surfnsprint

Counting the Change in the Corners

Race #17

September 16, 2006

Greg Taylor uncorked number five main event win for this season and he undoubtedly will make it a six pack soon. That’s two more than Wakim and Kierce who have three each. But that’s four more than point leaders Luis Espinoza (one) and Jimmy Crawford (none, unless you count the top VRA score in Santa Maria). Sitting strangely in third, Taylor has to be wondering if this point thing is weighted correctly. Nothing new there, from the Coliseum in Rome to the arenas of NASCAR, point racing has been rife with controversy and bone picking. We are now power sliding into the final six races of the season. The championship race is tighter than security at LAX.. Espinoza, Crawford, and Taylor are swinging high for the ring. Kierce might beat them on spunk and driving off the bottom. Rutherford, Wakim and Conrad are still scrambling for top five.

you’re not going in unless Lee Davis says you’re going in
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Buckley and Taylor do ten laps
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Two Semi Mains tonight to transfer two each to the main. Put Errol Sack in a semi and he’s going to win it. Then he gets to the main and I don’t know what happens. He took this semi with Conrad and Kershaw chasing him all the way. Conrad took the second transfer. Tom Stansbury was in Ventura last night and buried his semi. I asked him if he was going to be showing up regular and he just smiled and said he wasn’t sure. Tom Harper and Oren Prosser, Jr. battled long and hard for second with Harper taking the last transfer.

VRA Main Event

We’ve had a lot of company the last couple of races but everybody’s gone home. I enjoyed the Bandits and 410’s but enough already. VRA’s just like a big dysfunctional family with a lot of love and aggravation. But tonight we all just got along and took the Sprint Main green white checker. Greg Taylor took it from the second row and asserted himself right away. Plucky Brandon Thomson went after him with a vengeance. Brandon put a good run for several laps but eventually he fell back. Joe Henderson had started second row and wasn’t giving up any ground. But Joe didn’t have much time to do his thing because here comes the indestructible Kevin Kierce from the fifth row. You can’t stop this guy! Kevin has cast a line and has got his hook on Taylor. You can actually see him reeling him in lap by lap. The track is good everywhere and there is passing everywhere. Luis Espinoza and Jimmy Crawford look like they’re having a hell of time counting the change in the corners. They are swapping laps with Luis barely holding off the determined Neutron. In the front, Kierce finally sees color and takes it from Greg. They are deep in traffic and slicing and dicing the congestion. You are seeing aggressive and clean racing from the front to the back. Without a yellow, the whole track is spread out and moving like a train chasing itself. Kierce again makes it clear you have to bring your best; Taylor reaches deep for it and reclaims his lead. They spin out the final laps and it’s clearly Greg “Full Throttle” Taylor taking his fifth win for the season. Kevin Kierce takes a huge second place. Here comes Mighty Joe Henderson with a career high third place. Although Espinoza has led Crawford for most of the race, Crawford does get around him at the last moment for fourth. A great drive by Tom Harper takes him from the last spot to a top ten finish with nine passes, the most for anybody.

Jake Vail checks out the sunset
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I really need to mention the other classes; I wish I had more time. Austin Figueroa continues to dominate the VRA Junior Dwarfs. The kid is awesome. Charlie Butcher took the VRA Junior Midget main, but he is still chasing Christian Copley for the championship. Exciting Jack Hoyt seems to have the ponies corralled, but you have to give credit to Jim, Joel, Randall and the rest of them. Great racing by all these cowboys. Brain Saxton is back to dominating the Pro Dwarfs. Ed Niedzwiecki is also holding at the top, but John Lynch is putting up a fight. Lastly the great battle raging between Parker and Prows in the mod class. Most classes are going to the wire as we finish this season.

The VRA Sprint positions continue to ratchet tighter. Espinoza continues his lock on first place, but Crawford isn’t giving him an inch. Taylor is holding third but Kevin Kierce is constantly applying pressure. Rutherford is fifth with Chris Wakim determined to finish top five. It’s the tightest finish in years and it will be decided later than sooner. There are six events left and I believe the best race of the season is still to come.

Crawford and Espinoza are bringing us into turn four
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posted: 12:55 PM