RIDDLE HEADS TO VEGAS
Northwest racing star Tayler Riddle has had an abbreviated 2020 season, with the on-set of the Covid-19 virus restrictions. Riddle has only attended two events this season, but ran well in both. Riddle finished fourth in the Fall Classic at Yakima Speedway in October, just behind his brother Owen. On January 31st, Riddle finished third in the Spears Srl Southwest Tour Series portion of the $25,000-to-win All-Star Showdown at Irwindale Speedway, before scaling 0.2% over on left side weight, nullifying his great run. The lack of racing experience in 2020 does give the veteran racer some concern, as he heads for his second SPEARS SRL Southwest Tour Series start of the season.
“With only running two races this year, it has probably hindered us as a team some”, Riddle explained. “With how fast everything changes, the more races you can run and build your program the better you are as a driver and team.”
As Riddle heads to the LVMS Bullring and Dirt Track for the $10,000-to-win “Retro Custom Metals 137”, on November 21st, he is no stranger to big Super Late Model events. Riddle has five victories in the Northwest Super Late Model Series, in only 22 starts. He has a victory in the Chilly Willy 150, and scored a massive win at the Summer Showdown at Evergreen Speedway in Monroe, WA. He was the winner of the prestigious Fall Classic at Yakima Speedway in 2015, while making his debut in the NASCAR ARCA Menard West Series, in 2017. In that event, he finished fifth, after qualifying second at Evergreen Speedway.
Riddle will return to the “Bullring” for only the second time in his racing career. His only appearance was in 2016, at the Senator’s Cup Fall Classic for Super Late Models. In that event he finished a disappointing 20th, as Riddle recalled.
“My only experience with the Bullring was racing there once at the 2016 Fall Classic. I qualified decent, but had a mechanical issue in the race. The track was challenging but a lot of fun!”
In addition to his minimal experience with the track, Riddle will be getting used to the competitors in the SPEARS Southwest Tour Series as well. He participated in the season opener, but that was his only experience with most of the “Tour’s” competitors, as he explained when asked about his approach to that challenge.
“Well if it’s early in a race, and I am racing around someone for the first time, I’m going to be a little cautious. Other than that, you just have to trust one another.”
Riddle has competed against some of the series competitors outside of the SRL, such as the Governor’s Cup at the Bullring, the Montana 200 at Montana Raceway Park, and the Summer Showdown at Evergreen Speedway. He knows the competition will be stiff amongst all the competitors, but there are several he is especially looking forward to competing against.
The SRL always produces strong competition and tough fields”, Riddle professed. “I’ve enjoyed racing with guys like Derek Thorn, Preston Peltier and Linny White to name a few. They’re all very tough, and a lot of fun to race with.”
He will also be competing against another competitor, for which he is extremely familiar with. The driver also hails from Naches, WA and comes from the same childhood household as Tayler. That driver is his older brother Owen Riddle. Both drivers have been very successful, when it comes to their racing careers, with Owen holding a slight edge in marquee wins, track championships and experience. But both drivers must be looked at as favorites, in any event that they attend. But who is the most competitive of the two brothers? Not even Tayler has the answer for that.
“I think we are both very competitive”, Riddle asserted. “We both put in a lot of time doing this, and both want to see results and win. It is hard to give an exact answer on a comparison.”
To make the 1,000-mile trip from Naches, WA to Las Vegas, NV, it takes a great deal of help. Tayler is thankful for all that have supported his racing and
“I would first like to thank my parents for their support”, Riddle began. “Also, I’d like to thank all my sponsors for all their help; Jim’s hay supplies, Don Riddle Excavating, Primary Electric, FinishLine Signs and VanDoorn Racing Development. Also, all my crew help and their families, for allowing them to take time away to come to all of these races!”
The “Retro Custom Metals 137” will be run on November 21st, with $10,000 going to the winner thanks to David Nava Mulcahy (Homie). The Spears Modified Series will join the SRL in the event, for the “OPTIMA Batteries 75 presented by “FAST – Fuel Air Spark Technology”. Practice will occur on Friday the 20th, with three sessions for the Super Late Models, beginning at 3:45 pm (PST) and ending at 7:30 pm. Saturday will find the Super Late Models practicing from 12:15 pm to 1:00 pm. Qualifying is scheduled for 3:15 pm. The feature event will follow qualifying. There will be a halfway break on lap 68.
If you can’t attend the event, catch the action at www.SpearsRacing.TV, with your paid subscription.
