4/30/2015
West Coastin'
April 30, 2015 Ventura Beach, CA: Ten weeks in Golden State hit the homestretch one So Cal Saturday earlier than forecast. It was supposed to be spent on Civil War wings before the Tulare Thunder Bowl cancelled on Friday due to high probability of rain on Saturday.
Secondary choices were few. Last week’s Saturday selection of 600cc micro sprints at Lemoore was dark in deference to Tulare thirty miles away. Placerville 360ci and Marysville 410ci were a hundred miles closer to Kings than BCRA midgets, which were 370 miles away in Nevada. P-Ville soon surrendered but Marysville and Fernley managed to race. Frankie Guerrini beat outlaw kart/360 sprint racer Jake Morgan (Sala 19) at Reno-Fernley while Colby Copeland (Van Lare 5v) edged Andy Forsberg, Bobby McMahan and Jonathan Allard (Lamar 3c) in the former Twin Cities.
Ventura offered wingless 360 sprints and Ford Focus/Honda midgets. I was reluctant to risk wounding anticipation for All Coast CRA in two weeks but in the end, could not resist a race. VRA was an excuse to split the canyon that divides Ventura from Santa Barbara County on 33, a favorite Cali course.
Jim Naylor has been The Man (promoter, announcer, repair man) at Ventura Fairgrounds for more than three decades. In 2015, his Ventura Racing Association is restricted to Ventura Raceway but co-sanctioned with Bandits in Bakersfield and Santa Maria. Bandits were basically absorbed into USAC, which has struggled to keep a toe in the water here. Ford Focus midgets at Ventura operate outside USAC umbrella. USAC midgets put Seaside Park on the ESPN map in ’91-92 but that means nothing to Naylor in 2015. Next week’s USAC-CRA show is only the second such 410 race in ten Seaside seasons. Tribute to Fred Thomson probably does not happen without All Coast Construction of “Big Mike” Grosswendt, who made victory at Ventura worth 5k.
Saturday night’s 15 dollar ticket was bolstered by returns of Brody Roa and Jake Swanson. Both brushed up for CRA shot. Roa roared to first then was nearly stalled by Swanson’s sideways pitch. Luis Espinoza tried to follow Brody by early leader Kyle Smith but instead stacked Smith and Greg Taylor. Austin DeBlauw kept pressure on Roa to end.
Stiff sea breezes depleted Ventura’s meager crowd by ninth and final feature. Such an exodus coaxed me top row of main grandstand for the first time since cold Turkey Night ‘97 flip fest. Almost 18 years later, I found fellow Flat Out scribe Norm Bogan and “Biker Bruce” Fischer, former car owner to Jay Drake, Mike Boat and Steve Ostling and current sponsor to Roa. After 30 laps, Bruce beat a trail to victory lane to join friends. Brody’s father/car owner Brett raced Ascot alongside his uncle Tom Roa (1981 El Centro CRA winner) before Brett became Mike Kirby’s crew chief with Danny Pivovaroff and Brad Geurin.
Roa and DeBlauw were followed by Guy Woodward, 2007 VRA king Taylor, Kyle Edwards, Senior Sprint star Rick Hendrix, Smith and George Morris III, an Aussie aboard Cory Kruseman Bullet. One of Cory’s midgets ended retirement for Gary A. Howard, VRA champ of 2000-01 at 20oz. There were two Hazletons and pair of Pankratz before Wally leased seat to Courtney Crone, who crossed ahead of third-place Randi Pankratz, daughter of Wally and winner at Bakersfield after BCRA trip to Placerville. Ventura victor was James “Jet” Davison, veteran of more West Coast midget seasons than anybody but Pankratz.
Friday’s feeling of anticipation for Another Typical Weekend (Eckert & Eckels in cahoots) was tarnished by Tulare cancellation. Friday was first to offer winged 360 choice between Hanford’s Kings Speedway and Watsonville’s Ocean Speedway. They are 165 miles apart. Last year, Kings closed after dispute with unfriendly fair board. This year, Ron Vander Weerd (Visalia construction head and father to fast twins Richard and Jace) took the reigns as Hanford promoter. His basic intention was to give his boys a Friday race before Saturday shows at Tulare. It was not Ron’s intention to oppose John Prentice, promoter at Ocean who within two years added King of the West, Civil War and Hunt Magneto Series. John’s effort to keep cars from Kings involved $3000 to anyone who could sweep Watsonville and Tulare, bonus money washed away by threat of rain.
