surfnsprint

Getting in tune. Spent a few days in Idaho this week visiting with my old friend Charlie Saulls and lovely Linda. Charlie’s fighting a few health demons and has slowed down. We sat in his comfortable home overlooking Boise and talked story. He was raised on a farm in Nampa. Riding a hay wagon one day, he cracked his skull on a tree branch. Medical bills forced his father to sell the farm and move to town. But it all worked out and he took good care of his parents when they got old. He was telling me that when he was a teenager, some folks built a dirt track and they were racing old sedans. His dad was now selling farm equipment and started sponsoring a racecar. His mom wouldn’t let him drive it no matter how much he pleaded. She must have known something. I tried to describe sprint car racing but it’s a hard thing to explain. Maybe this picture will help, Charlie…

Cory Kruseman
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Cory Kruseman shows the Ventura fans how it’s done. Lot of talent rolled through Ventura last night. Davey Pombo, Garret Hansen and Nic Faas all put another notch on their belts. These aren’t garden-variety drivers; these are all top-notch West Coast hardcore. Add in Kruseman, Kierce, Michnowicz, Hendrix and all the solid local classes and you’re having a track attack!

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Jammy Earnest
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Cool as summer ice, Jammy Earnest did all the announcing for last night’s races. Jimmy was in Chicago getting his daughter married. Cliff, Mike, Phillip, Morris, Brandy and all Ventura staff kicked it like nobody’s business. My bro and the Mayor drew a beer, put their feet up in turn one and watched Ventura turn on…

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Robby Josett and Jet Davison
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Things got wild early with Ford Focus drivers Robby Josett and Jet Davison mixing salad on the backstretch. Walt Johnson went on to win that heat which was called at four laps. This was just the first lap! Heat two was ripped by Aaron Schankerma followed by Nic Faas. Faas parleyed that into pole position in the Main and held off Ricky Kirkbride, Robby Josett (all patched up) and Walt Johnson. When Nic grabbed the checker, there were only five cars left. Amazing for Robby Josett to crawl out of that heat race wreckage, start eighth in the main and finish second. Tough kid. Saw some shoving later in the pits but sheriff Wally Pankratz was around and got everybody straightened out! Nic, I didn’t get a great shot and we’ll get you on the rebound.

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Austin Mero with trophy
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They ran the VRA Junior Focus Midgets (I can barely keep track of all the juniors, seniors, micros, minis et all..) where Austin Mero beat out a determined Brent Owens, Justin Kierce and Scott Oliver Jr. Great race by some talented kids getting the seat time they need to move to the next level. Dedicated Dakota Kershaw was also top five.

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Chris Rahe
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What’s wrong with this picture? That’s right, Chris Rahe is usually racing at the front of the pack rather than floating by himself going the wrong way. But after mixing with C.J. Sarna in turn one Chris took the scenic route. This was heat two. Hotshot Garrett Hansen took heat one, incredible Robby Flock nailed heat two and Johnny Rodriquez took heat three.

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Garrett Hansen and Greg Braag
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Garrett Hansen applies some muscle as he gets around Greg Braag in the USAC Midget heat one. Braag went on to finish top five in the Main Event. That was the Amazing Race of the night with Cory Kruseman taking an early and strong lead. Wunderkind Garrett Hansen actually tracked that Chili Bowl Champion down and got on him like Gorilla Glue! Suddenly Robby Flock is also on the scene by banging off the cushion. The laps are winding down as these three pit bulls are locked in a death grip. Suddenly Obi-Wan Kenobi burps in turn two and the kids smoke him. One lap to go and Garrett puts a mean slide job on Robby and takes it home. Johnny Rodriquez locked fourth. Midget greatness has always ruled at Ventura raceway.

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Joel Chavez #20
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The VRA Compact Sports are ailing and it may be terminal. Joel Chavez sports a winning Tony Stewart orange and the attitude to go with it! The problem is a piss poor car count and he’s got no competition. It’s time for Andrew Grieman to come back to Sports and shake it up. At least we’d have some exciting demo derby or fights! What happened to the David Peterson I saw in Bako all those years ago! Bill, Brent, Steve, please step it up. Cheat! Do something.

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Davey Pombo
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Davey Pombo is the real deal. Exciting VRA Sprint Main Event with all sorts of first class contenders. Rick Hendrix is fast off the pole and Kierce is right with him. Kruseman breaks something, fixes it in tech and refires in the back. Its Hendrix looking very strong followed by Kevin Kierce, Josh Ford and Brandon Thomson. Kierce gets tire trouble and is out. Coming from the back is Pombo (twelve) and Kruseman (the back of the back) and they are blasting the competition. Rick’s in heavy traffic and bobbles it in turn four. That puts Pombo right on top of him. It’s Hendrix, Pombo, Kruseman and Thomson as we get into final laps. Pombo takes the lead and now Hendrix is fighting off Kruseman. Josh Ford spins in three (sources tell me Brandon got tired of his interference) and we are yellow with four to go.

We are green and it wraps with Pombo, Kruseman, Eric Severson (from freaking spot nineteen), Jimi Hendrix (drives like Jimi played) and “infante terribilis” Brandon Thomson. Eclectic and interesting bunch.

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Charlie Saulls
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Although I’m walking across the raceway parking lot I’m still sitting on that hillside above Boise. Thinking about the many good things my friend taught me. Charlie raised a good-looking family as tall and proud as snowcapped mountains. I don’t get to see them much but we’re real close. I watched him raise those four girls and now I’m raising my two girls. He taught me how to play cards and look at life with a certain sense of letting go. We were laughing yesterday about how nobody really knows what’s going on anyhow. So this is sprint car racing, Charlie. Rings as true as an Idaho sunset.