August 20, 2011

By Ken Wagner

Wow, just when you thought the little red sucker was going to soar by the leader and post another big win, something wild happened! Suddenly Matt Mitchell showed the crowd his black and blue special and stole this one. It all started when David Cardeyleaped into the lead on the green flag from the pole position, looking to all like a winner early in the race. As he was holding off the Ripper, Rip Williams, those first few laps, several restarts mixed everything up as most were jockeying like they were running for $20,000, not the lowered $ 2000 posted for this one. It looked like a little pinball action with cars in every conceivable lane trying to find the pot of gold as they squirreled around! It was wild on the track as 31 cars came to play this week. So, on about the third restart, the top 5 went to the bottom and Mr Mitchell did not! He rolled from his 6th running spot right up and around them as he was almost even with the leader. A couple of laps later, after one more yellow, on lap 8, Matt "the Lion" powered by DynOmite David down the front stretch, darted low in front of him to shut him off and pulled away for is 4th all time CRA win and his second this season. WOW, bow that’s entertainment!

My pics Click here to view. Doug Allens work is here as usual click here to view.

While the winner was putting away everyone in sight, his neighbor, Nic Faas had already set fast time and ran second to Cardey in his heat. Nic made several attempts to get by for the win in the 10 lap prelim, but came up short. He would get by him in the main. He made good work in the 30 lap main and took 2nd near the end for a successful night in the Silver Bullet Alexander car and showed how he is fast becoming one of the new heroes we have in CRA racing. And boy, do we need heroes now!

David Cardey reminded us he is more than a Victorville specialist as he maintained his preferred low line throughout the race, leading early and almost pulling another win off at Perris. Of his 9 CRA wins, 8 have been at the PAS, the other one at Petaluma in 2009. He lucked into the pole position in the main when last week’s winner, Austin Williams, lost a muffler in his heat and was relegated to run the Semi, which he won, after missing the direct transfer. If not for the eventual winner taking control of the cushion, David had the right stuff on the bottom and only got shuffled from 2nd when late in the race Mike Spencer’s flat tire antics pushed him back to third as the mad scramble was on for the podium. Spencer’s right rear tire went totally flat with 2 laps to go, and he tried desperately to hold on to 2nd and still only dropped back 2 spots. The mangled tire resulted in a moon shot of rubber when it exploded coming across the finish line and sprayed the crowd with black bits of rubber after the noise startled some of us in the grandstands. Somehow Mike held on to 4th at the end.

R J Johnson made the trip across the desert from Phoenix to qualify 5th and finish in that lofty spot in the main event on a rare visit to the PAS. He said he had a weekend off and the rain had interrupted racing over there for the last two races, so they got on the road. He came to win and showed his skills well with the strong finish. Another Phoenix area runner Josh Pelkey made the trip as well and he qualified 10th and won his heat before grabbing 12th on the night.

Al l was not roses for the racers this week like normal as bad things happen from time to time. It all started in qualifying when Johnny McCall went into turn three a little hot and bounced thru the corner enough to unsettle the # 77 car and send him into a wild end over that he leaped out of as soon as it stopped in turn 4. He was visibly upset with himself as he jumped to the ground, ignored the safety crew and stormed back to his pit, done for the night. David Bezio stirred up the dirt in turn 4 when he hit the wall and crashed pretty hard. The car was battered and he was slow to get his bearings before getting out of the car seemingly OK.

Greg Bragg had his trouble this week after qualifying 6th and making the top 8 inversion on the start of the main with a second row spot. He looked comfortable running with the front pack, but I think he encountered something out there not of his doing, and was slowed to a stop going into turn one. After restarting in the back, it looked like something was broken because he soon found a way to spin out with a reported broken part putting him on the trailer with a 21st place finish.

Ronnie “Little G” Gardner had high hopes he could get thru this one and he and his crew of his dad Jeff and uncle Jimmy would rebuild a broken motor during the Calistoga and Chico week and be ready for the rest of the year. He was 2nd quick and ran second in his heat with the hopes of much more in the feature, but white smoke poured out of the car in the finale and he pulled off with a lost oil filter and what was reported to be some serious damage to that power plant.

The Ripper won the battle of the Williams family as he finished 7th ahead of his boys, Austin and Cody who were 9th and 10th. Greg Alexander ran a strong 8th this week only because his experience cost him a few spots, but he is coming along very well.

Brody Roa was the top 360 again this week as he qualified in the middle of the pack and missed the transfer to the main by one spot. He was 4th in the Semi against the big 410 beasts and ran 11th in the main event with his little steel block motor that is 200 pounds heavier and 200 horsepower less than the big boys. I don’t know if he got a bonus for the finish.