Winner of Watsonville’s opening two weeks, Easton’s Tommy Tarlton planned to race there while sending Carson Macedo into their Kings backyard. Tarlton took sick and did not race. Ryan Bernal and Heath Duinkerken were third and fourth in Ocean’s second show yet skipped it for Kings. Bud Kaeding came to Kings to meet Morrie Williams Zero from nearby Oakhurst. Bud’s father Brent is King of the West partner to Prentice and fuel salesman at Ocean, where Brad Furr won Friday followed by Fresno’s Dominic Scelzi, Justin Sanders, Golobic brothers (Shane started last), two Shaws and three Chisums.
Kings collected 24 cars thanks to two Vander Weerds and three Duinkerken/Maxwell machines for Heath, Michael Faccinto and Shawn Conde. Last seen on asphalt of Kern County and Madera, Eric Humphries and Anthony Simone surfaced in Hanford. Cory Eliason crashed from World of Outlaws B-main at Kings, swept wing and wingless 600cc at Lemoore then led Vander Weerd’s first unsanctioned promotion. Double Zero countered Carson and kept command until Steven Tiner’s Tech Nine followed Placerville with second straight win. Tiner toiled at Wright Process preparing (ninth-place) car for Shawn Wright and as host to one homeless journalist.
D.J Netto caught Macedo for third trailed by Craig Stidham and Richard Vander Weerd, recipients of fresh graphics by Peter Murphy of Pro Signs. Seventh was Washington’s Jared Peterson, pilot of Oregon resident and ex-Nor Cal racer Ron Henderson. Peterson and fellow Evergreen State racer Robbie Price were especially hurt by Civil War cease fire. After choosing Chico on Friday, Price proceeded back to Cottage Grove by Saturday. Friday’s Top Ten at Kings was completed by Bernal, Wright and Landon Hurst’s tribute to Colby Solomon 9s.
Weekend in Hanford, Lemoore and Chowchilla found Fresno. Kingsburg Car Show had street for Legends of Kearney Bowl, eight winged hardtops that once circled Madera and Clovis. It rekindled desire to find Fresno’s famous arena, which sat across from airport until houses were built in 1971. One hardtop built by Ed Hyder, powered by Ron Shaver and driven by Everett Edlund belonged to Larry Trigueiro, who shifted to rear engine and side engine before Kings Speedway opened and Trigueiro brothers bought first sprint car. They won first Cotton Classic at Kings with Wally Pankratz in ‘84 and glorious Gold Cup upset with Danny Smith in 1986. Larry’s widow Marie still has withered wreath of flowers that adorned Danny’s neck.
Larry Jr. introduced me to Edlund and Vern Reitz, owner of Spirit of Madera midgets driven by Hank Butcher and supers of Billy Vukovich III. Larry married Vern’s daughter and their sons play baseball for Caruthers High School. Edlund worked the grill as grandson/pitcher who defeated Fowler 5-4. Reitz regaled with stories of Ascot, Daytona (Volusia ISMA with Jeff Helton), Indianapolis (leading IRP with Randy Bauer) and Phoenix, where Vern brought stock car for A.J Foyt. To spot for Super Tex, he hired George Snider, who is very active in area hot rod scene. Everett carted me to Jim Perry’s garage that held cars campaigned by Trigueiro, Johnny Brazil and Al Pombo.
I consented to baseball after meeting Larry in bowels of Fresno, flourishing city when Fred Gerhardt set up shop after World War II. One building became two then three then four until Gerhardt racing interests (Western Speed, Hoosier Tire West) occupied entire block. Inside unmarked building, Trigueiro tinkered at several projects. There was new Diablo for Davey Hamilton Jr. He had a super to restore for Davey Hamilton Sr. Another restoration was Gerhardt Indy Car that won 1970 Michigan 500 for Gary Bettenhausen. Gerhardt built STP wedge in which Art Pollard polished off Dover disaster of 1969. Brilliant machinist, Fred developed electronic starters still used on USAC Silver Crown circuit, inboard jacks still employed to hoist IRL cars, and stacker trailer system common in all classes. His trusty Bridgeport milling machine was oldest item other than 110 Offenhauser that topped Turkey Night with Bill Vukovich (’48) and Johnnie Parsons in 1955.
