VICTORVILLE, California - For a while on Saturday afternoon, the question on everyone's minds was whether there would even be racing at all at Route 66 Raceway at the Fairgrounds in Victorville.
Despite a steady rain for most of the afternoon, Track Manager Gary Lane was determined that there would indeed be a full slate of races and, as if on cue, the sky cleared and both drivers and crewmembers began the task of getting the track in shape. Drivers piled into their cars and before long had the track ready to go, and only a half-hour behind the announced starting time of 5pm.
In order to accommodate all the cars that came to Victorville to race, the schedule of heat races was switched around a bit, and there was an abbreviated intermission between the heat races and the Main Events.
In the All American class Main Event, Hesperia's Johnnie Little took First Place in the 00X car, with Monrovia's "Grandma" Diann Abright, #6, placing second and Bud Gray, also from Hesperia coming in third in the #8 car.
Once again, Street Stock was heavily represented, with four heat races taking place before a Semi Main and a Main Event. Barstow's Mike Milender took First Place in the Semi-Main, while Steve Smith, racing out of Long Beach ran second and Scott Curry from Yucca Valley placed third. All three drivers transferred into the Main Event, but didn't fare as well in that contest, which was won by Frank Hopkins from Trona. Jim George of Apple Valley placed second and Gary Owens of Hesperia finished third.
Last season's Super Street Points Champion, Barstow's Mike Morris, was just one of many drivers whose cars got banged around a bit on the super slick track surface. Morris, who easily took his heat race, one of three in the Super Street division, managed to finish third in his Main Event contest, behind Corona's Terry Hershberger and last week's winner, Chris Smith, racing out of Trona.
In the popular Mini-Stock division there were also three heat races in addition to the Main Event, which was taken by Riverside's Dave Clark, who ran wire-to-wire for his win. Second place went to Victorville's Mike Gibson, while Mark Nustad of Johnson Valley finished third.
Much of the excitement of the night was provided in the 250 Sprint division, as El Cajon's Jon Wilcox, who won last week's Main Event, lost it coming out of Turn 4 and flipped his #20 car four times, landing on his wheels. He had the crowd on its feet as he emerged undamaged after his wild ride. Las Vegas' Andy Field was the eventual winner, with Chris Gansen from Rialto and Tommy Berry out of San Bernardino finishing second and third, respectively.
If you can believe this, only two cars were entered in the Outlaw Dwarf class, Lucerne's Mike Atteberry and Corona's Tom Clodt. The two decided that turnabout must be fair play as they swapped finishing positions in their heat and Main Event races. Atteberry took the heat race, while Clodt had his way in the Main Event.
In the final event of the night, Apple Valley's Kim George won the Powder Puff Main, while Kim Asher of Hesperia finished second. Liz Metzger of Barstow drove Mike Milender's #2 to a third-place finish. Hopes were dashed for Barstow's Tabitha Rose, who led for most of the race. Rose, who was last week's Powder Puff winner, suffered a broken front axle and was unable to finish.
In a bit of additional news, Route 66 Raceway's website is back up and promises to be bigger and better than ever. It will contain, among other things, race results and points standings, driver profiles and a photo gallery as well. Webmaster Pat Gilmore invites everyone to check out the site at www.rt66racetrack.com.
Following a two-week break, racing resumes once again on Saturday, April
24th with the return of the IMCA Modifieds. For more information or
directions to Route 66 Raceway, contact the Fairgrounds at 760-951-2200.
