June 29, 2013

By Ken Wagner

The Green Machine of Brody Roa rolled around the track for 30 laps and no one could change the outcome as Brody was on his game this week. Starting on the pole, Roa methodically circled the track with several hot dogs trying to move in on him, but in the end he stood tall in winners circle as he won his first URA main event. Marvelous Matt Mitchell gave Brody fits the first half of the race as Matt was on his fuel cell until he was nudged from behind and slipped back a few spots. After that Brody’s hands were full of David Cardey the rest of the way. Prior to this event, his best finish in the new URA was 4th as he qualified 8th and ran second in his heat.

For my pics from OSS click here to view. For Doug Allens quality photo's Click here to see.

David Cardey started 7th in the main after qualifying 2nd and fifth in his heat. He had his hands full getting to the front, but when he got there, Brody was too wide to pass and he settled for second. It was his 4th time on the podium with URA with two wins, a fifth and now his second runner-up.

Rip Williams made his first URA podium with a third place finish this week. He was 4th in his heat and had a great night on the track. He won the Williams War this week as his sons finishes were Cody 8th, Austin 12th and Logan 15th. The family t-shirt was released this week featuring the four cars on the back of the shirt. Pretty impressive and everyone will want one of these historic black T’s.

Seth Wilson is going thru tough times as his mom is in the hospital very ill. She has been there for several weeks and could use our prayers. Nevertheless, while his dad Steve is with her, Seth has her in his heart as he races. He had his best URA finish with 4th this week in the 30 lap main and was 6th in qualifying and won his heat!

The most exciting pass of the night was executed by Nic Faas in his heat race. He was running at the back, due to setting fast time at 14.054, and dogging teammate Damion Gardner when Damion went to pass another car and Nic slipped under both in a daring move and went on to win the heat. Damion’s car quit on him and he walked to the pits leaving the car to be wreckered off. Nic was awarded the Ron Schwarze $200 best passing award for total cars passed in the event.

Matt Mitchell will remember this night to be a battle with Damion in the main event. While pressing the leader hard, Matt was jostled from behind and went way sideways, but recovered to slide back into the mix as Damion took this opportunity and pulled up next to him looking to take the spot. Matt dove under him going into turn one and suddenly the Demon was parked backwards into the wall. It was his second spin and the black flag came out, but Damion didn’t take the hint and remained on the surface ready to race. After several laps of this communication problem, the race director Steve Ostling called for a red flag stop. Never seen that, but I think Damion had other ideas in his mind like retaliation maybe? After some more communication discussions, Damion finally went to the pits, a very unhappy racer, and we continued on. Unfortunately, the incident with only 6 laps to go, took Matt out of the up-front battle and he finished 6th.

David Bezio came to the track after a few expensive crashes curtailed his racing for a few weeks. I told him to keep it on all fours and he smiled. After the race he must have been smiling as he ran 7th from his 13th starting spot, passing the most cars in the feature, and rolling it on the trailer, hot dog! Great job by the young man.

Cody Swanson made his second impressive start in the 410 unlimited class another good one as he was 9th in qualifying, 3rd in his heat and 10th in the main event. Now where is his cousin Jake?? Cal Smith get kudos for representing the racers this week as he spent his morning at a local Home Depot displaying his car and talking to the many fans who came by encouraging them to come to the races. Some of them even mentioned Ascot as to where they had been race watching? Atta boy Cal we need to keep doing that!

Push trucks are a little rare at OSS and Skip and his boys could use a few recruits and some much needed help as they take care of getting the racers started. Most that do this are dedicated and are having fun. Pushing sprint cars is a not so easy to accomplish chore. Pushing the delicate race cars takes patience and skill. One man who is a dedicated photographer also brings his truck and does his duty during the night as he pushes in between shooting the great pics. Doug Allen has to be thanked for his trying to help everyone and still take those exciting shots of our favorites.

