February 23, 2014

By Ken Wagner

As the Wagtimes efforts wind down after a 25 year run, the Wagtimer’s still get together now and then to celebrate the fun and important work we have done over the last 25 years. With the Wags living in Las Vegas, it makes it harder to gather up all the Wagtimer’s at one place and at one time, but this past weekend we gave it a try and those who came had a wonderful time with us in our home. Thank you for taking the time to travel and being a part of what you helped to build. We thank you all for coming.

for the 2014 Wagtimes reunion Foto's from Steve Lafond click here to view. For Darleen Dils pics Click here to view! For Jim Fargo's pics Click here to view!

In years past these get togethers were in Mission Viejo, Ca and on those occasions we would stuff 75 to 80 people in that small 1500 square foot condo, but it was always a special night, and it worked! We had one Vegas Wagsland party a couple of years ago, so when this year’s edition happened it was fun to see who made it. For those who came, we were blessed to have you and for those who didn’t, you missed out on your legacy!

I announced the February 22nd date in December to give plenty of lead time for the Wagtimer’s to make time and on Friday the 21st it all began to unfold in Las Vegas. Tracy Johnson and her son Jeff arrived early afternoon followed soon by Steve and Kim Lafond, then Fran & Jim Herdrich, Darleen and Stubby Dils, Jim and Marilyn Fargo entered Wagsland and we started to visit at the house. The first order of business was looking at the “Wags book of memories” I created from the many photo memories over the years. Photos from Steve Lafond, Jim Fargo, Ellen Ellis, Darleen Dils and myself were inside the near 50 page book created by me and printed by Shutterfly. One book would be given away on Saturday to one of the Wagtimer’s, so they all wanted one. I created a PDF off the Stutterfly website and gave everyone a copy, but unfortunately the word “preview” was on every page so it couldn’t be printed. I will research with Stutterfly the cost for anyone who wants one of these unique memory stuffed books.

When the Wagtimer’s get together in today’s times it is like old home week as we almost never arrive at the same racetrack at the same time, so these parties are great. I had the many photo albums stuffed with photos from the above mentioned photog’s set out for perusal, so there was that to keep em’ busy. The picture taking started and the new Wagtimes historical trophy was part of most of the photo’s as the striking trophy will be finding a home in the Arizona Hall of Fame as soon as we head over there. The trophy is a 4 red and white polka dot poster model with a white eagle on top that features all the Wagsdash winners and the Grand Marshals that we had over the 20 years of our annual race. Nothing goes on forever, but it was fun while it lasted!

Dinner was next so I picked a brand new restaurant named Twin Peaks nearby as one just opened in town this past week. Having gone to the one in Tulsa during Chili Bowl week for the past few years, it sounded like it would be fun for our 12 party group. It’s kinda like a classy Hooters with cuter girls with better outfits and the food is pretty good. We put our name in on this very busy Friday night and were told 25 minutes. We could do that, but after 20 or so minutes went by, we were told 30 minutes was the wait now! Not happy about that or the response from the manager who told Steve we just have to wait our turn, we chose to head to the Copper Keg, a nearby place me and the family go to now and then. We linked enough tables together and settled into the special prime rib dinner and continued our visiting. The Keg is not crowded often and we had the time, space and a quiet atmosphere to have fun and visit like crazy. After the fun and food, everyone headed to their hotels or a nights rest except for Steve and Kim who had reserved a room at our place. We stayed up and visited for a while until it was time to sleep.

Morning brought a beautiful day, something Las Vegas has few of, but being windless was the key to the nice 70ish day we would revel in. The same crew plus Krista Cordova her two little ones Mackenzie and Dillon plus new boyfriend Chuck Becker and his son Bryce joined us to eat. Turns out Chuck is a racer and does stock cars these days. The same table building exercise happened just like the night before and we chowed down on some eggs n stuff. Afterwards, some went back to their hotel rooms to rest up and a few came on to the house. New arrivals Pat & Lee Ann Normoyle came along with Marty Meler and Diane Keck, Cal and Debbie Smith, Darleen & Stubby brought her friend Arlene to the bash, so we were ready to have fun. It was going to be fun.

During the afternoon plenty of snacks to keep the hands busy with some memories pouring out of each mouth as the day went on. The main meal was to be chili as I thought it would be nostalgic to share some like our Wagsdash days, but Mrs Wags thought differently. Too much work and getting her kitchen dirty was not on her agenda, so we ordered in Italian from our favorite restaurant Buon Gusto and it was a hit with our crowd.

