May 10, 2014

By Ken Wagner

For those of you who missed me at the races so far this year, thank you, as I have been under the radar by choice not by problems. Now I realize how much I love me some 410 racing. And we know Ventura ROCKS! It was my first CRA race of the year and I am sure glad I was there. I didn’t really forget how much I love it, I just parked myself in a no waiting zone for a few months while I pondered my future involvement with my favorite past time. Over the winter, when I sat down to really think about my racing future, several things came to mind that made me think I needed to change up something. For the last 25 years or so I have been doing my Wagtimes, Wagsbucks and Wagsdash thing at nearly every CRA race above everything else in my life and I realized that times change and I should too!

For Mrs Wags pics Click here to view! For the Doug Allen Photos click here to view.

I have come to grips on several things in our life and the future is still bright, but I had to get new shades. Several things come into play that explains this new direction for the Wags. Mrs Wags has missed a lot of races since we moved to Las Vegas 8 years ago because of all the family we have here and her not wanting to take part in my 22 hour turnarounds to Perris each time I went racing there! So her absence really worked on my mind as I missed my raicng buddy of so many years. Since she finally retired and we came up with our new *%#@*$** budget, it’s obvious sometimes I just won’t be able to run off racing like I have done in the past, so I’ll just be around home more and on the racing road less. In addition I have decided to park the Wagtimes stuff and quit working the pits taking a zillion pics, and the follow on days trying to get them all sorted and posted on the Wagsweb. Add my weekly ramblins, not to mention the Wagsbucks I collected along the way, and you can see I was focused. I didn’t really think about how time consuming that all took as I was so into it for so long, and so committed to do it my way. Stepping back will free me up to take more leisurely drives to the PAS and other CRA venues and just watch the races, then go home like normal race fans usually do. It will be so different, but I am all in to do it with my bride again like the old So Cal days.

I am truly proud of what my Wagtimers and I have accomplished over the years together, but the curtain has come down on the Wonderful Wild World of Wagtimes. My only sadness is that I couldn’t keep it going any longer to help the racers like I use to. The discretionary money in the fans pockets these days are needed elsewhere, usually to live on, and it was just time to end the history we created! It was a great ride and I am now converted back to fan status, able to enjoy the racing in the future without all the side action, with my racing friends and the many Wagtimers. I will rarely do a pit walk, just because I’m committing myself to have fun and not work anymore, thus not creating the Monday after stuff. Thank you to all of you who were on the Wagtimes bandwagon for so many years, it was fun! I am hoping to get some photogs and maybe even a reporter or two to add to the Wagsweb postings’. I will support the Wagtimes/Lafond Hard Charger award that Steve Lafond created years ago. Anyone who is in on that, let me know your $$ change collected so far, and I’ll put it on the Wagsweb so move the total up for later in the year.

I am always happy to go see the races at Ventura! It is my favorite special place with many great memories of success there. It is so special what with the ocean right there and the always cool temps to keep things light and fun. Thanks to Jim Naylor for the use of his new # 2 Ventura Raceway Mule all day as it made Mrs Wags and me very happy to not be walking the Friendly pits there. It allowed Mrs Wags to get to take a few pics like the old days and see some faces she’s missed in recent times. I truly will miss my weekly pit visits, but I can always enjoy the CRA Thunder and Lightning from the grandstands like most fans.

At this race I got to be part of something I had done many times over the years when I took the Wagsdash Grand Marshal around the track in the Wags Mule while they held the flag during the National Anthem. This time they humbled me by allowing me to hold the flag during the National Anthem. It was an honor and something I won’t forget. My driver was Mike Sweeney of Dwarf car fame who is an official at the track these days. Thanks!

