surfnsprint

Reset the table. Get some more chairs. Tear up the guest list and forget the flowers. Some drivers are tired of leftovers and are making their move. Saturday night’s main event was all about who showed up in the top five…..

DENNIS RODRIQUEZ SAYS “FEED ME”

So much went down let’s get right to it! Some blistering runs in the heat races including an exciting slice and dice between Taylor and Espinoza. “Full Throttle Taylor” finally kicked in and it was “see ya!”. Jimmy Crawford took a brutal flier between turn three and four. He didn’t go to Manzanita with USAC to save some change. Guess that didn’t work out so well.

AWESOME CARS AND CAN DO ATTITUDES

Check out the Kershaw family. They represent the best kind of Ventura racing. They show up with awesome cars and can do attitudes. Here Dakota races in the VRA Junior Focus Midgets, which was won by Alex Bowman. Sorry Alex, I didn’t have any killer shots. I owe you one!!!

RACING WRITER NORM BOGAN

I was stoked to hook up with longtime racing writer Norm Bogan. This guy has visited over two hundred tracks in twenty eight states. Ventura Raceway is his flat out favorite! Working on a racing book called “Along the Way”. Second favorite track? A little dirt track out in Path Valley, Pennsylvania. Doesn’t have a favorite driver but he did mention Bubby Jones. Catch Norm at SCRAFAN.COM.

FORD FOCUS / SENIOR SPRINTS / SPORT COMPACTS

I really like the Ford Focus series. These small and nimble cars adapt well to the Ventura bullring. Nick Carlson nicks Dennis Howell for the win. Senior Sprints were jumped started by Steve Stassa shutting down Wily Miller. Miller drove the bottom hard but Stassa raced smart and never gave it up. Sport compacts (Ponies) featured Greg Raap holding off a determined “Tony Chavez”, uh, I mean Joel Chavez. Greg, you just won the sport compact main event, where are you going? “I’m going to Hawaii!” Joel is going to stay here and continue to rip C Street.

Hope and Cosby, Lennon and McCartney, Kruseman and Naylor

These guys have done it so often it’s classic. One of the nation’s best promoters hands another trophy to one of the nation’s best sprint car drivers. Cory gives a shout out to Biggie. Kevin Kierce took an early lead and almost pulled off a second consecutive win. However, when you have Cory chasing you, you may as well try to outrun a CHP helicopter. Cory reeled him in and took a decisive lead before Kevin ran into the back of Tom Hendricks in turn two, just feet away from where Tom tangled with Heidi Tressler in last week’s main. Rock steady Luis Espinoza slipped nicely into second, with third, fourth and fifth going to young Turks. Dennis Rodriquez took third place, proving his mettle and long time dedication. Fourth place went to self-starting John Nock, who has put in the time and sacrifice. Fifth place was Wes Richardson, also roaring down his destiny road. Great to see some new attitude. Rodriquez, Nock, Richardson, Marcum and Conway….we expect to see you all up front. Another great run by Rick Hendrix. Most passes by Steve Conrad. Personally I think it’s the bomb having Cory in town. He takes these great drivers up a notch. Let’s face it; Ventura Raceway is the Cory Kruseman Driving School.

Classes are currently being held every Saturday night about nine.

posted: 11:41 PM