VICTORVILLE, California - - Route 66 Raceway in Victorville is surely no stranger to controversy. In fact, hardly a week goes by when someone isn't arguing a track official's call or complaining about track conditions. Saturday's meet was no exception when Barstow's Steve Rose, who has been in the thick of the points race all season in the Street Stock division, was challenged after his win by another driver for a "non-stock" engine.
Rose, who is known around track circles as one of the cleanest and most courteous of drivers appearing here, was obviously concerned about the protest, but took it all in stride.
It was close to midnight when the location for the teardown was determined. The track had been buffeted by high winds all night long and tearing a race engine apart in the open with all the dirt blowing around could prove to be disastrous. It was decided that the inspection would be performed at a garage in Apple Valley donated by another driver. Track Manager Gary Lane contacted Rose by phone Sunday afternoon about the decision regarding Rose's engine. Unfortunately for Rose the other driver's challenge was upheld and his win was taken away due to a discrepancy in his engine.
Bakersfield's Chad Johnson, who brought his car to the Victorville oval for the first time this season and had finished in second place behind Rose, was awarded the win and Norco's Chris Tooley was moved from third to second place. Billy Lyons of Hesperia was moved into third place.
The race was also marred by a wild crash on the back straight that saw Oak Hills' Ralph Adams landing on his roof amid at least three other cars. Once safety officials determined that Adams was uninjured the cars were untangled and his car was rolled back on its wheels.
The car was unbelievably less damaged than originally thought and Adams actually returned to the track and continued racing.
The controversy and subsequent ruling on Rose's engine had no bearing, however, on his daughter, Tabitha, who came out the winner in a hard-fought battle for the Powder Puff trophy tonight. The girls hadn't raced since mid-June and no less than eleven of them suited up for tonight's feature race.
The younger Rose has been a three-way race for the points lead with Windi Olsen, who races out of Hesperia and Yucca Valley's Timi Warner. A mere five points separated the girls at the start of the race and Rose, Olsen and Warner finished one-two-three tonight.
Barstow's Mike Morris proved that a car could indeed finish a race in both second and third place as a large chunk of his car's front end found itself imbedded on the rear of Scott Moore's car in the night's Super Street feature.
The trophy in the race went to Phelan's David Funkhouser with Moore and Morris following behind in second and third, respectively. The win marked Funkhouser's second visit to Victory Lane this season.
Trona's Chris Smith, who has been perched atop the points standings in Super Street, seriously damaged his regular car in a race up North and climbed into wife Melodie's car for this race. Smith won his heat race but could finish no better than ninth in the feature. Tonight's results closed the gap between Smith and Morris by a mere four points and leaves Smith with a 48-point lead in the class.
It was Apple Valley's AJ George besting Hesperia's Tony Vanillo for the win in the Hornet Junior class on this night. Hesperia's Austin Fritsch hung on for third position, but most likely won't figure in the final totals for the points championship come season's end.
Just 15 points separated George and Vanillo at the start of the race and George's win increased his lead by just one point. The youngsters will race twice again in October for bragging rights to the title.
The California Outlaw Dwarfs brought just seven cars to the track for this meet, but that didn't mean that they didn't put on a show for the fans in both their heat race as well as the feature.
Hesperia's Perry Highfill looked for the entire world like he was going to pay a repeat visit to the winners' circle but it wasn't meant to be. Highfill, after leading for most of the race, ended up a "DNF", along with three others of the original seven starters in the feature event. In what turned out to be a rock 'em sock 'em Main Event it was Simi Valley's Bill Didion who was the eventual winner, with Apple Valley's Paul Jett coming across the line in second place. Corona's Tom Clodt was only the third of the original seven to finish the race, coming in third.
The final race of the IMCA Modified season also proved to be a wild event, which saw a total of seven cars either not starting or not finishing the feature race. It was Apple Valley's Rick Lapka taking the checkered flag while Bob Forster, also hailing from Apple Valley finished second.
Riverside's Dale Underwood, who at this writing has a shot at the IMCA points championship this season, finished in third position. The final IMCA points standings will be posted on the track's website shortly.
It was Victorville's Andy Moreton who captured the win in a Mini Stock feature that saw the cars of points leader Mark Nustad of Johnson Valley and Riverside's Dave Clark hooking up nose-to-tail not once but twice. An errant fire extinguisher that smoked up the back straightaway also stopped the race dead on the track for a more than a few moments.
