By Ken Wagner
June 1, 2009

The Webster dictionary lists thrashing as a beating or defeat or whacking and so on and so on, but I thought of Saturday night’s feature more of a thrashing around getting nowhere, as in the 22 challengers behind Matt Mitchell. It was more of an example of the inability to get to the rabbit like the bait it is in a greyhound dog race, a lot of thrashing, but no results. To me everyone else but the winner were endlessly thrashing for 30 laps behind winner Matt Mitchell who just went on his own merry way to his first win, seemingly without a care in the world to what was behind him. Young Matt hasn’t had much luck in the 410 sprinters with USAC/CRA until this week as he qualified 10th, ran 2nd in his heat and started on the outside of the first row in the main event. He spent his 30 laps running the faster high groove with numerous challengers trying desperately to get under him, as they thrashed below him and came up short each and every attempt. Obviously the action was all behind him, but he stuck to his groove and rolled a lucky 7, gaining his first ever USAC/CRA main event win.

For my pics Click here. For the Doug Allen pics Click here for them.

Cory Kruseman showed some old tenacity he once dominated with as he started 13th and rolled into second to challenge the winner late in the race. Numerous hard sliders that just wouldn’t pull him into the lead were tossed at Mitchell, but in the end he settled for the runner-up spot, his best finish so far in the 8 races this season with CRA.

Bullet Blake Miller started 9th and labored most of the race, unable to mount the customary charge he is known for, but in the end ran up and grabbed third with patience and determination. Having won the last race, I had guessed he might be up to starting a streak, after the long time in between wins, but the new track record and a podium finish was good for this young redhead this week. His last win was in February of 2008 and it just seemed like he was so close to winning many times in the last year. Watch out for this guy, he is just about to get rolling.

If you want to talk about thrashing nightmares, I can list several that fit into that category. Mike Spencer, Danny Sheridan, T J Smith, Damion Gardner, Dennis Howell and and yes Peter Murphy, all of whom were totally frustrated when this one ended. Mike Spencer started his nightmare out in hot laps when he ran into the wall lightly. A lap later he mangled the wall with his # 50 little red sucker, putting him on the hook and back to the pits for his crew to do some fast work to get him back to qualify. He did OK in the week old car, getting 6th in time trials and started 5th in the main, but from there it was bad news again as he got tangled up with another car and took his last hookin’ ride to the trailer for the night, done in 22nd place.

Showtime Sheridan gets extra credit this week for his ability to do just that, put on a great show, but it was not what he and his crew of worn out workers wanted this time. He broke the track record as the first car out in qualifying and then watched two others beat his mark. He still started in the fourth row of the main and was looking good on the opening few laps before “IT” happened again! He was on the gas when a car to his left suddenly slid up in front of him causing his front end to touch and lift to the sky, getting him off the gas and struggling to hang on as he reined in his mount. He headed into turn 1 in complete control, as two others were trying to go around him, one on each side. When he set the car, he was taken out by and errant slide job from the # 007 car who was going, I’m not sure where, when he got into and spun the little blue bugger around in front of a few other cars. Showtime restarted in the back and blasted up to about seventh when the last blow was laid on him. His right rear wheel hub broke, sending the tire and wheel flying high into the wall. Luckily it happened coming out of turn two and not at the end of the long backstretch, so he was able to get stopped quickly and head to the pits with a 12th place finish. Rumor has it the special deal wheels will now become Frisbee’s in parking lot games as new wheels will replace the brand that broke.

Several others also had no luck and that started with T J Smith who hung his sprinter on the wall in turn one/two in the second heat race. The track personnel had their problems getting him off the wall, but in time they did, and he was done for the night. Where was the bucket loader when you need it, it always worked at Ascot???? This was the second fence removal opportunity in three races for the track.

Apparently several drivers complained about the mud covered walls early in the afternoon when they became totally black as the mud, yes I did say mud, stuck to the white walls and made them black. When that happens, it makes it hard to see the end of the track and start of the wall. I am not complaining as a tacky track is great, but the track crews had to scrape several times to get a white background for the drivers. Someone near me in the stands commented why not get one of those street sweeping trucks that have the brush attachment go whiz the walls quickly every once in a while, wouldn’t that be easier and much quicker?

Damion Gardner flew out from Indiana before his USAC trip to PA this coming week to drive the Beef Packers car. He had no luck as he got tangled in his heat and dropped out, then got in two skirmishes in the main and finished a disappointing 19th at a track he has dominated in the past. Dennis Howell had an encouraging night go from good to bad running his 360 with the big boys this week. In his heat he was running a strong 2nd, holding off a fast Kruser for 9 laps. Unfortunately, on the last lap he got turned around and spun to a stop. In the main he was charging hard when an incident in front of him was unavoidable and he had a slow tommy tipover that hurt his feelings and Dennis Sr’s pocketbook more than him physically. The Williams brothers, Austin and Cody, somehow managed to get into enough trouble that they both spun to the pits early, finishing back in the pack with their woes. Finally, but probably not as there were a few more trouble stories I missed, Peter Murphy ran strong until the very last lap when he said a magneto quit on him and he tagged the wall and stopped, sliding back from 3rd to 10th at the end. Only 24 cars came to the dance, but the night was full of enjoyable racing and heartbreak all night.

On the plus side Garrett Hansen bobbed and weaved to get 4th and really looked better than that as the race unfolded. David Cardey made his first trip a pretty good one with 5th as he charged hard all night. Local Danny “Hollywood” Faria was smooth with his wheelie car that didn’t want to run on all fours at the same time, to settle in 6th. Jonathon Logan was impressive in his 360 finishing the best of that breed with a strong 8th. All in all they came, they saw, and they conquered the racy oval and entertained a happy crowd who were glad for wingless action in the Thunderbowl.

