The SCRA took another week off, so we had a chance to do some "other" stuff with family, play poker with the boys, have a Mexican feed with the Venard Family, and relax a little. The Gilmore Roars Again party, and the Peterson Museum, were a much anticipated part of the weekend plan. A rare relaxing Saturday included some sightseeing at a few of So Cal's beautiful beaches and a quiet evening at home. Sunday brought a close-up view of both the fabulous Peterson Museum and a mid 4.5 earthquake, as we visited with many of the famous figures that made racing great!

The Gilmore Roars Again party was originally set up for the pre-war Gilmore stadium racers and related people to raise money for the Billy Garrett fund and allow those people to get together once a year. Each year a driver or riding mechanic were honored as the event featured an auction to continue the fund for Billy and other drivers injured in racing. Although many people were involved getting this 30 year event started, Carmen and Gordon Schroeder were somewhat of a guiding light, keeping it going, except for 1984 when the "racers don't like 13" party was skipped. They were honored at this last edition of the event.

Arrival at the Peterson Museum allowed Terry and I to get in line with a good number of others trying to get their "pit pass" to go in and get involved. Many familiar faces, and also familiar names on nametags well known to me, were great to see and greet. After a little shopping experience in the museum store, we started on the tour and spent some time walking and talking with Dean Thompson, the "Dean" of Ascot winners of all time. This very famous driver always has time for his fans and he still tells stories that amaze me. He likes coming to the races and can be seen at most SCRA events during the year. He is very close with Jason Leffler, so we got an update on him.

The number of unreal hot rods and some fabulous racecars were great to see as we wound our way thru the maize which , with every new nook and crannie, gave us more to be in awe of. The path had the many wild cars, and their background that highlighted everything especially well, laid out to continually impress museum goers like ouselves. Mrs Wags pics will show a small amount of the flavor as every one of the exhibits was worthy of being featured on our web page. Check out Mrs Wags pics Click here!

Near the door going outside to the roof location of the party, were a number of famous faces. I just smiled and took it all in. Jim Van Natta, a sprint car fan with a serious history in racing, and a Wagtimer I've know for a long time, gave me some pointers and stories that were helpful and informative. He has been feeding me this educational racing stuff for years. You could tell he was thrilled to be at this gathering, and was full of new data for me, with great joy in his tales. He even told the story about the # 45 midget, now owned by Ken Hillberg, and had stories of it's history to tell. He was involved with it when the Vokovich's raced it.

As I told several nearby, my history in sprint car racing started at Ascot, but not until after Lions Drag Strip closed. These beautiful antique racecars on display were great examples of speed and beauty from another time that I can only read or hear about from others, and I am sorry I missed it. Jim walked with us outside where the Gilmore party was in full swing. Picture an open air roof parking area, part of and next to a covered part of the parking garage, with the whole structure hooked to the museum. In the open-air area were a lot of racecars on display brought especially for the party. Midgets and a few hot rods and Indy cars lined up while some Gilmore Roars vendors were just under the lip of the covered area. Don Weaver had some great t-shirts, hats, patches, decals, jackets and hatpins for sale. I got mine and if you need yours, check with Timeless T's, (check my links page) or e-mail me and I'll see you get hooked up. The stuff was great! Under the shaded area also were the tables where the feed would take place.

I wandered around and met many of the people who I had seen from a distance and it was heart warming to see them here and having fun as part of the reason to be here. Some really missed their racing days, like Jay East, a one time Ascot driver who told me if he hadn't had some eyesight loss, he would still be driving! Jimmy Oskie, John Redican and Jeff Haywood were three drivers I knew and had seen race, so I listened to some of their stories as the afternoon went on. There were many "oldtimers" whose names I did not recognize, but they seemed to be having a great time.

The call for food got people lined up for a hot dog, hamburger, salad and a piece of pie or cake. We settled under the cover in the parking garage with everyone else, and ate while resting our tired feet from all the standing around we did. After that, I went back out to visit the vendor stuff and all of a sudden, Boom! A loud and quick jolt hit the parking structure and then sent it shaking very lightly for a few seconds. Yes, the reported 4.5 quake had startled the crowd. Those who were under the cover, scattered out from there very quickly. Soon, most were standing out in the open looking around asking, was it one of those? You bet and the epicenter was just a short distance away!

That got people moving, and the rest of my time was spent visiting until it was time to check out. Although it was advertised as the last Gilmore party, one that lasted 30 years, rumor has it the Justice Bros will perpetuate the yearly event in another form. This event was worth the trip, a double dip of purpose with the museum and party, and that was fun. The get together was very much entertaining and the museum an added bonus that makes me want to go back.

When Hank Winter first came to the SCRA a few years ago, he came with a smile and a 410 sprinter ready to let it all hang out. Having driven a midget a number of years, this transition looked like a good move for the man from Tucson. When he chose to contest the SCRA veterans, he would be going on the road. Long trips and hard work were just part of the regimen, and his smile, good attitude and great outlook made things appear easy. Although his record doesn't have that elusive main event win he wanted, the path he chose was littered with fans and well wishers along the way rooting for him to be successful. He was, and now comes time for him to officially move on. Hank looked and acted like a winner and his popularity continued to grow in spite of many unlucky events he experienced on the track over time. A fast time, a heat win and other successes were not the main staple of his career, but he still amassed a lot of respect and overwhelming popularity for someone that wasn't in the top ten. His easy going and thankful attitude was always on display and you could see his crew was very supporting week after week. The many Wagtimes shiny tires awards they earned were probably only a blip on their fun meter, but the team relished the award when it came their way.

Hank started Ronnie Clark on his Rookie year with the hopes to help him as much as possible. Hank ran the two cars most of this year, but has concentrated his efforts on Ronnie the last half of the season. Recently Hank took a ride in Ron Didonato's # 57 car and after that decided he was finally going to hang up his sprint car helmet. He is officially retired now and will put all his energy in helping Ronnie's quest for the rookie title.

As reported last week, Hank will embark on a stock car career next season, because "I still can have fun racing", and deciding his family and future are more important than the "roadwork" required to follow the SCRA. He is glad he did it, but will commit more time to his family and still be able to hit the track himself. Hank leaves us with memories of a man who loved to race, loved the people he raced with, and gave it his all every time out. He will be missed. It isn't goodbye, just "until we meet again", he says, but in the meantime lets enjoy the time he spends with us the rest of the year!

Manzanita is on the horizon this week and I still don't have a ride home yet after the race, but am looking! Look for another edition of the Kruser/Gasman war, but many others will get in the mix, so get over there! Then the SCRA goes back to Perris and on to Santa Maria for the last trip there this year. I have plenty of billboards left on the Wagsdash t-shirt, so don't be left out! Congrats to Chris Wakim on his VRA win this week. He had a tough run with the SCRA last week, and probably was all smiles at the race I missed. Don't forget - Ellen Ellis has created her annual non-wing calendar. She enlisted the photographic talents of Steve Lafond of Tear Off Heaven Fotos to make this years calendar the best one yet. New for the 2002 edition is the driver headshot added to a great car shot. The calendar features the top 12 in the SCRA championship point's race. For a collage of the 12 months of speed and beauty, and how to get yours click here! All proceeds from the sale of the calendar will go into this years Wagsdash XI race.