January 20, 2011

By Ken Wagner

The annual trip to the Chili Bowl is always exciting and fun. Regardless that the weather went from the mid 60’s down to sub 10’s during our stay, Mrs Wags and I had a ball. Best of all, it was the most exciting feature this wag has ever seen there! That couldn’t be topped, but the visits with family back there, the meals of fun, the snow white out on one trip, the B ball games for me and the “talk walk” in the pits was all part of the best life has to offer.

For the chili Bowl results Click here, for our pics from Tulsa Click here.

We arrived early on Thursday night prior to the race and headed to Missouri, after a lunch at Cheddars with old friend Ron and Carolyn Tunin, to visit with my two kids, Kevin and Jill and two grandkids Zoie and Logan. Mrs Wags got to spend a few days with her brother Paul while I checked out the "Sheridan house" where Danny Sheridan and his familiar Kittle Krew of Randy, Julie, Chad, Ralph, Jimbo, Nancy and two of Danny's hometown friends Joey and Robby spent the week in pure luxury in an upscale rented home complete with pool, ha ha - like that was needed, basketball court and plenty of TV’s to watch sports. They needed me on Sunday when they discovered the liquor stores don’t open on Sundays and there was no Jack in the house!

Monday was spent at the practice day as everyone got two sessions on the track and many discovered that was not enough. It was my first time to attend practice at the Chili Bowl and it really felt like any other race night there. I spent some time with the Robbie and Gaye Allen racing team because Danny Sheridan and Josh Pelkey would drive their two orange and black beauties. Both drivers seemed to have good sessions. I also watched young Kevin Michnowicz take his first ever laps at Tulsa. He had a torque tube explode in his lap and was lucky to not get hurt. Both he and his father Bobby would be racing this one.

I had opportunity to do my annual "talk walks", something that makes the Chili Bowl famous as you can walk the pits and talk to fans and racers alike from just about sun-up until they turn the lights out every day of the event. It was a lot of fun and when you get so tired, there is no seating for the wicked walkers, so you have to find a place to relax. I got a little lightheaded late in the day, probably because I was in such a hurry to get to the track, I forgot to eat! I headed back to my old roommate’s house, to grab a quick rest and bite to eat. Tony Mishler, Ron Tunin and I were roommates in the early 70’s prior to my meeting and marrying my bride. I always stay at Tony’s and enjoy that time with him each year. When Randy said we were going to Twin Peaks for dinner, I was in. Originally I was to set it up thru Terry’s cousin who was the manager of the restaurant when we were in town last year. Unfortunately, he is no longer there and we couldn’t ever get in contact with him so we were on our own. The whole "Kittle Krew" showed up less Julie and Jimbo, who would arrive on Wednesday. It was snowing and a bit icy out, but we were hungry. Twin Peaks is like a Daisy Duke Hooters, for lack of a better description. The girls are beauties and their DD outfit’s and very boobilicious, can I say that? Anyway the food was exceptional and the scenery great as we watched the so called BCS national Championship on TV while we ate. afterwards the walk to my car brought back memories of living here in the ice and snow. I needed a steady hand to get me across the ice, as history has shown, I never do well walking on ice! Thanks ralph!

Tuesday brought the first night of the Chili Bowl and like most years, I take a night off during the week to do something else, normally B Ball, but this time my wife who rarely comes, found something else for us to do. It was dinner with a couple who are long time family friends at the Chopsticks Restaurant. I don’t have to tell you what kind of food we had, but it was very good and we spent the entire evening enjoying Doyle and Shirley’s company. We had a to go box that was in the fridge for a few days until we found a nice note from Tony on the kitchen cabinet saying he ate it and it was good!

In the afternoon before dinner, Kevin and his best friend Tom showed up and dumped their stuff in the house and headed to the race. Tom had never been before and said he really enjoyed it. When they got home after the race we sat around with Tony watching sports and having late night toddy together. Bryan Clauson won the first night and looked strong doing it, they say. Chad Boat and Josh Wise were B feature winners from out west and Bud Kaeding was the best in the A Main at 15th.

