It has been over two months since 16 year old SRL driver Dallas Montes has got to climb behind the wheel of of his 575 horsepower MMI, Bakersfield Jam #17 Chevy. A very long two months according to Montes, but that is about to change this weekend in Irwindale.

" I can't wait. We really have not got the chance to show how well we can run. The car is fast I just have to be more patient," said Montes. " It has been a long two months but the team has really needed to focus on the K&N effort with Mayhew (David). Him winning the championship is the goal of the whole MMI team myself included."

That team approach is part of the reason Montes has been out of action for two months. He was originally slated to drive a K&N West car in Irwindale July 3rd, but with Mayhew in contention for the championship it was decided to try to not stretch the team too thin. " MMI does not have full time people like some other teams and the prep work on the K&N cars is very time consuming and we didn't want to burn out the great help that we do have. If Dallas would have wrecked one of the K&N cars at Irwindale it would have really put us behind so we decided to focus with Dallas on the SRL series for the rest of this year," said owner Steve McGowan. That is just fine with Montes. " I love the tour cars," said Dallas. " I really want to see David win the title. I've known him since I was a little kid and he is one of the best, if not the best, on the West Coast."

So while most of team MMI heads to Portland this weekend, Montes and a small group of volunteers will go to the Toyota Speedway at Irwindale and try their luck against the top short track drivers on the West Coast. " We will be keeping tabs on each other throughout the weekend. Dallas has shown he is fast he just needs to get experience, but we need to remember he is only 16," said McGowan.

While Montes has been our of the seat of the SRL car he has been involved in racing the past couple of months. " I got to drive Austin Reeds backup legend car at Madera which was cool to drive another new track I had not seen, but the coolest thing I got to do was go with a couple of other drivers from the SRL to the Childrens Hospital in Madera. You really get a feel for how lucky we are to get to do this while kids are fighting for their life. It meant a lot to me," said the soon to be senior at Frontier High in Bakersfield. Dallas also saw racing from the pit crew side of the wall at Infineon, helping on a car rented by MMI to local driving instructor Dave Smith. " He was pretty good. He got into the top ten before a wreck knocked him back to 13th, but I did the catch can on the pit stops so that was fun, " said Montes.

Montes would like to thank MMI, The Bakersfield Jam, Victory Circle Race Cars, Rons Rear Ends, Delaney and Ahlf, Quality Diesel and Electric, FinishlineSigns, Henrys Race Prep and Joiner Motorsports for all the support. You can get the latest news and info on Dallas at www.dallasmontesracing.com or Racingwest.