CONTROVERSY PUTS DAMPER ON RACING AT ROUTE 66 RACEWAY

Source: Calvacca/Route 66 Raceway
Date: 08/07/2005

Add to this the fact that, when Super Street Drivers went to pick up their purse money from last week's races, the checks were far less than they were expecting. This was contrary to an arrangement the drivers had made with the previous manager regarding their purse money.

Track Manager Dennis Burns abruptly left the position earlier in the week and was replaced by veteran operator Mike Gibson. Burns, who took over the operation of the track this season following the departure of Gary Lane, who had operated the facility for the previous four seasons, cited "personal reasons" for his departure, adding that it had nothing to do with the track.

At the pre-race drivers' meeting Gibson did his best to assure drivers that he would do his best to administer the track fairly and equitably for all drivers in all classes. He addressed numerous problems that have plagued drivers all season and stated that he is on top of all of the problems and would be working to iron them out as soon as he could.

Adding that "Rome wasn't built in a day", Gibson publicly acknowledged the work that Burns had put in up to this point. "Some of the things that have been put into place have been very good, and some aren't working out, and I plan to get at them quickly," he added.

The main issue for the Super Street drivers stemmed from the fact that, since car count in the class had been shrinking an arrangement had been made with previous management that the "payout" of purses would go to the top ten finishers only. When the drivers went to pick up last week's checks they were less than they had expected.

"It was not about the money, it was never about the money," stated Super Street driver John Abright from Apple Valley. "It's all about the way the new manager handled the situation. I feel that we (the Super Street drivers) were blindsided. They took money from us, money that we had all agreed would be paid." "A lot of us feel that he (Gibson) has a personal issue with the Super Streets. He feels that we are the "big money" class, and while it is true that our cars cost a lot more to put on the track and while the money does help, it costs us more money to race each week than we win, even under the old system of payouts."

His brother Jim, who also races in the Super Street class, echoed his brother's sentiments and added "If they had called all of us drivers together and explained that the rules were changing we would have all agreed and would have gone on to race. He claimed that he was going to make changes little-by-little and then goes about making radical changes by leaps and bounds."

"Our family races three cars here each week and it costs about 600 dollars per car to put them on the track. We know that we all can't win every week so it definitely isn't about the money," he added.

Joining the Abrights in the protest were most of the other Super Street drivers, including all three of the Funkhouser family, David, Chris and Steve from Phelan and Victorville, Apple Valley's Joe Miller and Jimmy George, Yucca's Scott Curry and Barstow's Mike Morris, who, along with the Abrights and Funkhousers, currently leads the division in the points race.

Track management was unavailable for comment on the "drive out" at press time and it remains to be seen if the drivers will choose to stay away for the next meet or will return to the track or if management will determine that. For the best interest of the fans, the payout rules will revert back to the way they were up until this week.

It turned out to be a shallow victory for the winner of the abbreviated Super Street class. Only five cars remained to race in the class. Trona's Chris Smith, who beat Phelan's Len Wahlquist for the flag, won the feature race, or what there was of it. Of the three remain drivers in the class one was unable to finish the race while the other two were disqualified for violations.

Besides Smith and Wahlquist, only North Hills' Frank Woodward, who was last week's winner, Ridgecrest's Danny Quinn and Temecula's Henry Wesolowski remained at the track to race after the others had departed.

During the feature it was ruled that Wesolowski intentionally drove Woodward into the wall along the main straightaway, causing extensive damage to Woodward's car and rendering it unable to finish the race. Quinn, the Ridgecrest driver, was also disqualified, although the reason for the DQ is unknown at this time, though it is presumably for "rough driving".

In other racing action, Hesperia's Gary Owen hung on for the win in the Main Event over last week's winner, Jason Andrews, followed across the line by Trona's Melodie Smith. Norco's Chris Tooley, who won his earlier heat race ahead of Smith, finished in fourth place.

