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Traditional Sprint Car FanSite |
See You At The Races!!! |
| Wagsworld by Ken Wagner |
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RAMBO RUTHERFORD SCORES FOR THE
SCRA.... |
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When you are on the road away from home, things are always
different. No home cookin’, no favorite bed, no regular sleep
patterns and sometimes no familiar faces. The traveling SCRA boys on
the NWWC Tour running thru Iowa, Indiana, Illinois and Missouri,
have to follow the racing schedule and be ready for anything. The
tracks are different, the local racers are different, their cars are
different, so it is no picnic for the visiting team. Nobody is
polite as they race for the front, and that is the way it is on the
NWWC Tour.
So far the SCRA has had 4, 8, 10 and 9 of the 22 starting spots in the four NWWC main events. Add in the former SCRA runners and the numbers go up about 5 each race, so we are well represented. Until Troy Rutherford overpowered the Granite City track, it was slim pickin’s for the west coast drivers on the podium. For many they just have to learn the ropes as they go along, just like always when they travel to the hot land of the typically dry race tracks. At Oskaloosa, 67 cars fried the track before the racing started, so those unlucky enough not to be in the top 32 after qualifying had their work cut out for them. When the Gasman, Richard Griffin, didn’t make the main for the first time in many years, you knew it was a tough track. Not that he and his crew didn’t try, but passing from the back of the heats and semi was not possible on this tragic night. When Boston Reid dominated the 30 lap main, it was surprising how easy he did it. When J J Yeley didn’t catch him, it just proved that there are more and more young drivers that can drive in this sport, and aren’t we lucky. Damion Gardner drove the Willis Machine, TCR, Gaerte # 45 extremely hard to get 4th for the best of the west, and he held off a jousting Jac Haudenschild to do it the last third of the race. Damion had it up on the cushion, but he just couldn’t go any farther forward. There weren’t any friendly tacky spots out there, so going fast was what they all were doing in front of him. Warren Johnson and Matt Westfall both did well shedding their wings, but a non-winger won the $30,000 in the 2nd edition. Terre Haute made it easier on the travelers as the wide multi-groove track gave everyone a place to run with 52 cars in the pits. Even though Cory Kruseman led early in the race, his Stewart Motorsports teammate, J J Yeley won this one, his 21st USAC record making win. Troy Rutherford was the top SCRA man in 7th, followed by the Gasman as the fast track made for a pretty good show. Driving the Roy Miller Freight Lines, Sander, Vital Express, # 7, Rambo Rutherford was 2nd in the last chance race, then 5th in his heat from the back, 6th in the semi from the back and 7th in the main from the back! Perhaps he passed more cars than anyone in recent history, nevertheless, he was a show on the tricky two groove track! Farmer city was a nice little quarter mile bullring that provided excellent racing in the heats, but glazed over about 5 laps into the main and created another freight train experience. The best job here was done by Richard Griffin driving the Temecula Valley Pipe and Supply, Arizona Race Mart, Circle C Marketing, # 50. Tracy Hines rolled this one up with a start to finish win and Cory Kruseman chased him hard the entire 30 laps. Damion tried a few moves out of the groove and lost a few positions, but it was an entertaining race. Granite City became the next battle ground, but only 30 cars showed as the recent decision by USAC not to award points changed some minds about racing the last two races. USAC continues to baffle racing fans and race teams as they make decisions that are contrary to bringing together non-wing sprint car racing around the country, and especially at a time when our growth has the maximum potential. If USAC would support the NWWC, nothing but good could happen for the future for all. Of course we are in their backyard and it’s their ball, so to speak, and perhaps they want to keep us in California. What could be better than a series between USAC and SCRA, and all the other good non-wing drivers, in a home and home series that would be supported by both associations? We brought 20 cars east and the support for their point race was good. What will USAC bring to California for the end of this series? Think about it as the tables are reversed and