surfnsprint
Monday, October 01, 2007
Extraordinary Pursuit
I can’t go forward before acknowledging the tragic accident at Hanford two nights ago that took the life of SCRA sprint car driver Jim Turner. My deepest and most heartfelt sympathy goes out to his family. I didn’t know Mr. Turner, so it would be inappropriate for me to say much more. But as I witnessed another extraordinary evening of racing in Ventura last night, it was with a pained and questioning feeling in my gut….
All Thrill No Fill: Robby Josett Smoking Turn Three In A Ford Focus
I think Midget racing is something special to Ventura and vice versa. Naylor had retired legend Ronald “Sleepy” Tripp visiting the announcer’s booth last night. Naylor gives “Sleepy” credit for making Ventura Raceway famous with his Midget driving back in the day. Midgets are a special breed of car, a highly precise and finely tuned piece of racing machinery perfect for the multitude of American dirt bullrings. As such, it was also special to have legendary sprint and midget driver Sammy Swindell show up with a Toyota Racing product. Sammy, taciturn as a dime, is prepping for another Chili Bowl run. He is currently a four-time champion. That’s in his spare time. His regular job is World of Outlaws where he is a three-time champion. Thirty-five years of career racing under his harness, Sammy Swindell is your consummate professional. Park that rig beachside anytime, Sammy. More on Midgets in a minute.
Ford Focus racecars are the entry-level solution to the Midgets. Last night we got an outstanding race with Ricky Kirkbride and Nic Faas knocking it out all race long. Kirkbride was on the pole and capitalized. He held onto every lap while Faas, Robby Josett, Walt Johnson and Nick Carlson flailed away at him. The only yellow was Josett spinning in turn two and going to the back. It was really all about Kirkbride and Faas at the end. After leading the entire race, Kirkbride came under heavy pressure from Faas in the final laps. On the white flag, Faas sucked it up and passed on the bottom of turn two. It was an incredible demonstration of willpower and driving skill by Faas. It was a bummer for Kirkbride who drove his heart out. Checkered flag was Faas, Kirkbride, Johnson, Carlson and Dennis Howell.
Caption: Faas Having Fun
The VRA Junior Focus Midgets are another entry-level vehicle for Ventura racers to prep for the Ford Focus. Exciting for both the parents and fans to see these young guns work on valuable racing basics and skills. This race came down to the tough Lance Butler dominating at the front coming from the sixth spot. Just when it looked like a wrap, Austin Mero finally got it done with a dramatic pass on the bottom of turn four. He took the white flag and ran like a rabbit. The checkered had Mero, Butler, Dakota Kershaw (who showed real grit), Alex Bowman and Justin Kierce. I would also mention David Perry Jr. who ran from tenth to sixth. I ran into Lance Butler post race and he demonstrated remarkable good spirits about his second place finish. “It was an awesome race!” he told me. Kid has got the right attitude.
Caption: Austin Mero With His VRA Junior Focus Trophy
Sammy Swindell Give
I’m in turn one and we are fired up for the Midgets. What an amazing lineup. Veteran Chris Rahe, Quinton Crye, 2006 National Midget Driver of the Year Brad Kuhn, father and daughter Wally and Randi Pankratz, point’s leader Johnny Rodriquez, drag legend Cruz Pedregon, Flock, Rodella, Lakatos, McQueen and a host of others. The green flag waved and Chris Rahe took the front row outside and bolted to the lead. This was an angst filled race that featured both high and low drama. Chris Rahe bolted on the green and never looked back. A turned around Joey Fabozzi caught up to Wally and Randi Pankratz both. Rahe, Shannon McQueen, Robby Flock and Brad Kuhn were all throwing clay at the front. Kuhn had passed Flock for third but had to step back when Steve Davis and CJ Sarna mixed up a red in turn one. Sarna was on his back and they took him to the hospital for a check. Hope you’re ok, CJ. Next up, Sammy Swindell got dragged into a beef between Crye and Robert Simpson. He tried to gas his way out and ended up pushing one car halfway across the infield before he let off the pedal. Man he looked pissed! Five more yellows before Shannon McQueen drifts and takes out Scott Pierovich, Fabozzi, and Johnny Rodriquez. Another yellow clocking Pedregon, McQueen and Simpson. Brutal. Meanwhile up front Chris Rahe is dominating although Kuhn and Flock are still in the hunt. We are down to ten cars and green for the final laps. It’s Rahe out front, Kuhn and Flock fiercely battling in identical cars, Jerome Rodella in fourth and he’s got a whole choo choo train stuffed in behind him. It’s checkers in that order, Rahe, Kuhn, Flock, Rodella and Crye. Rahe was wire-to-wire brilliance. Tough race for Pedregon, Swindell and Toyota but we don’t care. Thanks for coming to Ventura, cool race folk always welcome! Somewhere during that race Naylor conducted a fascinating interview with Steve Warwick from John Force Racing. All this for fourteen bucks and we haven’t even gotten to the main event!
