surfnsprint

Mike Dyer was standing at the pit gates as I approached the pass house Saturday. I watched as he nudged the trailers through the gates, checked passes and just kept the whole mess under control. I like his action, he’s pleasant, but takes his job very seriously. He’s just one part of this amazing aggregation of track professionals; Phillip, Ken, Lee, Brian, Leah, Scott, Hobie and all the rest of you. Every weekend, their emphasis on safety, regulations and precision gives us racing second to none. Thanks to Jim and Cliff’s management, and this crew’s hard work, Ventura Raceway has garnered a reputation as the one of the nation’s premier short track venues.

This last VRA event of the season has a few loose ends to wrap up. Blake clinched the championship last week. However, three main event wins have gone to Wakim, Taylor and Kierce. Miller has two main event wins and a second in a Bandit event gives him another VRA first. I don’t think that counts as a main event win. Those first three drivers could claim four main event wins for bragging rights, or Miller could win and even it up between him and the boys. Point positions aren’t going to change, but who cares. They all want the consolation prize, most main event wins.

The seniors have nothing to settle. Wiley is the champion and took most wins with four. These guys are racing because that’s what they do.

VRA Senior Sprints Heat One starting lineup
45 Bob Hedlund	88 Jim Porter
52x John Richards	5c Steve Chuhaloff
10c Mark Chuhaloff	99k Ray Knight
0or Marlin Bowers

Jim Porter jumped right to business, closely followed by Steve Chuhaloff and Bob Hedlund. Ray Knight and Mark Chuhaloff were right behind them with Mark pushing hard. This was the first heat out, the track was still wet and the cars had to pick their way carefully. Porter was blasting along and soon lapped Bowers. Even in traffic, the order didn’t change, Porter took first, Steve took second, Hedlund took third and Ray Knight took the transfer.

VRA Senior Sprints Heat Two starting lineup
10 Tim Moon	22 Steve Stasa
21 Bob Alderman	44 Oren Prosser, Sr.
10A Danny Miller	3Y Grady Winkler
67 Ross Millar

Heat two had the same problem; the track was still a bit touchy. The drivers were eager but tentative. Tim Moon grabbed the front with a focused Stasa and a determined Prosser behind him. Alderman and Danny Miller were chasing fourth. Prosser drifted and almost lost it in turn three, but maintained and continued. Nobody crashed and the line up held all through the race. Moon crossed far out front, followed by Stasa, Prosser, Alderman, Miller, Winkler and Millar.

VRA Senior Sprints Heat Three starting lineup
2B Dave Marini	24w John Woodward
49 Ron Bach	75 Wiley Miller
60 Bill Leonard	1R Bruce Douglas
2c George Tuttle

The track was lining up and Marini, Woodward and Wiley Miller got started in that order. Tuttle, Douglas and Bach were coming up behind them. A few laps later, Woodward’s in first, Wiley second, Douglas in third and Bach in fourth. But before the finish “Way Out” Wiley gets past Woodward and Bach gets around Douglas. They finish with Miller, Woodward, Bach and Douglas.

VRA Sprint Cars Heat One starting lineup
25 Joe Henderson	55 Dennis Rodriquez
7x Bill Jones	09 Luis Espinoza
4P Tom Schneider	56 Steve Conrad
32 David Fox

Dennis “Ready” Rodriquez leaps into first, followed by second row Luis Espinoza (I don’t think there is anyone faster off the start than Luis - just my opinion). Henderson and Conrad are behind them. These four cars are as serious as monks and get on with an awesome race. Dennis is ready for a win and he knows he has competition. He is seamless on his approach and turns. He is doing what a winner has to do - drive perfectly. Luis looks like a Post-It Note stuck to Dennis’ rear end. He is looking for any opportunity but Dennis is holding. Henderson is also driving an excellent race with hardly any errors. Conrad doesn’t like fourth and he is straining and lifting on almost every turn. This is a tight pack, four cars in close combat. Conrad gets by Henderson and not much else is changing. Checkered flag goes to Rodriquez, followed by Espinoza, Conrad and Henderson (looking big). This is VRA heat racing at its best; tight driving, no crashes and deserving winners.