they fight that ugly tacky track syndrome when they travel our way. Rambo Rutherford and Levi Jones made the podium for the west coasters on the long and narrow ½ mile track in Granite City, but Rambo was “the man”. Not only did he hang in with Kruseman and Elliot for two thirds of the race, he made the move to win seemingly with ease, as the Mark Priestley led crew did what Troy needed to win and told him to back off and he would move up. Troy has been very determined on this trip and is showing his peers he can drive on these slick tracks very well. It was his 6th all time SCRA win. It is obvious that racing on slick tracks is harder on the SCRA travelers, but they are learning. Many drivers from the west coast go into Indiana and fare very well, but it takes time, aka J J Yeley who now is the top dog in USAC, with Jay Drake and Cory Kruseman doing quite well, too! It wasn’t easy at first, but time has put J J on top. There isn’t enough time for some to learn everything about the tracks on a short trip like this, but most are having fun, with some just wanting to make the main and score a little prize money. This year’s trip is more driver friendly with a nice stop on the way, Hollywood Hills, to the big money race, $30,000 at Oskaloosa, a 4-race stop in St Louis and the finale at Kansas City’s Lakeside Speedway. It was a shorter trip than last year with enough off days to be restful for the racers and plenty of good food available along the way. The weather started off warm but nice, then got into the hot and humid stage in Illinois. Oh baby! Josh Ford is faring pretty well on tour,considering. He had one car destroyed through no fault of his driving, and has made a couple of mains. The SCRA rookie is doing quite well this year as a whole and doesn’t seem to be intimidated at all by the local hot dogs and continues to look more like a winner. The Gasman has struggled a little and will not have crew chief Bruce Bromme Jr for a while after he hurt a muscle so bad that it requires a flight home for surgical repair. Mel Murphy is still having fun, he reported to me last night, and you can’t wipe the smile off his face. They are living a long time desire to go on tour and are loving it. Adam Mitchell has really driven hard, but doesn’t have much to show for it yet in Ben Lancaster’s # 14. He looked strong at every race, but something always happens to stop him. The Jory boys, Rip and Mike, haven’t had the trip they wanted, but are moving towards better results and working hard to find the right set-ups. The little lower sway bar bolt-on “gizmo” that is springing up on the cars back in the mid west has stuck on the Jack Jory cars. Both Rip and Mike have them now, but nobody seems to know if they really help, choosing to wait and see if there is any difference. Now local driver, John Scott, also bolted one on, as the “hot new thing” spreads like a rabbit farm maneuver. Charles Davis Jr is really going home this time. He left after the Granite City race to go back to work because they needed him. He went home from Albuquerque, but surprisingly sneaked back to Iowa to run several more races, and now he is back home. Bob Ream Jr left the tour to run two races in Indiana before he goes home today also. Tony Everhart also tried Putnamville on Saturday, but will be at Highland. The USAC racers that came to Granite City, highballed it to Mansfield, Ohio to run a make-up race on Sunday (USAC at work in obliviousness) and some will return for the Monday Highland Speedway NWWC race. Since it isn’t a USAC point race, the car counts will go down for the two tracks close to their stomping grounds. NWWC Point Standings as of: 08/16/03 1 J.J. Yeley 279, 2 Cory Kruseman 244, 3 Troy Rutherford 179, 4 Bud Kaeding 162, 5 Damion Gardner 157, 6 Levi Jones 157, 7 Richard Griffin 148, 8 Rip Williams 79, 9 Josh Ford 67, 10 Mike Spencer 64, 11 Bob Ream, Jr. 62, 12 Charles Davis, Jr. 62, 13 Jac Haudenschild 58, 14 Mike English 46, 15 Alan Ballard 28, 16 Boston Reid 19, 17 Adam Mitchell 14, 18 Jimmy Crawford 7, 19 Mel Murphy 5 Mike Kirby and Steve Ostling finished one/two in that order at the VRA race in Perris this week. Seems as though they beat Damion Gardner’s record of “most cars crashing behind someone”, when it was reported 15 cars piled up on an incident early in the race. With only one tow truck, things were a little slow getting back to business. Next week the two-day 360 Nationals will provide great racing for those who are still in CA. Check it out and see if Kirby can hold off all the 360 hot dogs who will show for this one. SCRA Points as of 8/16/03 |
