Steve Turnross, SCRA, Ventura raceway, sprint cars,

Speaks

by Steve Turnross 10/23/02

What used to be a tough pick ‘em Labor Day race weekend has now become an easy call. Its a choice between the outlaws at Calistoga or SCRA at Ventura and Perris. The winged outlaws provide pure speed in a flat out assault of the track. To be fast with a winged sprint car you must hold the throttle down and drive the car as straight as possible to keep up your momentum. A non-wing car of SCRA is much more of a on and off the gas, toss the car sideways, with a tap of the brake or burpin’ the throttle to get through the turns. SCRA is the way to go for those who like three wide racing with more passes in one heat race than you may see in a whole night of winged outlaw action.

Ventura raceway at Seaside Park was Saturday night short track special for the SCRA 40 lap main event. For a cool Pacific coast evening the action sure got hot in the feature. The lead was not the place to be as all who ran up front has mishap and misfortune throughout the race. Super Rickie Gaunt took off to a nice lead at the start and looked like it could be his night until a sudden steering failure and right turn into the first turn fence ended his race upside down. Cory Kruseman inherited the lead and kept it until a big bicycle on a restart in turn three sent Cory up the track to a stop for a yellow. Tony Jones worked his was to the top spot after Rip Williams led briefly, but had his bid for win taken away by a crash in front of him. As Jones was pulling away from the field a crash involving back markers blocked the track in turn three. As Jones had only a split second to react to the cluster ahead, he tried hard to avoid the melee to no avail. He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Damion Gardner became the next to take over the top spot for the restart. As Gardner started to stretch his lead the night came to a grinding halt for "The Ripper" as he flipped hard down the backchute into turn three after contact with Steve Ostling. The car was history, but Williams emerged unhurt after the red, Gardner reassumed the point and took the victory from the deep (14th) starting spot over Ostling and Levi Jones. Hats off to the crew chief Vince Lattner and the dedicated bunch that help out each week. Brent, Bruce, Jeff, Kevin, and Randy--- WAY TO GO BOYS! These guys are clickin’ and on a roll.

The Sunday night show moved southeast to the blistering heat of Perris Auto Speedway. It was a sweltering 110 degrees at 4pm which kept myself and MVP announcer/cameraman Sean Buckley in the air conditioned MVP truckster at every opportunity until sundown. "The Demon" Damion Gardner was looking for the weekend sweep as he was elbows up, chargin’ thru the competition. After taking the second heat win DG ran third in the dash to gain the inside second row staring spot for the main. It took only two laps for him to take control of the race. A furious pace by Gardner left the field in his dust as he pulled out to a huge lead in a short time. The 50 lap race distance was a downfall for the charger from Concord as the top side of the race track slowed significantly after lap 25. A pack of cars running the bottom of the speedway reeled in the leader rather quickly. On the 31st lap Cory Kruseman tried poking his nose under Gardner. The next lap saw Kruseman pull along side on the cushion running Gardner coming out of the second turn. An excited Gardner mashed the gas only to have the car break loose slightly and brush the back straight wall resulting in a flat right rear tire.

Kruseman took over until Rip willams charged by for the lead on lap 35. Rip was leaning on his right rear tire pretty hard as he was checking out on the field. The tire lasted only a handful of laps until it shredded. "The Gasman" Richard Griffin saved his tire the best, took the lead and the win at his toughest track. Its was the fifth track that Griffin gas put the Bruce Bromme Jr. prepared ride into victory lane this season.

The annual Watsonville WoO mid-weeker was a good ole hook ‘em up affair. The wheelies in time trials were exciting and plentiful. The heats were racy throughout with a photo finish even included in one of them. The night was shaping up to be a Brad Furr benefit as he romped in the dash to earn a front row staring position. The next biggie for the California product was putting 30 laps together on a track that has not been kind to him over the years. It didn’t take long to see it was Brads night as he led wire to wire for the big victory. Stevie Smith was making some moves to claim the runner up position at Willie Williams checkered flag.

SCRA offered up such a great Labor Day twinbill that it was decided to forgo all pavement shows for the remainder of the season if the non-wing sprints were running on dirt. A trip down highway 101 to Santa Maria for a show at the 1/3 mile clay oval that is cut into a hillside. The track was hooked up and tacky for the evenings events. The shootout in the feature between Damion Gardner and Rip Williams was fierce as "The Demon" tried all he had in his bag of tricks to get by Rip for the win but was unsuccessful. Williams just never faltered in the ten mile contest. Following the flying pair across the line was the steady Steve Ostling, point leader Richard Griffin, and midget hero Josh Wise. Wise recorded fast time in qualifying before the impressive top five finish in the main event.

After a week off to regroup and reload. It is off to Chico for the 360 fall nationals for the crew before back-to-back appearances to King Speedway in Hanford for the USAC/Rebel Cup doubleheader followed up by the Trophy Cup the next weekend. So remember to go fast or go home.

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