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MRP raises the curtain Saturday. 5-division show on tap. Car show worth 50 points. |
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(March 31, 2009 - Marysville, CA) The 2009 season at Paul and Kathy Hawes’ Marysville Raceway Park is set to go this Saturday. A grand racecar show at the Les Schwab Tire Store in Marysville(Linda) will kick off a complete day of activities surrounding MRP’s 41st consecutive season of operation. It is the third and by far the most talked about year since the Hawes grabbed the reins in 2007. It is nearly impossible to imagine the way the track used to be compared to what it is today. Hawes’ business plan to improve every aspect of the facility is on track and the result, this season, seems to be the talk of the short track world in California. Today, wide, sweeping, high-speed turns and rocket fast straight-aways have taken the place of the “button hook” bullring that sat on this property over the previous 40 years. It’s a change that was noted positively last Saturday when 3-time Champion Brent Dothage took practice laps on the track he has been so successful at. Dothage was shaking down his new car in preparation for his title defense. Dothage has a new operation and car for the 2009 season. The familiar red and yellow livery will change and he’ll be back as the “Man in Black” this year with a shiny 7B glistening in the lights. It was Dothage’s first look at the longer, wider configuration and he “liked it”. He told this observer that it was more wide open with more room to maneuver, agreeing with what has been generally expressed by anyone who has run on the new track. Dothage’s new car is a car that has some history at this facility. Dothage said he found the car in the central valley and grabbed it right away. According to one reliable source, it turns out that the chassis is the one once driven by Greg Decaires here. The absolute 1-lap track record at of 11.127 was turned in this car during the 2006 season. It used to be the John Taylor #35. This record was of course established when the track was significantly shorter than it is today. Nonetheless, even though the chassis may have some miles on it, Dothage has worked feverishly over the last two months to bring this car up to date and he was flying around the MRP clay on Saturday with abandon. Dothage will be in fast company, if he wants to have a successful 2009. Three former champions from the division will be returning to try and sweep the title away. Two of these were making other plans for 2009, but when they saw what was being prepared at the track by promoter Hawes, they all decided to make MRP home again. Dothage brings his 3 titles in against another 3 time Champion in the person of Korey Lovell from nearby Yuba City. The nationally famous #71 sprinter that rode with the outlaws in other years will wrap around MRP’s most successful sprint car star. Lovell is the all time feature event winner in sprint cars here at with 34 trophies to his credit. When Lovell hasn’t won the title he has been runner up on a number of other occasions. In 2004 he lost the title by a single point and a handful of points would have won him 2 more. By all rights he could have been a 6-time champion. Lovell wants to be MRP’s only 4-time champ. Nevada’s own “Madman” Mike Monahan will be back for another shot at the title he secured in ’04. Monahan grabbed three other sprint car titles at midwest tracks before his move westward. Monahan is hands-down one of the best shows in sprint car racing. He, alone is worth the price of admission. His experience and savvy combined with a relentless hammer-down style makes him a crowd favorite. Watching him qualify can take your breath away. He’ll make the long tow over the Sierras every Saturday with his gleaming #49. From the foothills of Grass Valley comes another former champ (’07) that really started to light things up at MRP late last season. This observer never did know why he was absent early on last season. Had he been here and finished with his ’08 race average, he’d have been in the hunt for the title. Jeremy Burt is the son of sprint car star Jack Burt and, with all due respect, has outshined the old man behind the wheel. Always fast, Jeremy has gotten smooth, consistent and has learned how to win races in the fastest company around over the last two seasons. Burt’s progress has been remarkable. He’s got a real shot at it this year. With 4 returning champions and rumors flying that one or two other champions from other tracks may be headed to MRP, this track will offer the most competitive events in winged sprint car racing. We would be remiss if we just centered on former champions, as there are so many who could steel the limelight in 2009. There’s a pair of hot-rods fielded by Performance Auto Supply that are likely to make a lot of noise this season. Marysville’s Cort Dozier found the high groove to his liking and found the front on several occasions last season. When Dozier made it to victory lane, he passed his way there. Cort’s a tough customer all the way. Then, there’s Brandon Dozier. He went winless last year after an up and down season…literally. Brandon who won the inaugural event in 2007 and the finale the same year would be the first to admit he had a tough year last year. Look for this young man to bring a new maturity to the cockpit of his familiar #95. Look for Hawaiian brothers Shawn and Brandon Ternora to strap themselves into a couple of potent winged sprinters this year. With their operation moved to the Reno area the Ternoras will be at MRP regularly. Moving from the MRP Wingless Sprint Car Series, these two chargers could be the surprise of the season. In the MRP Wingless Sprint Car Series here almost everyone is zeroed in on the potential clash of the year between veteran driver Tony Richards of Paradise and local star Jeremy Hawes in his “Flyin’ Ford”. This rivalry is beginning to take on monumental status as the season approaches. While a full field of cars and stars in this division is anticipated, this rivalry seems