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BUENA PARK, CA, Nov. 27 - More than 330
persons attended the 22nd annual USAC Western States championship
awards banquet Saturday night at the Embassy
Suites Hotel across from Knott's Berry Farm. Racers and fans honored
all USAC
Western 2004 champions and top ten drivers and car entrants for
their recently concluded seasons during a two-hour ceremony that
followed a 7:00 sirloin steak/chicken dinner.
Champion drivers honored (in order they were recognized) were:
· California Ford Focus (29 races) - North Series champion Bradley
Galedrige, a five-time main event winner, and South Series champion
Chris Rahe, winner of eight-mains.
· W/S Midgets (26 races) - Johnny Rodriguez, a 29-year old
owner/driver and
past northern California winged sprint car champion. He had
five seconds, three thirds and three fourths. Rodriguez also picked
up an award for passing the most cars during 2004.
· Port O'Call Rocky Mountain Sprint Cars - Jim Waters, of Salt Lake
City, UT said he plans to race in both Rocky Mountain and W/S
Sprints again next season.
· Valvoline USAC/CRA 410 cu. in. Sprints (30races) -- Rip Williams,
a 27-year veteran of sprint car racing with CRA, SCRA and USAC/CRA
in 2004. It was his first sprint car championship, although he has
99 feature victories and counting. Williams finished in the top
three 17-times and in the top ten 27-times.
· Valvoline Western 360 cu. in. Sprints (16 races) - Tony Hunt, who
enjoyed 12 straight top seven feature finishes and clinched the
championship by 28 points in the Thanksgiving Night race at
Irwindale. It was his fourth USAC driving title, making the son of
USAC V-P of Western Operations Tommy Hunt and wife Jeanie, one of
only 20 drivers in USAC history to accomplish that feat.
USAC Western VP Hunt opened the ceremonies at 9:00 and introduced
Dick Jordan, USAC VP of Communications, as the emcee. Gordon Tyler
gave the invocation and Ken "Wags" Wagner drew the name of
a $500 USAC/CRA winner. Car owner Glenn Crossno accepted the prize.
Bobby Gerould interviewed all winners at the podium.
Jordan then read a letter from USAC President Rollie Helmling
congratulating all USAC Western competitors for a successful, safe
year. His remarks concluded by saying USAC is developing drivers to
follow in the footsteps of Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, Jason Leffler,
Ryan Newman and Kasey Kahne. He said USAC will begin its 50th year
in 2005.
Jordan noted that the Thanksgiving Night Grand Prix at Irwindale had
winning car numbers of 15, 40 and 9, which totals 64 and this
year was the 64th running of that racing classic. It also was the
first year that five female drivers, including W/S drivers Ashley
Swanson, Audra Sasselli and Destiney Hays won main events.
Hunt recognized racing contributors in the audience and Rick Ziehl,
the New Mexico resident and USAC Southwest Series star. All USAC
officials, staff, sponsors, Hunt's wife Jeanie and other key persons
received praise for the continuing growth of USAC Western
operations. A special perseverance award went to 360 Sprint owner
Ken Pierson for his engine-problem season that resulted in an
eight-place finish for the usual front-runner.
Steve Farmer, USAC National Director of Marketing, spoke about USAC
2005 plans. He said USAC paid $1,000,000 in 2003 to televise 29 USAC
races. Outside money did not materialize this year so USAC had only
one race televised. Farmer stressed that "USAC wants to be back
on TV in 2005, our 50th year. Our contract with Speed Channel ended
on October 31, 2004 and USAC is now working with a company on the
West Coast. We are looking for 13 races on HDTV." He
congratulated the Earl's Award Fast Qualifier champions-Hunt
(Sprints), James Rodela (Midgets) and Rahe (FF Midgets).
ROOKIES of YEAR: Rick Gerhardt presented the Hoosier Tire top rookie
awards
to the following:
· FF - Chase Barber, 17 year old third place driver in both North
and South points.
· Midgets - Matt Mitchell, 17, for finishing eighth in points with
a best finish of sixth at Perris.
· USAC/CRA 410 Sprints - Ronnie Case, who finished 13th driving for
long-time car owner Don Blair.
· W/S 360 Sprints - Mike Murgoitio, of Boise, ID, for one feature
victory and nine top tens enroute to sixth place in points.
SPECIAL AWARDS: Pat Johnson, USAC registrar/timer-scorer, awarded
the Walt
Johnson Memorial Award in honor of her late husband and pit steward
who passed away suddenly. J. R. Williams, a 69-year old Carson City,
NV Ford Focus Midget driver who missed only one of 29 FF races
(Belleville, KS). The Curly Merrill "Let's Go Racing"
Award, named for the long-time CRA timer-scorer, went to Mitch Hart,
of C. L. Bryant Fuels.
Wally Pankratz presented the annual Joe Lynch Mechanicl Achievement
Award to Jon Rahe of the FF Series. The former 1970-80s Ascot Midget
racing champion is the father of driver Chris Rahe. Pankratz, the
third place drive in W/S Midget points, announced he will be cutting
back his racing next season at age 59 after 445 starts. He said he
will race only on dirt tracks and in some key races such as the
"Hut 100". Before leaving the podium, Pankratz gave his
friend Rip Williams an "Old guys rule" tee-shirt. Larry
Smith, of Williams' team, received the Lincoln Electric Welder
Mechanical Achievement Award to be presented December 10 at the USAC
National Awards Banquet in Indianapolis.
C. L.. Bryant Hard Charger Awards went to Bobby McGowan, 18 year old
FF driver; W/S Sprint driver Bob Beck and to USAC/CRA Sprint Car
rising star Mike Spencer, who raced from the C to B and B to A
(sixth place) during the October Oval Nationals at.Perris.
MOST IMPROVED DRIVERS: Award winners were:
· FF Midgets -Bradley Galeldrige and Chris Rahe. Both drivers
finished first and second in the series won by the other driver.
· Midgets - Garrett Hansen for his two feature victories and 7th
place in points.
· USAC/CRA 410 Sprints - Co-most improved driver recipients were
Greg Bragg, 7th in points and Bobby Cody, 10th in final points.
· W/S 360 Sprints - Brad Bumgarner, who finished third in points
after leading in points from May to July.
Car owner champions honored were:
· FF - Al Galedrige (North) and Rahe (South).
· Midgets - Owner./driver Rodriguez.
· USAC/CRA 410 Sprints: John and Sharon Jory.
· W/S 360 Sprints - Western Speed Racing, of Fresno. Co-owner Larry
Trigueiro
thanked his expanding team, sponsors and families. He said the
orange Western cars will expand their racing horizons in 2005 to the
Midwest and in the USAC Silver Crown and Sprint series. He added
that his team recently merged with George and Gary Zarounian, of
Visalia.
Tuxedo-clad champion driver Hunt spoke the final and appropriate
champion driver remarks at the podium. The 32-year old mentioned his
family history in racing and said he has worked very hard at getting
good rides and retaining them with good results. He thanked USAC
officials and their families, friend Bobby Gerould, Steve Farmer,
track promoters, his Western Speed team and all sponsors, his dad
Tommy, mom Jeanie and his girl friend. Two hours after ceremonies
began on a rainy, mid-50s night, Tommy Hunt gave concluding remarks
and advised everyone to drive carefully on wet streets on their way
home.
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