Untitled Document

BF's B.S. 09/30/2000

by "B.F." Bill Foland

...Here I am again from Mountain View, Ca. on a off weekend,but there has been lots of racing activity since I wrote last so I will try to catch up. I last wrote after the Knoxville Nationals. A couple of weeks after that I came down with Kidney Stones (I wouldn't wish them on my worst enemy) so I was unable to attend the Calistoga WoO races. Sounds like Jac Haudenschild had them pretty much covered winning the first 2 nights then leading on Sunday until a radius rod failure sent him into the wall and out of contention. Danny Lasoski said thank you and quickly sped off to victory lane for the $20,000 payday for himself and the Dennis Roth Beefpackers team headed by Californian Mark Ellis and Jack Hickman.

The following week I was able to attend the races at Hanford and the first ever appearance at Watsonville for the WoO. Hanford was fast as usual for the Outlaws as Joey Saldana took advantage of the high side to pass Steve Kinser on a restart to drive away to his 2nd win in 2 weeks. Not to say it was an easy win for him but every time he entered lapped traffic and it looked to get interesting a yellow or a red would come out and bunch the field. A sure sign that the bottom was not the place to be was Danny Lasoski wasn't able to make any moves on the restarts and settled for 3rd behind Saldana and Steve Kinser. Fourth went to Jac Haudenschild who moved from the tail after an ignition problem at the start sent him to the pits. Fifth went to Californian (moving to Pittsboro, In. in the off season) Randy Hannagan on a fine run against the WoO. Randy will travel with them the rest of the season.

The next night it was off to the scenic track of Watsonville, very much like Chico...small and very racy. Mark Kinser turned a 10 second lap in qualifying breaking the track record by a half second! A huge crash on the start disabled many fast cars including Steve Kinser, Sammy Swindell, Randy Hannagan and Daryn Pittman. Only Pittman was unable to return. This once again looked to be Joey Saldana's night after taking the lead only to have Tim Shaffer drive by, and look to be checked out until encountering the lapped car of Damien Gardner. The two cars got together sending both flipping in turn 3.

Saldana took the lead once again and held it over Peter Murphy and Donny Schatz until 5 laps to go when a yellow appeared. On the restart Peter Murphy's car failed to go and he was on the sidelines for the next restart. After that it was clear sailing for Saldana over Ronnie Day with his best ever finish against the Outlaws, Schatz, Haudenschild (who biked out of 2nd on the final restart going for the lead) and 22nd starting Brent Kaeding in the 25th anniversary fighter plane car. The fans really enjoyed the action on the tight 1/4 mile bull ring and hopefully they will come back again next year.

The following week it was off to Chico for the Gold Cup Race Of Champions. The Wednesday night 360 show started the weekend off with Andy Forsberg picking up the win and making this his best season to date. Forsberg was followed by Roger Crockett and Billy Wallace. ...With a split field there was allot of talk about not having enough cars to split them up anymore but that wasn't the case as over 40 cars each night made it very competitive. On Thursday night Tim Shaffer continued his strong runs as of late picking off the prelim night win after Greg Hodnett broke the drive train with only a few laps to go. Johnny Herrera came home 2nd after fending off Brent Kaeding for the entire distance as Kaeding pulled wheelies on almost every lap. Mark Kinser came home 4th after another fast time effort followed by Brian Paulus (wrenched by former Chico resident Mike Trimmer).

On Friday night Daryn Pittman did what he has wanted to do since starting full time with the WoO, he won a race and it was hard earned with Danny Lasoski, Stevie Smith and Sammy Swindell shadowing his every move through traffic. Tim Kaeding came home 5th using his patented high scary side at Chico. Surprise of the weekend had to be the 6th place run of Jim Skinner on Friday night and he almost passed Tim and Sammy coming to the checkered. Congratulations to Jimbo and Jamie on a great performance.

After the races we headed over to the pavilion for the annual Chili Feed and Bikini contest. What a great view it is from the judges chair as myself and fellow Brent Kaeding crew member Rich Paulsen were able to be judges for the first time.

IT's all good!

HammerDownUSA.com's very own BF - Bill Foland, and fellow M&M Racing crew member Richie Paulsen proudly display their BIKINI JUDGE buttons just before the green flag of the contest Friday night. BF & Richie have been with Brent Kaeding as long as we can remember. (photo by Star)

All the girls were great but the winner had a suit? on that was just amazing. The only way to describe it is to imagine taking the things that you put on the bottom of the tub so you don't slip and that was what she had covering herself and she took top honors with a standing ovation.

The final night was packed with people as it is very hard to even move around in the pits with so many people in attendance. The main event kicked off with Danny Lasoski getting the lead only to lose it to Tim Shaffer early. Lasoski dogged Shaffer into traffic when the light went out on the track under green flag conditions. It was very spooky to say the least but good thing these guys are the best in the business as they all were able to slow down without hitting anybody. After the restart Shaffer once again led followed by Lasoski, Mark Kinser, Sammy Swindell and Brent Kaeding. Kaeding's motor began to sour and he faded a couple of spots by the end. Lasoski was able to pass Tim Shaffer in traffic and drove off to his 2nd $20,000 payday in California followed by Shaffer, Mark Kinser, Sammy Swindell and Tim Kaeding who made a great charge on the top side. Daryn Pittman came home 6th followed by Brent Kaeding and a hard charging Greg Hodnett who had to come through the B-Main and started 24th. It is always sad to see the Outlaws go because they are allot of fun to hang out with and they enjoy California, but we will see them once again at the end of the year in Las Vegas.

