When Perris Auto Speedway kicks off its 26th season of racing action with LKQ Pick Your Part Night of Destruction #1 on March 5th, two longtime, valuable employees will not be at their familiar posts. Starter Kevin Winters and scoreboard operator Cruz Gomez both worked their final race at the track last November.
Winters has been in the flag stand at The PAS for over a dozen years working all shows including USAC and World of Outlaws Sprint Cars, PASSCAR Stock Cars, IMCA Modifieds, and Nights of Destruction. Gomez joined the staff about a half-decade ago in his teens. Both have excelled at their respective duties and have earned the admiration of drivers, fans, and fellow employees
Winters is stepping aside to spend more time with the family. Gomez advised late last season that he had joined the United States Navy and would be leaving in February.
“Kevin and Cruz have done phenomenal for us during their tenures at Perris Auto Speedway,” promoter Don Kazarian said. “They have both performed flawlessly in their respective positions. It seems like Kevin has been with us forever. He is always there early to not only prepare himself for the night of racing but also to help with whatever else he could around the track. Cruz has done the same. He is always on time, and he learned a job that is not as easy as it sounds. He did incredibly well, and we are proud that he has joined the Navy. We hope to see both around the racetrack when their schedules permit.
PAS scoreboard operator Cruz Gomez has joined the United States Navy.
Winters initially planned to step aside after the 2020 season. But when it was canceled due to COVID, he decided to come back in 2021.
The search for a new starter ended up being a short one and it was filled by a familiar face around The PAS and to longtime Speedway Motorcycle racing fans. Steve Russell, who served as the scoreboard operator before Gomez came on board and who was a First Division Speedway racer in Southern California, expressed interest in being the new starter. Remembering his work on the scoreboard, Kazarian liked the idea. Russell immediately began attending all the races and was in the flag stand learning from Winters. He progressed quickly and was waving the flags alongside Winters at many of the races as the season progressed.
“Steve did an excellent job for us when he worked the scoreboard a few years ago,” Kazarian stated. “When his name came up as a potential starter it was a no-brainer to give him a shot at the job after seeing how well he did on the board. He is going to do incredibly well as a starter. When we brought him in, he got to learn from Kevin, who is one of the best starters in the country. In the races Steve flagged for us last year he did a great job. Hopefully, he will be with us for a very long time.”
Russell has a very interesting tie to the history of dirt track racing in Southern California and Perris Auto Speedway. When legendary Ascot Park in Gardena was built in 1957, Russell’s grandfather’s company, Russell & Russell, put the grandstands in at the track. Thirty-nine years later when Perris Auto Speedway was built in 1996, Russell & Russell supplied the grandstands.
While the starter’s position has been filled, the search for a scoreboard operator still goes on. Those interested can call the track at (951) 940-0134 or send a message through the track’s Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/southerncaliforniaracing
Advance tickets for all PAS-promoted races will be available soon at www.tix.com. Tickets for the March 26th World of Outlaws – USAC/CRA So Cal Showdown are on sale now at the following link https://mpv.tickets.com/?orgid=52711&agency=WRG_SNG_MPV&eventID=73567
Fans can stay up to date on track and driver news on The PAS social media efforts at the links below.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Perris-Auto-Speedway/113876798686480?ref=hl
Twitter: Perris Auto Speedway on Twitter.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/perrisautospeedway/
Website: http://perrisautospeedway.com/
Perris Auto Speedway wants to thank the following corporate partners. Ahern Equipment Rentals, All Coast Construction, Anderson Chevrolet, Battery Systems, Bud’s Tire Pro, Chris’ Hauling, City of Perris, Communication Innovations, Daytona Boat & RV Storage, Ed Moore Bullet Proof Driveshaft, Flowdynamics, HD Industries, Heimark/Anheuser Busch, Hoosier Tires, Inland Rigging, Living Water’s Hospice, LKQ Pick Your Part, Luke’s Transmission, Moose Racing, Pepsi-Cola, Performance Online, Pole Position, PrintItNow.com, Rainbow Bolt & Supply, Rugged Radios, Shaver Specialties, Square H, Sunoco Race Fuels, Trench Shoring, Upland Rock, Varner Construction and Vista Paint.
Video and DVD productions of all racing sprint cars events at Perris Auto Speedway are available from Loudpedal Productions. For more information on these productions you can contact them by calling (805) 844-3854, E-mailing mailto:[email protected] or you can visit the website LoudPedal Productions.
DVDs of all the PASSCAR/IMCA racing and Nights of Destruction at The PAS are available from Fourvideos. For more information call (714) 225-9500.
PAS PR
