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USAC-CRA Sprint Cars at Ventura

September 9, 2006

Call me shallow, I was pretty much disappointed with last night’s USAC-CRA 410 run at Ventura. I think I’m spoiled. Compared to the twenty or so VRA races I’ve seen this season, this race was in the bottom five. Not to take anything away from Mike Spencer’s hard driving work ethic, but I was looking for more of my favorites up front. There was so much talent sent to the back, no good passing lanes and too many yellows. Kruseman’s car dropped out from under him, Gardner shot himself in the foot and Blake Miller uncharacteristically left the track backwards. I was impressed to see Chris Wakim drive a 360 into the top ten! I was depressed to see Kevin Kierce take a brutal crash down the front straightaway. I appreciate the 410’s for coming the distance (great job by Mitchell and Jones also) but if they had seen the racing we have been seeing this year, they would understand………

Mike Spencer hit all of his marks.
Photo: surfnsprint

Quick Trip through the Pits

First checked in with my brother in arms Bob Hedlund, who was taking the #45 out (senior sprints) for the first and only time this year. He wanted to have one last spin before calling it quits. He and his sons have done all the primary work on the new pit stands this year. He wants to spend more time fixing up his hacienda and relaxing in turn one……

Took my good friend Justin around and introduced him to some of the great drivers in the USAC series, Cory, Damien, and Rip and pointed out a few others. These guys are always gracious, always a class act. Cory signed a poster I’ve been carrying around for a while. Damien gave us some of his time, chatted about the year and expressed a desire to show a little more consistency! I told Justin to watch for these guys tonight; they will be running at the front! Never happened……

Checked in with Tim Moon who wisely advised me to be careful while photographing from the infield. Keep a pair of eyes in the back of your head his crew chief commented. It got me to thinking about how more and more people are documenting the racing. Reminded me of when I used to do surf photography, the popularity grew and grew to the point where the water was clogged with photographers. Must be a little annoying to guys like Dave Wolf who has been at it forever and nobody got in his way. We all want more people to show up at the track, but I really think these uncrowded race days are the “good old days”. And one correction, Tim didn’t spin out in last weeks Saturday spectacular. He was gathered up by another driver. Sorry Tim……..

Talked to Steve Conrad who has taken over the Tom Stansbury 410 ride for the Ron Bach racing team. Steve’s stoked, genuinely excited and pleased to have this great opportunity.

He tells me he will make the 410 circuit next year and race Ventura on off nights. I asked if Ventura was special, he looked at me and smiled, “its home.”

Bob Hedlund back on track.
Photo: surfnsprint

VRA Senior Sprints Main

Steve Stassa shot the hole but before he can get going Mark Chuhaloff does some Pilates rotation in turn three. On the new green Bruce Douglas jumps out front and never looks back. I wondered what would have happened had Stassa not been yellowed and kept that initial lead? I only say that because it just got worse and worse for Steve. Douglas is in the lead and Stassa, Bob Alderman and Wiley Miller are three wide for second. Wiley moves into second and Stassa is now third. Bach has nicked Alderman and moves to fourth. Douglas is driving fast and putting some space behind him. Wiley has settled into a comfortable second and the fighting is back between Stassa, Bach and Alderman. We are at the halfway mark and Bach has now notched third. Bruce is getting into traffic but handling it adroitly. They are spread out nicely and Bruce is maintaining a healthy lead with one quarter of the track separating him and Miller. It’s five laps to go when Chuhaloff drifts too much and stops sideways in turn one. Stassa has to stop and slides a perfect parallel parking next to Mark with nary a scratch to either car! Chuhaloff is gone and Stassa is to the back. Douglas is driving a technically perfect race and on the green resumes his lead. Wiley Miller is second, Ron Bach is third, Alderman is fourth and Tom Harper is mounting an impressive but futile last minute charge. Now erstwhile racer John Richards gets sideways in turn one and again Stassa has to park it! They direct him to the infield and on the scanner I can hear a track official muttering “boy, talk about some bad luck!” Bruce Douglas meanwhile is having a great day as he hurtles across the finish line. Wiley and Bach arm wrestle for second and Miller gets it. Alderman brings up the rear.

