SOUTHWELL HAS A BACKUP FOR SUPER LATE MODEL TWIN 50S.

Byline: TIM HADDOCK Motor Sports

Todd Southwell is bringing a little insurance to Irwindale Speedway.

The Canyon High graduate and leader in the track's NASCAR Super Late Model standings will have a backup car for tonight's twin 50s, a pair of 50-lap, 25-mile races.

``We're building a second car just in case,'' said Southwell, a driver from San Marcos, in San Diego County. ``We can't afford to have something happen and miss points. We need to have this here.''

Southwell has slipped to sixth place in the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Racing Series Division IV standings after leading two weeks ago.

He opened the year in first, with two wins and four top-five finishes in the first four races of the year.

The Super Late Model drivers at Irwindale Speedway had last Saturday night off, which contributed to Southwell's drop in the standings.

He fell from third to sixth in the latest standings. Southwell said the recent drop could play in his favor.

``People are going to look at it the wrong way,'' Southwell said. ``We're flying below the radar. They won't see us coming.''

After winning two of the first three races of the year, Southwell has posted third- and fifth-place finishes. He has had to work his way through the field in the past two races to finish near the top.

``For as bad as things could have gone for us, we've come out looking pretty good,'' Southwell said. ``We're having a good season luck-wise and performance-wise.''

Southwell isn't taking any chances. He's been working on the back-up car since December and says it's probably a little faster than his primary car.

``In theory, this car should be all the more better than the one we're driving now,'' Southwell said. ``It's faster, but we want a couple of nights of practice. No two cars are the same. We just don't have time for it.''

Jeff Malave, a regular racer at Thompson (Conn.) International Speedway, leads the Division IV standings with 434 points, but is coming off a 15th-place finish in his latest race at Stafford Motor Speedway.

Todd Patnode, who competes at Twin State Speedway in Claremont, N.H., vaulted to second by winning his first race in the track's Pro Late Model class. He has 388 points.

Southwell has 336 points. He trails the fifth-place driver, Donnie Brazemore Sr., who races at Oglethorpe Speedway Park in Savannah, Ga., by two points.

NASCAR Grand American Modifieds, Mini Stocks, Dodge Super Trucks and USAC Ford Focus Midgets are scheduled to race tonight.

Canyon Country's John Watkinson leads the Grand Am standings. He won the March 12 Grand Am race, his first of the year.

Palmdale's Joe Ruggles, who won the first two races of the Grand Am season, is third in points.

Cory Fancy of Canyon Country leads the Dodge Super Trucks Series standings. He has one win and four top-five finishes and holds an eight- point edge over Ron Peterson of Riverside.

Gates open at 4:30 p.m. Races start at 6.

--Indy Racing League: Honda-powered teams took the top seven spots in last year's Indianapolis 500, with Buddy Rice winning for Rahal Letterman Racing, followed by three Andretti Green Racing drivers.

It was one of the most dominant performances by an engine manufacturer at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Valencia's Bryan Herta says Honda expects nothing less this year.

``From what the drivers have been told, Honda wants to win this race,'' said Herta, who finished fourth in last year's Indy 500 and will start 18th this year. ``That's the goal. I think they would love to see the kind of result we had last year for them.''

Honda Performance Development is based in Santa Clarita.

Although Honda teams dominated, Herta said the other two Indy Racing League engine manufacturers, Chevrolet and Toyota, have made significant gains the past year.

``We're not taking anything for granted,'' said Herta, a Hart High of Newhall graduate and driver of the No. 7 entry for Andretti Green Racing. ``I think the Toyota and Chevrolet programs are closer. There's a lot more parity amongst the engines now. Last year I think we had a little bit of a leg up. And I'm not so sure we do now.''

CAPTION(S):

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Photo:

(ran in SAC edition only) Buddy Rice won last year's Indianapolis 500, leading Honda engine-equipped drivers to the first seven spots.

Robert LaSerge/Getty Images

Box:

(ran in SAC edition only) INDY RACING LEAGUE