Matthew Shedarowich came for a second run in the # 12 Don Blair owned car and qualified 19th transferred from his heat and finished 14th in the main. Don Blair is having serious knee surgery this coming week and could use a few prayers. The 90 year old car owner has been in very poor health in recent years and they are just trying to replace a knee that has been infected since a new one was put in last year.

The Kershaw boys Cody and Dakoda came out for the first time at the PAS since they lost their grandfather. Dakoda made a wild wheelstand qualifying pass that you can see in my pics this week that looked seriously like he was going to run over me in my 4th turn perch. At least looking thru my camera lens, it was a little concerning until he backed it off and headed back on the track. Cody was 13th and Dakoda 15th as they both had some good laps in the main event.

A name many might not remember showed up in the # 36 Springstead car this week. John Franklin who last drove in my memory banks, somewhere around the turn of the century, came and enjoyed some laps on the track. He missed the main, but I am sure it joggled his memory. Hobie Conway and Cal Smith made rare appearances with us this week. Hobie just missed a transfer from the semi while Cal made the main and ran 18th, pulling off early, late in the race.

The Perkins Sprint Car School cars were in the house this week with Kenny Perkins in his bumble bee car and Hub Cap Mike Collins running a red # 50 having fun/.Perkins ran 17th in the main as Hub Cap just missed transferring. They are having a sprint car school at the PAS soon, but I missed the date, so if you are looking to go play in a sprint car at the PAS, check it out.

The track looked good and racing was pretty exciting all night and I am happy to report we didn’t have a repeat performance of the heat out 4th of July race. It actually was cool enough for sweatshirts and light jackets in the grandstands which appeared to be pretty full! Man, there are only a few races left at the PAS this year including the Sept 24th Glenn Howard Memorial race, the October 8th fair race and the Oval Nationals. Get your butt in the seats and support this stuff. They had 31 cars this week after a disappointing 18 last week, if they come, you better support em’!

I have to tell you a couple of “mistakes” I made recently that are of note, neither one catastrophic, but both humorous to talk about. I must apologize for those who thought they were getting a rare photo op from Mrs Wags last week at Santa Maria and looked for their pics on our website. I had prepared our second good camera for her and as she and my granddaughter Zoie walked around the pits and grandstand. She did what she does at the races, she took pictures only she can create. Unfortunately I forgot to put a flash card in the camera and there was nothing there when we tried to review what she had done!!! My fault, but how could I have done that to my bride? It was an innocent mistake, but imagine all the great stuff we should have been able to post. The second fopaw (?) is not worth mentioning, but if you saw me in my blue worker Wagtimes shirt this week, you might have noticed a piece of red tape next to my name on the front. You figure it out, as I told everyone who asked there was a hole under the tape. I like that shirt by the way.

I have to tell you a little Lightning Sprints news. This club has been very entertaining here at the PAS and the racing fun to watch whenever they appear. This week 17 year old Kevin Michnowicz decided he was going to drive his car and try to win his 4th race of the year to tie his dad, Bobby, who has one more win than him in the same car. He had a fuel problem in qualifying and had to start in the 7th or 8th row in the 20 lap feature. He had the usual suspects on the track who all run well with one addition, 14 year old Sheldon Creed of San Diego who came to beat the local boys. Well Kevin just rolled thru the pack and was running away with it with two laps to go when the motor broke! Young Sheldon then inherited the lead and went on to win the race. But, unfortunately for him, he was too light and was disqualified. He was too light in a lightning sprint, wow? The car reportedly was very specially built with a very special motor with all kinds of bells and whistles, and yet no doubt the kid can drive. Tom Downing was back for his second run with the youngsters. The former sprint car driver did OK, but for the second week in a row, his equipment let him down, so after doing a lot of rebuild recently, he’ll have to go back to the drawing board for next time. Shane Holt, one time SCRA paramedic type, was in his pit this week helping out.

Spied in the crowd this week were many familiar faces that have not graced our racing in a long time. Former Sprint car driver Verne Sweeney came to watch with a couple of his friends. He reports he has a brand new DSR car in his garage with a couple of motors and only lacks the $$$ to return to the thunder and lightning cars. He has been running up at Lamore near Hanford in smaller cars and reports he does very well thank you. Verne was famous for having tons of small weekly sponsors that kept his sprint car going. He says he needs help!

