Marc Hart wins 2nd Wagsdash from 8th row!

Super Rickie Gaunt and Marc Hart were the headliners at the SCRA Wagsdash 2000 night at Ventura Raceway this week. Rickie, driving the Gardner Motorsports Sled Chassis # 96, won the action packed regular main event when he passed and then held off local hero, Cory Kruseman, for the last 2/3rds of the race. It was his 7th SCRA win as he continues to impress and add victories to his resume. Mike Kirby captured 2nd with some of his always amazing antics here, making it a three way battle for the win and exciting the large crowd. Rickie was pressed hard by Cory, as he maintained a midway groove while Cory tried the low line repeatedly to root him out of the way to no avail, until Mike took advantage and captured the runner-up spot on the last lap. Check here for Mrs Wags pics as she adds them over the next few days. check here until she is done.

Point leader Richard Griffin won the JE Pistons Passing Masters Dash and earned the right to start on the pole of the weekly SCRA main event. Kruseman made a dramatic charge to the lead before a lap had finished and looked like he was long gone. A restart on lap 11 changed all that as Gaunt made the move around the popular local driver and then methodically ignored Cory and the yellow flags that followed to "Gardner" another win. Kirby never could get command of the groove he prefers late in the race, the one that Gaunt was widely using up, but gave it a good run at the winner before it ended. Tony Jones looked like a challenger until he was shuffled into a spin that forced him to come from the back to finish 13th.

John Scott made up a lot of ground as he overcame a slow, for him, qualifying time and resulting 19th starting spot, to get 9th in the main and the Red Line Oil Hard Charger award. Seven of the regular main starters ran in the Wagsdash. Several had to repair their cars from shunts in the first 30 lapper. J Hicks just barely made it into the nights feature event when his team had to replace a front end between the two races.

With 48 cars in the pits, a new Ventura record, there was close to 140 racing laps put on the well prepared clay, not including 96 qualifying laps, yet it was an awesome track all night long. When the night was over, the track was still very wet and racy. This event featured some of the finest short track action in the land for those of you who can only read about it since you didn't attend. Threats of rain in the area didn't materialize, as we had literally perfect weather all day and night. Am I prejudiced? Probably, but I'm not lying about the great side by side action we all saw.

Marc Hart, driving the Trench Shoring, TCR chassis # 15 won the 10th annual Wagsdash, becoming the first driver to repeat, when he came from the 8th row to pass the field that included at least five others who were showing their potential to win. Michael Smith put the Fischer Motorsports sprinter in 2nd providing the team its third runner-up finish in the last five years. Jay Drake earned the other two for the team. Michael started behind Marc and almost caught the overheating black sprinter near the end. It earned him the Lafond Jar of Change and the $503 inside it. Cory Kruseman, after hoisting it to compare to the one he won in his rookie year, was impressed at the figure that has grown over the years under Steve Lafond's dedication. Marc didn't finish his victory lap, ending up stopped on the track in turn four and spewing steam like a locomotive. His other victory here in '98 ended with a flat tire bothering his handling the last lap. He was 10th in the regular main event earlier before he took home the $3,000 first place Wagsdash money and the awesome Trophy City beauty from Dave Pusateri in San Jose. It was the best trophy yet and included the usual red & white polka dotted die cast sprinter that I lifted from my private collection that needs replacing (hint, hint) like the previous 8 before it. Dave has supplied all the Wagsdash trophies, but the first one didn't have the symbolic decorated car.

The event day started off with the 14th annual Mrs Wags Chili Feed for fans and racers. The midway was packed as the crowd devoured 250 quarts of chili and numerous hot dogs earlier in the day. Two afternoon "special" events pumped up the crowd after lunch. The first crowned Lance Gremett as the "sexiest driver" after he collected the most money (the voting ballots) for the Wagsdash purse. The Fischer Motorsports team captured the pit stop competition. They won the exciting timed event in 52 seconds by changing a tire and moving a particular bar on the chassis faster than the other teams. This fun competition had the crowd cheering on the competitors. It might make them sharper for those yellow flag tire-changing opportunities in future races. Look for both contests to return in the 2001 Wagsdash.

