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Please don’t tell anyone about Ventura Raceway. I want it to stay the same. It’s just perfect for the moment. Forget five days a week of hurry up world full of demanding people and stupid problems. Saturday night we all drive out to Ventura and blow it out. Scorching cars. Cold beer. Who needs more people? Got plenty of that at work. Don’t bug me, I’m watching Greg Taylor reach deep and make it happen…..

Greg Taylor Tearing Up Turn Four
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I sat down Sunday morning to write this review, turned on the Speed Channel and there is Sean “Jackslash” Buckley, pit announcer for the Speed Channel covering the World of Outlaws at Eldora. Congrats to Sean who will also be doing work for ESPN this season. Check it out at jackslash.com

Here’s one for you Sean, your brother Derek advancing in heat four
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VRA Heat Races featured Luis Espinoza getting back on track. Sizzling run with Greg Taylor breathing down his neck. Heat two showed the best of Dennis Rodriquez with Chris Wakim in a strong second. Eric Severson beats out Clark Templeman in heat three. Final heat had rock steady Rick Hendrix holding off Kevin Kierce. They would get a rematch in the main. The heat races were so good I was going crazy taking pictures in the infield. So good I was practically screaming as the cars were blasting through the photo studios. Might have to make this a bigger photo issue!

2006 VRA Sprint Champion Luis Espinoza
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They rolled the VRA Junior Focus Midgets main right after the sprint heats. Rookie Austin Smith took an early lead and protected it throughout the race. Rough Rider Charlie Butcher mixed with Brent Owens and had to go to the infield. Austin led throughout holding off a strong Justin Kierce.

Austin Smith gets to the Winner’s Circle
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IMCA Mods had a tough ride as both heats races suffered from spritzing the track and Naylor scraped the track right before their main event. John Mead got out front and was having a successful run. Damon Redman was giving it a go with Randy McGraw threatening constantly. McGraw checks up Redman in turn three and then battles Mead through turns one and two. They make some heavy contact and Mead hits the wall in the backstretch. McGraw wins the battle but loses the war. Jack Parker is huge on the restart and holds on for the finish with McGraw in second and Brad Prows in third.

Jack Parker is Having a Good Time
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VRA Senior Sprints continue a grand tradition of elbows up hammer down racing. We start with horrendous crash on the first lap with Curtis Richards flipping down the front straightaway. He and his father “Gentleman John” Richards were competing together for the first time in three years. I’m told he caught a wheel on his dad’s car! Steve Stassa takes the pole and gets a great jump. Bruce Douglas is with him followed by Danny Miller. Stassa looks incredibly strong, however he bobbles in turn three and is passed by Bruce and Danny. Danny and Steve are now trading the second spot back and fourth. This is terrific battle until Stassa comes into three too hard and gets sideway locking up his engine. To the back. Fourteen to go. Bruce gets an excellent restart and is leading with Danny Miller still in the chase. Wiley Miller and Bob Alderman have moved into third and fourth. Suddenly here comes Stassa from the back. He has worked his way to fourth when Bill Badger stops in turn one. There are sixteen laps completed and four to go. On the restart Stassa is high on the track and looking like he might sweep it. Hell, he is going to shred it! We are going nuts in turn one. Few better than the Miller boys but they looked like they were standing still on the backstretch when he passed them. Stassa has Douglas in his sights but Douglas is taking care of business. Suddenly at turn three traffic markers Butler and Badger mix hard. Douglas clears but Stassa has too much speed and slides sideway and connects, then gathers Danny Miller also. They call it at nineteen; Douglas grabs the checkers followed by Willey Miller and Bob Alderman. Willey Miller maintains the points lead followed by consistent Bob Alderman. As good a race as I’ve seen all year!

Bruce Douglas Stays Focused
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Steve Stassa Went Off
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I missed the VRA Sport Compacts and I’m sorry to the drivers, crews and fans. Strongman Joel Chavez is dominating this division. Mike Frazier took second followed by David Peterson and Randall Dougan. Check out the picture of Joel Chavez, this guy is all about winning.

Joel Chavez: Lust for Life
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This is the VRA Sprint Car race that wasn’t supposed to happen! Monster trucks were originally scheduled but cancelled. This race day was a makeup. Point’s leader Kevin Kierce was scheduled for vacation, but wisely decided to delay a day and protect his lead.

Phillip Stevenson throws the flag and we are gassing down the front straight. Rick Hendrix gets a good jump but Luis Espinoza is right with him, passing briefly. Dennis Rodriquez and Eric Severson are battling for third, with Kierce and Greg Taylor right behind them. Rick Hendrix has been performing well all season and this is his chance to take it home. Champion Espinoza has been in the doldrums and hopes to break out here. The two big threats are Kierce and Taylor. Kevin’s crew consistently gives him a car he can win with and there’s nothing different here. He gets by Severson and Rodriquez and starts in on Espy. Taylor is on the move right behind him. Now Kevin gets under Luis and its Hendrix, Kierce, Espinoza and Taylor with Hendrix swinging high and Kierce working that bottom. We are at fifteen laps when Espy wobbles badly in turn two and that allows Taylor and Severson to advance. Kierce makes his move and gets by Rick Hendrix but it cancels when Alex Schutte spins in turn two. On the green Hendrix again jumps to protect his real estate. We are in a classic condition. Rick Hendrix knows he has to block Kevin on the bottom and this cunning veteran does so brilliantly. However, he also knows that Taylor will go high and drive the cushion (after the race Taylor says “I knew I wasn’t going to win following those two!”). Hendrix can’t protect the top and bottom at the same time but he sure tries. He controls Kevin and Severson going through turn two and then drifts high enough on the straightaway to cause Taylor to check slightly. Breathtaking seat of your bleacher action as Rick is driving his race of the year. Traffic is everywhere. Suddenly the hard charging Severson taps the back of the Taylor machine in turn three. Didn’t faze Taylor but Severson’s car breaks an axle and gathers up Chris Wakim. It is our second and final yellow with six laps to go. It is the beginning of the end for Hendrix. Again Kierce forces Hendrix to stay low and Taylor puts that power plant to work. He starts his trademark sweeping turns and unreal acceleration down the straights. Taylor passes Kierce and Hendrix feels the heat. He is able to check Greg one last time but Taylor throws down number thirty something! Jonathan Henry had the most passes to move from fourteenth to fifth and Clark Templeman is again top five in fourth.

Kevin Kierce on the Bottom
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Chris Wakim Returning to Form
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Rick Hendrix is Disappointed but Having a Huge Year
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“we’re not the jet set,

we’re the Chevro let set

our steak and martinis

are draft beer and weenies”

John Prine