Another long lost driver is Scotty Burns who said it had been more than 10 years since his last venture out to a sprint car race. He had his son with him who was just getting over some motocross broken bones and there was discussion about roll cages as we talked. His wife April was MIA, but very missed as I remember some good times with him and his family. Scott is mixed up in some kind of Friday night motorcycle event that escaped me as I try to recall. But he looked good and said maybe he’ll be back sometime in the future. Maybe they both liked the look of the Lightning Sprints and his son might enjoy that over beating up his body on the bikes in the future.

Ok, I figured it out, finally!!!!! Watching the "Mattster" win at the PAS has pumped me up and got me thinking on the long ride home to lost wages! WAG$CA$H 2011 is coming! That is what I have finally decided to call the Wagtimes low buck efforts for the car owners this year in lieu of a real Wagsdash. The last race of the year is at Hanford on November 12th and here’s the plan for that night. I will continue to accept cash or auction items to be posted for the Wagtimes 2011 Online Auction http://www.wagtimes.com/wagsauction2011.html. We, well Mrs Wags, will make a 2012 racing calendar and we will publish our collections, which totals about $300 as I get started now. The Lafond Jar of Change is probably over $400 as we speak, but can use your change! Also, depending on how much I collect for this unusual Wagsdash like event, we might try to put $2000 aside for a “Low Buck” dash for Wagscash that night. The drivers who are eligible for this extra cash will be published starting with only the Wagsbuck type of guys who did not receive money so far this season and have not won 2 or more CRA main events. That list already has Ronnie Gardner, David Bezio, Jerry Welton, Bobby Bender, Johnny Bluntach and Johnny McCallon it. I will add more as we near the year ending race. I will figure out how many races they must run to qualify, probably at least 50 or 60%, and we will have the list of those who will share the collected WAGSCA$H on that night. There will be the Lafond Jar of Change hard charger, best appearing crew and car, shiny tire winner, hard luck owner of the night, highest finishing main event low buker and more I hope. I’ll think about a WAG$CA$H t-shirt, but that never adds to the purse, only fills my garage with the leftovers anyway, so I’ll ponder it. I know how bad it is for most of you, but consider putting a little $$$ aside for the low buck owners and our WAG$CA$H event, it should be exciting!!Help me out here: 1) give me cash, 2) give me auction items, 3) reserve and or buy a 2011 calendar, 4) Bid online today, 5) give me your change, and most of all, show up and support the WAG$CA$H event at Hanford. The Wagtimers are working it so get involved, did I say that yet? PS, I don't think there will be a chili feed, but havn't counted that out as I haven't talked to my Chiliman yet. WAG$CA$H 2011! OH, AND I COLLECTED $55 THIS WEEK, SO WE ARE ON OUR WAY!

Rumor has it Danny Sheridan Led the West Coast 360 USAC event at Hanford last night for 8 laps until he was “encountered” and eventually hooked back to the pits finishing 18th.

I’ll think about Santa Maria or Ventura for this coming weekend, but at this point I haven’t decided. I am leaving for Calistoga the next weekend for an extended stay in the Northern California area for Chico as well. Hope to visit with many of my friends up there between Monday and Wednesday, so be prepared for me to show up.

8/20/11 Top 5 qualifiers: 1. Nic Faas, # 4, 16.600; 2. Ronnie Gardner, # 93, 16.715; 3. Matt Mitchell, # 37, Mitchell, # 37, 16.725; 4. Mike Spencer, # 50, 16.794; 5. R.J. Johnson, # 51, 17.028.

Heat winners: David Cardey, Josh Pelkey, Matt Mitchell and Rip Williams. Semi winner: Austin Williams.

FEATURE: (30 laps) 1. Matt Mitchell, 2. Nic Faas, 3. David Cardey, 4. Mike Spencer, 5. R.J Johnson, 6. Cory Kruseman, 7. Rip Williams, 8. Greg Alexander, 9. Austin Williams, 10. Cody Williams, 11. Brody Roa, 12. Josh Pelkey, 13. Cody Kershaw, 14. Matt Shedarowicz, 15. Dakoda Kershaw, 16. John Aden, 17. Kenny Perkins, 18. Cal Smith, 19. Ronnie Gardner, 20. Randy Waitman, 21. Greg Bragg, 22. David Bezio. NT

**McCall flipped during qualifying. Bezio flipped on lap 4 of the feature.

FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-7 Cardey, Laps 8-30 Mitchell.

NEW AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT POINTS: 1-Spencer-622; 2-Faas-588; 3-Mitchell-577; 4-A.Williams-497; 5-Bragg-404; 6-C.Williams-398; 7-Cardey-380; 8-Gardner-370; 9-R.Williams-369; 10-Rickie Gaunt-338.

NEXT AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT RACE: September 3 – Calistoga (CA) Speedway