Wednesday Mrs Wags would be staying at Tony’s while Kevin, His boss Cliff Stepp and I went racing. The racing was so so until the feature arrived. Cole Whitt took the lead on the start and led until a restart late in the 25 lapper and Damion Gardner slipped under him for his first lead. Damion was strong, but so was Cole. A third driver, Donnie Ray Crawford had moved up running the bottom exclusively into 3rd place earlier. Both leaders, and most others, used the high groove, to maintain their lead. With two laps to go, a final restart happened and you just knew Cole would make a move on Damion. On the white flag lap coming around turn four, Cole slid Damion coming out of the last curve, but “oh no you don’t Damion” made his own move. The Demon darted just to the left of Cole and squeezed his way up next to him as Donnie Ray was in the catbird seat next to them. As they bumped their way to the finish line, Donnie Ray edged ahead as Damion and Cole banged together, this sending Damion high enough in the air that the transponder missed reading it. The scoreboard, that works off the transponders, showed Donnie Ray and Thomas Meseraull in first and second. No Damion and no Cole? Well, Cole didn’t cross the line and was placed in 7th! Damion flew over the transponder reader, but was given second because he physically crossed the line second. Local boy Donnie Ray was like the cat when the mouse stopped in front of him as he pounced for this close win. Heat winners from out west were Thomas Meseraull, Mike Spencer, Damion Gardner, J J Yeley and Cole Whitt. Jimmy Sills won the C Main, Robby Josett, J J Yeley, and Cole Whitt won A qualifiers. Brad Sweet and T J Smith won the two B Mains.

Perhaps the second best drive of the week (I give the best to Michael Pickens for his run from the back, after a spin in the A main on Saturday, up to a 3rd), to Bobby Michnowicz. He was last in his A qualifier and thus started at the back of the B main. He unbelievably moved all the way to the last transfer spot (4th) near the end of the 15 lapper to move on! He put on a clinic passing his way forward, great job by the old geezer! As cold a night as it was, my son brought the car for me to the curb so I wouldn’t get lost in the snow and we went back to Tony’s for.

Thursday was going to be Tony’s night to go racing as he always comes one night when we are in town. With only 3 tickets in our portfolio, I chose to go to the infield for the first time, and shoot some pics. After spending some time earlier in the day wandering the pits and another shorter talk walk, it was time for the racing. I headed to the MUDDY infield and scoped out the photog’s area. First I tried turns 3 and 4, but it was pretty wet and muddy next to the K-rails where the resident photog’s had stools that kept them up off the ground for better (?) shots. So I headed down to the other end where the mud was packed in and much dryer. I visited with a lot of photographers that I knew and generally had a good time. My only problem was I left my good camera and lens home and my results suffered because of it, but I got some stuff I liked.

The west coast winners in the heats were Jerry Coons Jr, Garrett Hansen and Jason Leffler. Up close the action was a little harder to get into as they were zooming by and going down the back stretch where you had to watch the screen high in turn one or try to look thru the photog’s at the other end to see what was happening. I used the screen, but you had to concentrate hard. Garrett Hansen had a rough night as did Jason Leffler and Mike English as things just happened.

Mike English was thwarted in the last B when he came up one spot short of making the main. Garrett got spun in the back and didn’t transfer. Shane Golobic did a great job finishing 5th in the main and put himself in a position to make the A main on Saturday. Danny Sheridan ran hard as he was 2nd in his heat, 5th in the qualifier and started midway in the main. He ran it up to 7th when a yellow came out and he was jostled into the air, and when he landed, the motor didn’t fire again. That put him in the D on Saturday.

As expected the feature featured Sammy Swindell as he took his little lightweight truck lookin’ black # 1 midget to the front and won easily with Jerry Coons Jr chasing to no avail. That # 1 is fast and must have something the rest don’t have, besides his obvious great driving skills, and I wonder what the secret is! There are no rules, so whatever it is, it sure works and he ain’t cheatin’! In my no mechanical mind, someone put the thought that special fuel injection was utilized on some cars, and might be it.

I was toasted when I sloooooowly climbed out of the infield into the pit area and didn’t last long before my Son caught up to me and we headed to the house with Mrs Wags in tow. I think I really enjoyed being down there, and might do it again, but would consider a stool and my better camera and some snacks to keep me goin’ down there if I did. I can do better, now that I know how the pros do it!

Friday came and Kevin and I did lunch at Mike Clark’s favorite burger place: Ron’s Burgers! It was good as we split Ron’s special and a sausage special. We then went to Ike’s Chili place and got some Peach cobbler to go, 4 servings, for later! Next, we had to go get Mrs wags who had spent the afternoon with a couple of her old school chums, and I do mean old, before heading to the track to do the talk walk and shop some.

Friday brought a few surprises and the most notable was Nic Faas car didn’t fire all night so he missed the show. A shame to come all the way here to Tulsa from California and not even get to run a lap. After his Monday practice scare with the torque tube explosion, Kevin Michnowicz. did it one better. He was doing just fine in his heat passing cars and making good decisions when it happened. Two cars in front of him crashed together and he pulled down on the track to avoid them, but one move over and clipped him, sending him into an endo that finished with him on his head against the wall. Quickly white smoke appeared and then a big flash fire erupted, but he was climbing out when the fire guys were putting it out. Great job and he wasn’t hurt. He came back to run 6th in the C main after another "encounter" on the track not caused by himself, and came back on Saturday.

