By Ken Wagner
October 10, 2006

Danny Sheridan’s first 410 win took time, but like the other shoe dropping, it was inevitable. The buzz he made in winning the fair race at the PAS was heard everywhere as he took the blue #18 to the top of the podium with great joy. First wins are that way and Danny has been knocking at the door for a long time. Driving the Kittle Motorsports entry, he and his fans can now look forward to his next win.

Damion Gardner took over the point lead this week, even after qualifying 15th, his worst this season. He started 14th on the grid and had to restart from the back after an equipment malfunction (?), so passed a lot of cars on his way up to his third place finish. He seems determined to win his second straight championship.

I hear the racing continues to be great and hopefully I will return the next race, but I might have to review a few video’s to get the scope of the action I have missed in the last two months. Sheridan became the 13th different winner in 29 races, not bad with Damion Gardner having 9 wins, Tony Jones, 5 Cory Kruseman 3, Mike Spencer and Rip Williams with 2 each.

The Wagsdash is but two weeks away and I am not nearly ready. I considered canceling it because of my mother-in-law’s illness and ultimately passing, and doing it next year. I think it is best to do it now since so many have made plans, but I realize it will be different. This is the 16th annual Wagsdash event and is coming close.

With all that in mind, here’s what I am doing in the almost three weeks left until the Wagsdash. We will have a service for Maxine this Saturday and then fly next week to Oklahoma for another service and then her burial at Ft Gibson. I will go to the Legends of Ascot event at Perris on Saturday and do my best to accumulate enough money that night for the low buck racers race the following Saturday at Ventura. For those who can’t wait to get involved, send your Wagsbucks for the Wagsdash to me at 429 Flores Circle, Las Vegas, NV 89183 and be part of the last one.

Until we have a clue to the purse, I won’t guess the format, even though it will likely be similar to last year when 16 drivers ran for $17,000 in a 15 lap event. We will try to equal that prior to race day with your help. There will be no Chili feed this year, but maybe a hot dog and burger fest. The annual auction will feature one of Dale Frye’s awesome paintings of a certain silver car and hopefully we will have the usual great shots by the photographers that cover our racing. There is a rear-end clock coming from Jim Fargo and a few more items being donated. There may be some creative money raising events that day, as I am working on what the day will bring us right now.

The event will be an invitational this year with part of the field hand picked by me and the rest by a draw from the following list of what I term eligible drivers. If your driver is not on this list, send me some bucks and vote for him now. Remember, low buck and no more than one main event victory. The list includes: Nate Ziegler, Ludwig Solberg IV, Josh Williams, Mark Heidenreich, Brandon Thomson, Eric Severson, Brandon Springstead, Evan Suggs, Bobby Cody, Blake Miller, J.J. Ercse, Matt Stewart, Chad Boespflug, Ryan Devitt, Rick Becker, Ronnie Case, Robert Ellis, Bruce St. James, R. J. Johnson, Joe Gunderson, Jonny Bates, Cal Smith, Matt Mitchell. David Cardey, Davey Pombo, Dan Tedrick , Nadine Keller, Robert Ellis, Brian Venard, Todd Hunsaker and Danny Sheridan. We will add the winner and hard charger from the VRA main event prior to the Wagsdash to the field like normal. The number of drivers who run the race will be directly related to the amount of money collected by race time.

Max’s service will be 11 MA Saturday at the First United Methodist Church in Henderson, 609 E. Horizon Drive - 89015. She will then be laid to rest at Ft Gibson in Oklahoma the next Friday with her husband Paul who passed away two years ago. Terry and I were overwhelmed by the response we received from our racing friends. Thank you everyone, it was heartwarming and very helpful to us.

Thank you again for all the support now and in the past. I am not leaving, just changing the way I do things for next year. Now perhaps after the Wagsdash my retirement will actually kick in for a bit!

10/7/06 FEATURE: (30 laps) 1. Danny Sheridan, 2. Mike Spencer, 3. Damion Gardner, 4. Jason York, 5. Tony Jones, 6. Cory Kruseman, 7. David Cardey, 8. Steve Ostling, 9. Blake Miller, 10. Josh Ford, 11. Allan Ballard, 12. Matt Mitchell, 13. Danny Ebberts, 14. R.J. Johnson, 15. Michael Trimble, 16. Todd Hunsaker, 17. Ronnie Case, 18. Rip Williams, 19. Rodney Argo, 20. Seth Wilson, 21. Brian Venard, 22. Nadine Keller, 23. Tyler Brown. NT

FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Lap 1 Case, Laps 2-5 Kruseman, Laps 6-30 Sheridan.

NEW USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR POINT STANDINGS: 1-Gardner-1,646; 2-Kruseman-1,637; 3-Jones-1,488; 4-Spencer-1,440; 5-Sheridan-1,353; 6-R.Williams-1,094; 7-Miller-1,070; 8-Cardey-986; 9-Ford-916; 10-Gaunt-804.