Connie Tramel holds Casie Kruseman as she shows off her little house slippers on this cloudy and cool Saturday morning.

Wags, Dusty and Dubya wait for “mommy” to climb aboard the mule for a ride to the pits.

Loren Hill, working with Ron Didonato this weekend, pets the pups and visits with us for a few minutes.

Fran, Jim and Julie picked up lunch at the Chicago Pizza joint down the street and we ate it in the PAS midway under
threatening clouds and intermittent mist….not a good sign, but fun, nonetheless!

After lunch, it was to the pits, where Evelyn Pratt was overseeing the Jack Jory rig as it pulled into a parking spot
that looked waaaayyyy too small!

Carey Faas was busy at work on his #37 car.

Verne Sweeney munches on lunch while working on his car with mom, Marie and dad, Leroy nearby.

Frannie gets a hug from Chris Fischer, who loves to ham it up for the camera!

Something missing here…

Lance Gremett and John Baumann watch as Gale Forrester and Bob Gremett check out the tires on the #85 car.

Leroy Sweeney fills up a bucket with the water – the work never ends on race day!

The Simpson girls, Linda Simpson Holt and Laurie Simpson Morales were chatting with Steve Howard when the
roving camera passed by.

Jim Naylor on hand to assist with infield interviewing, visits with Nelson in the Mopar trailer.

Randy Hasebe sits on the wheel of the 2H car…

…while brother Steven rests on the quad. Bill Rose was the driver of their car this weekend.

Hal Engstrom strikes a thoughtful pose – maybe he’s looking for his car.

Mel’s crew relaxes in the trailer, probably hoping it wouldn’t rain, just like the rest of us!

Richard Harvey, Sr., takes a moment from working on Jr.’s car to smile for the camera.

Dan Hillberg sits in his #82 car – it’s too early for wheel-packing, must be checking something out.

It was too cold to stay in the pits taking pictures through hotlaps and qualifying, so off to the grandstands where
our friends were already seated and ready for action. Bethany Thrasher and dad, Mark, probably were longing for the
heat of Phoenix!

Frank Mazzoni came down from Petaluma all alone for three nights of exciting racing. Where’s Don the Barber when you need a traveling mate?

Jack Kramer flew out from Illinois, and his seatmate, Jerry Fleming, came from Denver.

Joe Wigley flew out from his home in Inverness, Florida, something he does fairly often. It’s amazing how far
people are willing to travel to see the best non-wing racing in America!

Sonia, Krista and Krista’s mom, Tracey, are all bundled up and hoping, like the rest of us, that the rain would pass us by.

When it became obvious that the mist was in reality “rain,” Wags decided it was time to draw for the quilt before the
race was called. Jim Naylor, knowing Wags couldn’t traverse the slick and slimy track, crossed over from the pits to
assist with the drawing.

Jim nabbed a little boy walking by and asked him to pull the winning ticket, while Sonia and Frannie held onto the quilt.

The young
man dug deep into the container and pulled out a ticket, and the winner of the 2003 SCRA driver
T-shirt quilt was Cal Smith, driver of the #39 car! A more enthusiastic winner, you’ll never meet. Fran, Sonia, Wags
and Naylor pose with the little boy, whose name I did not get. Anyone who knows his name, please e-mail us!
By this time, it was obvious that the rain was going to ruin a great night of racing.

Mark Spivey and Fran help a pleased Cal hold up his new quilt for a photo op. It’s always nice when it goes to
someone who will cherish it!

Sunday morning found us in Beaumont at the Farmhouse, where we had breakfast with our departing Phoenix
friends, Fran, Jim, Jan, Jim, Mark and Bethany. While traveling to Perris, Jan experienced pains in her stomach and Jim
took her to the hospital in Beaumont, where they had already planned to stay for the weekend. He came to the track
on Friday and Saturday, at her insistence (probably because she couldn’t stand to see a grown man cry because
he couldn’t go sprint car racing!) We were lucky because she was released on Sunday in time for this gathering,
so we all had a wonderful time together. Too soon we were headed back to the track, while they all traveled
home to their real lives and jobs!

Back at the track, Dusty Dawg could see the handwriting on the wall. Mommy and daddy are going to leave me and
brother Dubya and go do whatever it is they do for so long at a time. Maybe they’ll take me with them if I look real sad….

Once in the pits, sans dogs, I had an opportunity to snap a photo of the “Million Dollar Man,” Jac Haudenchild.

Charlie Davis was kicking back in his brother-in-law’s pit (Tony Smiley) to see if by chance he would be added to
the Sunday night field.

The Sweeney men, Leroy and Verne, strike a handsome pose!

Andy Forsberg joined the SCRA wars and seemed to be having a great time.

Tony Elliott was relaxed and having a good time, as well.

Carl and Gary from Griffin’s crew find a few minutes to chat in the early afternoon.

The Crossno #38 is ready for the night’s action.

Suzanne Forester relaxes while Okie’s dad chats on his cell phone.

Mother and son, Joyce and Michael Tanaka visit in the #50 pit.

Eric stopped in the middle of working on the #50 car to accept the Wagtimes Shiny Tire award that he earned on Friday night.

It’s still early, but the driver’s meeting is in full swing.

Casey Shuman seemed to be having fun driving the Felker #37 car.

Petie Ruth kept warm with a cup of coffee.

JJ Yeley works on the #20 car as race time grows close.

Due to a fading camera battery, I took a rest from picture-taking (making some people very happy!) until victory
circle. Here, Chris Holt is interviewing 2nd place finisher, Jeremy Sherman.

Chris and Cory share a chuckle during Cory’s interview.

Julie Hall is the daughter of the Temecula Valley Pipe & Supply folks, who along with Budweiser, sponsored this
fantastic event. Julie presented Cory with his 2003 Oval National ring, and poses here with Cory holding the HUGE check!

Cory and Nelson Stewart hold up the beautiful and impressive owner and driver trophies.

A special thanks to Temecula Valley Pipe & Supply…

and Budweiser…

and Perris Auto Speedway for a tremendous weekend of racing!

A proud Cory holds his trophy over his head. Once again, a weekend of good food, good friends and great racing comes to and end. One more race and the 2003 SCRA racing season is in the books! See you at the Kindoll Classic!

All photos © 2003 Mrs. Wags Photos