Normally, all feature races are scheduled for 20 laps or 20 minutes, whichever comes first. Often, the racers run out of time before completing the scheduled 20 laps.
This race took a total of 45 minutes to complete and saw at least as much body banging as there was racing. There were lots of casualties in this race as well, with six of the original 19 starters failing to complete the race. Track officials decided not to cut the race short due to the tightness of the points race in this class.
The fans weren't a bit disappointed, though, as the race turned out to be one of the most exciting of the night's events. Coming in under the checkered flag behind Moreton were Riverside's Eddie Gurwell and Apple Valley's Vince Porter.
Bragging rights in the All American class went to Victorville's Walt Reynolds on this night, while points leader Jason Andrews from Hesperia finished second and Bud Gray, also from Hesperia, came under the flag in third place. Reynolds, who has seen his car on the hook a couple of times this season, stated that he was happy to finish the race.
"All I kept thinking throughout the race was not having to see that back of that tow truck again tonight," Andrews said following the race. Hesperia's Johnnie Little, currently in second place in the All American points chase, managed only a sixth-place finish in this race.
Throughout the night the crowd was kept fired up by interim Track Announcer Mike Johns. Johns, a veteran driver of both 2 and 4 wheel racing machines, has also spent time behind the mike at Irwindale Speedway. He did an outstanding job, assisted by his chiildren, Kylie and Robbie. The crowd was overheard saying things like "who is this guy in the booth" and "hire this guy!". It looks like Johns has a regular gig in Victorville if he can squeeze it into his busy schedule.
Following a one-month hiatus, racing will return to the Raceway on October 16. The track will welcome the larger, more powerful 500 Sprint cars on their only visit to this track this season.
Additionally, the girls will return for yet one more go-around in the Powder Puff class. During intermission the ladies voted to add one more night of racing to their schedule to replace the race that was removed from the card back in July.
There are just two nights of racing left this season for the Victorville track prior to the annual two-day Turkey Classic series to be held on Thanksgiving weekend. On October 30 the track will hold "double points" night and the winner of the ready-to race All American racecar will also be announced.
For more information on the Raceway, located on the grounds of the San Bernardino County Fair, call during business hours. The number is 760-951-2200.
ROUTE 66 RACEWAY RESULTS 9/18/04 NOTE: All results are subject to tech certification and may change after publication
SUPER STREET DRIVER CAR# CITY 1. David Funkhouser 14 Phelan 2. Scott Moore 31 Riverside 3. Mike Morris 37 Barstow 4. Chris Funkhouser 19 Phelan 5. Scott Curry 65 Yucca Valley
STREET STOCK 1. Chad Johnson 01J Bakersfield 2. Chris Tooley 88T Norco 3. Billy Lyons 21 Hesperia 4. John Abright 56 Apple Valley 5. Jimmy George 8 Apple Valley
MINI STOCK 1. Andy Moreton 07 Victorville 2. Eddie Gurwell 99 Riverside 3. Vince Porter 7 Apple Valley 4. Kenny Lehman 3 Joshua Tree 5. Denise Galloway 4 Hesperia
ALL-AMERICAN 1. Walt Reynolds 16 Victorville 2. Jason Andrews 26 Hesperia 3. Bud Gray 8 Hesperia 4. JR Steele 30 Hesperia 5. Charlie Wenzel 23 Victorville
DWARFS 1. Bill Didion 15 Simi Valley 2. Paul Jett 747 Apple Valley 3. Tom Clodt 62 Corona 4. Perry Highfill* 12 Hesperia 5. Jack Wilson* 11 Desert Hot Springs ยท - Indicates DNF
IMCA MODIFIED
1. Rick Lapka 6 Apple Valley 2. Bob Forster 30A Apple Valley 3. Dale Underwood 98 Riverside 4. Rex McGuire 80 Barstow 5. Mark Allison A5 Las Vegas
HORNET JUNIORS
1. AJ George 8 Apple Valley 2. Tony Vanillo 30 Hesperia 3. Austin Fritsch 55 Hesperia 4. Chris George 16 Apple Valley *Only cars entered
POWDER PUFFS
1. Tabitha Rose 29 Barstow
2. Kim George 8X Apple Valley
3. Timi Warner 511 Yucca Valley
4. Pam Stokes 82 San Bernardino
5. Patti Smith 38 Yucca Valley