The following week we went to Chowchilla for a NARC race with Tom Tarlton helping promote the $3000 to win show. When I got there the talk was about how much water was on the track. The first few time we went to this track it was dry and slick, but the races were very good anyway. After trying to pack the track in for over an hour the decision was made to make it a draw show with no qualifying and no NARC points. (Does this sound like Speedweek at Chico a couple of years ago or what?) Ronnie Day and the Country Builders team decided to go home before the heat races. The rest of the field of 32 cars stuck it out and we had first time heat winner Gerald Hopping and Billy Wallace which the crowd loved. After the heat races were done there were pills from 0 to 16 in the hat and a 6 was drawn which put Ricci Faria and Brent Kaeding on the front row. Many people were thinking this would be a runaway which wasn't the case at all. Brent got out to an early lead and stretched it out until a yellow on lap 4. On the restart Tim Kaeding got into 2nd but Brent was able to move out to a comfortable lead. With heavy traffic ahead Brent weaved his way through what was some of the thickest traffic I had ever seen but very clean and close racing. On lap 24 with Brent over a straightaway ahead he tried to lap Mike Faria and slipped over the edge of turns 3-4 and both Tim and 16th starting Steve Kent were now within striking distance. Kent got by T. Kaeding with a few laps to go and set his sights on Brent and as they came down for the white flag Kent made his move on Brent and drove into the lead, but not to be denied Brent returned the favor on the final lap to get back by Kent and pick up the $3000 victory followed by Kent, Tim Kaeding, Kevin Pylant and Eric Rossi. The fans that were there really enjoyed it and voiced their approval after the races from the stands and in the pits.

NARC is now off until Thanksgiving weekend on Friday at Tulare then Saturday at Oildale for a $10,000 to win race.

BF's notes from the past few weeks.... Californian Paul McMahan has been hot on the Gumout Series winning races at Williams Grove, Pevely, Mo. and Granite City, IL.....John Ivy picked off the biggest upset of the year so far when he won the All-Star race in Fremont, Oh....Jeff Shepard and Phil Gressman shared the spotlight at the Sharon Nationals...Shepard also took a WoO preliminary night win at I-80 in Nebraska...Danny Lasoski won the Gumout race in Kansas City then backed it up with another $20,000 win at I-80 on television....My heart goes out to Bobby Gerould who had kidney stones but braved it out for the television coverage...Stevie Smith passed Sammy Swindell late in the race to pick off the feature at Lernerville...Rip Williams won his first SCRA race of the year at Perris a couple of weeks ago...Mike Kirby has been hot winning 2 races in a row at Ventura then Perris, then going on vacation...Jeremy Sherman picked off an SCRA win at his home track Manzanita...Tony Jones made a last lap pass stick at Perris over Rodney Argo...Johnny Mackison won his first 410 sprint car race in 7 years with controversial bumping incident with Fred Rahmer at Lincoln....Rahmer just kept rolling along winning his 27th race of the season with a last to first effort that was worth $10,000 at Lincoln passing Cris Eash with just a couple of laps to go...Rahmer has won races in PA.,WoO, All-Stars and The Gumout Series this year...Curt Michael picked up his first 410 win last weekend at Williams Grove in the famed Brickmobile...Kenny Jacobs was crowned All-Star Champion over Rodney Duncan after the rainout at Eldora last weekend...Kasey Kahne added the Duquoin Mile Silver Bullet race to his list of accomplishment this year with a wire to wire win...Tony Elliott won by inches over Jack Hewitt at the Indy Fairgrounds for the Silver Bullet Hoosier 100...Bob and Mike Consani kept their grip on the USAC Western States Sprint Car Series with wins at Tucson with Bud Kaeding driving and Madera with Davey Hamilton behind the wheel...Todd Ellison leads the series with just one race to go at Irwindale...Chuck Gurney Jr. won his 3rd BCRA race on pavement with a win at Shasta Speedway in Anderson, CA....Thomas Messeraul picked off a USAC Western States Midget race at Oildale after flipping in his heat race then making repairs to make it to the main event...Rookie Matt Hageman picked off two straight main event wins at Petaluma but Dave Lindt came out with the Championship...Andy Forsberg won the final race at Placerville and the season long Championship...Wayne Johnson is nearing the ASCS championship with only a few race to go... Good to see Tammy and Danielle Mills at their first Gold Cup and first visit to California, hope you can make it out again sometime.... That is all I have, don't know when I will write again but thank you to all that read this and the great comments that I have been getting it means allot to me......BF (also please see below)

I am sorry to report the passing of a true racer, and friend Paul Whitestine. "Whitey" as we all knew him became ill and died shortly thereafter. Whitey was a friend of allot of the race team including the outlaw teams and crewmembers and owned a race car for years in the 80's before retiring. You will be in our prayers and thoughts forever Whitey, we will all miss your happiness and generosity. Rest In Peace Whitey......

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