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| LEGENDARY RIP WILLIAMS TAKES ON SPRINT CAR RACINGS BEST FOR 30 STRAIGHT YEARS! |
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(MARCH 20, 2007, PERRIS, CA) When Temecula Valley Pipe & Supply
presents the USAC/CRA Sprint Cars at Perris Auto Speedway this Saturday night, a
30-year tradition at West Coast dirt tracks will take place. Rip Williams will
pull on his helmet and strap into his Sprint Car just as he has done since 1978
when he was CRA co-Rookie of the Year with Ric Paronelli. Like usual Williams
will be one of the favorites and if he wins the 30-lap main event, it will be
for the 104th time in his illustrious career.
Williams, who makes his home in Yorba Linda, California, will celebrate his 51st birthday on May 5th. Most guys his age have already retired from racing. Few, if any at his age, are still at the top of their game like he is. He is a living legend. Part of being a legend is standing the test of time. Few in any sport have done that as well as the affable father of three. If you do not believe that, ponder the facts below about the year 1978 when "The Ripper" first strapped himself into the seat of a sprint car. It was more then one year before the great Wayne Gretzky played his first game in the NHL. It was also more than one year before now Hall of Famers Magic Johnson and Larry Bird played their first season in the NBA. It was one year before Dale Earnhardt Sr. won the NASCAR Winston Cup Rookie of the Year award. It was the same year legendary Ohio State football coach Woody Hayes punched Clemson player Charlie Bauman at the Gator Bowl and thus lost his job. It was one year before Rick Mears won his first of four Indianapolis 500 races. It was only Tommy Lasorda's second full season managing the Los Angeles Dodgers. Lasorda managed the Dodgers for 19 ½ seasons and is now in the Baseball Hall of Fame. In the same year, Ozzie Smith played his first Major League Baseball game. The "Wizard of Oz," as he is known, retired 11 years ago and has been elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. That same year, a racetrack closed adjacent to the 605 Freeway in Irwindale (Speedway 605). Twenty-one years later, a new track would open on the other side of the freeway (Irwindale Speedway). In 1978, there was no such thing as the Anaheim Ducks, Los Angeles Clippers, Sacramento Kings, Washington Nationals, Arizona Diamondbacks, Florida Marlins, Houston Texans, Colorado Rockies (MLBB), New Jersey Devils, Baltimore Ravens, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Arizona Cardinals, Jacksonville Jaguars, Carolina Panthers, Houston Texans, Tennessee Titans, Indianapolis Colts, Toronto Raptors, Miami Heat, Washington Wizards, Utah Jazz, Memphis Grizzlies, Minnesota Timberwolves, Phoenix Coyotes, Calgary Flames, Dallas Stars, Colorado Avalanche, Nashville Predators, Tampa Bay Lightning or Minnesota Wild. At the time there was such a thing as the Montreal Expos, Buffalo Braves, Washington Bullets, New Orleans Jazz, Houston Oilers, Kansas City Kings, Cleveland Barons, Minnesota North Stars, Colorado Rockies (NHL), Atlanta Flames, Baltimore Colts and St. Louis Cardinals (NFL). It was one year before ESPN went on the air! It was two years before the Los Angeles Rams fled the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum for Anaheim Stadium. It was 17-years before the Rams fled Anaheim for St. Louis. Of course the Rams were replaced at the Coliseum by the Raiders. That was four years after Rip began his career. But, like the Rams, they split town and headed back to the Bay Area 17 years after Rip began his career. What are we preaching here? Change is a constant in sport. Athletes, managers and teams come and go. They move on or they get moved on. Some become famous and enter the hallowed halls of greatness, but few can stand the test of time and last 30 seasons. And, even less can be at the top of their game in year 30! Rip Williams HAS! He is a superstar, a legend and one of the greatest of all-time. He is about as good today as he ever has been! Watching Rip Williams drive a racecar is like listening to Vin Scully announce a Dodgers baseball game. It does not get any better. He is a God in his chosen sport and to this day we are privileged to watch him ply his trade. This Saturday night at Perris Auto Speedway you can watch the legend and 33 or 34 other drivers. If any of them can string together a magnificent 30-year career and still be competitive in the notoriously tough world of sprint car racing at age 50, we will call them legends - just like the legend himself, Rip Williams. Saturday's racing featuring Williams will include qualifying, four 10-lap heat races, a 12-lap B main and a 30-lap A main event. On Friday, the red-hot drag racing action at the Street Legal Strip at The PAS will continue. Friday's gates will open at 5:00 PM with racing at 6:00. Anyone wishing more information can contact Perris Auto Speedway at (951) 940-0134. Perris Auto Speedway is located on the Lake Perris Fairgrounds (home of the Southern California Fair), approximately one hour east of Los Angeles and one hour North of San Diego. To get to the track, take the 215 freeway, exit at the Ramona Expressway and go two miles east to the fairgrounds. racesatthepas@aol.com is the only authorized Internet address to issue official media news released from The Perris Auto Speedway or Oval Entertainment USAC/CRA SERIES SPRINT CAR POINT STANDINGS |
