|
PLACERVILLE, CA –
FEBRUARY 24, 2008 --- Over the past few seasons a trip to the local race track has changed in the way of entertainment for spectators. What was once a monotone, redundant routine every week in the way of grandstand entertainment has since transformed into spectator involvement during a race program.
Events ranging from fan participation, contests and the use of broadcast musical tracks prior to and throughout an evening’s race program have become common place in an effort to maintain the interest of spectators and make weekly short track racing a true “bang for your buck” entertainment value. In today’s economy that customers have a enjoyable night at the track, even if its on a night when the racing action is rarely sub par.
With the combined efforts of John Padjen Motorsports and Concord musician Ron Pestana, both Placerville Speedway and Silver Dollar Speedway will have their very own upbeat soundtrack for the 2008 racing season. Over the past two months, Pestana and his “Pit Crew” have been working with Bill Sullivan, Communications Director of John Padjen Motorsports to produce a number of productions that are customized for the local tracks and racing venues.
“All I can really say is this is very cool,” explained Sullivan. “In today’s economy we must give our spectators more that just laps and results each night. Our “dead air” time must be utilized efficiently and still remain entertaining. This area band has a sound and a style that is truly unique and we are proud to form this partnership with them for our year to come.”
On a typical race night at Placerville Speedway it is not uncommon to see a near capacity filled grandstand dancing to the well known 80’s favorite “YMCA” with the guidance of fan friendly flagman starter Ed Entz or rocking out to the all time arena favorite “We Will Rock You.” In 2008 spectators will likely continue those activities between events but they will also be rocking out to the sounds of Pestana with tracks that have been customized specifically for each venue.
“It’s Saturday night and we are dirt track racing…..Placerville Speedway, it’s main event time, tighten your belts and put it on the line,” is just a small sample of some of the custom lyrics contained in Pestana’s number titled ‘Dirt Track Racing,” a catchy rock number that could even get a non-race fan hyped up for the show Additional titles are underway that will contain locally based lyrics for the Civil War Series, Golden State Challenge and Silver Dollar Dollar Speedway.
Pestana has done custom tracks for Altamont Motorsports Park, The All American Speedway, the Alberta Canada Sprint Car Series. His song titled “99 Speedway” was performed for the final night of competitive at the Stockton 99 Speedway and the number titled “Fence Kids” is a song nearly all life long race fans can relate to as it talks about growing up at your local speedway.
Ron Pestana and the Pit Crew is a one of a kind band. A northern California short track truck racing champion and singer/songwriter who teamed up with long time music producer/musician and owner of Bill Bentley Productions, Ron Pestana and Bill Bentley of Concord, California, have blended their passions to produce the hottest racing music known today.
It was 2004 and Ron was in his third season of racing Mini Super Trucks at Altamont Motorsports Park when he met Bill at a Fan Appreciation night. Bill was an avid fan with a dream of driving a race car. He listened with interest as the track announcer talked of Ron's original racing music and his quest for a record deal. Later that night Bill approached Ron with a unique proposal: "I can make you a recording artist if you can make me a race car driver". Realizing they shared the same passions, a partnership was formed. What they couldn’t have known, was the immense impact they would have on each other's lives.
At that time, Ron's primary racing sponsor was Lemans Karting, a state of the art European style indoor go-kart racing facility in Fremont, California. Ron arranged for free unlimited kart racing for Bill and himself in lieu of monetary exchange. This would be Bill's race training ground. At the same time, Bill took Ron into his recording studio and together they began recording Ron's first songs. During those first months, Ron and Bill layed down hundreds of laps together on the karting race course.
Several months into the 2004 racing season their first song, "Short Track Racing", had been completed. They gave the recording to Altamont's track announcer, Australia's Outback Andy, who began playing the song on the speedway sound system during race nights. Reaction to their music was overwhelming! Short track racing music was new to drivers and race fans and the songs uniqueness was due to the fact that it had been written by and from the perspective of a short track racer. This powerful song took the local racing community by storm; it was an immediate hit and a racing anthem was born.
As time went on, Bill displayed natural talent for karting as he progressed quickly in his racing abilities. Ron called friend Greg Rahl, owner of "Spectator Racing", a distinctive racing program at All-American Speedway in Roseville, California. Spectator Racing had evolved from a program Greg had created at Altamont several years earlier called "Corporate American Modifieds". Greg had built a fleet of "arrive and drive" modified race cars that aspiring racers could rent to race. Nowhere in the country was there a program like this; a program that allowed participants to actually race a real race car at race speeds without liability to the driver if they crashed the car. This program had been Ron's initial doorway to his racing dream in 2001. He had participated in 16 races finishing third in the series point standings before moving to the Mini Super Truck Division in 2002. Ron finished the Mini Super Truck 2004 season with seven main event wins, earning fourth in the final point standings.
