J J Yeley has been gone to us for two years on his USAC quest, with 2001 being a banner year as he and his David Waltermath led GT racing team won the USAC sprint car championship over a stout field of USAC regulars. Quite an improvement from the year before, but there is still more for him to accomplish in 2002 in USAC and IRL. J J & Cory were outstanding rookies together in SCRA and even back then, we all knew that both were very special drivers as they competed week after week for us. J J won the rookie deal, but it was a close and tough decision. Imagine both of them in Silver Crown competing against each other again!

John Scott also has thrown his hat in that Silver Crown ring, but may not be quite leaving town as soon as earlier announced. John has long been looking to move up and has worked hard for that opportunity. Now with his Pace Electronics sponsorship, it is all about to happen. He plans to start out with the SCRA, and if the points are good, stick with it for a while and run selected Silver Crown races, then make the big jump next year. Winning a SCRA championship is on his mind, but he too, is moving away from us. My friend Randy "DW" Shiosaki, of Design Works Custom Graphics, is teaming up with John again as Marc Hart appears to be undecided on his future sprint car action.

Mike Kirby and Rickie Gaunt are going heir seperate ways, but it's not really a break-up, just two teams seperating to concentrate more on one car each. Rickie and the Alexander Brothers will be one team and Mike will keep Statewide Towing and go back to just one car like it has been the last few years with the Geurin Mobile Home crew at work. It does mean Mike will have more "hands on" the car during the week this year than last, but look for both teams to do very well.

Taylor Dutton of the Arizona version of the International Karting Association called to let me know that they are having their biggest race of the year for Karts. He says they are very fast on the 1/5-mile dirt oval and the annual event will feature about 300 karts. It's located at 43rd (when coming west off I-17 and onto highway 101). It is the 7th Holiday classic, and has featured many of today's open wheel stars like Billy Boat and Rickie Johnson. Racers come from all over to run this event and if your in Phoenix, it is a must see. The dates are Dec 27 for practice and then three days of racing on the 28/29/30th. Free admission for all, but bring your own seats, there is no grandstand.

Jimmy Oskie, our 5 time CRA champion is in the hospital after open-heart surgery and is doing well, considering the seriousness of the situation. It was a planned outage as he knew he had a bad valve. He donated blood for himself in the weeks prior to surgery and it came in handy. He is doing well and plans are for him to leave the hospital today and recover at home. Jimmy has continued to stay close to the racing scene, hanging out in the pits every week while doing double duty in Buzz Shoemaker's beautiful antique sprinters and teaching the youngsters when he is not walking around looking for a snack. Jimmy is well liked and will be back up very soon. He is home from the hospital now and cards and letters can be sent to 12055 Rives Avenue, Downey CA 90242. He can be reached at (562)861-2494 between 9 AM and 8 PM. He would enjoy the calls.

June 29th marks the return of the SCRA to Las Vegas, at least it is on the schedule for now, and is the latest add to the 2002 schedule. With a little more variation, we can see an aggressive year ahead. With 47 for sure dates, 5 TBA/raindates, and 3 off dates, we will hit the ground running and likely never let up. Hopefully, Las Vegas will have their surface resolved from the problems they have experienced in the past with dry slick tracks and we can take advantage of the new venue. Call me crazy, but I still miss the Laughlin experiences of the past where racers and fans alike packed the Colorado Belle casino for three days and played together, except for the race night at Mohave Valley, and it was fun. That track had it's problems, duhhhhh, but the overall togetherness it created was memorable. It is a good schedule with reduced trips to Arizona and new Bakersfield dates making it more varied and not quite as much traveling.

What do I want for Xmas? I want everybody to find the sponsors to be able to hit the track and put on the show we love. I want rookies to learn and grow into the stars of tomorrow. I want the heroes to continue to put on their awesome displays while positioning to make the jump to the money train elsewhere, if that is their wish. I want the racing to be just as good as always and no rainouts. I want so much, BUT maybe Santa will be able to help me out.

The highlights of 2001 were many for me and I am sure many of you have your own favorites. Here are a few of mine. The shock of the year to me was Rickie Gaunt losing his ride with the Gardner Motorsports team. He went on to have a good year in Mike Kirby's back-up car. 2nd place was the Gasman coming back form serious arm injury after missing only two races. Surprise of the year was Jarrett Chaney leading and almost winning the 50 lapper on 9/2/01. Best race of the year had to be The PAS 9/2/01 when the Gasman led only one lap to win, but the events up to that were awesome. 2nd place was the Oval Nationals 2nd prelim night with Tony Jones in the spotlight. Best night of racing, and I am prejudiced here, it was the Wagsdash night when both features were super. Best win of the year had to be by Troy Rutherford at Lakeside taking charge in the 50 lapper. Best win by someone other than the Kruser/Gasman juggernaut was Mike Kirby on May 27 when he put on a show at Ventura. Worst race of the year - Wichita dry slick and WINDY beyond reason. Maybe that's why they are not on the schedule this year, dry slick two years in a row. Bad break race of the year was at Granite City when rain stopped the action at 8 laps. Promoter option when no more rain fell for two hours. Biggest disappointment of the year was USAC no-show at NWWC Midwest tour, but you know what, it was just plain great racing!!!!!

The most cars passed in one race was when Kruseman crashed on the opening lap of Lakeside 50 lapper and then coming from the back for 2nd, twice. 2nd place was Mike Kirby when he came from 17th to 5th at Ventura on 9/1 and then the motor began smoking, and he let off! Best pass of the year - Cory under Griffin at the PAS on July 14. There wasn't any way he does this, but he won his 9th of the year on that move! 2nd best was by Tony Jones, who passed all the heroes in two laps only to lose power while in control and leading on 9/2. Worst crash of the year - George Gervais who is still in a coma. Highest altitude crash was Kevin White when he launched and stuck in the fence at the PAS. Most calculated win by Mike Kirby at Tulare when Rip set him up for a last lap pass, but Mike changed grooves to keep his 36th life time win. Best looking car of the year is Tony Jones in the # 37 after the flag graphics were added. Best looking hauler is Charles Davis Jr with the sprinter graphics on the back door! Best looking trophy was the white Eagle at the Oval Nationals. Runner-up was the Wagsdash trophy. Consistently the shiniest tires all year was on the Scott Motorsports # 83. Runner-up was the Gardner Motorsports entries. The loss of some of our friends, especially Don Barnes, was tough to take as usual. We will remember him and the others.

So it was a good year and I went to plenty of races, but what's in store for 2002? More of the same and hopefully, we can all enjoy it together. Can we get the USAC drivers on the NWWC tour? Probably not, but then maybe my new year's wish will be for USAC not to schedule directly against the tour and allow all the non-wing heroes to create "our" champion from the best of the West and the best of the Rest! Dream on!

Stock Car Racing? You don't want to hear my thoughts, but it was a great article on Jay Drake, before the bird cage routine was enforced. Losing Open Wheel magazine was bad enough, but losing Kevin Eckert's Flat Out is just as bad. Seeing in person is better anyway, so let's go racing and the magazine honcho's can fight out what they will and won't cover.

Happy holidays to all and to all a good night! Remember, when it's racetime, it's Wagtime!