Jeremy Alves Battles Back from Heartbreak to Earn Runner-Up Finish at Santa Maria Speedway
SANTA MARIA, CA — Two weeks after experiencing one of the most heartbreaking nights of his season, Jeremy Alves and the Alves Motorsports team returned to Santa Maria Speedway with a new motor, an extra set of hands, and something to prove.
At the previous Santa Maria event, Jeremy had built a commanding lead and appeared headed toward victory when the motor in the No. 81a let go on lap 24 of the 25-lap main event.
Instead of celebrating in Victory Lane, the team returned home with a broken race car and a long two weeks ahead.
The Alves Motorsports crew immediately went to work. Late nights at the shop became the norm as the team worked tirelessly to get a new motor installed and the No. 81a ready to race again.
When the team finally pulled through the gates at Santa Maria Speedway, there was an additional crew member joining the effort — Jeremy’s older brother, AJ.
With the car back together, the team’s focus for the night was simple: get the new motor on the track, work through any issues, and give Jeremy a car capable of competing at the front.
During hot laps and qualifying, Jeremy felt comfortable behind the wheel, but the speed wasn’t quite where he wanted it. He qualified 9th, sending the team back to the trailer looking for adjustments before the heat race.
Jeremy lined up 5th for his heat.
When the green flag dropped, the changes were already beginning to show. Jeremy felt more comfortable in the car and began searching around the speedway for the fastest line. By the time the checkered flag waved, he had gained a position and brought the No. 81a home in 4th.
There was progress, but the team knew there was more to find.
Back in the pits, the crew went right back to work, fine-tuning the car and new motor in an effort to give Jeremy exactly what he needed for the main event.
While the crew worked, Jeremy’s mom headed to Fan Fest with a different mission.
With Santa Maria Speedway celebrating Back to School Night, she handed out special Jeremy Alves Racing fan packs to the kids in attendance. Connecting with young race fans has become an important part of race nights for the Alves family, and the team was excited to send the kids home with something special before the night’s main event.
Then it was time to race.
Jeremy lined up 4th, on the outside of the second row, for the Quick Change Liquid Energy main event.
An early caution quickly reset the field, putting Jeremy back in his original 4th-place starting position for the restart.
This time, when the green flag flew, Jeremy immediately knew the crew had found something.
The No. 81a came to life.
Jeremy quickly worked his way into 3rd place and began closing on the leaders. On lap five, he made an impressive slide job to take over the 2nd position and immediately set his sights on race leader Davey Pombo.
Jeremy continued to charge, looking for an opportunity to challenge Pombo for the top spot. He couldn’t quite get close enough to make the move, but after everything the team had been through during the previous two weeks, Jeremy crossed the finish line with a hard-earned 2nd-place podium finish.
From losing a potential victory with half a lap remaining two weeks earlier to returning with a new motor and fighting for the win, the runner-up finish represented much more than another podium for the Alves Motorsports team.
It represented the work that happened when no one was watching.
The late nights. The sacrifices. The family members and friends who showed up at the shop. And a crew that simply refused to quit.
“I’m proud of everyone who worked so hard to get us back here,” said Alves. “After what happened at the last race, they could have been discouraged, but they went right back to work. We were still figuring some things out tonight, but by the main the car felt really good. To come back and finish second after the last two weeks says a lot about this team.”
Jeremy and the Alves Motorsports crew will continue working to fine-tune the new combination as they prepare to return to Santa Maria Speedway on August 29.
After another podium finish, the No. 81a team will be looking to take one more step when they return.
Jeremy Alves would like to thank his 2026 sponsors: Alves & Sons Diesel Repair, Hanford Auto Sales, Westscapes, VanEssen Motorsports, Pacific Towing, and series sponsor Quick Change Liquid Energy.
Jeremy would also like to thank his family, crew, friends, fans, and everyone who helped get the No. 81a back on the racetrack after the team’s heartbreaking motor failure.
Fans can follow Jeremy on social media and visit JeremyAlves.com for the latest race updates, recaps, photos, merchandise, and schedule information.
For sponsorship or media inquiries, contact Jeremy at jalves81a@gmail.com.