We did more photo ops including one of everyone there with the trophy, and that was interesting. More food, drink and fun until the sun went down and it was time for Wags state of the union take on things and the chance for everyone to have the floor for their own thoughts and comments. As we went around the room, the common thread that keeps this group alive was the word FAMILY. They felt like they were part of The Wagtimes family and it made us all think about those Wagtimer’s who couldn’t be here to share the feelings. Keeping in mid everyone traveled except us, it was a warm felling knowing they all came to be part of this and for that Terry and I are blessed to have such friends who made the trip and came to be part of our family gathering.

We talked of many Wagtimer’s, present and not, and their roles they played during the 20 years of Wagsdash races, and yes the many who are no longer with us. We remembered with some pain, and noted how times change in each of our lives and how we will go forward. Stories of times that were almost “slapstick like” in description went around the room as we shared the fun bloopers and extraordinary events of the past. The Wagsdash days were relived with great stories out of the past. One about our race somehow knocking down the walls at Ventura, of the rain delay night where the parking lot became a quagmire and the Wags Mule helped many through the slop after the races. Bringing back the original Mrs. Wags Chili Feed at Ascot in 1988 and the birth of Wagsbucks covered lots of things including the Lafond’s noticing us and “sneaking” over to get involved. They never left! Talk about us rescuing the Darling Dils when their car would run after an Ascot race starting that relationship that will go on. Talk of my surprise 50th birthday party at Bakersfield Speedway was special. Especially after nobody would let me put down my blankets for the night as the party attendees assembled next to the track. That night I got to pack the track in Tom Downing’s car and Terry didn’t know until I was on the track s she wouldn’t panic. Later Tom told me I went so slow the plugs fouled on the motor. The excited pic Darleen took of me coming out of the car is on my wall in the den.

The story about our motorhome catching fire at Bakersfield with the fire burning up everything under the hood and later that night the racers led by Jimmy Truli, Lafond and several more went around to collect Wagsbucks for Wags. I was overwhelmed and later the Dils took us home as we never saw that motorhome again, it was toast. The sneaky hats of the Lafond’s were famous over the years as they cruised thru the pits. The greatest Wagsdash race at Bakersfield where Gary Howard jumped to the lead and Bobby Michnowicz chased him until the last lap to pass and win was perhaps the most exciting one of them all. We still hold the non wing track record at that place! Ascot got some attention as many of us youngsters cut our teeth in racing there. The CRA tour races had stories, some particularly good ones from the Shartlesville hotel feed that 100 or so CRA travelers joined us there for some unique Dutch family style cooking! Port Royal was an interesting feed in Pennsylvania before a race. We all went shopping or food to eat, then our tour director charged us $5 to eat, that was a gas.

We talked about the hard work it took to make the Wagsdash days successful with the many money earning booths manned by Wagtimer’s and how many didn’t see much racing that day until the feature. Julie Shiosaki’s bake sale and sexy driver idea’s brought in a lot of money. How the chili serving was fun as it put racer and fan together at the picnic benches to visit and share some fun. How the Grand Marshal always was a part of it and that was a blessing for us and the crowd. The racing greats came to honor us with their presence with Jimmy Oskie, Lealand McSpadden, Bubby Jones, Eddie Wirth, Walt James, Brad Noffsinger, Parnelli Jones, John Redican, Glenn Howard, Bruce Bromme Sr and, Richard Griffin coming to be honored by all the fans. Lafond and Fargo shared some of their harrowing photog experiences, as did Darleen in her days, and their cameras were taking in the evening so we have a record of the fun. Talks about our 50/50 ticket selling days and how Sonia Duffy would shyly stand behind Marilyn Thomas to sell her tickets. She learned fast and we made a lot of money in those days for our low buck racers.

The chili cooking Fridays was missed after our La Villa connection of John Gardner’s efforts took over for us. The group moaned the togetherness afternoon slaving over 5 big pots of chili in the Ventura fairgrounds kitchen. Afterwards a big dinner somewhere always happened with another sharing time. The comment about how on race day we had it together and everything was set up and ready when chili serving time came, it was special. We did that together, and it worked. Our biggest Wagsdash was $25,000 with $3000 to the winner, but it is just a fond memory now, and we can reflect back on it as a job well done and much appreciated.

When it all came down to it, I had the floor to give my annual pep talk about my racing thoughts and future, but this year it was different. It is sad but true that the Wagtimes work is pretty much done now, but I am proud of what we did and no one can take that from us. I no longer will be standing around collecting Wagsbucks for the racers as that effort is now a thing of the past. The over $615,000 that we collected and paid directly to the racers has punctuated the ending with a smile. We raised money for Rusty McClure, Cory Kruseman, the SCRA benevolent fund and others who needed the extra help. We collected tour money for the CRA travelers during the tours and passed it out.