Western Speed was set up as three-way partnership between Trigueiro, Tony Stewart and Fred’s son Rick Gerhardt. It grew to involve USAC sprints, midgets, Focus midgets, and champ cars like 2007 DRC driven by Billy Wease and for sale as ornament. Western Speed once sent four midgets and three sprints to one Irwindale card. Much machinery awaits USAC direction. Some pieces produced chills such as Jason Leffler visor and Rory Price autograph. Larry told of Las Vegas when short field prompted him to pull Price from bleachers. Borrowing suit, sneakers and hard hat from Michael Lewis, Price proceeded to park USAC Western midget in win circle. Three months later, Rory died during an Evergreen test, making Vegas one of his final fond memories.
Fresno’s sign for Klein Truck Stop still beckons motorists from Highway 99. However, only an adjacent gas station is still open. Truck stop is out of business. Jim Klein drove hardtops and sprint cars before forming K&K Racing with Sonny Kratzer, an East Coast modified refugee who applied Al Tasnady 39. Klein & Kratzer 39 became fixture in late 80s driven by Brent Kaeding, Rick Ungar, Tommie Estes and Tony Armstrong among others. When parked, Sonny shifted to Selma Shell’s Dave Helm for an extended stint. Dave’s death sent Kratzer to present post with Beef Packers. Klein decorated diner with vintage photos. Wonder where they are?
Australia’s Peter Murphy was always fun to talk to. Ever since near-fatal wreck at Antioch in summer of 2013, Pete’s humor has gallows tone while reinforcing how fragile life is. Pro Signs has extensive array of driver helmets (Doug Gandy’s open face one of Pete’s favorites) and jars of dirt race tracks from around the globe. New Zealand title holder at time of retirement, Murphy retained car that he hopes will help Kiwis or Aussies into America. As he cut decals, Peter worked below big photos of two who inspire him: Steve Brazier and Steve Kinser. He churned with ideas for Tulare’s second annual Peter Murphy Classic on July 25.
Hanford was last World of Outlaws race for me until July’s Brad Doty Classic if 2015 plays like 2014. Most every March, I mostly watch outlaws because only they are truly active. I saw nine of their last eleven evenings in California or all but Chico and Perris. Overall, Outlaws entertained. Tulare opened on popular late pass but got narrow on Night Two. Stockton started too close to call, had multiple leaders on Night Two then took rubber late. Antioch was three-car struggle in traffic. Placerville appeased absence of 23 years. Calistoga amazed with many leaders on Night One then even more side-by-side stuff. Hanford had little to shout about because Shane Stewart drained it of suspense.
Wings at Perris do not move my meter. Yes, these last two outlaw cards have had USAC-CRA support but I prefer they headline like Saturday. For second straight April, Outlaws got flak for bringing 17 cars. Last shortage was blamed on King of the West in Tulare. This year, KWS competitors were idle yet all deflected tow money that World Racing Group hoped would bring Nor Cal cars to So Cal. To fatten the field, Perris outlaws need to follow Vegas when there have another half dozen.
Initially, I wanted to follow Hanford Outlaws with Honda USAC Western Midgets at Bakersfield because they are perfectly proportioned. Sprint cars there are cramped. But the show really called for USAC Western HPD Midgets, which used to be Ford Focus. HPD stands for Honda Performance Development. Get it? USAC races with Honda’s name out front have no Hondas, while HPD means sealed spec engine hopefully by Honda. This vital difference detoured me to Lemoore.
Lemoore Raceway was not new experience. Last year almost exactly, I got greedy to try to squeeze 600cc feature between USAC 360 heats and feature in Hanford. Tracks are eight miles apart. That scheme should have worked if sprint A-main not been moved forward in face of bad weather. On that windy night, I was too eager to rush back to Kings to relax and enjoy Lemoore. This time was different. Grass Valley Sally and Chowchilla Mike spread a blanket and we watched slide jobs galore. As with all West Coast dirt tracks, Lemoore starts wet enough to stack cushions and went slick to encourage boys and girls to glide wide. Fresno grows fruit, vegetables and fierce racers like Eliason and Michael Faccinto, who race sprint cars one night and micros the next when lower speeds make them fearless. Money that Central Cali devotes to micro sprints complicates new Race Saver 305 option at BR.
Visalia’s Plaza Park Raceway reduced its Friday 600 schedule in 2015. Delta Speedway outside gate to Stockton Dirt Track stages Saturday 600 races about 160 miles north of Visalia. Delta knew better than to oppose World of Outlaws and held Friday program starring Shane Stewart, David Gravel and Bryan Clauson. Like Lemoore, the Delta facility and competition were first-rate though more caution-plagued.
