|
Traditional Sprint Car FanSite |
See You At The Races!!! |
| Press Release |
|
|
|
NATIONAL
SPRINT CAR HALL OF FAMER BUBBY JONES NAMED GRAND MARSHALL OF THE 11th
ANNUAL BUDWEISER OVAL NATIONALS! |
|
(MAY 4, 2006, PERRIS, CA) National Sprint Car Hall of Famer Bubby Jones has been named Grand Marshall of the 11th Annual Budweiser Oval Nationals at Perris Auto Speedway on November 2nd, 3rd and 4th. Temecula Valley Pipe & Supply will present the three-day event, which has quickly become one of the most prestigious in sprint car racing. “It is with great honor and respect that I get to tell everyone that Bubby Jones is the Grand Marshall for the 2006 Budweiser Oval Nationals,” said Perris Auto Speedway promoter Don Kazarian. “Bubby came to Southern California in 1980 and became an instant crowd favorite. His battles with Dean Thompson are many people’s fondest memories of CRA Sprint Car racing.” Jones wrapped up a sensational Midwest career when he finished second in the 1979 USAC National Sprint Car point standings. He headed from his home in Illinois to Southern California for the 1980 season and a ride in the famous Gaschem sprint car. Thus, the famous “Dean and Bubby Show” was born. Their epic battles raged at dirt tracks around the west coast, but they were most famous at J.C. Agajanian’s legendary Ascot Park in Gardena, California. Jones finished second to Dean Thompson his first three years on the west coast, but that all changed in 1983. Starting with a win at El Centro during the California Mid-Winter Fair on March 5th, he went on a season long tear. He won 18 main events and that still stands as the single season record for CRA. At one point (from June 18th to July 31st) the cowboy hat wearing star won six of nine main events including four in a row. And, more importantly, he sewed up his first ever first ever CRA championship in September. When all was said and done, Jones finished nearly 400 points ahead of second place finisher Thompson. Jones came back strong again in 1984. He won 12 more CRA main events and clinched his second CRA championship when he completed his first lap in qualifying at the season ending Don Peabody Classic at Ascot on November 17th. Jones then put the icing on his own cake when he won the 50-lap main event that night. Jones, who finished 21st in the 1977 Indianapolis 500, won three main events and finished 9th in CRA points in 1985. He got the ride in the famous Morales Brothers Tamale Wagon early in the 1986 season and picked off six wins. By late in the campaign, he was in the Bruce Bromme owned #1. It was the team that rival Thompson drove for in the famous days of the “Dean and Bubby Show.” Jones won the two of the last three races that year and ended up sixth in CRA points. Driving for Bromme once again in 1987, “Ole Bub,” as he was affectionately known to his fans, captured three of the first five CRA main events and ended up eighth in points. After the season ended, Jones went into a brief retirement. In 1990, after two years on the sidelines, Jones teamed with Larry Henry for another assault on CRA during the last ever season of Ascot. In true hero fashion, Jones out dueled Ron Shuman to win the CRA race at the quarter mile dirt oval in his hometown of Danville, Illinois on May 8th. A little less than two months later, he won the last ever Firecracker 50 at Ascot. On September 28th, 1991 Jones won his last ever-main event at Manzanita Speedway in Phoenix, Arizona. When all was said and done, he won an amazing 80 CRA sanctioned main events in a little more than 11 years. That ranks second on the all-time list of the original CRA behind his old foe Thompson who had 103. Ironically, less than seven years later, he was inducted into the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame along with Thompson. When Perris Auto Speedway opened in 1996, Jones was named Director of Competition. He held that position until 1999 and a few years ago moved back to his native Illinois. These days, “Ole Bub” is the crew chief for Sikeston, Missouri’s “Modern Day Cowboy” Daron Clayton on the USAC National Sprint Car Series tour. “It will be great to have Bubby back and give him a long overdue salute,” Kazarian said. “If anybody deserves it, it is Bubby.” Anyone wishing more information can contact Perris Auto Speedway at (951) 940-0134. racesatthepas@aol.com
is the only authorized Internet address to issue official media news released
from The Perris Auto Speedway or Oval Entertainment
|
