By Ken Wagner March 24, 2007

There have been eight races sanctioned by USAC/CRA in the 2007 season, and there have been 8 different winners. Imagine that, as RJ Johnson became the latest winner when he won for the first time in his short 410 career. He drove the Bobby Martin owned, Arizona Race Mart, Weiler Farms sponsored # 15 car to the thrilling win. The young driver took the second start from the pole and pulled away from the pack to lead all 30 laps. He has been struggling a little recently, but a new car and motor was going to fix all that, and it did. Great job by the son of champion driver Ricky Johnson as he is now living up to his potential, and is a winner at last.

RJ started in the second row when the original start crash took out seven cars. The pole sitter, Cory Kruseman, was a victim of an out of control car that bounced off him and flew up high into the fence, allowing RJ to slip under him and go on by, and landed on Danny Sheridan beating up both cars. It took out Cory, Rip Williams, Danny Sheridan, Tyler Brown, Michael Trimble, David Cardey and of course the high flying Rodney Argo. On tape it looked similar to a crash at Santa Maria years ago when Lealand McSpadden had the same thing happen to him on the start that night, but he broke his collarbone and was out a while. Accidents happen in racing, so we just go on, but it is a shame when the field gets decimated by one mistake. Thanks to the free online video of Jeff Kristensen, I was able to see the power plays of the 30 lapper. Mike Spencer made a late race challenge on the winner, but could only pull even and watch the youngster score his big win. Tony Jones got cut off in traffic when Spencer went by, and settled for third. The hard charger turned out to be Jason York in the Tom & Laurie Sertich “Moosemobile”, coming from 22nd to 9th on the grid. Nadine Keller made some slide jobs work to get up to 3rd before something happened to the car.

I have missed two weeks now and have every intention of heading for Hanford next week, one of my favorite tracks we don’t run much anymore. The fairground setting is scenic and the racing is always awesome. So many memories from there, such as: the lights going out during an outlaw feature; the awesome steam engine display one particular night; the old fashioned ice cream cones; some of the best racing on this oval back in the CRA days; leaving the Wagtimes sign up on the back wall of the covered grandstands; Lealand McSpadden winning the main event and being greeted by the trophy girl, Evelyn Pratt, outfitted in a bathing suit only 20 years ago or so; running out of gas in my Mule and having to sponge from Alan Ballard; being too sick to leave the motor home and walk into the grandstands to watch a race; parking overnight with dozens of others motorhomes many times in our own motorhome; Bubby Jones retiring after a jarring crash ended his driving days there; Sammy Swindell being disqualified for losing a muffler; a 7 lap feature won by Jimmy Sills forcing the first Wagsdash to be run the next night at Bakersfield; A spaghetti feed in the hall across from the entrance before the Trophy Cup; the heat at the top of the grandstands at a July race; Chris Holt collecting more Wagsbucks with his announcing prowess than I ever did there; watching Steve Kent’s crash that was made famous by Steve Lafond’s photo, and so on and so on.

Well, my NCAA bracket plan took a hit when North Carolina lost, but my Bruins are still on target to win a 12th national championship, and I still have two teams left. Too bad I couldn’t have gone to San Jose and visited with Trophy Dave for the regional games. I was busy here at home working on things and it looks like all is well and we can return to the busy racing schedule next week.

See ya at the races.

FEATURE: (30 laps) 1. R.J. Johnson, 2. Mike Spencer, 3. Tony Jones, 4. Darren Hagen, 5. Dustin Morgan, 6. Josh Ford, 7. Allan Ballard, 8. Garrett Hansen, 9. Jason York, 10. Jonny Bates, 11. Brian Venard, 12. Matt Stewart, 13. Nadine Keller, 14. Rickie Gaunt, 15. Scotty Weir, 16. Cory Kruseman, 17. Rodney Argo, 18. Rip Williams, 19. Danny Sheridan, 20. Tyler Brown, 21. Michael Trimble, 22. David Cardey. NT

FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-30 Johnson.

NEW USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR POINTS: 1-T.Jones-472; 2-Spencer-426; 3-Hagen-411; 4-Gaunt-380; 5-Sheridan-345; 6-R.Williams-332; 7-Hansen-296; 8-Weir-296; 9-Johnson-288; 10-Damion Gardner-240.

NEXT USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR RACE: March 31 – Hanford, CA – Kings Speedway