The opening day came after a six hour ride across the desert with Mike Clark. We had lunch at the Big Apple and I dropped him off at the motel and took off for the track. My trek across the two slick wet tracks was interesting because I had my street shoes on and before I realized it, the slide for life across the muck was on. I made it, but got a little splattered here and there. It dried, but I remembered to wear the right shoes the next day. Without Mrs Wags, I had to do a little photography in her absence. Somewhere between the pits and the grandstands, I broke the led on her camera and was a little shocked, but fessed up to her and continued on. The camera got replaced on Sunday night, so all is well with her.
Rip Williams pit area has Richard Watkins on the move as the opening day begins.
Mike Kirby’s crew up to the usual as I went by. Mike had some good and bad on the weekend, but they learned a lot it was reported. A seventh from the back on Friday was his best run.
John Scott came west to run both races, but had tough luck. He went home to Indiana early after the opening night.
Jim Kirby, Carol Wolfe and Jana (like Dana) relax before the real work begins.
Jim Kirby’s son Tyler came on the trip and helped out.
John Scott sits idly on a 4 wheeler and relaxes before he goes out to race.
Levi Jones ride still looks fast. He set a new track record at 18.301 more than two seconds under the old one held by Brad Noffsinger.
Danny Sheridan looks pensive as I caught him in his pits. He had a rough opening and then put on a show on Saturday. Starting 15th, he ran up to 7th and was spun out by a car with a flat tire. He returned to get 9th passing a lot of cars during the night.
Bud Kaeding looked strong on Saturday running 2nd until the last lap where he pulled off credited with 18th.
Rick Ziehl came from Alberqueque to run the big one.
Crew Chief Bruce Bromme Jr and car owner Ron Chaffin look like they belong. The two have won 9 championships with three different drivers together now. Pretty amazing, but then Bruce comes from a family of champions and dedicated this one to his mom, Marge, who passed away recently.
Josh Ford and Jimmy May share a laugh with the mystery girl behind them. More on her later. Josh brough a 410 and 360 to the dance, but crashed the 360 and missed the main on Saturday in the 410.
The unloading process on Thursday took longer than usual. The cars didn’t get on the track until after 7 pm and it was a late, late night.
Mark Priestley’s car had Jeremy Sherman in the seat this week. He was 10th on Saturday.
The Arizona Race Mart trailer is at work like always. Jimmy Blanton serves the Manzy races as he has for years.
R.J. Johnson has been driving the Jim Massey car the last few races. He made the main and ran 19th.
Dave Darland has used this Jeff Walker owned car for two weeks to throttle the troops.
The blues brothers (Rickie and Charlie) have two cars each for this event. It kept everyone busy for three days.
One pretty car with candy apple red. There were two of them, this one driven by Tim Beal.
Chuck Buckman ran this one every day and just missed the main on Saturday.
This car was driven by Seainn Hendricsen in the 360’s.
"Mighty" Mike Spencer’s low buck team had a great weekend with fifth in the main on Saturday. Mighty Mike was great.
Brad Sweet spent the summer in Indiana. Here he is near Mat Neely’s car as he talks with a crewmember.
Chris Tramel sits on a tire as the day gets longer. The pretty blond is Mike Spencer’s girlfriend Jennifer.
Jay Drake ran 15th in the Tony Stewart Motorsports car this week.
The cockpit of Josh Wise.
Jesse Hockett was 14th in the other Jim Massey car.
Bruce St James won his heat in the 360’s this night.
Seth Wilson’s brand new car was just put together and came out of the box pretty fast. He just missed the big main on Saturday.
Blake Miller came to run the 360 deal. He was racy all weekend and running midpack until late in the race on Saturday, finishing 20th.
Bob Ream Jr’s 360 car was unique in many ways. He had a special header design, a front bumper with his sponsor in it, a special rear push bar set-up and an oval attachment for the wreckers to pick up the car as a joke.
The front view.
Matt Rossi’s ride.
Brandon Lane’s ride.
Cory Kruseman’s crew at work. They rebounded form opening night problems to get 4th on Saturday.
Jerry Coons Jr used this Hoffman car to win on Thursday. He was 2nd Friday and in the hunt Saturday when he lost a tire.
The Hoffman’s had two cars for this event.
Another line of cars in the pits getting ready.
Michael Curtis, the young grandson of car owner Kevin Turner, poses with the car he won in the hall of fame drawing and driven by Tom Ogle.
Josh Ford’s ride is ready.
Here are the proud bleeders?
The line-up for the pit sign in is always fun greeting people.
Josh Ford’s pit.
The mystery lady is none other than Jim Naylor’s daughter Laura. Looks like she is in the Ostling t-shirt contest, eh?
Randy is lost doing his thing in the pits.
Ben Lancaster is always working so hard on his race cars.
Jim Fargo poses before he goes off to photograph plenty.
The two girls who keep things moving in the pits each week are Terry Bliss and Julie Shiosaki. Brenda Darland is on the right.
Brad Sweet was doing fine in the main event until Coons flat tire.
Carri Kruseman and Bobby Barth visit in the pits. Bobby is crew chief on the Tony Stewart team.
Cheer up Ron!
A familiar sponsor on the side of Josh Ford’s car.
The view of the track from the pit back gate looking towards turn three.
Sunset is about to happen.
The track is ready for the final races.
Joe & Ellen Ellis are on the top row here.
The little red sucker is ready as usual.
Tony Everhart raced his 360 this weekend.
The Gardner mule with Jimmy Gardner and Gavin Lowitz hanging around in it.
Is that pit vehicle bright enough for you?
Mat Neely, Daron Clayton and Chris Tramel relax in the afternoon. After Jon Stanbrough left for home, Mat jumped in the 10 car for two nights.
The Kittle Motorsports entry ready for action, again.
The Kirby Kar almost ready.
Bill Rose is in the middle as he relaxes before the racing begins.
The 50 crew works as the crowd begins to fill the grandstands.
The end comes as Braden and Bethany pose for a good night.
