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The CASA Chronicles (No. 11) |
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Keeping
up with the California Asphalt Sprintcar Association |
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January 18, 2005…San Jose, CA. (First person account this time…) It’s is a good thing this column is regarded as a periodic piece as I just now realized it’s been six months since my last contribution. Allow me to try and catch up. It seems as though I’ve written as much as ever but it was predominately race reports and most unfortunately, professionally and personally, articles and obituaries for my good friend Mike McCreary. Then we had a wild tie for the Nevada State Championship that had to be addressed – Nick Rescino Jr. by the narrowest of margins over Bryan Bullard – and it seems like just the other day all the CASA contingent gathered at Altamont Motorsports Park’s annual championship banquet at Jackson Rancheria to honor Nick Rescino Jr’s overall CASA championship as well as other competitors of note, Rookie of the Year Jared Consani and Most Improved Driver, Marvin Mitchell, but that was way back in early November. The behind-the-scenes work of the California Asphalt
Sprintcar Association demands a great deal of CASA President Scott Clough’s
and my time and never has that been more evident than preparing for the upcoming
2005 season. Clough, myself, Champion Speedway’s Les Kynett, Ukiah Speedway’s Blair Akins and Dennis Ortolan of the newly renamed Altamont Raceway and Arena all gathered at Sacramento’s RPM Karting Club in November to set preliminary schedules in anticipation of securing all CASA dates by the Promoters Workshop in Reno in December. Five dates were set for the CASA cars and stars to visit Ukiah Speedway’s scenic high-banks after a successful CASA test session last season Included in the Ukiah schedule is a special Thursday night tilt the day before Nextel Cup visits nearby Infinion Raceway at Sears Point. Akins anticipates having at least two Cup stars in attendance and hopefully competing if all the details can be worked out. Champion Speedway in Carson City, Nevada again has four races scheduled with CASA including the “Salute to Indy” Memorial Day special with BCRA midgets, the first annual Mike McCreary Memorial, and the 42nd running of the Silver State Classic. Altamont Raceway and Arena will present four CASA events on their legendary half-mile including a special Labor Day Monday event with Davey Hamilton’s SRL supermodifieds. During the Reno Promoters meeting, CASA met with Madera Speedway’s new promoters Ken Coventry and Rick Cameron and we agreed to a four-race series at their immaculate third-mile facility. Madera expects to run CASA in conjunction with a revival of their 360-supermodified series. In finalizing our schedule it was interesting to note how many different dynamics are involved in producing a traveling race series. Even with only four tracks in a minimal 150-mile radius, we had to account for schedules of all the other different traveling and weekly series not only at those four tracks, but other neighboring tracks where we weren’t even running. It took lots of coordination, phone calls and meetings and when we thought we had a schedule worthy of publishing, we had still more shuffling to do. Never was the reshuffling more evident than Friday, January 14th when USAC’s schedule was published. CASA’s Scott Clough and USAC’s Tommy Hunt reviewed the respective schedules and Clough made some scheduling revisions in order to avoid conflicting dates in California. “We’ve always made an effort to avoid having race date conflicts and enabling members of both clubs to run each series,” said Clough, “Our current posted schedule is being finalized, yet again, and will be re-posted by January 21st.” Clough worked with both Madera and Altamont to move four dates to accommodate USAC’s schedule. “Though it was our intention to avoid running CASA races on back-to-back weekends, affording CASA teams some breathing room during the busy season, it looks like we ended up scheduling a couple back-to-backs but we also have a three week break in August,” noted Clough. Schedule changes included moving a CASA Madera date to accommodate USAC at Shasta Raceway Park even though it created a back-to-back for CASA with one of Ukiah’s dates. Another proposed CASA Madera date was moved a week forward, into another back-to-back, to accommodate USAC’s Mesa Marin event. “We tried very hard to build our schedule on an every other weekend basis. Although we have created some back-to-backs we had hoped to avoid, we think it gives all California pavement racers better opportunities. And perhaps a three week mini vacation will help me sell this package to the CASA membership,” said Clough. Speaking of general membership, CASA will hold a general membership meeting on Saturday, February 5th at RPM Karting Center, 3130 Bradshaw Road, Sacramento, CA in Conference Room 1. The meeting will begin promptly at 1:00PM. “I encourage any and all racers who might have any interest in open wheel pavement racing, now or in the future, to attend,” said Clough, “Whether they are CASA members or not, we have a great deal to discuss.” The meeting will also cover the new American Racer tire contract, the schedule, rules and race procedure issues, signups and a host of other discussions pertaining to the upcoming 2005 CASA season. Kart racing is available before and after the meeting for those who wish to try their hand at the indoor facility. RPM also has restaurant facilities. All interested parties should keep and eye on CASA’s website (www.casaracing.com) for details. CASA will also send meeting information to all on our contact lists - a growing list - as we have many new members for this season. If you would like to be included on CASA’s contact list, please contact us through our website or call the CASA offices at 530-622-3944 or 408-274-6999. |