Interesting highlights during the event included plenty of fun items. One fan had a Halloween "butt' showing off that shocking fake anatomy during the chili feed. He got cold later and put on warmer pants. A hint as to his identity, his son did a marvelous job in the Wagsdash. Former CRA champion, Eddie Wirth, rode around in the "Wagsdash red with polka dots" decorated Kawasaki Mule with me for a while and was having a good time. He hopes we do it again. No problem, when a champion like Eddie wants to be involved, that's enough reason to do it again. "Belt Buckle" Bob returned after over a year off from painting those die cast cars, ear rings, belt buckles and other stuff. He is recovering from surgery on his painting arm that has kept him away from the business. He brought and showed off several cars that I had ordered some time back. My collection just increased. He is ready to take orders or answer questions on pricing at 510-276-5350. The Dale Frye painting of the OFIXCO wing car was a winner. Dale's work is exceptional and you have to see it to believe it. Check him out on his web page, here. I would bet if it had been a non wing version, the same 21X we saw Ron Shuman win the very first CRA tour race in 1985, perhaps more people would have been after it. As it was, there were enough that wanted it, and the purse was added to significantly.

Tom Schmeh, Director of the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame, added a 2nd painting, this one of Harlan Willis # 45 car driven by Cory Kruseman, which was popular as well. Mike Arthur's book of autographed 8 X 10 pictures of historical winning sprinters was especially great. Many other pictures were just great. Rumor has it Mike Kirby was too late for the sexy driver contest because he couldn't get his Ebenezer Scrooge outfit sobered up. Later crew chief, Brett Roa, was all excited about his shiny tire effort. The huge banner Jim Naylor created marking the Ascot Legends walk of fame area, like many banners, disappeared, but Jim's spies have located it and the unsuspecting "handyman fan" has been exposed. It will return next year! Did you notice the red and white polka dot flags that flew proudly from atop the fencing around the raceway? Is this polka dot raceland or what!! The popularity growth of this event will cause us to pre-sell tickets next year, so look for that as we continue to make this annual event bigger each year.

Bubby Jones was the Wagsdash Grand Marshall this year and he was a popular person autographing the large cards and awesome poster honoring him during the afternoon autograph session. It was another reason to get there early, so keep that in mind for next year. I will give you a clue, put October 20th on your schedule! ! Jim Naylor prepared both the poster and card using rare photos from Bubby's long time friend and former car owner, Larry Henry. Larry's collection is great. The poster is the second in the series from Ventura and we are already planning next year's version. Bubby has a few left, so ask him for one when you see him, he will be glad to personalize it for you.

The Legends of Ascot invitational was exciting and fun to watch. Picture former greats Ron Shuman, Eddie Wirth, Buster Venard, Gary G Howard, Bob Hogle, Jimmy Oskie, John Redican and Rick Goudy suited up and driving Pinto stocks supplied by local racers. The crowd roared over the 12 laps of action. An inverted start, using their retirement date putting the most recent to the rear, made for crowd-pleasing entertainment. Rick Goudy was this year's winner with John Redican and Gary G Howard following him to the checkered flag. We all remember Lealand McSpadden's run from the pole last year to whip them. When I invited Goudy this year, his only question, before he said yes with a smile, was where would Lealand start. Unfortunately, Lealand was in a property dispute in Mexico and couldn't join us. Maybe a match race between him and Goudy next year would settle the "what ifs"? These attending champions earlier signed autographs and visited with the fans in the Ascot walk of fame area in the midway.

Although Ventura Raceway may start charging Wagtimes for billboard repair, the Wagsdash survived an opening lap crash that caused a 15 minute wall repair event that made the "time police" nervous. After that shaky start, the race was exhilarating for 30 laps with four different drivers leading before the winner took over. Marc took the lead on lap 15 and really had his hands full with rookies Bobby Graham and Danny Sheridan, before another rookie, Michael Smith, made it close near the end.

