Jeremy Alves Honors Grandfather’s Legacy with Emotional Podium Finish at Santa Maria Speedway
SANTA MARIA, CA — June 27 was more than just another race night for Jeremy Alves and the Alves Motorsports team.
It was a night dedicated to the memory of Jeremy's grandfather, Augie, whose passion for racing helped shape generations of the Alves family. Augie tragically lost his life in a racing accident on May 15, 2010, but his influence continues to live on every time Jeremy straps into the No. 81a sprint car.
Carrying that legacy into another California Sprint Series event at Santa Maria Speedway, Jeremy was determined to put together a performance his grandfather would be proud of.
A field of 11 California Sprint Series drivers checked into the pits for the evening, and the Alves Motorsports team came prepared to try a few new setup changes in search of extra speed.
Jeremy went out 9th in the qualifying order and immediately felt comfortable behind the wheel. Throughout his qualifying laps, he searched multiple grooves around the speedway and experimented with different racing lines, but when the session concluded, he found himself 7th quick.
While the result wasn't what the team had hoped for, they knew there was still plenty of racing ahead.
Jeremy lined up on the pole for Heat Race #1 and got a strong start, diving to the bottom of turn one before sliding up to the cushion exiting turn two in front of veteran driver George Tristao Jr..
As the laps clicked off, however, it became clear the setup wasn't quite matching the changing track conditions. Tristao worked his way by, followed shortly after by Davey Pombo.
Then the complexion of the race changed.
On lap five, Tristao caught the cushion entering turn one, sending his car into a hard crash that unfortunately ended his evening. Thankfully, George walked away from the incident.
Following the restart, Jeremy lined up third behind Joe Delisle and Pombo.
Determined to find speed, Jeremy tried a different line through turns one and two, making a strong move around Pombo exiting turn two. From there, he put together several consistent laps to finish the heat race in 2nd place.
Back in the pits, the Alves Motorsports crew immediately went to work, making additional adjustments in hopes of giving Jeremy what he needed for the feature event.
While the crew prepared the No. 81a, Jeremy headed to Fan Fest—one of his favorite parts of every race weekend.
Jeremy spent time signing autographs, visiting with fans, and debuting his brand-new trading cards. As always, he made sure every young fan also received a special trading card featuring his beloved shop dog, Mater, who has quickly become a fan favorite of his own.
When it came time for the Quick Change Liquid Energy main event, Jeremy rolled off from the outside of the third row in 6th.
As the green flag flew, Jeremy wasted little time moving forward, quickly advancing into 5th place.
Just four laps into the race, Jeremy found himself in the middle of an exciting three-car battle with Phil Heynen and Pombo. The three cars made contact and became tangled together, but all were able to continue without coming to a stop.
Although the caution flag was displayed, race officials ruled it an inadvertent yellow since no cars had stopped on the racetrack. The field was restored to its previous running order for the restart. Unfortunately for Pombo, the contact resulted in a flat tire, forcing him to the work area and ending his bid for a podium finish.
On the restart, Jeremy immediately went back on the attack.
Entering turns one and two, he executed a perfectly timed slide job on Heynen to take over 3rd place before setting his sights on second.
With just four laps remaining, Jeremy threw everything he had at Cody Samuels in an exciting battle for the runner-up position. Despite a determined slide-job attempt, the move came up just short.
Jeremy crossed the finish line in 3rd place, earning yet another podium finish in what was an emotional and meaningful night for the Alves family.
“This race meant a little more to our family,” said Alves. “Everything we do is because of the people who came before us, especially my grandpa. Racing has always been part of our family's story, and being able to honor his legacy with another podium at Santa Maria makes this one really special.”
The podium finish continued Jeremy's impressive consistency throughout the 2026 California Sprint Series season and served as another reminder of the determination that has defined the Alves family for generations.
Jeremy and the Alves Motorsports team would like to thank everyone who stopped by during Fan Fest. Seeing so many familiar faces, signing autographs, and sharing the excitement with fans is one of the highlights of every race weekend. The team also appreciates Santa Maria Speedway and its staff for continuing to create one of the best race-day experiences for both competitors and fans.
Jeremy now turns his attention to his next event on July 25, when the California Sprint Series returns to Santa Maria Speedway for another exciting night of racing.
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.
Fans can follow Jeremy on social media and visit JeremyAlves.com for the latest race updates, recaps, photos, and schedule information.
For sponsorship or media inquiries, contact Jeremy at jalves81a@gmail.com.