The
100 winningest drivers MY EYES have seen
- By Bobby Gerould - Last updated
October 23, 2005. Rocklin, CA. …Here is a fun project that anyone can
do. Try to re-trace all the races that you have been to in your lifetime,
and list the winners of each feature your eyes have seen. It takes time;
I've been working on my list literally for about six years. About once a
month I take a few hours and dig through old programs, do Google searches,
read journals, and use Kevin Eckert's
website to try to find the race winners I saw. For the sake of clarity
- I am including any race where I was on the grounds - even the ones I may
have slept through as a three year old. My Dad was an announcer of super-modified,
and sprint car events on the West Coast. From birth I went to West Capital
Raceway (W. Sacramento, CA.) on Saturdays. Later, as Dad did more writing,
and announcing we included Friday nights at Chico CA. and special events
at Dixon CA. into the mix. As a teenager and college student I worked for
NARC and hit all the major Northern California dirt tracks. Adult work for
USAC, the World of Outlaws, and others has blessed us with the opportunity
to see many tracks across the USA, and into Canada. The results of all this
logging and work will be a historical log that I can always go back to for
reflection. Over the course of the next 100 weeks, HammerDownUSA.com will
list a driver in a countdown of the driver who MY EYES have seen win the
most feature races. My list will obviously reflect my environment. It will
not be a list of who I consider to be the greatest drivers ever. That would
be subjective, and impossible. But I can scientifically list the best drivers
I have seen. This list is a fun project for me and I hope you will enjoy
the journey to naming number one. ...#100
Perry James Jr.
- Elverta, CA. - 2 wins. #99 - Peter Murphy
- Sydney, New South Wales, Australia / Oakhurst, CA. 2 wins. #97 Johnny
Tiner - Rio Linda, California. 2 wins. # 97
Ed Organ, Napa
CA. - 2 wins. #96 Lee Brewer
Jr. - Memphis, TN. - 2 wins. #95 Johnny
Pearson, Stockton, CA. two wins. #94
Dave Bradway SR
- Fair Oaks, CA. - Two wins. #93 Mike Kirby.
Torrance, CA. - two wins. #92
Joe Hill
- Sacramento, CA. - Two wins. #91
Blake Robertson
- Visalia, CA. - two wins. #90 Andy
Forsberg -
Auburn, CA. - two wins. #89
Brian Crockett -
Sacramento, CA. - two wins. #88
Rick Horton
- Concord, CA. Two wins. #87 Jason Statler
- Los Gatos, CA. two wins. #86 Larry Burton
- Roseville, CA. two wins. #78 Mitch Sue
- Live Oak, CA. - 3 wins.
#85 Rip Williams -
Yorba Linda, CA. two wins.
(John's Racing Photos)
…Non-wing sprint car ace Rip Williams
lives at the other end of 'my' golden state meaning that opportunities to
see him compete are few and far between. Williams has over 100 sprint car
feature wins of which I've witnessed two. Known as "The Ripper", Williams
is an old-school driver that was the 2004 USAC-CRA driving champion. He
is 49 years old and is still racing for wins in the USAC CRA series. Williams
seldom strays from his Southern California stomping grounds but he does
own feature wins in Indiana, Arizona, and Nevada. He won 19 times at the
legendary ASCOT Park in Gardena, CA. In 1997 he won the Perris Oval Nationals.
Williams - to my eyes - is a hard racing guy, and straight forward man.
In an interview I did over the phone with him in `04 he made it clear that
he didn't want to overblow any rivalry hype between himself and other drivers
on the CRA tour. I respect that.
Rip races at the Perris season opener,
February 2006. (John's Racing Photos)
Rip Williams and Damion
Gardner lead USAC / CRA to Skagit Speedway. Kruseman, Murphy, Kirby, and
Kaeding Entered too. - By Bobby Gerould - Sacramento, CA. July 21,
2004. …Rip Williams doesn't bother with hype, and gossip. He just races.
"I work during the week, and race on the weekends", said the United States
Auto Club / California Racing Association points leader. That matter of
fact approach has always been associated with the 48 year-old veteran driver
from Yorba Linda, California. It is the approach that Williams will use
over the weekend of July 30th and 31st as the USAC / CRA series visits Skagit
Speedway in Alger, Washington. (more)
WILLIAMS "RIPS" THROUGH
PERRIS CRA FIELD - Rip Williams of Yorba Linda, Calif. continues to
lead the Valvoline USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series standings after his third
win of 2004 Saturday night at Perris (Calif.) Auto Speedway. Williams and
his John Jory Corporation/Weld Wheels Stinger/Shaver led the final nine
laps of the 30-lap feature after passing Jordan Hermansader on lap 22. Hermansader
slipped to third at the checkered flag behind Damion Gardner, who trails
Williams by 56 points in the CRA standings going into a July 3 race at Perris.
(More)
Williams Blasts USAC/CRA Foes at Ventura
- By Bobby Gerould, 05/22/04, Ventura, CA. … The 1/5 mile Ventura
Raceway at Seaside Park is one of a handful of special places in the USA
to view a sprint car race. With the cool marine climate, and tight, close
quartered racing, the track drips with atmosphere. Saturday night, the United
States Auto Club (USAC), and California Racing Association (CRA) sprinters
showed up 26-strong to contest a full program at the track that lies just
few yards from the Pacific Ocean. When the checkered flag fell at 9:02 PM,
points leader Rip Williams won by over a straightaway in a non-stop event.
(more)
Ripper is USAC / CRA Winner at Perris
- Rip Williams of Yorba Linda, Calif. leads the new Valvoline USAC/CRA Sprint
Car point standings after scoring his initial series feature victory in
Saturday night's 30-lap race at the Perris (Calif.) Auto Speedway. (more)