For much of the feature race, Barstow drivers John Krieger, Mike Milender and Steve Rose were waging a nip-and-tuck battle for position behind the leaders before Milender spun and Rose broke a hose. Rose, however, remains in the thick of the points chase in the class by virtue of his second-place finish in his heat race and a seventh place finish in the feature.

In Mini Stock Apple Valley's Chris Peterson captured the win in one of the most exciting Mini features so far this season. Peterson held on to his lead throughout most of the race, despite challenges by Riverside's Eddie Gurwell, Johnson Valley's Mark Nustad and the ever-present Vince Porter.

Porter and Nustad had each won their earlier heat races, but were positioned in the middle of the pack for the feature. Peterson was well set, being in the first row at the start and got off to a great start, holding on for the win.

The race was marred slightly when Moreno Valley's Rich Ermakovich rolled his mini truck coming out of Turn 4 and ended up on his side. Despite getting out of his vehicle under his own power, Ermakovich was visibly shaken and was transported to an area hospital for observation. His condition was unknown as of this writing.

Hesperia's JR Steele continued his winning ways in the All American class, taking the checkered flag in the Main Event over Riverside's Frank Warnke and Trona's Jolynn Tompkins. In the two previous heat events, the girls had it all their way as Monrovia's "Grandma" Diann Abright took the win in Heat 1 and Tompkins captured the flag in the second heat.

It turned out to be a special night for Hesperia's Jeff Singer as he captured his first IMCA Modified win. The win capped of a sweep for Singer since he had also won his earlier heat race.

It was especially poignant for Singer because sitting in the stands watching it all unfold was his 85-year old grandmother. Scott Moore of Riverside finished second behind Singer, while Acton's Travis Gorsuch placed third.

While none of the points leaders in IMCA figured in the top three, Barstow's Robbie Cockrell pulled out a fifth-place finish in the feature as well as a win in the earlier-raced "B-Main". This surely won't hurt the Barstow driver's chances in his chase for the points lead with only two meets remaining for the Modifieds this season.

It was also a sweep for Romoland's David White as he captured both the heat and feature races in the Route 66 Dwarf class. In fact, the finishing order in both the single heat race and the Main Event was identical.

Corona's Tom Clodt and Vista's Tim Hoden, in that order, followed White across the finish line. Additionally Desert Hot Springs' Jack Wilson finished fourth in both races.

The little tykes were back at the track again this week exciting the crowd as they tooled around the inside track in the Mini Dwarf races. It was Victorville's Cody Grinder taking the win in the Main Event followed by Riverside's Kelsey McLaughlin and Hesperia's Shayne Galloway

The Mini Dwarfs race their heat event just prior to the start of the heat races and hold their Main Even race during intermission before the big cars take to the track for their features.

The raceway will be dark next weekend, with racing resuming again on September 3. That night will be "Elvis Night", with free admission to the grandstand for anyone dressed in 'Elvis' regalia. Fans will also be treated to a special appearance and performance by world-acclaimed Elvis impersonator David E. Prezley. For more information on racing at the Fairgrounds facility, call the business office at 760-951-2200 during regular business hours.

Track Notes: Besides selling cars at a local dealership and controlling the action on the track from the starter's stand, could it be that Bob Rideout is looking to expand his horizons? That was the one-and-only Rideout who treated fans to a stirring rendition of the National Anthem before the races on Saturday. With a voice like that, who needs

Big 'N Rich?…Want to learn more about your favorite Route 66 drivers? Visit the track's website at www.rt66racetrack.com for points standings, driver profiles, gossip and lots more. Webmaster Pat Gilmore keeps things up to date and provides visitors with all the stats and stories about the track…There was a familiar face in the stands Saturday night. Barstow's Mike Miller, who was right there in the battle in the Super Street division last season, has been missing so far this season, but plans to be back in the #44 MOPAR car before the end of the season, perhaps in September. Busy work schedule and car refinements have kept him away this year.

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