Justin Zoch's Upper Midwest Ramblings
Tuesday, June 7, 2005
News and Notes from Knoxville and Huset’s
Roger Rager and Jimmy Sills each came into the Masters Classic with a chance to be the first three-time winner of the event and it came down to a green-white-checker finish after the duo nearly lapped up to each other. Rager held off Sills in Kevin Frey’s 2K and earned the right to drive Frey’s 410 the next night. He timed in well before tornado warnings erased the program. Rager had not been in a car since last October and the motor came from Butch Donahue’s stable. The team may resurface later this summer. As for Frey, he’s still waiting to make his first start of the 2005 season. Rager’s nerf-curl, in which he lifts the front of the Sprint Car off the ground, is one of the most unique victory lane celebrations seen at Knoxville in awhile…Danny Stratton became King Doodlebug III when he stomped his fellow midgeteers at Knoxville on Friday night. Driving for Hans Lein, Stratton proved he’s as adept at the big half miles as his indoors in Tulsa’s tight confines. His temporary teammate Davey Ray suffered a myriad of mechanical failures in the backup car on Friday night and angry words were exchanged between Lein and Ray. It was a one-car team on Saturday.
Shane Carson jumped in Jon Agan’s car on practice night and ran third in the Masters in his return to the cockpit. Carson, who hasn’t raced in years, was predictably weary after the event and Agan was similarly relieved. After his rough weekend two weeks back, Agan has just one racer ready to roll. Last year, Keith Kauffman drove the Agan 4 to second in the Masters. Carson was the Rookie of the Race…John Kearney, Joe Beaver and Dusty Zomer moved up to the 410 ranks this week as the 360s took sabbatical. Kearney had not been in a 410 since 1998 but looked steady and smooth. Perhaps another return to the ranks in early August? Kearney has to be the only driver to run a 305, a 360 and a 410 within 8 days. As for Zomer, it was his first time ever qualifying and he timed 12th…Nice to see Tommy Scott return to Knoxville after two seasons off in Randy Plath’s 14P. The Springfield, Illinois, racer has been busy creating custom motorcycles…Randy Droescher never turned a lap on Friday night as he burnt a valve in his primary motor and struggled to get the backup race ready. He was still struggling with engines on Sunday night at Huset’s.
50-year-old AJ Weaver made the long trip from Houston, where Saturday nights are now Sprint free, and looked quick. Weaver will spend the rest of the summer hitting local races in Texas and dabbling in ASCS Gulf South regional races…63-year-old Bill Smith scored a heat race win the Masters but then watched as Justin Henderson got his 410 car upside down for the second straight week at Huset’s. Both of Henderson’s car owners, Dan Oswalt on Saturdays at Knoxville and Smith on Sundays at Huset’s, raced the Masters Classic. Oswalt continues to recover from knee replacement surgery and will not likely return to the cockpit anytime soon…French Grimes, he of VSS fame, towed his self-contained tow rig to Knoxville for the first time and enjoyed spending time with his good friend Doug Wolfgang. Grimes runs a custom-built Wolfweld. Grimes is busy promoting grassroots racing at www.racesaver.com...Two 73-year-olds ran the Masters in 2005. Ernest Jennings, who is still active, and Missouri’s Dale McCarty, who had not raced a Sprint Car in nearly a quarter century were the oldest entrants…Dave Heskin remains the only driver to have competed in every Masters event.
Impressive wrench Greg Nelson has gone to work for Ryan Durst. The combo debuted at Knoxville on Friday night before heading to Terre Haute for their first Silver Crown effort…Frank Polimeda is an impressive gent who towed out to represent ARDC. A former pavement modified racer, Polimeda is in his first year of Midget racing and just missed the Chili Bowl A-main in his first start after a tight battle with Tyler Walker for the final transfer. I believe that was his first Midget event ever…The ARDC continues to battle rain issues and had only run one show of the eight scheduled before Knoxville. Several easterners were intrigued with the prospects of a tornado, which only added to their weather headaches…The Burkhart team towed from Arizona with the unretired 36-year-old Eric Wilkens and ran third on Friday night. On Saturday, they added Mike Welker to the stable and he won his heat race with severe weather sirens blaring.
Craig Carey junked his Buzzard Chassis while avoiding the flipping Chad DeSelle on Friday night but secured a ride in Buddy Luebke’s backup for Saturday. Luebke was testing his brand new Buzzard…Scott Hatton grenaded the engine in Dwight Huston’s 15 with a few to go at Knoxville and sat out Saturday. Hatton did jump in Butch Dahlke’s 99 at Angell Park on Sunday to preserve his point run…Jimmy Voital (Voy-tul) returned to Iowa, where he was raised and raced in the early 1980s, including the 1979 Midget event. He’s spent the last two decades running everything from midgets to southwest region stockers. His father Bill Voital also raced around Iowa…Russ Harper was a Wyoming entrant representing the Rocky Mountain midgets at Knoxville. Harper attends the University of Wyoming in Laramie and has just begun his Midget career. Harper nearly made the A-main on Sunday after an intense battle with Rick England.
Natalie Sather was in town on Saturday night as her crew chief Kenny Woodruff was inducted into the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame on Saturday afternoon. The team only came equipped with a 360 and didn’t race…Steve Beitler also flew in from Washington for Jim Raper’s induction and it was the first time since he took over Skagit in 2002 that he was not present for an event. Beitler reports that the track reconfiguration has been a success and popular among drivers…Curtis Thorson was wandering the pits at Knoxville and promised a week ago that he’ll return to the cockpit shortly…Chad Meyer is now three for five at Huset’s in 2005 and is building a commanding lead in the standings with his victory over Lynton Jeffrey and Gregg Bakker…Gary DeWall, meanwhile, is five for five in the DNF department. He was sidelined with engine woes this week and was actually a DNS on scorecards…Billy Alley had an impressive run at Huset’s, coming from 16th to fifth. For a racer with limited laps at Huset’s, Alley has found success quickly in 2005. Look for more return trips as Alley continues to seek 410 seat time…Casey Abbas seems to be a wise choice for the Verhey 17V as he drove to his second career Huset’s triumph on Sunday with a rim riding drive past Kevin Flowers. Clarence Verhey’s entry is one of the few good rides available to South Dakota 360 racers…Micah Schliemann’s top-five streak at Huset’s ended at four in Sunday night’s 410 feature. He still has three-straight in the 360s…Front row starters Johnn Cressman and Mike Moore got plenty dicey in the A-main as contact between exiting two looped Cressman. The two rubbed wheels again as Cressman returned from the rear to pass Moore in the waning laps.
Tidbits
Jesse Giannetto continued his string of impressive Sprint Invader runs on Friday night at Peoria and finished second to Jerrod Hull. He now leads the points and has five top-threes and a sixth in six events. The Invaders were rained out Saturday at Memphis while Giannetto was in Knoxville doing the same…The Denison 410 race scheduled for June 10 has been postponed but a new date has not been announced. That will allow racers like Dusty Zomer and Bill Boles, who had planned on running that show, to hit Park Jefferson’s ESTS date.
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