By Ken Wagner
Aug 17, 2008

Heading to Santa Maria to see another USAC/CRA event is always a joy taking the scenic route along the Pacific Ocean thru historical Santa Barbara and up the hill to the speedway. Even though the positives of the track always outweigh the negatives, the smooth one groove track was not allowing much passing this week, and thus it was not surprising to see another first time winner at the special raceway. Nic Faas, whose rookie year with the club has been sporadic due to his full time Midget commitment, came up smelling like a rose when he started on the pole and was never headed in winning his first big sprint car race as he stuck it to the veterans of CRA.

Here's my pics Click here. Also Steve Lafond's work Click here.

Nic was only 14th quick in qualifying and started on the front row of his heat that he also won. Then he quickly got out alone ahead of the field in the Main Event, to cruise comfortably for 29 laps, and ultimately to his big win. He pulled the left front regularly like a former famous driver who once won 20 races with the club before graduating to NASCAR, ie JJ Yeley. Slender "Slick" Nic was on the gas and continued to stretch it out after every restart and only made one mistake in his nervous last lap finish. He almost parked it coming into turn four going for the checkered flag, but recovered to literally brush off a fast closing Garrett Hansen as they both wiggled across the finish line. It was a great job by the rookie who looked every bit a winner all night and didn’t break a sweat until the very scary end.

Garrett “The Kid” Hansen had another strong outing this week. He was 10th quick and was second in his heat before starting on the outside second row of the main. He battled into 2nd and chased the winner for the last half of the race without any success. He was moving well all night, but limited like everyone with the narrow groove. It was his 3rd race out of the last 4 that he was on the podium. The other one he was 4th.

Mike “Special S” Spencer spent his night dodging and thrusting thru traffic. He was 10th quick when the track didn’t come in for the usual 13 second passes, and went on to get fourth in his heat to earn a third row starting spot in the main. He persevered up to his podium finish and made the little red sucker fans happy. He has a 92 point lead in the chase for the championship in 2008. Don’t tell Bruce.

There were many who had tough nights this race as they battled to get a piece of the pie. None battled harder than Danny Sheridan and his crew from the get-go. When they asked to do a check out fire up of their car early in the afternoon, the smoke spelled doom for that motor. The just finished brand new car became the primary car for the night and a lot of changes took place just to get him on the track. Getting out late put him with one qualifying pass in it’s first gassing on the track and was a surprising 9th on the list. A fifth in his heat put him in the Semi, where he ran 3rd to transfer to a main starting spot of 13th. He had urged the quick new model Blue Bugger up to about 8th when a twitching wide body bumped him into the wall and on his head. He looked like he was being patient, but it’s not always you who have to be.

Others getting their unfair share were Daniel Hood, he of an internet site called Racetube where you can post race stuff in your own area, got banged into the wall and was wreckered off. Aaron Althofer rode over a wheel and got some air time in his heat, but he came back to get 12th in the main event. Alan Ballard got some help with his front end when it got rearranged for him in the main and he was on the wrecker. Blake Miller had a flat in his heat to send him to the Semi, but he didn’t fire and was done for the night. Finally, Dennis Rodriguez had no luck in this former Camarillo race car, as he never got to even run the Semi and was done early.

There were 18 of the 24 competitors from CRA, a larger percentage than recent races here, where less than half were regulars the last trip here. The track looked good all night, not going black slick, yet was pretty greasy above and below the racing line. Passing was an adventure as hustling thru traffic could cause a move forward or backward, depending on the track pattern of the car in front of you and where you pointed your mount when he pointed his. It was bump and run style and one that doesn’t work well on the tight confines of the Santa Maria clay. My desire is not to have any front row winner, but a new winner is always special. Others before who got their one and only win here at the SM were John Andretti, Bobby George and Kim Craft.There was a good crowd and they like open wheel racing. I wish we could reproduce that crowd enthusiasm every week, but we, the media, don’t seem to be able to interest the many to get on the road to the greatest racing on earth.

It was a long day for this traveler as I logged 880 miles from a 7 Am start until my return home arrival at 4:15 Am, some 21 hours of punishment for a mere 7 hours of track fun. It is always worth it, but why don’t I get a Piper Cub and do it the easy way? It’s not going to get any easier as the next four weeks will be Perris (240 miles 3-1/2 hrs), Calistoga (800 miles and some 12 hrs ), the Ventura Wagsdash ( (400 miles and 5-1/2 hrs)and then Perris again. I should get a free gas card somewhere? Hey, I paid ONLY $3.75 for petro this weekend, what a deal.