Gravel had not sat beside his engine since Whip City, Mass. In first corner of his heat, David’s micro veered hard right into concrete virtually flush. His outlaw month was mediocre by Beef Packer line: fourth in Stockton and Placerville, sixth in Calistoga, upside-down in Hanford. It did not please Dave to share Tulare with man he replaced or Calistoga with Kevin Swindell. Last spring, Beef Packers fired Davey Jones after Calistoga, dropped Tim Kaeding in El Paso then hired Gravel. April 2015 saw Dennis Roth and Todd Ventura drop David and elevate Kyle Hirst to national status in Dallas, where Gravel teamed with Scott Benic and Rick Rogers.
Between outlaw dates in Placerville and Calistoga, I departed Grass Valley after seven nights to accept David Vodden’s invitation to lap Thunder Hill West, western appendage to Willows road course. Vodden is very interesting. He promoted CRA races before putting Baylands on sprint car map with purses not matched in 27 years since that Fremont facility got flattened. He worked for USA briefly (bringing Don Kreitz to East Alabama), became regional SCCA director at Sears Point (Infineon) then north to Willows (active 365 days a year) all while racing anything and everything. Arizona Open Wheel Museum acquired Vodden programs from San Gabriel CRA (’76), San Bernardino NMRA (’79) and Calistoga NARC 1982. Had his track not forbidden us to pass, I could pretend to have participated in an actual race. Reality states that Chowchilla emerged as Track 504.
Willows spilled me back to Bay Area, where Sons of Liberty Street had relocated to San Pablo. Since they were not renters, the flat was open to those entrusted with key. They left ice cream, tequila and mattress. In morning, I saw no reason not to hug the ocean to Ocean Speedway.
Watsonville’s second surface of 2015 was heavy and hostile. Tarlton took off from pole and found semi-smooth line low. Jason Sanders was The Show, relieving Bernal of second-place three times courtesy caution flags. Best sprint showing by 600 star Duinkerken finished fourth over Kurt Nelson (Taco Bravo 72w) and Washington’s Robbie Price. Ocean was Rob’s fifth trip for Rod Tiner tutelage after Silver Cup and Civil Wars at Marysville, Petaluma and Calistoga. Price tussled at Ocean with Rod’s prodigy Ryan Robinson until Ryan wrecked. Up from outlaw karts, David Robinson’s kid has Abreu approval for Keith Kunz Toyota in POWRi though too young for USAC. Price proceeded home to win Skagit 360 opener. Watsonville DNF Trey Starks crashed from Calistoga outlaw heat, ran 410 and 360 at Skagit, then swept Cottage Grove (OR) and Grays Harbor on April 24-25.
Ocean Speedway is always an excuse to help Keep Santa Cruz Weird. In an increasingly judgmental country, I find such California hippie enclaves refreshingly receptive. It helps that Ginger Wilson and Chris Raabe reside there. South Dakota’s only surfer floated me 18 bucks when Prentice proved unresponsive. I restored good credit after Calistoga, where all four Raabes camped outside turn two for two nights of outlaws. Chris and Ginger spent many Sundays at Huset’s Raceway. Clint Garner’s ex-crewman sees as many early season races as feasible before outlaws disappear for five months. Chris caught Tulare (2), Stockton (2), Calistoga (2) and Hanford in seven-week binge.
Calistoga has such a cool vibe. Napa Valley is worldwide destination that residents seem to appreciate without arrogance. At least, that was the opinion I formulated from Yo el Rey coffee and art house, where 4-5 languages were heard in two days of data processing. Even their disfavor with auto racing sounded polite. Maybe they were just quiet around the guy in sprint car T-shirt trying not to leer at Italian girls.
Napa 360 sprint car support came in winged form of Civil War on Saturday and wingless Hunt Magneto spec series on Sunday. Alan Bradway and Steve Tuccelli (F&F) have chosen to chase Civil War with an assortment such as Colby Wiesz at Marysville, Geoff Ensign at Petaluma and Sean Becker at Calistoga, where The Shark surged past Golobic for victory over Andy Forsberg and Rico Abreu, who had cars in both classes. In two straight outlaw outings, Rico wrecked on Placerville’s last lap while sixth then crashed at Calistoga trying to catch Brad Sweet. Abreu’s stock car coach is Shane Hmiel. Brother to late Dave Jr, Alan Bradway groomed son Justin in outlaw karts for shot at coveted X-One 360. Nor Cal spec sprint legend Terry Schank led Sunday until Coltin Slack heaved triumphant slider.