Since I no longer collect Wagsbucks, I have ended those days with fond memories and great feelings of accomplishment. I now feel different going to the races. I don’t have a driving quest anymore other than to actually watch my favorite racing, and that’s that. I don’t have to feel like I have to get up at the crack of dawn and get home the next morning after that long day to do it. I am officially retired in my racing efforts to help the racers, so no longer will be driven to go to every race and do my thing anymore. At this point the changes in the racing landscape and economic different times put a damper on my outlook.

Keep in mind I don’t need some cheese for my whine, but let’s look at today’s world as I see it. Perris has a cancer drive that sends drivers with their helmets into the stands often and add the other worthy collections ( boy scout troops, churches, schools and the like) who are looking for the crowds discretionary money, it’s hard for the Wagsbucks to compete anymore, especially since I am not part of the airways there. Since 911 the discretionary money has been used for more important things by families as jobs went away and it’s just harder collecting money from those fans. Supporting racing is tough for racer and fan alike and we are in tough times with the hopes that things will turn around and we go back to the good old days. Not going to happen anytime soon, but we can hope. Personally, the end of my era was because I ran out of OPM, other people’s money, the money that was pledged to me for the racers. The many supporters who fed the $18,000 Wagsdash days went away and that was sad, but they were the ones suffering!

I went on to describe what Wags was going to do and it’s pretty much a change in direction for me. Since we moved from California back in 2007, Mrs Wags main focus has been work and family, leaving her out of the weekly grind to the track path I was always on. She missed so many races that she lost track of the pit people enough that she didn’t know most of them out there anymore and it was hard for her to hang around all day while I hit the pits and took pics and then joined her in the grandstands for the racing. She didn’t lose her love for the racing, but she grew closer to the family in Vegas and was happy to let me go off to do my thing and happy to be with the family while I was gone. I lost my traveling companion. The lady who before Vegas was always my constant companion in my life was not on the road with me. Without her, it’s lonely out there, even though I have so many friends along the way. I cherish those friends and often stay with some of them, but I miss my lady on the road!

We’ve been in Las Vegas for 7 years or so now, but the early years of that span I had “other’ fun companions when she didn’t go. As many of you know I latched onto the Kittle Motorsports Team as they made me welcome aboard their rig and I began traveling on the longer trips, and even the “short” Perris ones, with them and that was just very special. I didn’t have to go alone and we went down the highway visiting, watching racing, or movies on TV, had some great meals and did the racing thing. I got into watching the little blue sucker and its trials and tribulations so much and I was part of it, sort of! It was tough when the end came as I was shocked and felt very sad. It was like being set out to pasture, I was alone again. During those fun days with them I had no assignments, so I just hung out and did my Wags stuff and shared their joys and not so joys along the way until the very last race of the # 18 car. That hurt, but I still had some other good trips with Mike Clark where we shared rooms and saw a lot of racing in Indiana and Perris and other tracks. Still 2013 was a bit of a nightmare without the Kittle trips and me in my Vette on the road alone. Once I got there, it was fun, but I still missed my lady.

This year is going to be different now that my wife is retired. She is so happy to not have to work, but my racing budget has shrunk and I will live with that. She still won’t be going to many races, except to the ones where the Wagtimer’s will be there to party with! With that in mind, and the fact that I am no longer the Wagsbucks seeking missile, I will pick and choose what races I go to and how long I stay. I will miss the Perris opener to stay in Vegas and watch the PAC 12 basketball tourney that runs 4 days. I will not be going to the WOO/CRA event because I don’t need to see the wings. On my schedule so far are Ventura on May 10 and the Trophy Cup October 18. I’ll probably do Calistoga and a couple races of that tour, but I can do some Nostalgia drags along the way too. There will be other races I am sure, but for now I have other fish to fry and will publish when I am going where as I figure it out. I plan to spend more time at home with my bride as our days are twilight headed, you might say.

Whew, that was queasy! The one thing that will remain of the Wags stuff is the Wagtimes/Lafond Jar of Change. Steve Lafond started it back in the beginning of our deal and it will continue on with him driving the bus because it is his baby. I suggest that all you Wagtimer’s do like I do and collect your change thru the year and add it to the pile for the hard charger award at the end of the year like always. I usually have about $200 in change by the end of the year, so set that as your goal and stay involved, it is the last Wagtimes piece of the puzzle left for us to enjoy and be proud of. If you match me, I see a lot of money for the racers in the Lafond jar! It still will be a CRA driver winner with the same rules as always. We want to get the money to the deserving low buck guy as often as possible. Just remember, it is part of your legacy that you have helped build! If you keep me informed on your totals along the year (maybe monthly) I can show the growing dollar amount on the Wags Web site. Do it!