VRA Sprint Cars Heat Two starting lineup
44 Oren Prosser, Jr.	47 Wes Richardson
2c Nick Carlson	37NZ Hobie Conway
6 Todd Hunsaker	5 Mark Weitzman

Oren Prosser got right on it; you could tell he wanted that main event position. Richardson, young Nick Carlson and Hunsaker were following. Prosser is getting far out front. Carlson gets a little goosey coming out of turn two but holds his position. Suddenly something breaks on Prosser’s car in turn three, we are yellow and Prosser is out. Disappointing, as he was driving excellently. On the restart, everybody moves up one and finishes with Richardson, Carlson, Hunsaker and Weitzman. Prosser is done for the night.

VRA Sprint Cars Heat Three starting lineup
10A Blake Miller	83 John Nock
24w Guy Woodward	10c Bill Camarillo
9w Chris Wakim	5c Brian Camarillo

Blake took the front and Nock was in second. Woodward and Wakim were in third and fourth. Sticky track and Miller and Wakim were on it. Wakim soon dispensed with Woodward and Nock and moved into second. Now the fans were treated to a high-speed race with Wakim chasing down champ Miller. Further back Nock was doing a diligent job of holding on to third, Woodward in the transfer and Billy Camarillo trying to get in the race. Wakim was pushing hard but Miller was pushing harder. Miller took first and Wakim took second. Woodward got around Nock for third. Camarillo wanted the transfer and he was going to have to take it at the finish line. Nock kept a clean line and it was a photo finish for fourth. Officials announced that Camarillo nicked Nock for the transfer. Just plain fast.

VRA Sprint Cars Heat Four starting lineup
14 Tom Hendricks	11 Angel Figueroa
7 Greg Taylor	2s Kevin Kierce
69 David Sinsley	35 Mike Larson

Off the green flag and coming out of turn one, Taylor drifts badly and gathers up Figueroa, Kierce, Sinsley and Larson. It looks like a train wreck but everybody pushes off. Restart with the original lineup puts Hendricks in front, Figueroa in second, Kierce in third and Taylor in fourth. Kierce has no patience with third and passes Angel for second. Taylor has no patience with fourth and passes Angel for third. Tough crowd. When Hendricks wobbles in turn three impatient Kevin Kierce moves up again for first. On the white flag, Larson spins in turn one and we are yellow. Angel’s car is misfiring and he leaves the track. On a one-lap restart, Kierce takes first, Hendricks huge in second, Taylor taking third and Sinsley taking the transfer in the last heat race.

VRA Sprint Cars Semi Main starting lineup
4P Tom Schneider	5 Mark Weitzman
83 John Nock	11 Angel Figueroa
7x Bill Jones	44 Oren Prosser Jr.
5c Brian Camarillo	35 Mike Larson
32 David Fox

Last chance drive puts Tom Schneider and Mark Weitzman at the front of the pack. Bill Jones collected Brian Camarillo in turn one and puts him out of the race. On the restart we get Schneider, Weitzman, Nock and Larson in that order. Everybody is getting their bite up high but it’s Schneider who is really shining. Weitzman is close behind with Nock pushing him. Jones’ race goes from poor to worse as he spins in turn one. Coming out of the caution, we finish with Schneider, Weitzman, Nock bunched up and David Fox claiming the transfer. Schneider drove an aggressive and outstanding race. The track is looking perfect going into the main events.

VRA Senior Sprint Main Event starting lineup
45 Bob Hedlund	44 Oren Prosser Sr.
24w John Woodward	22 Steve Stasa
5c Steve Chuhaloff	10 Tim Moon
88 Jim Porter	75 Wiley Miller
49 Ron Bach	99k Ray Knight
1R Bruce Douglas	21 Bob Alderman
10c Mark Chuhaloff	10A Danny Miller
2B Dave Marini	52x John Richards
3Y Grady Winkler	60 Bill Leonard
0or Marlin Bowers	67 Ross Millar
2c George Tuttle

Hedlund converted the pole to first, but Woodward spins and we restart. This time Stasa gets the jump with Hedlund right behind. Willey and Tim are in the chase. Lots of infield driving going on as Tuttle spins and we are yellow in lap four. As we get along, it’s Stasa, Hedlund, Wiley Miller and Nock. Wiley is used to running up front and before long he passes Hedlund and then he passes Stasa. Nock is running fourth. Wiley has been the leader all year and it’s no different right now. He’s in traffic when suddenly he wraps with two cars including Bowers. Wiley has to go the back, he’s going to finish the race in unfamiliar surroundings. Stasa advances to first with Hedlund pressuring him from second place. Porter and Alderman are in third and fourth. Hedlund drifts in turn three and in forced to tour the infield. By the time he is back in the track, the posse has left. It’s a tough break for standup guy Bob Hedlund, running perhaps his last race. Stasa smells victory and he is on the gas. Now “Gentleman Jim” Porter spins in turn one and we are yellow. On the final laps it is Stasa, Alderman (back in his customary front position), Moon and Danny Miller. The checkered flag finishes in that order.

