50 Year Old Racer Will Try To Go 6 for 6 on July 2nd
FLASH! He’s the guy credited as the father of Skid Plate racing; the guy who is often pictured a couple of feet off the ground “piloting” his bright orange #7 Pick Your Part-sponsored Chevy El Camino right through the middle of an unsuspecting trailer or motor home. The burly, bearded driver from Lawndale has been a crowd favorite for many years at the Speedway and his record of event wins is right at the top of the heap (so to speak).
Entering and competing in every event (all six of them) will be a singular achievement for the 50 year old who has been racing, “…Since I was a kid.” “Hey, he’s still something of a kid to us,” said Irwindale Race Director Mike Atkinson. “Robert is always having fun, always working on his car or someone else’s. I think the only time that he ever sits down at the race track is when he’s actually in the racecar. He’s always ready to help anyone, and just as ready to then go out and beat them on the racetrack … good guy … great competitor.”
On Saturday night racer Rice will be “sitting down” in six different types of competition cars. The list includes the Pick Your Part Late Models where he’ll drive his old faithful #26, after that there’s Seidner’s Collision Centers Enduro and Skid Plate events, some Pick Your Part Auto Soccer, a Figure 8 Enduro, and what could be called his “speciality”, the ever popular Trailer Race where his aura is much like the Shark in the waters off Amity Island … a lurking presence that should have its own really dire, “Thump, thump, thump” sound track.
Six in a night is a record for the track and a task that Rice, when interviewed about it, sounded positively unconcerned. “I’ve run in four or five events on a single night, I’ve got a great crew, and should be fun for the fans, whether they’re rooting for me to make it or not.
The smart money is on Robert Rice not only to actually be able to take part in all six of the above “motorized gauntlets”, but that he’ll point well in all of them and very likely grab the winner’s brass ring in more than one!
Pick Your Part Head Man Tony Martinez, Rice’s long-time sponsor, put the tone on the night, “This is a quiet guy who just loves the sport and really spreads that love around, fans, buddies, other drivers, other teams … They all respect this guy no end, and for good reason. I’ll be there cheering him on!”
Of course, and adding to the fun and excitement for the Independence Day weekend, Irwindale will feature one of its spectacular fireworks presentations to close out the special night.
Tickets to see Robert Rice attempt to set a new performance record are on sale now by phone (626) 358-1100 and on the Speedway website: