From Behind the Mic
Sunday, February 20, 2005
by Tony Bokhoven ~ Ringing slot machines, cheers of hitting the jackpot and shimmering lights, can not compare to seeing former open wheeler Jeff Gordon take the checkered in Daytona. Returning home from a week in Vegas was as much a relief for me as it was for Jeff Gordon after the 3-lap dash to the checkered. If you have never experienced the strip in Las Vegas, join me in March when the WoO come to town and you can experience the highest of highs, and the lowest of lows. Luckily I took home some of the Vegas loot, but they will get another shot at me in just a few weeks.
Like them or hate them, no one can deny that the future of NASCAR is in the shoes of the open wheelers, like Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart. These drivers are paving the way for those that want to trade in there mud scrapers, for over the wall crews.
Much the same for 2005 at Knoxville and in Sprint Car racing in general. I am sure many of you saw the King and the Dude run under the Florida sky in I.R.O.C. competition. As expected the King, Steve Kinser, flexed his muscle only to be hung out by those that underestimate his abilities. Then his night was cut short by a wreck that was no fault of his own. I have faith; both Steve and Danny will return to I.R.O.C. Victory lane, I just wish they could have one round of competition on the dirt!
At Knoxville, this year we will open the season without a couple of competitors. Terry McCarl, one of the best that has ever raced on the Marion County half mile is setting sail to race where he belongs... with the best of the best, the World of Outlaws. Terry will surely give them all a run for it. A word of advice to those that have a year or two under there belts on the tour...you won't intimidate him, he's no rookie, and the more mad you make him, the harder it will be for you to beat him. Go get'em T-Mac!
Another driver that is giving up his weekly parking spot is John VanDenBerg. John is one of those drivers that have done more with less. If you saw him at the Nationals last year you saw him take a strong motor, a chassis that has spent as much time on Bobby Thompson’s frame jig as it has on the track, and used tires and race to a 10th place finish in the big dance. In 2005, John has been given an opportunity to race Late Models with team driver Billy Moyer. Moyer is one of the best that has driven the fendered sleds, and for the first time in his professional career, John will be competing with top of the line equipment that is capable of winning every time he is on the track.
Between cell phone towers, I caught up with John as he trekked down the highway in pursuit of his professional late Model-driving career. John started out in Arizona and then headed east to Florida where the Fly’n Dutchman saw some ups and downs while racing at both Volusia and East Bay. John worked his way through the engine cabinet losing all the motors they went to Florida with. However, when you race for Des Moines car owner Bill Moyer, you stand on the gas, you race hard, and you try everything to win. While John did not win any features, he picked up a heat race win and was on his way to the feature when he lost a tire one night and a motor another night. 2005 will only see John behind the wheel of his winged hot rod 10 to 15 times, as he is focusing on his future behind the wheel of a Late Model.
When I caught up with John tonight, he was en route to the state of Mississippi, to give it another go. He has been gone for over 3 weeks straight on the road trying to make a living. To date, there has been no commitment to one series or sanction, they are going to take it race by race, and race as true “Outlaws” chasing the money.
So while 2005 will be different at Knoxville with drivers leaving, there will be new drivers taking there place. For Terry, I am stoked about his chances, he is getting to race with the best of the best, and he finally is getting the opportunity he deserves. For John, I could not be more proud of where he has come from and where he is going. I can remember racing go-karts with John, when we worked on them in the basement of a mutual friend’s house, and even back then, I can remember John saying one day he would be a full time racer…and it looks like he is finally getting that chance.
That will do it for this week, stacks of paper work, expense reports and anxiously waiting for that call from big time TV will fill the week ahead, your comments can fill tbokhovn@kdsi.net.
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