There was some good action during the night and when it was time to run the A Main, I got in a pool to pick the winner. I picked Shane Cottle and he methodically, from his second row starting spot, held off Dave Darland, Kevin Swindell, Brad Loyet and several others who made good runs for the win. I split the winnings with 4 others, so I wasn’t the only brain in the crowd who could guess good.

Saturday was predictably somewhat sad because we all knew it was about to end. Tony fixed us steaks on the outdoor Barbie for a great lunch as he was also sad it was about over. I managed to get my airplane flight boarding pass before Kevin dropped me off at the track for my last talk walk. He and Mrs Wags would come much later as the action would begin at 11 AM with two K main’s to work forward in pairs up thru the alphabet until just one A main was ready to rock and roll. Sitting that long was out of the question and just too much for these eyes and cheeks to endure. The plan was for me to hit the seats about 5:30 when they arrived and the D mains would happen. I made the long trek around looking for some I hadn’t managed to greet yet and others who I liked to visit with, until I was too tired to do anything but sit down.

The first D main started with Ronnie Gardner winning easily in his # 93 midget. R J Johnson won the second D and on came the C mains. The whole point of the double mains allows the action to be non-stop as the first X main finishes; those transferring cars went and got ready for their next X main start while the second X main of that alphabet soup version was running. Get it, no delays!

The main was the best I have ever seen here for 50 laps and Brian Clauson looked like he had the best chance of beating Sammy Swindell to the checkers. Bryan led for 7 laps I think, until a restart saw Sammy blow by him! It looked like curtains for the rest of the field, but NO! Kevin Swindell didn’t look like a threat as he was mired back a ways with some real heroes between him and his dad, but it ain’t over till………. Clauson kept coming, even though he actually spun around on two separate occasions and kept goiong, but others took up the chase when Kevin got there and a local Jonathon Beason came out of nowhere to charge to the front.

Sammy and Clauson and Kevin began an amazing dance that eventually saw Clauson spin, get hit and recover after Kevin had slid by him a lap earlier. Kevin then took on his dad and slid him too! With little time to go, Michael Pickens who challenged early only to go to the back after a stop, was now in third, what a drive! Kevin was leading his dad looking for his second consecutive win at the Chili Bowl, something no one had ever done, and the last lap lit up the track. As if it was dull up until this point, it still amped up a bunch as Sammy cruised down on the bottom and passed Kevin coming out of the last turn. It looked like the little truck was going to do it with at least a car length lead coming to the checkers, but the younger Swindell just hammered his car up high and barely slipped by with inches to spare, yes inches, at the line! Like I say it was the best one yet and about 7 cars really had a look at the win the young lion took from his more seasoned father. You could see his mom thrilled in victory circle during the ceremonies.

It was all over, 25 years of great racing with all the heroes under one roof each winter in Tulsa, and it was a wrap. Tony Stewart was supposed to be the grand Marshall this year, but he was down under racing in Australia and couldn’t get back in time. It was reported a disagreement with the promoter down there kept him from coming, so his father Nelson Stewart accepted for him. He is as nice as they come and was smooth in his acceptance.

So many stories in the pits thru out the week will be remembered, but none with the excitement of watching the last race. It takes skill, luck, a good draw in your heat, luck, some great reactions, luck, a lot of moxie, luck, and some big ones to win the Chili Bowl, and apparently age has nothing to do with it! So many teams had the basement to the penthouse and back down again type week, with only one winner, but a lot of winners in the pack. It can’t be recreated, but maybe next year you might want to plan a trip in January just to see it if you haven’t been there, it is well worth it!

It’s nice to know nice guy Jon Stanbrough was voted the top driver of 2010. He deserved it! Here is the top 25 list: 1., Jon Stanbrough (11), Jamestown, IN, 2., Levi Jones (7), Olney, IL, 3., Damion Gardner, Concord, CA, 4., Bryan Clauson, Carmichael, CA, 5., Mike Spencer, Temecula, CA, 6., Dave Darland, Walton, IN, 7., Chris Windom, Canton, IL, 8., Jerry Coons, Jr., Tucson, AZ, 9., Blake Fitzpatrick, West Terre Haute, IN, 10., Shane Hmiel, Pleasant Garden, NC, 11., Robert Ballou, Rocklin, CA, 12., Tracy Hines, New Castle, IN, 13., Brandon “Bud” Kaeding, Los Gatos, CA, 14., Cory Kruseman, Ventura, CA, 15., Dickie Gaines, Mitchell, IN, 16., David Cardey, Riverside, CA, 17., Danny Sheridan, Santa Maria, CA, 18., Tony Hunt, Inglewood, CA, 19., Matt Mitchell, Yorba Linda, CA, 20., Craig Stidham, Fresno, CA, 21., Charles Davis, Jr., Buckeye, AZ, 22., Andrew Elson, San Jose, CA, 23., Blake Miller, Yorba Linda, CA, 24., Thomas Meseraull, San Jose, CA, 25., Shane Hollingsworth, Indianapolis, IN, 15.