Flock Was Fired Up
Let’s shift gears and talk about next week. USAC/CRA 410 Sprint Monsters. If you are sitting in the stands next week reading this program, reach up and give yourself a high five! Destiny has smiled and led you to the Promised Land. I get completely out of my head when the 410’s roll into beach town. Here are a couple of things to watch for. First, pay attention to black #3. That’s Rip Williams and that’s almost all you need to know. Won in Perris last week and has won over a hundred sanctioned races in his career. Take your family down to the pits after the races and visit with Rip. He has T-Shirts for sale, will sign programs and you get to meet a legend. Next check out the red #21k with the big Agromin sign plastered all over it. That’s Cory “the Kruser” Kruseman, Ventura’s favorite son! He was born in a little shed back in the pits. Cut his teeth on Naylor’s track and took it national. By definition one of the greatest sprint car drivers in the world. Now find Tony Jones in the Alexander #4. Broke his collar and is driving with stitches from surgery. Don’t worry, Tony can bite down on a bandana and raise hell at the same time. He’s your point’s leader. Man, I could go on for hours. Danny Sheridan started something back in September (nineteenth to second) and I’m sure he wants to finish it now. Josh Ford, Blake Miller, Mike Spencer, David Cardey, Jimmy Crawford and don’t forget Super Ricky. All of your live action heroes playing in your own back yard. And what about the local boys? I checked it out and Taylor, Kierce, Rutherford, Rodriquez and others will all throw down. Also Senior Sprints and Wagsdash. Don’t forget chili at noon and an incredible auction for racing artifacts. I don’t think it’s legal to have this much fun. Naylor says go for it!
Chris Rahe Always Rips Ventura
Brian Seems To Like It Up Front
Back to last night’s VRA Sprint car barnburner. Plucky Bruce Douglas on the pole with Greg Taylor sitting on his shoulder. Taylor whoops it up and gets out front. Here is Brian Camarillo again slotting third behind Douglas. Brian seems to enjoy being up front. Troy Rutherford is fourth, Kevin Kierce is fifth and Rick Hendrix is running sixth. Now Camarillo takes second (okay), Douglas drifts and Rutherford, Kierce and Hendrix all advance. A minute later John Nock clips Douglas’s tail, get sideways and knocks out Jake Hodges and Steve Conrad. Nock and Conrad out, Nock is so furious he runs across a yellow track! Back to racing, it’s Taylor, Camarillo, Rutherford, Kierce, Hendrix and Douglas.
Eric Severson Wants To Remember Glenn Howard
I drag my butt home, everything seems slow after all that. I shower, take three Tylenol and hit the bunk. I’m swimming in images from the day and it’s good and bad. Lots of cars and lots of stars. Lots of grief and lots of disbelief. I see a lot of greatness; I see a lot of sadness. Some backbiting and ugly slide jobs too. It’s all racing. Work all week and race on Saturdays. Been going on longer than I been around. It’s an extraordinary pursuit.
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