VENTURA, California — The Jim Kierce Memorial Super Senior Invitational sprint car race, a special non-points event for senior drivers, highlights the race card at Ventura Raceway Saturday.
The special race was organized by two-time track Sprint Car champion Kevin Kierce to honor his father. The younger Kierce said donations are still coming in but the total purse is about $4,500.
The Invitational’s field is made up mostly of Senior Sprint Car drivers at Ventura who have not won a main event. John Richards, the 76-year-old, and Victor Davis are the only drivers in the field with a feature victory.
The Invitational shares the track with the Ventura Racing Association Sprint Car, Senior Sprint Car, and Dwarf Cars, plus the NMRA TQ Midgets and the Ventura Racing Association’s youth divisions.
The drivers expected to compete in the Kierce Memorial race include Mike Collins, Mark Chuhaloff, Tom Fish, Gil Mahoney, Victor Davis, Chris Meredith, Bill Badger, Cliff Warren, John Richards, Gene Godepski and Ed Schwarz.
The spectator gates open at 3 p.m. and the traditional flag salute is scheduled for 5:30.
More information about Ventura Raceway is available at www.venturaraceway.com.
Raceway notes: Track historians believe last week’s wreck in which five sprint cars flipped at the same time might be the most flips in one incident in track history…Kierce said that while much of the money for the Kierce Invitational has come from corporate sponsorship, some has also come from fans…Just 10 points separate Senior Sprint Car points leader Rob Kershaw from second place Bruce Douglas. The Senior Sprints have just one more race after Saturday to decide the championship…Sprint Car driver Troy Rutherford has won two straight main events.
