RIP RETURNS TO WINNING FORM AT THE PAS

Rip Williams has had a long dry spell in SCRA racing, much longer than he liked. His last win came in November of last year. For all his fans that have been waiting for him to reach the top rung of the ladder this year, he has finally done it. After getting 2nd on Friday night at The PAS behind Troy Rutherford, he took it up a notch on Saturday. There, he ran away with his 54th lifetime SCRA win and 84th overall win, beating Danny "Showtime" Sheridan and the rest of the hot shoes. That tied him with Lealand McSpadden on my CRA/SCRA accumulated list.

Mrs Wags Friday night pics Are here and the Saturday night bunch are here!

Rip has no doubt missed his good friend Ralph Tracy since he passed away. Not only as the motorman who made his cars run so fast, but also as a strong presence in his pit week after week. Although that loss hasn't affected his driving, the change to a Gambler chassis seemed to take longer than expected to get it up to speed. In recent weeks, Rip's results have been much more like him. He has finished 2nd in three of the last five races prior to this win, with a drive shaft failure and a flat tire taking him out of the other two. Most of the year it seemed like bad luck was in his pit. Many things happened that would keep him from finishing several races, but he kept working hard for that big win. Driving the Vista Paint, John Jory Corp, AMA Plastics, # 3, Rip has never given up and proved once again that he is a force to deal with in this "the year of the Kruser". Rip ran strong both nights of the SCRA/USAC event, finishing in the runner-up spot on Friday, and will be after more wins in the weeks left in the season.

Troy Rutherford continued his hot string on Friday with a 20-lap win in the Gardner Motorsports entry. Troy led every lap and beat Rip to the checkered flag, moving smoothly thru the lap cars. He had Rip on his tail, but never let it get away from him as he gathered in his 2nd win of the season. Troy, driving the Sander Engineering, Barnes Oil Systems, Tucson Tool, # 4, continues to improve and put the Gardner Sled near the front each week. He finished 9th on Saturday night.

Danny "Showtime" Sheridan had a great weekend. Although he didn't make the automatic transfer from Friday night's show with his 6th place finish, he put on a show of his own on Saturday. He beat the gang to second place and held on to it away from Griffin, Cory, Gaunt and the rest. Danny has had his ups and downs this year, with some incidents taking him out of races, but when he can stay on the track, he moves forward with a sure handed style that can handle any line. He always points the Moose Racing, Jans Health Bar, Costa Mesa Honda, Koehler Chiropractic, # 92 towards the front. I don't know who has passed the most cars this season, an interesting stat I never thought of before, but I am sure he is right up there with Cory and the Gasman in that deal.

Cory Kruseman had a steady two nights of racing this week, finishing 4th both nights. On Friday he was the hard Charger in the WorldGate Networks, TCR, Del Mar Wire, # 45, coming from 13th to finish in 4th. Saturday he landed another 4th, and was very much in the running until the very end. Cory continues to lead the points handily and his car owner, Harlan Willis, has a 100 point lead in that category as well. Cory has a new venture coming up in December at Ventura Raceway. It is a Race Car and High Performance Parts Swap Meet on December 2nd. Starting at 7 am on that Sunday, rain or shine, the trading begins. Vendor spots are $40 with general admission $5,and parking $3. For more info, call 805-985-5433 or 805-649-1243. If you got it, or want it, "it' will be there!

Richard "the Gasman" Griffin set fast time for the event with a 16.640 on Friday night. He struggled in his heat that night trying to get by the eventual winner for a transfer spot and couldn't. So he ended up winning the semi to start 9th in the 20 lap main. On the first start of the main event, he spun to a stop trying to avoid a crashing Charles Davis Jr and then restarted from the tail. He was only able to get back to 14th before it was over. On Saturday, his fast time put him in the JE Pistons Passing Masters Dash and on the third row of the main. He was running 2nd right behind Ripper up in the high groove when Sheridan nipped him at the line from the bottom groove. He actually took the lead from Super Rickie, actually officially leading lap 7, but Rip chose that time to blast by both for the lead and later the win.

Super Rickie Gaunt celebrated his birthday with 3rd and 5th place finishes this weekend and had a look at the win on Saturday night when he led the first 6 laps and hung around in 2nd until the last few laps when five other cars made it crazy out there. That wild action wasn't over until the very last few feet where he could have finished several spots ahead of his final pay spot. There was plenty of cake and cupcakes (?) in his pit after the racing.

Rodney Argo put his dad's big Ford # 19 in 5th and 7th this weekend, for a very consistent two days. Rodney had the red racer flying pretty good and vowed to do better in the big money races coming up. The team works hard to have a good time and put on a show. Rodney always looks like he is about to blast out when that Ford unlimbers on the track, maybe some good luck will come their way in the big ones. He won the Oval Nationals a few years ago after a spirited battle with Jeremy Sherman, so he can do it!

Speaking of Jeremy, he had a great and pretty good weekend after a rare trip across the desert. He brought both his midget and sprinter to compete. On Friday he had problem and finished one spot out of a main event transfer. He started Saturday out great by winning the midget 30 lap main ahead of Robby Flock. He had to overcome about a dozen restarts, frustrating for him and the crowd, and after pulling out to big leads, but never let up and won the race. Then he started 20th in the main and became the hard charger after landing in 12th by race end. He must have been tired! He will be running the Oval Nationals.