In the 2005 season, Ron and Bill signed up to race the SRS Modifieds at All-American Speedway on the nights that Ron wasn't running his truck at Altamont. At the same time, they began writing racing music together turning out song after song about their racing experiences . Their music's popularity grew as their songs were being played at more speedways throughout California. Ron and Bill ran three race days in the Spectator Racing cars that year where Bill continued to show great promise as a racer. Ron missed winning the Mini Super Truck Championship at Altamont that year by a mere 12 points, finishing second in the final point standings. .
By the end of the 2005 season, Ron and Bill had recorded a total of eight songs; enough for the release of their first CD. Thanks to Bill's new bride Angelina, who named the band Ron Pestana and the Pit Crew, the CD "Short Track Racing" was ready to be released to the racing community where it became an overnight success. The stage was now set for great things to come for their music and racing partnership.
In 2006 it came together in a blaze of glory. Their songs were a staple at their home track of Altamont Motorsports Park and the announcers had given Ron the nickname of "Rockin' Ron Pestana”. The account of Ron and Bill's racing and rock and roll was known by many. The track obtained NASCAR sanctioning with Ron competing in the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Racing Series. This was also the year that Ron and Bill began their search for musicians so they could begin to perform live. They soon realized that like the California tracks where their music had become popular, there were hundreds of additional short tracks throughout the country where drivers and fans were craving their one of a kind sound. They offered their music for use on track websites and speedway sound systems at no charge, just an exchange for a link back to Ron and Bill’s website www.pestanaracing.com <http://www.pestanaracing.com/>, where hungry racing music fans could purchase the complete CD or download individual songs for just .98 cents each; 98 was Ron's racing number. Many tracks have taken advantage of Ron and Bill’s ability to customize their songs for individual speedways or racing series.
Near the end of the 2006 racing season, their music had expanded to tracks beyond the boundaries of California. Together they penned "99 Speedway" and gave the song to the Stockton, California track of the same name. The track was closing after 60 years and the song was played during a fireworks display on the famous speedway’s final night of competition.
On September 21, 2006, Ron entered the last race of the season in second place by a mere three points. In one of the most exciting truck races in memory, Ron drove to a second place finish in the main event and captured the 2006 Mini Super Truck Championship. In front of his fans, Ron stood on the roof of his race truck with fists in the air, while their song "Victory Lane" blasted over the track sound system. It was an emotional moment and the culmination of a lifelong dream. Forty years earlier Ron’s late father, John Pestana, had built the legendary speedway, and not since the famous Rolling Stones concert in 1969, had rock and roll music returned to Altamont Speedway with such purpose.
The story really begins here. Ron had his championship and the music was growing in popularity, but what about Bill’s dream? Ron was about to present him with an exciting new idea.
Through Bill’s training over the last several years in the go-karts and modifieds, he was ready for short track NASCAR racing. Ron proposed that for the 2007 season he would share his championship #98 truck ride with him. Altamont changed the name of the division from Mini Super Trucks to Pro-Trucks. Before the 2007 season began, Bill had several very successful test sessions in #98. His big night was fast approaching; Bill’s first NASCAR event.
The anticipation had been excruciating with the first date rained out. Finally, on May 21, 2007, it was Bill’s first professional race at Altamont, driving in the Pro-Truck NASCAR Whelan Weekly Racing Series. He finished third in the main event earning a spot on the podium. It was no longer a dream. Bill was now a race car driver. Ron ran several races that year, but his focus had turned to the promotion of their music and writing and recording songs for their next CD.
In 2008, Ron and Bill are concentrating on the release of their second CD. They have recently added drummer Sean Kelly and have begun performing live at local speedways that sponsor their music. Their recent Canadian sponsorship by the Katana Sportsman Tour in British Columbia and the Alberta Sprint Tour in Alberta has expanded their music's popularity internationally to racing communities in the "Great White North".
Ron and Bill have fulfilled their commitment to one another; Bill is now a race car driver and Ron is a recording artist. The future looks extremely bright for this exciting mix of grass roots short track racers and classic rock and rollers.
Pestana is currently working to complete the full soundtrack for John Padjen Motorsports which will be put to use as early as the opening night at Placerville Speedway on March 15th. During the season it is anticipated this soundtrack will become available for purchase in the novelty centers for each speedway for a very affordable price and it’s very own custom cover featuring both Placerville Speedway and Silver Dollar Speedway.
“We’re excited about this,” added Sullivan. “All too often we get caught up in car counts, meeting curfew and we must remember the fans in the seats, those are our customers and making sure they have an entertaining night is number one. We look forward to working with Ron Pestana and Bentley Productions for the year to come.”
To learn more about Ron Pestana and the Pit Crew visit their official website at www.concordmusicstudios.com or www.pestanaracing.com. Their first album can be purchased online and their second is due to be released soon. For further information on Placerville or Silver Dollar Speedway visit
www.johnpadjenmotorsports.com.
|