The shiny tire war was a battle in itself. Although I didn't get to see either feature line-up, my spies told me the important winners. In the regular A main, Rodney Argo's crew will get the Big bottle and Mike Kirby (imagine that?) the small one. In the Wagsdash, Danny Sheridan had a little help from Hank Winter's crew in spiffing up his car. The word "Wags" was written boldly on the right rear tire plus the word "dash" decorated the right front, both in glitter, and both in big letters. And all this was on top of the already highly shined tires. Hank was home under the weather, but he should be proud of his boys. They will share 1st place money with George Gervais and Cal Smith, a great job by all three. A new award, the best dressed crew, started with Joe Godoy's awarding a new clear arm guard to Hank Winter's crew. A $100 bill will acompany the award. The payoff for all positions and extras will be announced as soon as all the money is in this week. At this point the record purse will be over $22,000 if about $1800 of pledged money hits the Wagtimes bank. George Rimmer's long tow award, all the way from England, will go to Hank Winter's crew from Tuscon, AZ. Although Hank was home with a Kidney stone waiting for its exit, the car made it and had two different drivers aboard before it was banged up and on the trailer ending any chance to run in the Wagsdash.

I want to pass on words of thank you and genuine appreciation from Terry and I. We couldn't do this Wagsdash thing without all of you!! My hats off to the Ventura Raceway officials and workers who orchestrated a great show, Mr Jim Naylor, Cliff Morgan, the Pinto owners and drivers who gave up their rides for the night (Danny Tramel, Chris Tramel, Brian Weaver, Tom Fish, Ray Martinez, Rick Rodarte, Jon Everhart and Paul Jankovsjis), the SCRA officials who looked brilliant in their yellow racewear, the Wagtimes workers who missed most of the racing while putting on the chili feed and making the money that went into the purse (Pat & Norm Bogan, Stubby & Darleen Dils, Willie, Krista and Sonia Bandy, Judy & Stephen Pettegrew, Mike & Evelyn Clark, Fran Miller & Jim Herdrich, Kim & Steve Lafond, Julie Tanaka, Marilyn Thomas, Helen Burchell, Terri & Russell Bliss, my grandsons Jordan and Tory, Trophy City, DJ Renwick, Tom Schmeh, Mike Truax, John Barnes (Ascot 19 second wall), Mark Weisbard (Ascot sign), Die Cast Garage, Sandra Bartosh (Ascot patches and other impossible to get memorabilia) the Agajanian Family for allowing us to use their heritage for a reunion of sorts and Jay Agajanian's presence to add to the lore of Ascot, all the auction item donators, the chili "feeders" for showing up to eat it, everybody that donated money or "stuff" to make it all possible, and especially to my wife Terry for her poetry and creations of the history of Ascot, and most of all, the 21 racers that put on the most exciting race of the 10th annual, and most successful ever - Wagsdash 2000. My hats off to all of you, it was a thrilling success to me!!! Oh yea, I have a few shirts left, see me at the track!

With another fun and successful Wagsdash behind us, it's time to start working on the Kindoll Classic that ends the SCRA season at Perris on November 18th. Each year, the regular posted purse is added to by the fans and race businesses, making it the largest paying one-day event of the year for the SCRA racers. Carol Wolfe, from the Fischer Motorsports crew, is spearheading the collection efforts for both the $50 lap money and the bigger donations that build this event. Jack Kindoll's widow, Wilda, will preside over the festivities as we close out the year. See Carol or me if you want to get involved and support this annual race.

The schedule for the rest of the year is as follows. At Perris Oct 27/28 for a USAC midget and SCRA double header. At Manzanita next for the two day NWWC event on November 3/4. Then to the Perris Oval Nationals on November 10/11. It features the $25,000 to win NWWC event with the best non-wing stars from around the country to challenge the SCRA heavies. Next the Jack Kindoll classic at Perris on November 18. And the November 24/25 Manzanita $20,000 to win NWWC finale to crown the champion of that series ends the season and signals a rest for the wicked race fans like us.

Remember, when it's RACETIME..........................It's WAGTIME!!!!!!