to attract most of the attention…and conversation. Richards was hurt in a grinding crash late last season at another track after winning 6 times here last year. Richards rocketed into the top ten right away after he (like Burt) missed the first few races of the season. With 2008 Champion John Anderson’s plans unknown, this tussle will keep folks on the edge when the Wingless Warriors are putting on one of there wild and wooly slug fests. Hawes, meanwhile, is flat out running for the title. He’s been fast, he wins, but each year the title has been just out of reach. Last year a couple of inconvenient crashes (one while leading) put a crimp in Hawes’ year. He’ll be out to get the crown this season. Headed to MRP, reborn, are the cars and stars of the Pro 4 Sprint Car Series. Evolving from a 20-year stint as the Sprint 100s the new incarnation of this series will be exclusive to MRP this season. New rules and a new attitude seem to have this group ready for bigger and better things. Under the guidance of Tim MacLaughlin, the series has opened up the rules to allow a more creative influx of ideas into the series. While MacLaughlin wears the 2008 crown, a sturdy field of cars is expected to arrive at MRP on Saturday. It’s interesting to note that he aforementioned Jeremy Hawes has thrown his hat into the ring for a shot at the 1st Pro 4 Sprint Car title. MacLaughlin sent in a roster that includes some very good shoes from this series storied history. Tony Gaoiran is listed as is “Quick” Nick McColloch, Greg Hansen and Denmark Juan. All have found victory lane here in the past. Juan, as a rookie last season. I will be a welcome addition to the weekly racing series’ presented by MRP. The MRP Stock Car Series will present their 1st of their scheduled this season. Without a point championship established, promoter Hawes opened the door for some thrilling, almost open competition interest from the stock car community. It’s as if there’s MORE interest in the series now that each show runs independently of every other show. Promoter Hawes will continue to pay the highest stock car purse in northern California in the hopes it will draw a number of stars from other areas as well. Throwing most of the old rules out, Hawes added a very interesting one in that Sprint Car type top wings will be allowed. Should make for an interesting new look if they prove that they work. Let’s take a look at MRP’s fabulous Mini Stock class. Why they don’t call ‘em Modified Minis, I’ll never know. These 4 cylinder bombs really get around quickly these days. Most railbirds think that this year’s title will be a slam bang slugfest between current (and 2-time) champion Joel Giusti and hard driving super-girl Misty Castleberry. It’s hard to disagree. Giusti has been dominant over the last three seasons. Even when he lost the title in ’07 he was still runner up. His quick #17 is almost ALWAYS methodically clawing his way to the front. When bad luck or crashes send him to the back, it seems a handful of laps is all it takes for him to be right back in the hunt. For Castleberry, all she needs is a little luck…or a little less bad luck. Late in the season she had Giusti in her sights and had roared to a late season feature event win. It was as if she used up all her good fortune from that point on. A series of mechanical failures put a stop to her championship aspirations, and Giusti locked up the title. Then there’s Jamey Ollar…absolutely rocket fast in a mini stock. Smooth as glass on the high side, Ollar is often past you before you know you’ve been set up. Drivers could go to school on this guy to observe quick entry and momentum carrying exits; into and off the turns. If he can turn a couple of DNFs into top 5 finishes this year, he’ll be one tough guy to beat. There’s some good, fast iron in this class though, and somebody is likely to have a career year. If practice has anything to do with success Shaun Merritt may be one to look at. Merritt was finally getting a handle on his new ride last year and started going to the front. He’s been impressive in open practice sessions. There’s one other hot shot to keep an eye on should he decide to run the full season. It’s Chico’s Billy Patterson. Patterson has run well at MRP. In 3 races last year, the stats have him passing the most cars in all the events he participated in. A runner up finish last year was negated by a hic-cup in the technical department. But Patterson is quick. A complete 5-division program will kick off 2009. The mighty MRP Winged Sprint Cars, the Wingless Warriors of the MRP Wingless Sprint Car Series, the Pro-4 Winged Sprint Cars, the MRP Stock Car Series and the always-popular MRP Mini Stocks will be presented by promoters Paul and Kathy Hawes. The Contingency Connection will be back in 2009 with all of benefits associated with that relationship. Last year almost $1100 in contingency awards were distributed weekly to each of the winning sprint car drivers (winged AND wingless) each week. Additional awards are posted for the top finishers in championship points in all championship point divisions. The only thing a driver must do is join the association. A driver may join at ANY time he competes at MRP to be eligible for the additional awards. The day will open with the cars all shined up and pretty. The 2nd Annual Les Schwab Racecar Show will be staged from 11AM until 3PM when the racecars will be taken to the track for the monster 5 division Show. The MRP Winged Sprint Cars, the MRP Wingless Sprint Cars, the MRP Pro 4 Sprint Cars, the MRP Mini Stocks and the MRP Stock Cars will all be at the show IMPORTANT RACER’S NOTE: 50 Championship points will be given to every car that shows up at the gala car show at the Les Schwab dealership in Linda. We’ll see you Saturday night at the “Greatest Show on Dirt” Note: Please make this observer aware of any names that are misspelled or incorrect. The text is based on information we have at the time of its release. Complete finishes, stats and points become official and available at the close of business on Tuesday and will be posted to the web site. |
