TULARE, Calif. – There are few race tracks where it can be said that one man made the facility possible. Tulare Thunderbowl Raceway is one of those tracks created by one man.
The well-known three-eighths-mile dirt oval exists because of the efforts of Steve Faria.
Faria was first involved in racing with dune buggies, did some sand racing, and then switched to asphalt racing, all being dragstrip-type action.
During the early 90’s the Tulare track was for sale. Faria got his father and uncle involved, they took over the fairgrounds track, and raced mini-sprints from 1993 until the late 90’s.
“I like drag racing,” noted Faria. “It’s my forte. I also like sprint cars on dirt. I guess I got the racing bug from my dad as he used to race drag boats. I have a top fuel car which I race now and then. It’s in the three second range, about 315 mph, as we only race 1,000 feet.”
As Faria moved into higher speed divisions, he built the necessary skills to handle the forces and said he is belted in so well that he becomes part of the car.
Just having turned 71, Faria hasn’t raced his top fuel car for a while due to COVID-19.
“I still like to do it, but I am near the end of my driving career,” said Faria. “I’m not young, but I think young.”
Always a person to have several things going on, Faria also started a company to build oil filters for drag cars and then added an air filter business for the same clientele. He also has a magneto shop and builds many for sprint cars.
As if that wasn’t enough to keep busy, Faria is a partner with a brother and cousins in owning Tulare Golf Course. He also is part of Faria Land and Cattle, which farms 5,000 acres, and the group owns four dairies.
The original Tulare track was much smaller that the current version. Drivers such as Jason Meyers and Tommy Tarlton won championships on the smaller oval, located inside what is now the rebuilt track.
“My uncle’s boys, Danny and Mike, wanted to run sprint cars,” Faria recalled, “so in the late 90’s we decided to build a sprint car track. We built walls, brought in the clay, and I tore down the new track three or four times to make changes.
“When we first built the track it was too small for sprint cars, so the fair manager let me tear out some trees and stuff, and the result was 2000 feet on the wall and 1700 feet on the pole. I moved the north end of the track about 100 feet to make what we have today.”
Everything about the track, including the recently rebuilt walls and the complete replacement of the frontstretch wall – which was $35,000 alone – is paid for by Faria. So, too, is the ongoing project to switch all the track lights to LED.
The one light pole that is already done at the end of the frontstretch was $11,000. He owns the walls, etc, so if he ever leaves the walls go with him per the contract.
K-Rail, a California term for jersey barriers, is now in place at the bottom of both ends of the oval.
Faria explained the change by saying, “I got a lot of complaints about the tires that were there. Now I will raise the bottom of the track so the rails are only about a foot tall. To me it looks cleaner.”
As to this October’s Trophy Cup and how many fans need to be allowed for it to work, Faria said, “The Trophy Cup, to put it on, costs me $230,000. Honestly, we need a full house because this is expensive to put on. This thing is going to open up.
“I’ll do what I need to do.”
Doing what needs to be done describes what Steve Faria has done since taking over the racing in Tulare in 1993.
Thunderbowl Raceway is in good hands and will continue to be improved with his effort and dedication.