BIG BEAR CITY, California – Saturday night’s (April 9) opening of the 2011 stock car racing season at Orange Show Speedway had a double dose of frustration for the Conklin Brothers Racing team, but Jim Conklin said he and brother Cliff still “had a good time.”
The frustration came on the track, where Jim finished seventh in the Late Model main event after leading most of the race and Cliff finished fifth in the Super Stock feature after leading early. The enjoyment came from being part of the debut of California Speed Jams, the new promotional concept that pairs racing with after-race concerts. The first of this year’s 12 events was highlighted by a stirring version of “America the Beautiful” sung by Sheila Raye Charles, the daughter of the legendary Ray Charles, and concluded with a concert by Quiet Riot.
“We enjoyed it,” Jim said of the opening night activities. “I thought they did well for the first time out. It was a fun night. It just didn’t end well for either one of us.”
Cliff went first, for the 35-lap Super Stock race. He qualified second and started fourth after a 5-car inversion, but was second on lap 2 and in the lead on lap 5 after passing Jeff Lawson in Turn 2. Cliff set the pace until eventual winner Steve Smith got by him on lap 17 and pulled off with 4 laps to go after a collision with Kyle Meyer left his MyIrishPride.com/Alpine Slide Chevrolet Camaro with a flat left front tire.
Jim qualified his Chevrolet Monte Carlo fifth, but started the 40-lap Late Model main on the pole thanks to the 5-car invert, held off an early challenge from Toni McCray and stayed in front until eventual winner Brandon Loverock gave Conklin a push and sent him spinning in Turn 4 with four laps to go.
Conklin had been warned about what race officials felt were blocking attempts, but he said “I was leading the race. I can take any line I want and I took the same line the whole race. That’s not blocking. Brandon flat took me out and wasn’t sent to the back. I think that sets a precedent for the way the track’s going to be run this year.
“Am I mad at Brandon? No. Will I retaliate? Absolutely.”