Outlaws were excellent at Calistoga. The determination of Jason Sides to trace the bottom created two-groove dices that provoked others to great height. When he saw Sides to his left, Donny Schatz knew how to attack Craig Dollansky, who dropped down to block but parked sideways instead. Jason stole second at the line from Dollansky, who lasted one more week with Benic. Whether the most picturesque track in California is Calistoga or Ventura basically boils down to whether one prefers mountains to beach.
Placerville has perfect dimensions for midget racing, so I eagerly awaited BCRA as undercard to King of the West sprint cars. It seemed a dream ticket: two classes only. But it turned into nightmare of yellow and red flags. Golobic was gone until Michael Faccinto spit the brake pads and spun Shane on lap 23 restart. USAC champ Ronnie Gardner got railing the top until he passed Brian Gard but caution on lap 27 reverted order to lap 26 when Gard led. Last time that a midget designed by Dave Ellis beat one from Rick Stewart Fabrication had to be Manzanita. Guerrini got third trailed by Nick Chivello, Sean Dodenhoff, rim-riding Taylor Simas, Barry Pries and Golobic brothers.
In the season’s first stand-alone King of the West feature, Eliason of Visalia squeezed around Kyle Hirst high off turn four and led to lap 18 when he spun in traffic. Shane Golobic grabbed second with first 410 start by Keith Day Trucking 22. Macedo beat his buddy Scelzi for third trailed by 10.48 quick qualifier Willie Croft, KWS rookie Chase Johnson and Mitchell Faccinto. Hirst thanked car owner Kyle Main, roving wrench Rod Tiner and Brad Sweet, who scoped things out for his outlaw promotion four nights later. Bobby Allen and Jason Johnson parked at Placerville but did not race. Jacob Allen and Logan Schuchart tried to watch but could not tolerate so many stoppages.
Placerville’s much anticipated outlaw return was overall success. Sweet unrolled plastic wrap to shield surface from two days rain. It worked. Track was nearly perfect. Toilets could not accommodate the crowd. Foot traffic was twice re-routed to pump waste. Hirst and Forsberg staged fantastic battle early. Had either earned first outlaw 6k, locals would talk of this race with reverence. Most will remember Placerville breaking Daryn Pittman’s collarbone and Jason Johnson’s vertebrae before Schatz side-stepped Hirst on lap 28 of 35. Sides, Gravel, Allard, Paul McMahan, Forsberg, Golobic and Dollansky filled Top Nine.
Richard Brown wrenched Allard to fast time at 10.58. Bud Kaeding had Lee Stauffer in from York, PA. Tim Kaeding left California for Iowa NSL with Scott Vogelsong. Joining them in Burlington was Bryan Clauson and Shane Bowers, who quit Paul McMahan after Antioch to drive Matt Wood’s rig to Brian Brown’s shop in Kansas City. Two weeks of Knoxville rain have haunted Tim and Bryan, who did hot lap Saturday at Farmington before more rain. Sweet did so much better at Placerville promotion than competition that he caught some choice words from boss. Brad bought some silence by winning Calistoga.
Saturday in Placerville made Friday in Chico seem sensible. Six nights after his stunning second to Schatz at Mini Gold Cup, Tanner Thorson returned to Silver Dollar to post the first sprint car win of his young career. He had to pass original Abreu sprint shoe Keith Bloom and hold off defending Gold Cup winner Jonathan Allard.
Rather than Mini Gold at Silver Dollar (sadly incapable of keeping surface for outlaws) I opted for Civil War at Petaluma Speedway. It was opposite of Chico: heavy and rough. Bradley Terrell led whole thing. Sons of Liberty Street, announcer Ron Lingron, David Anderson, and local Lagunitas on tap made Petaluma a wonderful blur. Next night, I drove Randy Mussell to Antioch, which had almost no passing until A-main when McMahan stepped wide to invite inside attack from Kerry Madsen as Paul pressured Pittman for the 10k.
Northern California to Central California to Southern California, I will wrap western season openers with USAC-CRA at Perris and Ventura, venture back to Arizona for two weeks of Western World kiosk creation, and aim at four months ranging from Utah to New Jersey.
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Article Credit: Kevin Eckert