Tornado Watch

Where do you think the term “The Tempe Tornado” comes from? A reference to the loftification of University Drive or the Anywhereville-ing of Mill Avenue? Nope, the moniker belongs to the one and only Lealand McSpadden, one of Manzanita Speedway’s greatest racecar drivers. The Arizona Motorsports Hall of Fame member, who retired in ’96, is still third in all-time wins on the CRA Sprint Car circuit with 78 first-place finishes. On Saturday, July 5, Phoenix’s most infamous dirt track pays homage to one of the Valley’s most infamous racers during the “Lealand Legacy” that features Arizona sprint cars on the half-mile and mini sprints on the quarter-mile track.
Sat., July 5, 7:30 p.m., 2008