Wagsdash notes: Steve Lafond turned over nearly $500 of loose change in his Lafond Jar of Change that will go to the hard charger in the Wagsdash, not the winner, on September 6th at Ventura. I have nearly $100 myself, so where is yours??? Bring your baggy of change to the next three races and make some Wagsdash competitor really happy. Speaking of happy, rumor has it a new to us neck protection company is putting $1000 in the Wagsdash winner’s hands this year also. I don’t have any details yet, but soon.

Here are some of the items for the Wagsdash auction. Photo’s from TOHF, Doug Allen and Mike Arthur, Rear End Clock from Jim Fargo, two in the box and painted die-cast sprint car kits (one a vintage model), A Chili Bowl frizbee autographed by Lealand McSpaddden, a Dale Fry drawing of Tony Jones Silver Bullet car, a complete collection of the Wagtimes Newsletter, a number of Die-cast models, a first issue of Flat Out and much more.

The 1st annual Wagsdash Golf Classic is almost upon us. It will be at the Sterling Hills Golf Club in Camarillo on Friday September 5th, the day before the 18th annual Wagsdash. Plenty of fun with a free putting contest for prizes, a hole in one contest, also featuring Troy Rutherford as the Celebrity Driver "long ball hitter" who will for a small fee, hit your ball on the long drive hole. A lot of fun will be had with drivers and fans playing together followed by a nice buffet dinner afterwards. Anyone who cannot play can still go to dinner for a small $25 fee and enjoy the fun and games. Print out the entry blank and send it in. The Wagsdash will benefit from the proceeds of the tournament. You or your business can sponsor a hole or a Tee, so do it! Click here to get the Wagsdash Classic entry form Classic entry form (.pdf) and print it out. Then fill it out and send it in! If you don't have Adobe reader, go to adobe.com and download the free reader, then print it out. There will be special rates at motel rooms nearby for those who come early to play. Come on let’s play and keep in mind we get a good percentage of the money raised into the Wagsdash purse! It’s a win/win deal for the racers.

While I was off waiting patiently (?) for racing to resume with the rest of you, I missed a trip to see my son in Missouri and attend some TNT races that sounded like fun. No, I stayed home and saved the money for gas………… I did see 40 high school basketball games in the Rebok summer tournament here in Vegas. Add to that the USA Olympic team’s thrashing of Canada live at a local venue that was full of “the beautiful people” showing off. Also some heat watching and continued remodeling of Terry’s office (almost done) as the dregs of August continue on. I will be in LA this Wednesday to do some bowling with friends Bob and Mike, some baseball Thursday with grandson Christopher at Dodger stadium at noon and Angel Stadium at 7 PM. A double header, can you believe it? Then a relaxing visitation day on Friday and lunch with old work friends finishing up at Perris on Saturday and home to get ready for the trip north to Calistoga on the holiday weekend. Mrs Wags and I will be traveling to Calistoga on Friday the 29th to stay with my famous friend Don “The Barber” for the two day show. We’ll wander around in the bay area until it’s time to hit Ventura for the Wagsdash, so if you are planning on sending me anything, it has to arrive here before Wednesday the 27th if it goes to the dash. Let’s go to the PAS!

Santa Maria FEATURE: (30 laps)
1. Nic Faas, 2. Garrett Hansen, 3. Mike Spencer, 4. David Cardey, 5. Rip Williams, 6. Josh Ford, 7. J Hicks, 8. Rodney Argo, 9. Greg Bragg, 10. Danny Faria, 11. Cody Williams, 12. Aaron Althofer, 13. Todd Hunsaker, 14. Jimmy Crawford, 15. Ludwig Solberg IV, 16. Tyler Brown, 17. Jeff Culver, 18. Danny Sheridan, 19. Alan Ballard, 20. Daniel Hood. NT.

*Aaron Altaffer flipped during the second heat. **Danny Sheridan flipped during the feature.

FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-30 Faas.

NEW LUCAS OIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR POINTS: 1-Spencer-934; 2-Hansen-842; 3-Miller-813; 4-Sheridan-802; 5-Cory Kruseman-691; 6-Brown-656; 7-Tony Jones-586; 8-Ford-506; 9-Cardey-492; 10-Faas-405.

NEXT LUCAS OIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR RACE: August 23 – Perris (CA) Auto Speedway