After all the future talk, we got back to the fun stuff and had a drawing for a few racing items and most importantly the Wags book of memories that Diane Keck won! There were some other prizes given out, but I doubt anything was more valuable than that. We shared some of Mrs Wags bread pudding and a few toddy’s before the night ended and many were on the road in the morning.

Steve and Kim were up at the crack of dawn and headed to the airport before I could get my foggy eyes open. Then it was off to the Keg for breakfast with those who were left and then back to the house for some more visiting, photo memories sharing and watching the rain delay parking lot race on TV. When the last Wagtimer’s left we were bushed, pleased, blessed and looking forward to the next Wagtimes reunion date. We shall be thinking about that. I like having you in my home, but who’s to say we couldn’t have it back in So Cal somewhere, or as one suggested at the Arizona Hall of Fame in Phoenix? Think on it and look for me at the races along the year. Make Ventura a Wags event May 10 and maybe we could do a Friday night feed in honor of the many good times we had during our Wagsdash reign there! Put it on your calendar! Let me know!

I am thankful for all of you that came to share this weekend with us and hope there are many more to come.

Here is the letter I wrote that I planned on reading at the house Saturday night:

Welcome to the WWW (Wonderful World of Wags) – or… Racing with the Wagtimer’s! In the beginning God made Thunder & Lightning, thank you! Over my years involved in racing, the word WAGTIMER has been the core of OUR Wagtimes World. Nothing, but nothing, could have happened without YOU all, the key ingredient! After our marriage in Tulsa and moving to So Cal, it was me and Mrs Wags becoming enamored at Ascot Park watching the sprint cars we quickly came to love. The two of us went to Ascot about once a month on Saturday around 6 pm to watch the CRA Wingless Warriors. In the years that followed the birth of Wagtimes, arrival time was closer to noon as I didn’t have time to fool around doing other things. I was totally taken in by what I saw on the famous half mile dirt track after spending the prior 15 years following the awesome top fueler’s running around Southern California drag strips. When Lions Drag Strip closed, Ascot beckoned me, and after that, it was off to the dirt tracks instead of the slingshot world that I really enjoyed. I still hit the drags occasionally, mostly the reunion 60’s style front motored fueler’s and antique stuff at Bakersfield. I have no idea how it happened, but that crazy paper newsletter that spun tales of where we went, who we went with, the nicknames I gave my fellow fans, what we ate and some race reporting that was stuck in my head when we got home. That was what started me on this 25 year saga of Wagtimes, Wagsbucks, and the special 20 year Wagsdash that started in Hanford/Bakersfield in 1991 and ended in Hanford in 2010. I guess what goes around comes around! I started traveling seriously to watch sprint car racing in 1975 and after a bunch of long trips back East in the mid 80’s that fueled my love for the sport, I began the Wagtimes Newsletter in December of 1987 under the ruse of a Xmas letter to a handful of my friends from the Ascot bleachers. The first Mrs Wags Chili feed happened in the Ascot parking lot at the 1989 year ending Peabody Classic. The Chili Feed featured brand new Wagtimes T-shirts with artwork by Jerry Hudson and we collected the first Wagsbucks for the racers. Chris Holt presented the money during intermission in front of the crowd as he handed $560 to Cary Faas and $100 to Steve Foremost that first night. We didn’t know it at the time, but I never stopped collecting money from the fans until 2013, it just had a life of its own. Ascot was where it all began! Looking back, I realize everything just seem to happen as if it were destined! Of course there was a lot of hard work, plenty of help and some crazy luck to get it going. First of all, Cary Agajanian allowed us to do the first chili feed and Wagsbucks at his track and we continued on the next year. We got so much “airtime” from the announcers at the different tracks; people came to where I sat in the grandstands to hand me money for the racers. When Ascot closed, we took it on the road with the help of Frank Lewis and many others. For some strange reason, it just worked and the growing group of Wagtimer’s helped push that destiny forward. Without your help, the idea that started with buying a tire for a racer, just grew and grew! We could never have progressed to the pinnacle we reached and what we did, without you. The Wagtimes stuff was a new frontier for us and the local sprint car racing family. Collecting over $600,000 is amazing! Giving it all to the car owners and drivers is unbelievable! Averaging nearly $18,000 a year for the low buck racers Wagsdash was special! I am proud of what WE accomplished, but sadly, it has run its course and is now over! Thanks to each and every one of you for following me down the red & white polka dot trail. WE did great! Pat yourselves on the back as there will never be another group who did so much for the racers because ….. You believed as I did, and we supported what we love. This story is dedicated to all of you and what we did together. You had my back and I thank you for that!