Ron Bach continues to lead the point’s race at 9830. That’s 1115 points ahead of Bob Alderman and 1470 ahead of Douglas. With four races to go, Bach would need to DNF for anything to change. He doesn’t say much behind those impenetrable sunglasses, always just seems like he’s watching the river flow…..

Bruce Douglas coming off a bottom turn.
Photo: Frank Bigham

USAC-CRA Main Event

I photographed all the qualifying from the infield then stayed and watched the heat races. Couple of things…first they need to get more light on that night track. Second, it is an unearthly sensation to watch these cars up close. These 360 and 410 drivers are riding a hurricane and flirting with an earthquake. And when they do hook up…..well, ask Kevin Kierce about that! I was checking out Blake Miller and he has really grown. What happened to that kid that used to run around the track? He has adapted well to the 410 and was demonstrating an aggressiveness I never saw before. He drove so hard into a couple of turns my teeth were hurting. Tower was commenting on it too…Young Brandon Thomson and Brian Camarillo continued demonstrating flashes of brilliance against these better armed and more experienced competitors. They both just missed the semi transfer.

About a nine thirty start with a main event that ended having six yellows and one red. I thought the track looked pretty good but a lot of guys got loose. We started the race and right away Blake got mixed up in three and exited the track backwards in the chute. He slotted it perfectly and ended up sideways in the chute. They got him back on the track and we went green again. We go yellow right away with Rip Williams turned around in one. Next Evan Suggs takes us yellow. Now we restart and pole position Damion Gardner takes us down the straightaway. Shoulder position Matt Mitchell is holding down second and Josh Ford is all over the third position. Cory Kruseman clips Mike Spencer for the fourth slot. Suddenly Cory’s car seems to seize up in turn one and he rolls to a stop?! Go to the rear of the line.

So I’m looking at the back and there’s Miller, Williams, Kruseman and Gaunt. What’s up with this? In the front half, now alumnus Alan Ballard spins and we are yellow again. Ford had jumped the start so he gets put behind one car moving Spencer up to the third spot. On the green it’s Gardner again leading the snake up high on the turn four wall and then roaring down the straight. It’s Gardner, Mitchell, Spencer, Tony Jones pushing hard and then Josh Ford. Our leader Damion is now getting in traffic and suddenly loses it in four and stalls! Trimble nestles into him and both cars leave the track for a doctor’s appointment. They both come back to the race and we are green again. With thirteen laps completed and seventeen to go, Kevin Kierce in his 360 is running a huge sixth place. Everybody is swinging high; Miller tries the bottom and goes backward for the second time this evening. Figuratively speaking…. It’s now Matt Mitchell holding down the fort and he doing a decent job. This would be his first main event win. Mike Spencer is shadowing him followed by Tony Jones. Ford is fourth.

Eric Chambers stops in to see the homeboys.
photo:surfnsprint

Kevin Kierce is swinging high out of four and seems to hit some dirt berm. As he is correcting coming down the straight he has both Kruseman and Conrad below him. Three wide, Cory is lifting slightly on Conrad, Conrad is lifting slightly on Kierce and Kierce is lifting slightly on….oh, wait, there’s a concrete wall there! Kierce bangs off the wall, goes over a Conrad wheel and everything goes to hell in a hurry! Without a doubt the worst crash I’ve seen Kierce in, he trips violently down the line. The silence from the full house is deafening as everyone strains for a sign. When Kevin slowly exits the wreck on his own power the dam bursts with applause. I don’t know if he heard it or if the bell was still ringing in his head.

With only three laps to complete, you have Mitchell, Spencer, Jones and Ford. On the white flag lap, Mitchell bobbles in two; Spencer shows him a wheel and takes it away! It finishes Spencer, Mitchell, Jones and Ford. Steve Conrad has a very decent seventh. Spencer’s tenacious driving and skill gives him the win. They interview everybody and Tony Jones has some really kind comments. He closes by saying “Jim Naylor, I hope you’re here forever because I love this track!”

Mike Spencer and car owner Hal Engstrom enjoy a weekend at the beach!
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One more from last week’s Derek Buckley Show!
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posted: 8:30 PM