John Scott headed the list of problem racers this week. He blew the motor in his heat while finishing 3rd. He qualified for the dash, but was unable to return when he said the motor was twisted inside! He also remarked this string of motor problems has to stop! It seems like about every other race, he has a motor problem, and he wants it fixed for the big races coming up! Greg DeCaries had something break in his suspension, so he was out on Friday, but came back to finish 11th on Saturday. Keith Williamson crashed hard into the wall Friday night when a pitman arm broke and left him without steering. He got $195 of Wagsbucks, but the chassis is history! On Saturday, Cal Smith managed to meet the same wall and the results were the same. He got $130 and his ticket to the Wagsdash, if….. he can get his car fixed. Rich Hinrichsen blew a motor on Friday and never raced. The team rented an Argo Chevy motor, that was just laying around the shop with no hope of going out to play, and came back to put on a great show in the semi on Saturday. He started last and finished 3rd in the 16 car field. He had a problem in the main and finished 21st going out early. Gary W Howard also broke a motor and didn't race on Friday, nor did the team return the next night. Tony Jones was 10th on Friday in Dwight Chaney's # 21J, but blew the motor big time while leading his heat on Saturday, not to return!

The two Northern Cal visitors this week didn't fare too well. Eric Rossi missed the main on Friday and was 17th on Saturday. Peter Murphy's results were a bit better with a 19th and 14th, but both were hurt with their qualifying times. Both are planning on trying the wingless a little more this year, so we will see what happens!

The 2nd annual midget/sprint double header had fewer cars that last year, about half, but the racing was good in both classes. With about 40 sprinters, and less than 30 midgets, it seemed to take longer than last year when the pits were packed with over 100 cars. The midget show was really drug out and it makes me wonder why do it again. The Friday night show was finished past curfew and the crowd was smaller than needed to make any money for the promoter. I like the midgets, but they need their own night.

When the SCRA runs twice in one weekend, many travelers like that. Two shows on one trip is great, but Friday crowds in the LA area are still not the best, and we proved it again this week. How this outstanding brand of racing can't draw the fans from the old Ascot area, is a puzzle to me. I know many don't have the wherewithal to leave work early to shuffle thru the busy freeways, but that is the only way to get there, so planning ahead might be nice. They miss some great action by not going, but I think the brunt of the core fans in SCRA are from the "old" area around Ascot and they got spoiled and never learned to travel. When Ascot closed, many fans told me they wouldn't be going on the road, even though they might have spent years in the Ascot grandstands on Saturday nights. It is a puzzle. Do we have to personally invite them all out? Whatever!

The SCRA takes a week off, but not this guy! I will be at Ventura with the ATV everybody needs while Mrs Wags goes off visiting in Las Vegas. The raffle tickets are $10, 6 for $ 50, 13 for $100, so get yours on Saturday as the VRA puts on another good show. The money from this 4 X 4 Kawasaki 300 machine raffle will go into the Wagsdash, then the Kindoll Classic, and if there is any left over, the SCRA benevolent fund and the 2002 WWC Tour could benefit. The drawing will be November 17 at the Kindoll Classic. This Saturday two VTA racers will earn their way into the Wagsdash, so come check it out.

On Friday October 19th, the night before the Wagsdash, There will be the annual gathering of fans and racers like the past two years. The "Pre-Wagsdash night" will be downtown in Ventura at Shakeys where we will have room to spread out and be together, while eating and enjoying ourselves. There might even be a sprint car there to set the tone of the night. Keep in mind how much easier it will be to get to the chili feed if you are already there for Friday nights follies! So, on Wagsdash day, come very EARLY, and enjoy Mrs Wags Chili Feed starting at noon! There will be plenty of outstanding auction items for your bidding, plus the 2nd annual sexiest driver contest with Lance Gremett defending his title, and vowing to do it again! Then, the pit stop contest will have teams trying to set the fastest time in a tire-changing rodeo-like experience. Come and see if the Fischer Motorsports team can defend their title, and who will be the challengers! All this in the afternoon, so hit the freeway early and join us.

Buster Venard is the Wagsdash Grand Marshall this year and will preside over the festivities. He will be signing his awesome poster, created especially for this race, all day. Also, the Legends of Ascot will be in the house signing autographs, too! Rick Goudy, Bubby Jones, Lealand McSpadden, Jimmy Oskie, Ron Shuman, Dean Thompson, Eddie Wirth and many more of your favorite drivers from the old Ascot days will be there to visit with their fans. Also, the WRA, led by Walt James, will have more than a dozen beautiful antiques on display for you to see up close and get pictures of, starting at noon! Jay Agajanian will be joining us to represent the family as we continue to honor the Ascot legendary racetrack missed by us all! This is the 11th annual Wagsdash, an event to enjoy and be part off. Just come and get involved, it's your race! Are you coming yet?

I know I was a little late this week with my story, but I went to the Nostalgia Drags Sunday and it was worth it, but I was too pooped to write Sunday night when I got home. Same goes for Mrs Wags pics, she can't load them, and I had to work on Monday, but now they are up with this story posting! See you at the races, because when it's Racetime……………………….. IT'S WAGTIME!!!!!!!!