It has been my pleasure to know Bruce Bromme Jr for many years. It has been my pleasure to watch him develop champions and win races with his expertise. His supporting class has been with him forever, but his leadership speaks for itself. Bruce knows how to win, how to make the right decisions, how put his driver in a position to beat the competition, he is special. I don’t have the stats on how many wins under his guidance, how many championships his cars have won, how many mechanics of the year awards he has accepted, but let’s just say there is no one else who can compare or match his record. He stands alone at the top of that mountain. He won another championship for his car owner Ron Chaffin this year and his driver won his third championship in a row! It speaks to excellence!

Now the icing on the cake will be applied in Knoxville, IA in May when Bruce Bromme Jr is inducted in the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame. I couldn’t be happier for the man who has done it all and is not done; he says there is more to come. He says he is humbled by the announcement. He says he is thrilled beyond belief. He says he is honored and remembers how he got there and who helped him along the way, including his father, Bruce Sr and many others. I hope many get to go and see a very rare man accept this award!

Now for the CRA schedule It is below and hopefully not complete. We have over the years run less races from 39 in 2005 down to 22 in 2009 and 25 in 2010. I am not going to get on my soapbox to explain this, but every sprint car fan and racer alike can change this pattern, but it will take some doing. Forget economic decline, owners backing off, fans loosing track of our racing, let’s step up and support the best thing we ever had. When the final version comes out, print it and post it on your calendar and plan to go racing.

2011 AMSOIL USAC/CRA Sprint Car Schedule:

3/12 – Perris, CA/Perris Auto Speedway 4/2 – Perris, CA/Perris Auto Speedway April 16 - TBA 5/7 – Hanford, CA/Giant Speedway 5/28 – Perris, CA/Perris Auto Speedway 5/29 – Victorville, CA (T)/Victorville Auto Raceway 6/ 4 - TBA 6/17 – Watsonville, CA/Ocean Speedway 6/18 – Santa Maria, CA/Santa Maria Speedway 7/2 – Perris, CA/Perris Auto Speedway July 23 - TBA 7/30 – Perris, CA/Perris Auto Speedway 8/13 – Santa Maria, CA/Santa Maria Speedway 8/20 – Perris, CA/Perris Auto Speedway 9/3 – Calistoga, CA/Calistoga Speedway 9/4 – Calistoga, CA/Calistoga Speedway 9/8 – Chico, CA/Silver Dollar Speedway 9/24 – Perris, CA/Perris Auto Speedway 10/8 – Perris, CA/Perris Auto Speedway 10/15 – Las Vegas, NV/Las Vegas Motor Speedway Dirt Track 10/29 – Victorville, CA (T)/Victorville Auto Raceway 11/3 – Perris, CA/Perris Auto Speedway 11/4 – Perris, CA/Perris Auto Speedway 11/5 – Perris, CA/Perris Auto Speedway 11/12 – Hanford, CA/Giant Speedway

I have had a lot of fun with my winter B Ball and the 56 games I have seen in person so far. There is more to come since we don’t start this this season until March 12. I have also done some family things, read a lot of books and written very little about my second love, remember Mrs Wags (?), so at my young age I am experiencing as much as I can possibly do. Last year was great as I had several opportunities to travel with the Kittle Motorsports race team in their hauler and it is one of my highlights of the year. Going to Calistoga, Petaluma, Watsonville and the Chili Bowl were high on my satisfaction list. Watching some of the younger drivers like Ronnie Gardner, the VanderWeerd’s, Jace and Richard, Greg Alexander, Austin and Cody Williams and even Blake Miller do their thing with the veterans we have is just plain fun. The Wagsdash is up in the air like normal, but hopes to hold the 21st is in my mind. I’ll work on that soon and if it’s not possible, we might try to do a Mini-Wagsdash and still raise money for the low buck guys.

My thanks to all who have helped me on my quest to do Wags Stuff, with Jim Naylor and Don Kazarian at the top of the list. What they do to allow me to do what I do, is really very special. I am thankful I have lasted this long. I can’t forget all the Wagtimers, my wife, my friends in racing and just about everyone I encounter on the racing road to fun. USAC/CRA gets a nod for their help and especially I don't forget the owners, drivers and crews who welcome me in their pits to chat and be part of the best racing in the land, this thunder and lightning is something, isn’t it?

Let’s all rise above it all and have a great 2011 season!!!!!!