surfnsprint

I just can’t shut up. Let me give you another stinging indictment of why the Bull Ring is one of the best-run tracks in racing. One hundred and thirteen cars pitted last night in Ventura. Twenty-three sprint cars and the senior class wasn’t even present. Thirty-three dwarf cars showed up (sixteen of them senior class). Twenty-three IMCA Modifieds. Thirty-four, I repeat, thirty-four cars (I use the term loosely) in the kid’s class! OK, maybe they are not cars, but they are racing machines and those kids are racers. Those kids are going to graduate to midgets and then sprints. Jim Naylor and his hardworking organization have built diversification and future growth. Young and old were racing side by side. The stands weren’t full but there was a good crowd having a helluva lotta fun. The announcer and sidekick Cool Race Chick were having a blast shooting t-shirts into the crowd, dancing to the music and looking like George Burns and Gracie Allen. Then Jimmy climbed down mid evening, took out his Cat and cut that track, providing what the Main Event winner called a “Hammer Down track!” With the fog offshore, the train whistle blowing and the drivers strapped in, I was sitting in the pits stands and secretly smiling. Check it out….

Surfnsprint’s New Motto is “All Thrill, No Fill!” We Will Open Each Week with the Best Racing Photo of the Day.
Derek Buckley Gets the Job Done For His Fans Sitting Up in Turn Four. We Saw Your Banners!
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Randy McGraw: Focused and On Fire
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Although the kids ran first, let’s start with the Modifieds. If you really want to experience Modifieds you have to buy a pit ticket and walk pit row when they are lined up to get on the track. Twenty-three cars side-by-side, engines running, Darth Vader helmets locked on, ground shaking, air filled with every chemical known to man except oxygen. It is a holy experience. I hook up with rookie Andrew Grieman; he’s running on spit and hope. Engine’s going, car’s full of borrowed parts and credit’s maxed out. Doesn’t care, he’s on the pole and going to give them hell. I see this year’s standout Randy McGraw, we talk for a few minutes and he gives me a photo. He is ready to go out and win for his sponsor, The Home Mag. It is their inaugural “Home Mag Night at the Races”. They are not disappointed. Andrew blows his engine, Randy wipes the field and the fans are feted with t-shirts and prizes! All these cars are stickered with Main Street America businesses where you and I work. Hats off to anybody that writes a paycheck and also sponsors your favorite driver. Shake their hand.

McGraw Showing Off His Home Mag Sticker and All His Sponsors
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Future ESPN Legend Tommy Velasquez
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Whenever I don’t know what to write I go back and look at the pictures. Check out this picture of Tommy Velasquez. Look at the determination and drive in his expression. You can’ believe how committed these kids are. This is the younger Piston Class and Tommy took second in his heat and first in the main. Cris Noe and Ricky Lewis are second and third in the main.

Supercharged Battle for First
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In this photo, Chase Lippert, Riley Helland and Tyler Jerman battle for positions in the older Supercharger division. Riley Helland in the white #14 went on to win with Tyler Jerman on the right taking second. Devin McCree finished third.

Beautiful, Smart, Confident and Fast Amanda Green
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Half of the VRA Junior Midgets are young women and they win. First in points is Jessica Green followed by Amanda Green in second. Amanda came in second in her heat but won the Main Event. Jessica Clark came in second and Christian Copley took third. Thanks again to Mike Sweeny and his gang that work so hard to give everybody their shot. They win, you win, I win and we’re all wearing sunglasses. Things sure look bright.

Gary Conditt Beats a Jury Of His Peers
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Gary Conditt went out and did what he’s never done before! He went out and beat the best the VRA Senior Dwarfs could throw at him. Jerry Doolittle had the early lead but Conditt was clearly on a mission. Roy Coe got on him but couldn’t keep up with Conditt dicing and slicing the traffic. Bill Van Praag and Tom Bellinger were also on the job finishing second and third. Conditt was downright giddy taking the trophy and thanking Naylor for a beautiful track. Ed Niedzwiecki and Bill Van Praag still lead the point’s race.

The Pro Dwarfs took over and it was veteran Brent Stevens getting up front after a few laps. Banging wheels and crashing cars made it wild and wooly. Jim Scribellito went from the front to the back to the front. Marc Lippert took some early flack that held him back. Rob Anderson was putting heat on the leader but something was wrong and he went out the back. Now it’s Brent Stevens, Jeff Shelton and a battle for third between Lippert and Scribellito. It checkers Stevens, Shelton, Scribellito and Lippert. Incredible racing and Stevens thanks his daughter for being his lucky charm.

Brent Stevens Wins One for the Family
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This Is The Bullfighter
Kevin Kierce

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Naylor swore he would never have a cone start, but here we are. Front row is Brandon Thomson and Dennis Rodriquez they are as restless as schoolboys on the last day of the school year. One false start, then a cluster cluck on the second start. Turn three on restart has up front Chris Wakim going over a tire. He gets turned around and the posse checks up and scatters around him. Newcomer John Niggli is still racing when he gets to Wakim. Ouch! The pileup takes out Justin Kierce, Niggli, and Wakim and sends Myles Bishop, Jonathan Henry and Shawn Torbet to the back. Three of these guys are new to Ventura. Welcome to the Bull Ring. Rodriquez gets the jump on the restart and is looking big. Thomson is hanging but you’ve got Greg Taylor and Rick Hendrix right behind you. Taylor and Hendrix bang wheels hard on the backstretch and you know this a fight. Derek Buckley and Kevin Kierce are also swinging. We get into the rookie traffic early and D-Rod clears. Taylor has moved to second and I know D-Rod can hear him. Kierce is grinding that bottom and you can feel his will. Like destiny. Traffic is heavy, D-Rod is showing his stuff, Taylor starts swinging high and we are halfway there. Taylor finally wrenches it away from D-Rod and Kierce passes Thomson. It’s running Taylor, Rodriquez and Kierce. Steve Conrad (from the fifth row) clears Thomson for fourth. Suddenly with five to go both Kierce and Conrad are in trouble, not sure exactly but Conrad is out and Kierce is changing a tire in the pits. Kierce, in a point’s battle with leader Taylor, is shot down his second week in a row. Crowd groans. His frustration must be tantamount. My experience is that when the odds are stacked and all hope is slipping, the real Kevin Kierce shows up. Stay tuned. With three to go, Kierce refires and Taylor hammers down. It finishes Taylor, Rodriquez (impressive), Thomson (this kid is tough), Templeman (big fan favorite) and Champion Luis Espinoza. Espy is back in form and still in the point’s race pounding third. Taylor wholeheartedly thanks Taylor Racing, all his sponsors including Westco International Consulting and girlfriend Lea. He especially thanks Naylor for a fast track and a great raceway. It doesn’t get any better.

This Is The Bull
Greg Taylor

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Greg Taylor Delivers What The Fans Come For
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I rest my case. In this week’s message board at SCRAFAN “justwondering” writes (in a topic on diminishing car counts) “I have to mention, this does not apply to the VRA, they are unique in that they are a big family with top notch cars and race on a track that puts on an excellent show.” That’s no bull.

posted: 10:17 AM