The End

Thank you all

Wags n’ Mrs Wags

Here is a list of a lot of the helpers along the way. You Wagtimer’s are marked with ** so I hope I didn’t forget anyone.

Cary Agajanian, Cat Alger, Doug Allan, **Keri Alveran, Lynn Anderson, Ron Bach, Sandra & Jim Bartosh, John Baumann, Leroy Bedingfield, Bob Berg, Dick Benker, **Terri Bliss, Bill Boess, **Pat & Norm Bogan, Val Brose, Sam Brubaker, Scotty Burns, Dale Bryant, Bill Camarillo, Clarence Chastain, Rich Chesavage, **Tory Clarett, **Mike & Evelyn Clark, Dave Cordingly, **Krista Cordova, Glenn Crossno, Jim & Mickey Dale, Carey Davis, Chalmer Devore, Ron Didonato, **Darleen, Tina & Stubby Dils, Leon & Bonnie Dolance, Tom Downing, **Sonia & John Duffy, Dave & Jodee Dunham, Kevin Eckert, **Joe & Ellen Ellis, Mike English, D J Everett, **Jim & Marilyn Fargo, Don Fenton, Troy Fenton, Biker Bruce Fisher, Marv Fish, Don Flanders, Gale Forester, Chuck Fry, Gregg & Suzzette Gallant, Jack Gardner Jr, **Malory Gardner, Greg Godek, Don “The Barber” Gossage, Larry Henry, **Fran & Jim Herdrich, J B Heringhaus, Gene Hines, Chris Holt, Hosehead Allan Holland, Jerry Hudson, Lee Jaskowiak, **Tracey & Gerry Johnson, Jack Jory, Diane Keck-Marty Meler, Big Steve & Maggie Kimmel, Roy Kischell, Kittle Motorsports, Jeff & Cindy Kohler, Steve Koletar, **Steve, Kim & Korie Lafond, Frank Lewis, Art & Carol Malies, Little John Martin, Hal Matthews, Keith Murray, Patrick Nalon, Jim Naylor, Rick Nash, Galen “Cap Doc” Nelson, **Lee Ann & Pat Normoyle, Nancy O’Brian, Ted Otto, Joy Paulson, **Stephen Pettegrew, Stan Perry & Family, Danny Pivoveroff, Tony Poole, Brenda Pecharich, Trophy Dave & Muriel Pusateri, Don Read, Eric Reiman, Joe Reiman, George Rimmer, Terry “Ol Milwaukee” Secora, Tom & Laurie Sertich, **Julie Shiosaki, Randy Shiosaki, Cal Smith, Steve Stroud, Ron Schwarz, Gary Tanaka, Dan Tedrick, **Marilyn Thomas, **Mark & Bethany Thrasher, Thunderhead, Jim Thurman, Timeless T’s, Gene Tussing, Frank Uhl, Jim & Doris Van Netta, Lee Vodden, Dave Waltermath, Lois Ward, Braden Wasson, Bob & Debbie Welch, Jim Wells, Harlan Willis, L T works, Don Zabel and Bob Zeller. I know there were more!

And those loved ones gone: Mel Allen, Jack Alger, Paul & Helen Bagley, Willie Bandy, Al Barnes, Bob Berg, Don Blair, **Bud & Helen Burchell, Larry Calame, Doris Clark, Stan Cook, Pegge Ent, Erwin Ezlinger, Jan Fargo, Troy & Dorothy Fenton, Chris Fischer, Don Flanders, Dan Frank, Al & Elgin Freeman, Chet Gardner, George Gervais, Cecil Griswold, John Habbick, Baylands Frank Hall, Gene Hines, Gordon Hollenbeck, Walt James, Agnes Johnston, Larry Jolly, Jack Kraemer, Bob Michnowicz, Randy Mortland, Rose Noutary, Don O’Brian, Kenso Okubo, Matt Pecharich, Judy Pettegrew, Betty Sauer, Ron Shipley Sr, Mark Spivey, Big Dave Stangland, Don & Dode Templeton, Ralph Tracy, Nancy Tussing, Dave Ward, Billy Wilkerson and Richard Zimmerman. They all are missed.