This race was a special event sponsored by Big Mike Grosswendt with his All Coast Construction Company. He puts up his own money to help the racers, unlike me using OPM, other people’s money, for so many years. This race was a tribute to Fred Thomson, driver Brandon’s grandpa, and the CRA was here to help showcase that. With the pumped up purse, there were 32 cars in the house, alas without Mike Spencer in the little red sucker as his wife had a baby the night before, but it was a good enthusiastic crowd. It was great to see a lot of CRA cars on the road!! The special CRA winners trophy was created by Jim Naylor that had a die cast 18 wheeler (the type of race hauler Fred Thomson used) mounted on it for a very unique look.

The night started with young Jake Swanson setting fast time in the Moosemobile at 12.089. This kid is on his way as he is improving and building confidence each race. Nic Faas was 2nd quick as he has settled in the Jimmy May wrenched Ford Motorsports # 73 very well. Look for this car to chase the silver bullet all year.

The heats were pretty racy as they sorted out the track from the get go. Cody Swanson took an e-ticket ride down the front stretch in the third heat and Marcus Niemela did a flip with a “too quick a stop” ending in the 4th heat, but both were OK. Marcus came back to run the semi and ran 18th in the main event. Wally Pankratz took a header in the main, but walked away probably sore from the impact.

Cody Williams had a problem in his heat, but came back to win the 12 lap Semi to make the main. He and his two brothers didn’t have much fun in the main event this week as they all suffered ails of one kind or another. Austin was 15th, with Cody 20th and the youngest brother Logan went out first in 22nd.

Unfortunately for us fans, Damion Gardner had a sucky qualifying lap and ended up on the front row. As expected Damion took the lead on the green and was off to the races. It became a two horse race after Nic Faas rolled up on him by running the top groove into second place while the Demon stayed on the bottom. I know Nic was licking his chops as he was in the fast way around and was pulling up on Damion until …… we had a red flag stop before he could finish the move around the silver bullet. On the restart, Damion knew where the fast line was now, so there is where he went. Damion went on to win, leading all 30 laps, but he had Nic up his tail pipe the rest of the way. Nic made several good runs at him trying to get under for the lead, but none panned out, and it was a done deed. Damion won his 4th of 5 races this year and continues to lead the points over Nic. It was certainly exciting right up to the checkered flag and it was time to go home after a few visits around the pits!

It was great getting to visit with many of my racing friends this week, too many to list, but one comes in as a legendary CRA champion whose last trip to Ventura was in 2002 when he was the Wagsdash Grand Marshal – Eddie Wirth. Eddie was happy to be at the beach now that he is retired and living somewhere out near Palm Springs in the desert. He is glad to be back in California after being in the film industry traveling all over and discovered he didn’t like New York when he finally made that move. He looks good and it’s really good for him to be at our racing.

Under the title of “its news to me”, here are a few notes collected this week. I missed getting a chance to talk to Rip Williams but, Rip still is not totally recovered after getting pneumonia over the holidays. He looked good, but is leaving the driving up to his boys for now. I found out Keith Chrisco, one time CRA driver who went East to build NASCAR motors, is now back in the southland building motors for several teams, including Matt Mitchell. I really liked the old green colors on Brody Roa’s # 91 in the past, but the new orange look startled me until he told me the reason for the change. He is honoring his dad Brett’s driving days as he does the retro back to those colors. He didn’t take his number 84, but the new color is here to stay. Hobey Conway was in the driver seat for one of the few times this year as she is a tireless worker for the Kruseman team. She said the last time she drove she crashed and was hoping to make the feature and do better this week. She missed the main, but was still smiling later when the car rolled on the trailer. I was glad to see Ryan Bernal driving with CRA this week, but it was a one timer and that’s too bad. The boy can drive and he just needs a good consistent ride to make his stock go up. Mike Spencer’s wife had their baby Friday, so that is why the little red sucker didn’t make an appearance. Good to see Brian Camarillo still driving as he won his heat and finished 10th as father Bill looked on. Wally Pankratz is still driving, really? He might reconsider his retirement of several years ago after a hard crash on the back stretch, but the old man still made the main! Too bad Brandon Thomson didn’t make the main where he could have further honored his grandpa, but one spot out is one spot out.