Wiley Miller finishes the season as undisputed champion. The Miller family runs a tight show that turns on hard work, preparation and clean racing.

Let’s give credit also to Ron Bach and Bob Alderman for second and third in points. All of the senior racers should be proud of this season. It was fast, hard and furious driving.

VRA Sprint Cars Main Event starting lineup
10A Blake Miller	47 Wes Richardson
55 Dennis Rodriquez	2s Kevin Kierce
9w Chris Wakim	09 Luis Rodriquez
2c Nick Carlson	14 Tom Hendricks
56 Steve Conrad	6 Todd Hunsaker
24w Guy Woodward	7 Greg Taylor
69 David Sinsley	25 Joe Henderson
37NZ Hobie Conway	10c Bill Camarillo
4P Tom Schneider	5 Mark Weitzman
83 John Nock	32 David Fox

We had the line-up, the introduction and the Frisbees. It was another perfect push off by the track crew. Coming around the track, the VRA Sprints lined up four wide as the fans gave a standing ovation. Under the heavy marine layer and with a sense of the season closing, it was an impressive sight. Going back to two cars wide, the green lights flashed, the flag dropped and the cars roared down the straightaway. Well, before Blake could say he had the lead, Hendricks was in the wall and we are yellow. Not sure how he got there, but say goodnight, Tom.

On the restart, “your champion Blake Miller brings them down the straightaway” (I could just repeat everything Naylor says!) and leads them into turn one. Wes Richardson (who I believe will be named Rookie of the Year) had other ideas and within a lap had passed last year’s rookie and took the lead. This is impressive driving by Wes Richardson. Not only did he pass Blake, he was pulling ahead in that open ocean air. You have Wes, Blake, Kierce, Luis and Chris finding grip everywhere. They were high, low and down the middle. I could see Taylor further back and saw he was starting to move. Wes was lifting out of the corners and Blake was now catching up. Suddenly as Wes drove low into turn one, Blake wrenched his wheel like a go-kart and went high. With catlike movements, he actually steered his way around Wes as they passed through turns one and two. Incredible driving skills and the ability to change tactics on a dime characterize this champion.

Now in first, Blake has a disgruntled Wes Richardson right behind him. Wes is perhaps pushing too hard coming into turn two and ends up in the wall. Awesome drive, Wes, can’t wait for next year!

On the restart, Blake now gets way out. It’s up to Espinoza to catch him and he is on the job. Kierce is behind Espinoza and Wakim is the fourth spot. This track is fast as gas and you have your four season point leaders tearing it up! Henderson, Conrad and Taylor are right behind them and it’s going so fast you can’t blink. But somebody blinks and Kierce catches a wheel and flips in turn one. Espinoza also had something go wrong and disappears. Two frontrunners are out of the competition.

On the restart, they line up Blake, then three lapped cars, then Chris, then another lapped car, then Conrad (looking to get in the fight) and then Taylor. Three laps to go. As they come into turn one, there is a parking party for Wakim, Henderson and Carlson. Another frontrunner goes to the back and Henderson has to leave. Too bad, he was having a great race. It appears that everyone on the track is having a go at Blake, none with success. Conrad gets the final chance, but at this point its like throwing ice cubes at a fire. Blake Miller takes the white flag chased by Conrad, Camarillo and Wakim. One thing I love about racing is the last lap. Everything’s getting decided in a big hurry. All of the talk, luck and circumstances are leaving the track faster than air leaves a balloon! All that’s left is one car. Tonight, Blake Miller rolled off the track as this season’s best racer.

I’d like to say that I went through the pits and interviewed the top drivers, but I didn’t. I’m not really a reporter (you can probably tell); I’m just a family man that likes racing. My daughters wanted to sit in some cars and talk to their favorite drivers. We did that and then headed for the parking lot. As we walked to our car, I watched as a lone truck drove out the gate with an open flatbed trailer and a dirty wet sprint car strapped on the back. It seemed poetic to me. These are the guys that also make it happen. No sponsors, no prize money, running in the back half of the pack and nobody writing about them. Not sure what they are getting out of this. I think they just love racing.