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LAPS WITH NORM BOGAN #18 (8/17/03) by Norm Bogan |
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This was the third weekend without SCRA sprint cars, which are traveling through the heartland, challenging some of the top racers from other parts of the country. Those of us, unable to make the journey this year are fortunate enough to have a great alternate form of racing in place of SCRA. The menu has been filled with non-wing 360 competition, starting two weeks ago with the VRA cars at Perris, then shifted last week to the Bandit Sprints at Santa Maria Speedway and returned for another VRA show at Perris last night. Next Friday and Saturday will culminate the four weeks without SCRA with the 360 Nationals at Perris. With fifty to sixty entries currently lined up to go for the big bucks. Last night’s show at Perris became a tune up for many teams as thirty-eight cars signed in, including a number of out of towners, coming in to test their mettle against the strong VRA contingent. Also on the program were several SCRA regulars, who did not make the NWWC Tour, but chose to cast their lot with the VRA. Joining the VRA regulars were the Arizona cars of Shon Deskins and Tony Smiley’s #2A car with Rickie Gaunt strapping in tonight. Darren Hagen was in his family car wrenched by “Cactus Jack” Yeley and Steve Ostling was back in the 14K car from Colorado along with Mike Kirby now a VRA semi-regular in the Buzz Shoemaker #0 car. Many times stock car champion, Rick Becker, who has run part time for the past several years with SCRA, dropped a 360 in his racer and joined the fray. The heat race winners had a
strong SCRA appearance as the “World Famous” Tom Downing, who splits his
time between VRA and SCRA grabbed Heat #1 honors.
Rickie Gaunt, Rick Becker and Mike Kirby came home victorious in the
other three heats. Strong running
youngster, Greg Taylor, who is committed to the USAC Western States Pavement
Sprints and races off weekends with the VRA program, won the “B” Main in
spectacular fashion as he took the checkers, then something locked up on the
car, with him going straight into the turn one wall and flipping.
The crew had the car repaired for the feature, but after he pushed off,
something was still amiss and the car was scratched from the “A” Main.
As the feature got underway, the
front row of Steve Ostling and Clark Templeman III got together and it was Déjà
vu of a few weeks back with SCRA at Perris.
Tonight, a new record was established with a fifteen-car pileup.
After a couple more restarts, the field was down seven cars before one
lap was completed. Mike Kirby led a
charmed life as he saw a hole in the first lap turmoil and gunned his steed
through unscathed. Most of the cars
in the opening pile up were able to return to action, but most were handicapped
with ills of one type or another. A
couple of cars that had done major repairs were Ostling and Chris Wakim, who
came back to finish second and fourth behind the streaking Kirby.
Tom Stansberry also fought a bulky car to finish third, while Rick Becker
came back from repairs to gather in fifth place. Another driver that has shown
much promise is Ryan Devitt, who was in a transfer position in the “B” Main
when his left rear tire went flat. This
young driver and his Dad are running on a limited budget, exhibiting steady
improvement this year. Devitt
achieved his first podium finish just a few weeks back.
For those of use who follow the
SCRA, the news coming back from the “war front” has been discouraging.
We like to think that our guys are the best in the country, but many have
had a difficult time getting to the front in the NWWC Tour events.
The SCRA Alumni Association has done well though.
J.J. Yeley, Jay Drake, Cory Kruseman, Levi Jones and John Scott have
fared well against their former adversaries.
With many of the USAC teams dropping off the tour after Granite City,
which was claimed by Troy Rutherford, maybe “OUR GUYS” can reclaim some
dignity along the remainder of the Tour. Coming up next week will be the
360 Nationals at Perris. It should be a very competitive show. |