It has been two years since CRA ran at Tulare, so it was a little surprising when the first car out, Danny Sheridan lowered the track record considerably, then we watched another dozen run under the old record until Blake Miller ended up reclaiming therecord record he arrived with. It was a fast track, indeed. Mike Spencer’s slim point lead disappeared with his problems this week and Blake Miller assumed the top spot for now with his podium finish, a mere 4 points ahead of David Cardey.

The Wagsdash still is up in the air, but the dust is settling around the possible 19th annual event. I should have known it wasn’t going to be easy to replace Ventura, but the later it gets, the more unlikely it is to happen this year. I met with Don Kazarian of Perris last week and although he was willing to host the race, he has no dates after September and you know what chili would be like in Perris in September, double hot! He did offer a spot in one of his signature races, but that is not going to happen as important standalone races would not be a good place to add our festivities. He left the door open for next year. Victorville has not scheduled a race of our boys, so that is not happening as of now. Santa Maria is a possibility, but they have the same problem with only one race up there and it two weeks away. I did talk with Steve Faria about his Thunderbowl and he gave me a few things to think about, as well as a possible night to run later in the year and I am thinking on that as well. So not to worry, the question will be answered very soon and hopefully it will be good news, if not “wait till next year!! Some good news for you as Richard Griffin agreed to be the Grand Marshall if we get a date and it does not conflict with his wife’s schedule for him. Just kidding, if we can work out a date sooner than later, we have a better chance for him to say a final yes.

I had good visits with a lot of great people this week as Tulare brings bunches of friends who don’t get south very often, but can make a run there. It is always a pleasure for me as old friends often make for great moments together, although they are brief. One good friend and great photographer didn’t make the run down for this one and was missed as well. Hey, you can’t all be retired like me and go nearly every week, can you?

Also my thanks to the Kittle Racing Team for this week’s adventures, it seems like I am liking these trips with them too much and may have to earn my ride by learning how to mechanic a bit? No way Jimbo! Anyway, it’s always fun to hang out with the little blue crew and enjoy whatever happens as I watch the drama unfold. Watching movies on the trips to the race is always fun, can you beat that? This week’s movie was luckily interrupted with our arrival at the track. Thank goodness as it was Marley and Me and I think it was going to be a tearjerker. We had a rerun lunch this week at that tiny Mexican restaurant across the street from the track that is certainly unique! If it weren’t for the Howell’s translating for me, I might be eating Manudo. Not this time as they steered me to a Torta.

This week is an off week and I might be spending it with my bride for a change as we have company from Wichita, Kansas coming in. Mrs Wags stayed home this weekend because Cuzin Gary and his wife Barbara were due in early Sunday and she wanted the house just so. Unfortunately, Gary’s motorhome was hit by a lost tow bar that bounced up and smashed the windshield, so their trip was interrupted for a few days. They are somewhere in Texas and will move out when the new windshield arrives and gets installed, maybe Tuesday.

The next CRA race is June 13 at Santa Maria for the only trip there this season. Let’s get the lead out and take a little drive up the coast and see some racing at the cool track. For me, it’s across the desert for this one on a highway checkout route that changes several directions before getting to the track. Don’t know where lunch is that day, but it’s all good. Then we make a one day jaunt to nearby Petaluma (?), some zillion miles away on June 20. AQ long trip for one race makes no sense to me, but it does to the promoter who wants an exclusive race up there. The track is above San Francisco and will be a scenic drive for all. Isn’t NASCAR running nearby that weekend? A great little track and another visit with Don “the” Barber in his hometown, so it will be worth it!

I know this isn’t about racing, but Austin Williams told me this week that the mother of my dogs Dusty and Dubya was attacked and killed by a Coyote in their back yard in Yorba Linda this past week. I am saddened by this, and those of you who love dogs will be as well.

Note from a previous article written by me to someone important to me who was offended. I used a word that was somehow innocently left incomplete and it wasn’t intended that way. The word used was Slug. The intended word was Slugger, a totally different result, and I apologize for the error, it was not intended. Get over it, it was supposed to be humorous. Ta Ta.

5/30/09 FEATURE: (30 laps - With Starting Positions) 1. Matt Mitchell (2nd), 2. Cory Kruseman (13th), 3. Blake Miller (9th), 4. Garrett Hansen (3rd), 5. David Cardey (8th), 6. Danny Faria Jr. (14th), 7. Davey Pombo (4th), 8. Jonathan Logan (17th), 9. Tyler Edwards (19th), 10. Peter Murphy (6th), 11. Tyler Brown (15th), 12. Danny Sheridan (7th), 13. Mathew Shedarowich (21st), 14. Geoffrey Strole (22nd), 15. Ronnie Gardner (23rd), 16. Bill Rose (1st), 17. Cody Williams (18th), 18. Austin Williams (20th), 19. Damion Gardner (10th), 20. Wes Gutierrez (11th), 21. Dennis Howell (16th), 22. Mike Spencer (5th), 23. Greg Bragg (12th). NT.

NEW LUCAS OIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR POINTS: 1-Miller-307; 2-Cardey-303; 3-Spencer-274; 4-Hansen-269; 5-Sheridan-259; 6-Bragg-238; 7-Brown-191; 8-Mitchell-178; 9-Cole Whitt-175; 10-Rip Williams-175.

NEXT LUCAS OIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR RACE: June 13 - Santa Maria (CA) Speedway