Terry and I went on a little visit with the Venard Family today to see how they are doing. On the last night of the season last year, Brian crashed in the dash and it destroyed the car. Over the short winter, a new Ellis Chassis arrived at the Venard house, they had a lot of work to do. Buster and Brian worked very hard to get the new car together, the old one gone thru and all the trailer parts supply refreshed. Buster also rebuilt the Marty Meler owned Mopar motor and said it was amazing how the motor that Karl Kinser originally built had been totally gone thru to lighten it, even the oil pump. Now, after all the winter work, there are two family sprinters with everything looking brand new.

While we were visiting, we presented the family with the 2003 Wagtimes Best Appearing Car Award as voted on by the Wagtimers. Since we didn’t have the annual Wagsbash this winter, due to all the split stuff, it is appropriate that we presented it now. The Most Popular Driver Award will be presented at the PAS opener in two weeks.

Buster, like I am, is looking for that place away from here to retire and said they will take a real vacation in June and go looking for that spot. He mentioned Las Vegas, the Reno area and maybe Washington and Oregon as potential places to retire and still do some racing. Of course, that is a ways away, but it is never early to do your homework.

The Venard Family, from left Buster, Linda, Grandma Rosie, Nicole and Brian, receive the Wagtimes Best Appearing Car award for 2003. The blue streaker was sharp on and off the track!

What could this be????

The brand new # 47 now sports some help on the hood. It gives Brian an extra pair of eyes.

A side view of the cr.

Here lists the sponsors on the car.

Buster surveys both cars with a look of accomplishment. They fired both cars this day and now know they are ready for the first race in two weeks.

The back wall of the garage features many pictures of the cars Buster drove framed and overlooked the desk he does all his “figuring” out on.