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Ocean Speedway 8-20-10,
I flew solo over the hill to
Ocean Speedway this week since Bruce Velo was not
able to make it. With no Bruce, it meant no videos,
so that was a bummer. The other bummer was I still
can’t figure out why my mini bike keeps throwing its
chain. I thought the chain might be kinked from when
it came off at the race before, but I looked it over
and it doesn’t seem so. I tried to put a new chain
from my go kart on the mini bike because they looked
to be the same, but it turns out they aren’t. I
noticed the rear sprocket was bent a little so I
took it off and straightened it, but still the chain
keeps coming off. I’m stumped. To make things worse,
I’m not sure I can find the correct size new chain
to put on just to see if maybe it is the chain. So
no mini bike to ride around. That SUCKS!
There were 31 cars that turned
out, which is not bad I guess. We had Anthony
Espinoza who was running a spec sprint with a wing
on it I think, as well as a driver I am not familiar
with from Salinas named Jeremy Chisum. Burt Foland Jr
was back in action for the first time this season,
and we picked up Tim Kaeding who is back in the
area. We did loose Bud Kaeding who was absent
because of a USAC Silver Crown commitment. The track
was in good shape as it has been for most shows
lately and it made for some tough competition as it
was tough to pass on early. As a matter of fact, 5
of the top 10 qualifiers missed the show from their
heat races. Speaking of heat races, I have something
to say. I like the heat format when they invert the
top six and transfer the top four directly to the
main event. I believe that format is used when there
are 30 cars or over. The other format that I believe
is used with less than 30 cars inverts four cars and
transfers five to the main event. The reason they
change the format I believe is because they run
three heat races if there are less than 30 cars and
four heat races if there are 30 or more cars.
Something like that. Anyway, getting back to what I
wanted to say. I like the invert 6 and take 4 heat
format and would like to see them do that every
Ocean Sprints presented by Taco Bravo event. I mean,
there is no racing involved when you invert 4 and
take 5. If you make the heat invert you don’t even
have to pass a car to transfer to the main and if
you miss the invert by one, you just have to hold
your position. When you have an invert 6 and take 4
you make the faster cars have to race their way into
the main and that makes a better heat race show. It
also shakes thing up by having some of the fast cars
potentially have to come from the B main. This is
local racing, it’s not big time traveling racing. We
have gotten to the point where we are starting the
fast cars all up front too much. What makes it
exciting and interesting to the fans is to see the
hot dogs have to race hard and put out the extra
effort to make the show. It also shakes up the
points chase by possibly giving some of the cars
further back in points a chance to make a few more
heat race points by finishing better in them, as
well as possibly keeping some of the faster guys
from earning as many points as they might have by
starting further forward. I also don’t like the two
B main format. I think it takes away from the fans
getting to see a dog fight to get into the main
event between everyone who hasn’t yet made it. The B
main is supposed to be the second highest race on
the card of the night for the class, yet by
splitting it up, it just turns it into two more heat
races and usually splits up the hot dogs that aren’t
in the main yet instead of putting them head to head
to see who will transfer. The Taco Bravo Series has
some good racing and really good competition, I just
think that competition could be used to put on a
potentially more exciting show as a build up to the
main event.
Although I didn’t get to do any
interviews I did get to roam around and do some
visiting. I got to say hi to my buddy Bonzai who is
working on Tim Kaeding’s car. I don’t get to see
Bonz enough as he is usually out on the road with
someone on the World of Outlaws tour, but since he
is helping Tim, and they are back in the area, it
was nice to see Bonzai. I also had a chance to say
hi to Pat Holton who was there roaming around the
pits. I also had a chance to speak with Anthony
Goularte. Anthony is the son of former car owners
Tony and Eva Goularte. Tony Goulate, along with his
brother Harry, fielded the #10 “Goularte Bros
Automotive” cars for years back in the good ‘ol
days. They had notable drivers such as Clyde Palmer
and Joe Leonard behind the wheel of their cars, as
well as Johnny Key. To honor the racing legacy of
his family, Anthony put up $100 to go to the 10th
place finisher of next weeks 50th running
of the Johnny Key Classic at Ocean Speedway.
Let’s see, what else did I do?
