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Traditional Sprint Car FanSite |
See You At The Races!!! |
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MY FIRST VISIT TO PLAZA PARK RACEWAY by Norm Bogan |
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Most impressive item! All cars in the three classes were nicely painted and had good graphics packages to enhance their racecars. Needs improvement! Many cars do not display the driver’s name, a common problem at many tracks, especially for a first time visitor and no program. Second positive item! Program moved along considering that all classes qualified. Program was over about 9:30 p.m. Third positive item! A large number of fans passed through the pits on the way to parking lot. Lighting is more adequate than some larger tracks. Track preparation appears good and they work it during the evening. On warm, breezy nights, it’ll probably have some dust The track and these classes have graduated a number of talented drivers, now racing sprints and midgets. Genealogy plays a big part in this track’s talent pool. A lot of drivers are 2nd & 3rd generation or younger siblings. Names like Scelzi, Faccinto and Bogan! Drag racer, Gary Scelzi has two sons racing regularly, Domenic in the Restricted 600 class and Giovanni in the Junior Sprints. Mitchell Faccinto runs well in the Super 600 class in the steps of older brother Michael and Dad, Monte. Joey Galante is the grandson of former track developer and operator, Joe Galante. Jake Hagopian comes from another lifetime Central Valley racing family. A number of alumni from Plaza Park include Alan Ballard, the Faria brothers, Greg Bragg, Justyne Hamblin, Jessie Mack, the VanderWeerd twins, Jace and Richard, Tanner and Kody Swanson, and current NASCAR Truck racer, Matt Crafton. Please forgive me if I overlooked one of your heroes. Current promoter, Brandon “Bubby” Morse raced at Plaza Park as a youngster. Most of the racers hail from the Mid Central Valley area and many are involved in the agricultural roots of the valley. Plaza Park is a fairly local venue for most competitors. It provides a Friday night outlet for teens before the high school football season. Oh yes, Cody Bogan is a California Division of Forestry firefighter based out of Lemon Cove, racing in the Super 600 series. I spoke to Cody, his Dad and Grandpa, determining that although we were not closely related, it did give me someone with a name to root for throughout the evening. |
