Relax Dude, It’s Just An Energy Field
What a weekend! Saturday night I sat in America’s only air conditioned raceway and watched cool Troy Rutherford rip the VRA Sprint Main Event. Sunday we drove into the Fontana furnace and watched hot local Jimmie Johnson ignite the California Speedway. The track nearly spontaneously combusted. An amazing amalgam of parallels and incongruities between the two events. This will be short and sweet, I still need to get some UV rays, burn some burgers for the kids and throw the dog in the pool. Hang on….
All Thrill No Fill! Chris Wakim Launches Labor Day Weekend
The IMCA Modified mobsters were back Saturday Night snarling and spitting. Rob Green was on the pole but Ron Wiley came from the second row and wrenched it away from him. Andrew Grieman and Randy Miller also were in the leading laps. Joe Weaver was stepping on it and also visiting driver Robert “Joey” Clab. It’s Wiley, Weaver and Green. Battle for fourth shaping up between Clab and Randy Miller. Clab wins that tussle and clearly has a heavy foot. Rob Green spins in turn two and now front-runner Wiley can really feel Joey Clab breathing down his neck. But Wiley is hanging in there. Last week’s winner Austin Rodarte is swinging high but the action is on the bottom. Clab is really putting pressure on the front but the laps are spinning out. It’s Wiley, Clab, Weaver and Randy McGraw all on the white flag. It’s looks like a lock for Wiley but something happens to his steering on the last turn and he goes into the wall. Robert “Joey” Clab hits the checker and has the gas money to get home!
Joey Clab Drops Into Ventura and Takes The IMCA Checkered Flag
Senior Pro Dwarfs kicked off with Tom Bellinger looking real strong. But then his passenger door somehow opened and that’s a disadvantage when you’re racing. Especially when you’re racing Ed Niedzwiecki. Ed took the lead away and was being followed by Bill Van Praag and Kevin Alverson. Tom got the door closed and then a few laps later it flew open again! That had to be aggravating. Ed is long gone and doing his aggressive yet incredibly smooth driving thing. Alverson and Van Praag do their best to keep up. Gary Conditt spins in turn one. David Hume shows up late for the final laps. Ed is locking down the final lap as Alverson gives it huge effort. Hume passes Van Praag for third. That’s Niedzwiecki, Alverson, Hume and Van Praag in that order. I don’t think Bill Van Praag can catch Ed Niedzwiecki in the point’s race. Ed is driving at the top of his game. But I suspect Bill isn’t about to lie down. These guys put on spectacular racing.
It’s All Been Said, Ed Niedzwiecki
Pro Dwarf Class is rocked by the return of “Flying Brian” Saxton for his second race. Cory Pollock took the pole and shot to the lead. Jeff Shelton was on his case as was Thomas Velasquez. Shelton took the lead but fourth place Saxton was on a mission. Clearly and undeniably on the gas, Saxton passes them all and begins negotiating heavy traffic. Cory Pollock is running a solid third when he takes a spin in turn four. The Amtrak Surfliner floats by in the background. Shelton and Brent Stevens are desperately trying to catch Flying Brian. They start throwing Kryptonite at him but nothings working. With only several laps remaining, Eric Lopez starts having a go at the frontrunner. It’s now Saxton, Lopez, Michael Lewis and Lars Wolfe. Outstanding effort by Lopez, but it’s too little, too late. Brian Saxton shreds another trophy to the delight of his many Ventura fans. Don’t be such a stranger, Brian! Great race announcing by the inimitable Jaime.
They Were Throwing Kryptonite at Flying Brian
Jimmy McDonald takes the checkered flag for the VRA Mini Dwarfs Piston Class. Ricky Lewis still controls the point’s lead. Tyler Jerman clocks the Supercharger Class. He is one heat race behind Riley Helland in the point’s battle. Jessica Clark dominates the VRA Junior Midgets with a strong victory. She is also leading in points. Incredible racing moves by many drivers in all the classes. Congratulations to all the parents who are remarkably restrained. Trust me, I know how hard it is to be humble when your kid’s a dang genius!
Jessica Clark Races To Win
Jimmy McDonald Claims His Prize
Tyler Jerman Tore Up the Superchargers
VRA Sprint Main. Greg Taylor is on the front row for the second week in a row and I don’t think he going to make the same mistake twice. He shoots the hole and takes control. Kevin Kierce slices and dices from the second row down the front straightaway and lickity split he’s in second place. Here comes big Troy Rutherford from the third row for third place. Taylor is pulling away as Kierce and Rutherford start the battle for second. Guy Woodward takes a horrific flyer from turn four and cascades all the way down the front stretch past the flag tower. Looked like he caught Eric Severson’s rear tire. Quickly pulls himself from the wreckage and briskly walks out the loading ramp, blowing Eric a few kisses on the way. Crowd was immensely relieved, as this looked particularly bad. Woodward is a tough and well liked stalwart of the VRA crew. Jonathan Henry and Rick Hendrix caught some flak but both refire. Green and Taylor are back on the lead. Kierce is back to battling Rutherford with a waked up Chris Wakim in fourth. Brian Camarillo is fifth and John Nock is sixth. Nock clearly is now comfortable running top five every week. Rutherford, turbocharged by a Raney power plant, gets around Kierce and this is a bulletin. Kierce and Taylor are clearly the biggest sharks in this tank, both efficient racing machines at this advanced point of the season. However, Troy’s performance is showing the depth and breadth of this VRA talent pool. It’s Taylor, Rutherford, Kierce and Wakim. Wakim is pounding on the door but Kierce is keeping it locked. All are high on the cushion. The track is holding up beautifully. Espinoza suddenly spins in two and goes to the infield. Smoking engine he tells me later. (Rumor has it Espy will be driving a 410 next week at the USAC shootout. If he likes it he may just drive it down to Perris) Green again and Rutherford passes Taylor on the bottom. Then Taylor takes it back, but Tom Hendricks stops in turn four and he’s gone (he just got back from his bike accident). The lead goes back to Rutherford for the completed lap. Tremendous sweeping power turns off the cushion by all front four, Troy, Greg, Kevin and Chris with Clark Templeman now showing up. Troy and Greg are in lockstep and Kevin and Chris also banging wheels. Wakim bounces slightly off the front wall and he gets the hook at turn three. Templeman passed while Kierce and Wakim were involved. Now it’s Rutherford, Taylor, Templeman and Kierce. Troy Rutherford shows Taylor how those power turns look from behind, Templeman and Kierce are pitched for third position. Dennis Rodriquez has passed Nock for fifth. The laps run out as the crowd watches clean and powerful moves from VRA’s best. As a fan, I am in awe of Ventura’s high caliber homeboys. Greg and Troy go way back. On the winner’s stand Troy alludes to the satisfaction of clean racing with talented friends.
Winning In Life and In Racing, Skylar, Troy and Logan.
State of exhaustion watching all that racing. Maybe 900 fans at Ventura. Maybe 92,000 fans at Fontana. Needed a sweater Saturday night. Needed a cat scan Sunday night. Troy Rutherford at Ventura. Jimmie Johnson at California Speedway. Templeman, Earnhardt, Crawford, Gordon…. What’s it all mean? As Sir Paul McCartney once opined, “Relax dude, it’s just an energy field.”
Troy Rutherford Runs A Raney
