BF's
BS
By Bill Foland
10/14/02 ...I know, I know,
it has been a long time since I last wrote a column. All I have to say for
myself is the fact that I have been very busy with my racecar, going to
the WoO races throughout California and running the parts trailer at some
of the special 360 races in California. Other than that I haven't been doing
much of anything.
Over the past several years
the odds of a local California guy winning a World Of Outlaws race was nearly
slim and none. Not just have the Outlaws become nearly unbeatable but the
talent crop in California has lost out to the WoO with Brad Furr,
Randy Hannagan and Jason Meyers all leaving California for
greener pastures back east. Not to mention losing Bud Kaeding to
USAC and Damion Gardner to SCRA. That has been a big blow to California
410 racing, but it is still alive and kicking here in the Golden State.
As long as there are 410 races in California, you will always have interest
and the Outlaws in town at least once a year.
The Gold Cup has always been
a huge deal for me as I was growing up that was my Knoxville Nationals,
King's Royal and Big One all wrapped into one race. Almost every hero that
has strapped into a sprint car for professional and or serious matters has
raced at the Gold Cup. Opperman, Wolfgang, Ferkel,
Van Connett, Doty, Kinser, Swindell, Patterson
and Boyd have all had big years but not all have won the Gold Cup.
Steve Kinser once won the Gold Cup Prelim night with a car that wasn't
even straight enough to fix, the next day it was discarded.
Working on Brent Kaeding's
car for over 13 years, we had our share of success at the Gold Cup with
3 Prelim night wins. Also there were the 3-second place finishes that were
great, but way too close to winning the big one and not being able to pop
the cork. Every single time the WoO knew we were there and they had to earn
every dollar that they took home from California. Brent is still going strong
here but now his son Tim has become as big a pain to the Outlaws
at Chico as his dad was over the past several years.
The race that was put on during
the Friday night of Gold Cup 2002 was an epic battle with no less than 7
lead changes with 4 different drivers. Sammy Swindell looked to have
a dominant car in the dash, but Tim Kaeding was there to put the pressure
on as well as his dad Brent. Tim took the lead from Swindell, and then Brent
took second from Sammy a few laps later. A restart brought the field closer
and Brent actually got around Tim for a brief moment before Tim took charge
and Brent faded with a broken Jacobs ladder.
Tim now was in the driver's
seat as far as the fans thought he would be the man to beat on Saturday.
The newly crowned King Of California would have his hands full with the
king of the Outlaws Steve Kinser and former PA posse member Tim Shaffer.
When Tim Kaeding put a great move on the King, he took second, and headed
after Shaffer. With Tim K. running every groove on the very racy, wide and
slick racing surface he passed Shaffer on lap 25. The 40 lap distance is
reserved for the big races and none we bigger than this one for Tim. Steve
Kinser got by Shaffer and set his sights on the young Kaeding. With less
than 10 laps to go, I could see Steve running different lines trying to
catch the fleeing Kaeding. Tim slipped off the back chute one time and the
King was there to pounce, only to be negated by a yellow flag.
That was when I figured it
was going to be Tim's night, with only a handful of laps to go, Tim took
the green flag and looked destined to write his name in the history books.
Fate would step in as Tim once again made a slight error and this time Kinser
went for the jugular and didn't let up and he raced to his first gold Cup
title in 7 years.
As Kinser said in his victory
lane interview "Tim will win this race many times if he sticks with it".
I agree with Kinser and Tim has better things yet to come and hopefully
he can find his way into a top-notch WoO ride, I think he has earned it.
... Anybody listening out there???
BF's notes: Greg Hodnett
has had a great year, winning with the WoO, the Gumout series and over 20
races total. Congrats to Greg and Lee Stauffer…Mike Henry won
the Placerville title as well as the Civil War title, it seems like they
always go hand in hand. Congrats go out to Mike and Larry Shelton
on a great year…Tracy Hines just clinched the USAC Sprint car title
and J.J. Yeley took home the Silver Crown title…Richard Griffin
has already clinched the SCRA title, great job once again to the Gasman
and Bruce Bromme…Special thanks to KBB for the great place
to stay while in the North State...An EPIC battle was put on during the
Fall Nationals at Chico last week with Brent Kaeding taking the exciting
win over his son Tim after 25 laps not separated by more than 4 car lengths…Fred
Rahmer just keep on rolling after taking home yet another Lincoln title
and the Kenny Weld Memorial race…With all the driver changes going
on here in California, you need a program to keep track, Peter Murphy
is now in the McMillen 10, with Jonathan Allard is now
the driver of the 35 Wright One car formerly driven by Tim Kaeding.
Tim made a 2-week guest appearance in the Morrie Williams 0 and won
both races as well as driving for Terry Cowan in the blue 7 for Gold
Cup, the Fall Nationals and beyond. Dennis Moore Jr. filled the vacancy
in the Williams 0 for a couple of weeks. Not to mention David Robinson
splitting with the Redi-Green 1K 360 with Greg DeCaires now in the
chair…Did you get all of that??? I am dizzy now and there will be more to
come I am sure so I will save that for next time. Thanks again to everyone
that has shown interest in my column and I will TRY to make it happen more
often…See ya at the races,BF