Ronnie Gardner won another Midget Main event this past week near Visalia. The young man is doing serious business with those little cars. Since his # 18 ride got parked, he has worked hard on his own ride and will bring the # 93 back out to Perris this week and frankly I can’t wait. Wouldn’t it be fun to watch him win under the fireworks that night!

The day was pretty warm in San Bernardino with temps above 105, yet when the sun went down, the air cooled down and the action was hot! To me that is exciting because I know at my doorstep in Vegas, if it’s 110 in the daytime, it’s 108 after dark, or close. It does go down after midnight, but cranks back up as dawn approaches. So with all that said, it wasn’t at all uncomfortable in the grandstands, especially when the sun went down. And the tacos were good!

It’s a short week as Perris presents its annual Firecracker 30 on Thursday. It will be another warm one, but if we can get the coach off his butt and on his 4 wheeler, all will be well! Come early and see the cars on the track and enjoy the fun of the drivers visiting with the fans, it’s all part of the show! The fireworks are as good as it gets, if you like that stuff, and always impresses me. Who will win? Don’t bet against the Silver Bullets as one of them will be storming the track and the other will be on the gas as well. The green machine will be ready to go as will the little red sucker, the Moosemobile, the black stealth Jory cars, maybe even the Super one, the 360 champ and many more! Go racing my friends and get thirsty!

I will have some new/old t-shirts with me as I am bringing back my favorite Wagtimes shirt from 20 years ago. The one with the yellow sprint car and American flag behind it is back!!! I’ll have a few extra’s so check it out, I’ll be wearing one.

July racing will be real quiet after the big 4th race at the PAS. Only one other 410 race and that is July 27th at Route 66 Motorplex with Unlimited Sprints, Limited Sprints (Ford Focus) and the California Lightning Sprints. Unless of course you go to the annual Indiana Sprint Week for 12 days? I gave that up a few years ago because of the heat, and of course the expense as my retired money doesn’t go as far as my working money did. I plan to make that short 15 minute trip up the huge hill to Victorville that seems to keep many from going there. Oh that’s right, I come from the other direction, so my bad, you guys are missing out. It takes 25 minutes from Orange Show Stadium, so it’s about the same as going to Perris from the I-10 and 215.

Think of all the people in the hospital, or ill at home, or unable to get out on our independence day celebrations. Don Weaver, Seth Wilson's Mom, Stubby Dils and many more need your prayers. Also R.I.P. to the 19 firefighters who lost their lives in Yarnell, Arizona recently.

URA SPRINT CAR RACE RESULTS: June 29, 2013

Fast time: Nic Faas, 4, Alexander, 14.054. Heat winners Nic Faas, Kenny Perkins and Seth Wilson.

FEATURE: (30 laps) (starting positions in parenthesis) Winner Brody Roa,(1); 2. David Cardey, (7); 3. Rip Williams, (4); 4. Seth Wilson, (3); 5. Nic Faas, (6); 6. Matt Mitchell, (5); 7. David Bezio, (13); 8. Cody Williams, (11); 9. Kenny Perkins, (14); 10. Cody Swanson, (9); 11. Rick Hendrix, (16); 12. Austin Williams, (2); 13. Donny Gansen, (19); 14. Chris Gansen, (18); 15. Logan Williams, (15); 16. Cal Smith, (17); 17. Damion Gardner, (8); 18. A. J. Bender, (10); 19. Johnny Bluntach, (12); 20. Jon Kairot, (20).

NEW URA SPRINT POINTS: 1. David Cardey 110, 2. Matt Mitchell 78, 3. Nic Faas 78, 4. Rip Williams 71, 5. Damion Gardner 68. 6. Brody Roa 59, 7. Cody Williams 58, 8. Seth Wilson 52, 9. Kenny Perkins 51, 10. Austin Williams 47, 11.Logan Williams 42, 12. A J Bender 29.

Next URA Sprint Race: July 27, 2013 Rt 66 Motorplex.