Oh yeah, I helped my buddy Wayne Katen out a bit by
making a couple of little sound deflectors to put on
the mufflers of his sprinter. The track was doing
sound checks during qualifying and
Wayne
was not sure if his mufflers would meet the sound
requirements. Everything must have worked out
because
Wayne
wasn’t too loud. I also spent some time chatting
with a gentleman known only as “Gator Bill”, who was
discussing some racing themed entertainment
possibilities. Word is “Gator Bill” is a bit of an
underworld figure and got his name from the way he
deals with people who cross him. It seems like he
had some people interested in his ideas, so I guess
you never know what could happen. I also ran across
race fan Mike Avila, better known as “Car Wash
Mike”, who was in the pits enjoying the races. I
told him I needed a “Car Wash Comment” to put in
here and he said his comment was that “everywhere I
look, there are Key race winners.” He wasn’t
exaggerating either. Walking around the pits I saw
former winners Howard Kaeding, Nick Rescino and Burt
Foland. Helping Justin Sanders was Eric Rossi, and
racing that night were Brent Kaeding, Ronnie Day,
Craig Smith, Jason Statler and Tommy Tarlton. That
was just on a normal night of racing, I expect there
will be more former winners and old timers out next
Saturday night for the Johnny Key race. Remember, it
is on
SATURDAY night the 28th and I believe
the front gate opens at 3:30pm with racing at 5pm.
I also have to thank my friends
Dan Greco and Jason Newton at Thirty Five Industries
in San Jose
for agreeing to fund the hard charger award for the
rest of the year. The award has been funded so far
this year by Jeff Delte of Sun Electric, but with
times being what they are Jeff had to bow out and
regroup a bit and hopefully will sponsor some bonus
award a time or two before the end of the season.
Thanks to all those guys for their contribution to
the series.
Speaking of the hard charger
award, this weeks winner of the newly named “On the
Move with Thirty Five Industries” hard charger award
was “Cowboy” Craig Smith who started 17th
and finished 10th, advancing 7 positions.
My pick for the hard luck award
goes to Jason Statler, who after starting 15th
had worked his way up to 6th before he
lost a motor on the last corner of the race and
ended up finishing 15th. I think that was
Jason’s only 360 motor and I don’t know how loosing
it a week before the Key race will affect his
participation in it.
My underdog of the race is Matt
Sargent who qualified 4th and and went
from 6th to 4th in his heat
putting him 7th in the starting grid for
the main event. Matt came home with a 9th
place main event finish and earned enough points to
move into the top ten in series points at 10th
position. Good job Matt and Sean and Leo and Duane.
I have to give a “That’s what
friends are for” award to my friends Dan Greco and
Jason Newton for stepping up and funding the hard
charger award. They are not just my friends, but
friends of the sport. The award seems to be
something the drivers look forward to winning and
that extra $100 at the end of the night isn’t bad
either. So thanks guys.
The hero of the night has to go
to Tim Kaeding. TK came to try to earn the last
guaranteed starting spot in the Johnny Key race and
was able to do just that by winning the main event.
The zero of the race sometimes
really picks itself because someone usually just
screws up and makes my decision really easy. That
was kind of sort of the case this week, but I chose
my pick for my own reasons. (and since I’m the one
picking, that’s really the only reason I need!). So
I hate to do it, but my pick for zero of the week is
my buddy Wayne Katen. Wayne races on a tight budget and is not one of the guys at
the front of the pack making headlines every week,
but Wayne is a veteran driver who has been doing
it for many years. This week
Wayne
had a qualifying time that put him on the pole of
his heat race with Ronnie Day, Nick Rescino Jr,
Devon Ostheimer, Pete Murphy and Brent Kaeding
behind him. Not a light heat race.
Wayne
ending up finishing 4th, transferring
into the main. He was looking like a hero even
though it meant he would start 18th in
the feature event. In the feature event
Wayne
was doing ok and not only holding his own, he was
making some moves and moving up. Less than half way
into the race though, Wayne was racing on the out side going into
turn one and threw the car in and got it too side
ways. He didn’t spin, but he almost came to a stop
and rolled down into the path of another car that
ran into the front of him and put him out of the
race. So instead of finishing off the night with a
good run,
Wayne
gets to have me make him the zero for the night!
That has to suck more than crashing! Hopefully
Wayne
can get things back together and work his way into
the Key race next week.
Hopefully the rest of you can
work your way over to Ocean Speedway next Saturday
for the 50th running of the Johnny Key
Classic which will guarantee $5000.00 to the winner
and $300.00 to start the main event. There are also
laps still available for fans to purchase to add to
the lap money purse for the drivers. So for you fans
in the stands, don’t be shy, look up Gary Thomas in
the announce booth and let him know you have money
to add to the pot.
So come on out and celebrate
the 50th running of the Johnny Key
Classic! I am sure many legendary figures will be on
hand to enjoy it with you.
See you at the races, Buzz Rightrear.
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