It was a great weekend for Mrs Wags and I as we slipped into town quietly and enjoyed a few meals with friends and I didn’t work a lick, just drove 800 miles to make it happen. The drive home Sunday AM was very very windy, but we made Vegas by noon in my red G35 bullet and spent the afternoon enjoying the family Mother’s Day feed. And I wasn’t worn out like normal; even though I did spend several hours cruising the pits in my old polka dotless Mule on Saturday. Look for us next at Perris for the holiday “Salute to Indy” special. We may hit San Diego before or after the race as we do some stuff we haven’t done in years, that’s relax and enjoy life. Stay well and thanks for being part of my life. I still love me some 410 racing!

AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT RACE RESULTS: May 10, 2014 – Ventura, California – Ventura Raceway – “All Coast Challenge / Fred Thomson Tribute Race”

QUALIFICATIONS: 1. Jake Swanson, 92, Sertich-12.089; 2. Nic Faas, 73, Ford-12.247; 3. Cody Swanson, 36, Springstead-12.269; 4. Markus Niemela, 73X, Ford-12.293; 5. Rickie Gaunt, 66, Miller-12.365; 6. Cody Williams, 44, Jory-12.380; 7. Ryan Bernal, 73F, Ford-12.436; 8. Johnathon Henry, 17, Henry-12.440; 9. Cory Kruseman, 7, Priestley-12.476; 10. Damion Gardner, 4, Alexander-12.491; 11. Jace Vander Weerd, 88, Vander Weerd-12.500; 12. Austin Williams, 2, Jory-12.560; 13. A.J. Bender, 21, Bender-12.654; 14. J.J. Ercse, 14, Springstead-12.786; 15. Matt Michell, 37, Mitchell-12.803; 16. Corey Ballard, 34, Ballard-12.845; 17. Logan Williams, 5, Jory-12.855; 18. Don Gansen, 7G, Gansen-12.883; 19. Brian Camarillo, 51, Smith-12.905; 20. Kyle Smith, 55, Smith-12.937; 21. Austin DeBlauw, 65, DeBlauw-12.970; 22. Rick Hendrix, 15, Hendrix-13.047; 23. Cody Majors, 54, Majors-13.062; 24. Richard Vander Weerd, 10, Vander Weerd-13.065; 25. Brody Roa, 91R, BR-13.067; 26. Brandon Thomson, 19F, Thomson-13.104; 27. Chris Gansen, 4G, Gansen-13.243; 28. Wally Pankratz, 2X, Swann-13.478; 29. Ron Bach, 49, Bach-13.614; 30. Hobie Conway, 2K, Kruseman-NT; 31. Greg Alexander, 72, Tyler-NT; 32. Charlie Butcher, 96, Butcher-NT.

Heat winners: Kruseman, Gardner, Camarillo and R. Vander Weerd. Semi winner Cody Williams.

FEATURE: (30 laps) 1. Damion Gardner, 2. Nic Faas, 3. Jake Swanson, 4. Ryan Bernal, 5. Cory Kruseman, 6. Rickie Gaunt, 7. Johnathon Henry, 8. Brody Roa, 9. Jace Vander Weerd, 10. Brian Camarillo, 11. Kyle Smith, 12. Richard Vander Weerd, 13. Chris Gansen, 14. Don Gansen, 15. Austin Williams, 16. Rick Hendrix, 17. Austin DeBlauw, 18. Markus Niemela, 19. Wally Pankratz, 20. Cody Williams, 21. Matt Mitchell, 22. Logan Williams. NT

NEW AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT POINTS:1-Gardner-354, 2-Faas-315, 3-Mike Spencer-228, 4-Mitchell-216, 5-J.Swanson-208, 6-Kruseman-206, 7-Roa-192, 8-R.Vander Weerd-157. 9-C.Williams-157, 10-Gary Taylor-143.

NEXT AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT RACE: May 24 – Perris (CA) Auto Speedway – “Salute To Indy”