good in heat races here this year,” the popular driver told the crowd after his win. “We are trying something a lot different with the car tonight. We have to work on it a little bit for the feature. Cody (Cody Williams who was leading Roa in the heat before dropping out), was definitely way better. He would have smoked us if he didn’t break or whatever happened. So, we have to work on it a little bit for the feature and we will be all right.”
Whatever crew chief Zac Bozanich and the crew worked on before the main, it worked out well. As soon as the race started, Roa burst into the lead. He proceeded to set the early pace and led the first nine laps before relinquishing the top spot. The friendly driver stayed close to the leader. He was second after a restart with a couple of laps to go, but a small bobble coming off turn two cost him and he dropped to third. He stayed on the throttle and crossed the finish line only two lengths behind the second-place car. It was his fifth USAC/CRA podium in only 10 races this year. Two of the podiums, Perris in June and Santa Maria in August, were wins.
“We brought a really different package tonight on the car,” Roa said at the end of the race. “We worked on it all night. It needs a few tweaks on it. We will take it and learn from it. It was worth trying something as we are not point racing. We are not worried about it if we run third. Winning would have been nice and the paycheck is a little bit better. We come to win and we also come to get better. Trying things is what we need to do to do that. Thanks to all my guys. My dad, Zach, Joe, Uncle B, Zach’s mom Tracey, my wife and daughter, she turns two tomorrow. That is big and exciting. I wish I could have brought her a trophy home. We will go have a party tomorrow and enjoy the weekend.”
This Saturday, September 24th, Roa will be back in Jayson May’s #8M for the USAC West Coast Series race at Jim Naylor’s Ventura Raceway. Thus far in 2022, Roa has made two appearances at Ventura. On June 11th he placed second in the USAC/CRA main and on August 27th, he won the West Coast Series main in May’s car. Three weeks before that, he drove May’s car, which is a 360, to the win in the USAC/CRA 410 main event at the Santa Maria Raceway.
For fans who would like to attend Saturday’s race to see Roa driving the #8M, spectator gates will open at 3:00 p.m. and the first race will be at 5:30. The track is located on the Ventura County Fairgrounds at 10 W. Harbor Boulevard (93001). The website is http://venturaraceway.com/ and the office phone number is (805) 648-RACE. Adult tickets are $22.00. Seniors 60 and over, military with id, and students with id get in for $18.00. Children 12 and under are free when they are accompanied by an adult.
If you wish to hear Roa’s recent appearance on the Dirt Tracks and Rib Racks podcast, you can do so at the following link https://spoti.fi/3cjQrLL.
In 2022, Roa is racing in the USAC/CRA, USAC National, and other select events, in his #91R BR Performance/HD Industries Eagle. He will also drive the #8M for May Motorsports in select USAC West Coast events. The 2019 USAC Southwest and 2017 USAC West Coast champion is always open to discussing other driving opportunities.
Roa and the team want to thank the following sponsors for making the 2022 season possible. HD Industries, Burris Racing, Sander Engineering, Inland Rigging, Caltrol, “Biker” Bruce Fischer, Competition Suspension, ALR Virtual Services, K-1 Race Gear, Molecule, Rod End Supply, Driven Racing Oil, Baldwin Filters, and NGK Spark Plugs. In addition, the veteran driver offers thanks to RDM Mechanics, Fastenal, Coopers Propane, Ten West Towing, Ten West Environmental, TJM Distribution, and Westco International for sponsoring the #8M he will pilot for Jayson May on 10 occasions in 2022.
If you or your company would like to jump on board and receive recognition as a team partner throughout the 2022 racing season, please give the two-time USAC champion racer a phone call or drop him a note at the contact information on the top of this release.
Fans can learn more about Roa and the team at https://www.brodyroa.com/. Fans can also check out the team news at Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/br91r/.
To keep up with May Motorsports, please check out and “like” its Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/MayMotorsports8M
BRP PR
- Andy Jankowiak Goes Bananas at Talladega, But a Strong Performance Ends Six Laps Early for KLAS Motorsports - April 22, 2024
- Many Different Winners Celebrate Victory at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway - April 22, 2024
- Kaleb Johnson Primed for World of Outlaws Weekend at Knoxville Raceway - April 22, 2024