NARC NEWSLINE – AUGUST 5, 2018

NARC NEWSLINE, August 5, 2018, By Jim Allen … Auburn, CA … Don’t you hate when you’ve got everything going really good, and all of your hard work is really starting to pay off and then BAM … nothing? Although that reminds me of my first wife, that’s not what I’m talking about here. After enjoying a very entertaining stretch of six-races in 36 days, the King of the West-NARC Fujitsu Racing Series has essentially power-braked for a 70-day recess. While some might look at this as a scheduling snafu, it’s just the reality of today’s ever changing open wheel scene. First off, this allows at least a dozen California-based teams to load up both 360’s and 410’s for a pair of Knoxville Nationals. Then throw in the Louie Vermeil Classic and some Outlaw shows in September and BAM … our next race is on October 6th at Kern County Raceway Park. In fact, there are only three rounds remaining on our schedule. Besides the KCRP show, there is the October 13th KWS-NARC/SCCT Cotton Classic doubleheader at Hanford, and the November 3rd KWS-NARC/SCCT championship night finale in Stockton.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR: Before I get into the recaps, consider this a major announcement (a press release will follow.) The King of the West-NARC series is going to do something a little different this year as far as the championship awards banquet goes. As stated earlier, our Stockton Dirt Track season finale is on Saturday, November 3rd. Our 2018 championship banquet will take place the following afternoon on Sunday, November 4th at the regal Brookside Country Club (3603 St. Andrews Drive, Stockton). This is a plush first class facility and offers up a nice way to put a wrap on a successful King of the West-NARC Fujitsu Sprint Car Series season while it’s still fresh in everyone’s mind.

It kicks off at 11:00 a.m. with brunch, followed by awards and checks and trophies and videos and NARC Benevolent Fund raisers at high noon. More details to follow shortly, but the point of this post is for you to mark your calendars. We will provide local hotel info and hauler parking info. Race fans are also invited once race teams finalize their reservations. We are limited to 150 people. NOTE: If the Stockton Dirt Track race rains out and gets postponed a week, the banquet will still take place on the November 4th. At that point, the finale will award a flat 75 points to all KWS-NARC teams that qualify and participate in that show. Let’s hope for clear skies.

PETALUMA SPEEDWAY (7/14/18) NOTES: After racking up four podium finishes in a row, Shane Golobic picked off his third KWS-NARC win of the season at P-luma. This broke the Kyle Hirst/Roth Motorsports stranglehold on victory lane. Hirst had won four of the previous five races. Bud Kaeding took a shot at Golobic late, but Golobic was on a mission and it wasn’t going to stick. … The initial start stumbled down the backstretch with Colby Copeland getting up in the wall and reeling in what seemed to be half the field. Before the metal carnage ended, Dustin Golobic, Marcus Dumesny, Jarrett Soares, Willie Croft, and Jenna Frazier were stopped with an assortment of issues. However, one by one, the cars began to reappear on the track – even the 16A of Copeland – as pit crews scrambled to make repairs. They earned their money on this night. Dustin Golobic determined that his car was toast after accessing the extensive damage to the number 57 on the track. A few minutes later, he was pushed off again. When asked about the turnaround, he responded, “I thought we were done, but when I got back to the pit area, they told me to get back in the car.” We could chalk that up to being a rookie mistake, but it was basically just a minor set-back for the crew of the Golobic Construction sprinter. Only Dumesny was unable to return. …

… Bud set quick time. Kyle Hirst was second quick, and Bobby McMahan third. … Sean Watts, who admittedly has been befuddled by his lack of success this season, claimed his heat race. Looks like the mojo is returning as he finished a season best ninth in the feature. … There was only one 360 in the 19-car field and that belonged to Bert Lathrop with Geoff Ensign behind the wheel. Most of the Petaluma regulars were up in north chasing the Oregon 360 Speedweek title. Along those lines, congrats to DJ Netto who laid claim to those honors and the $1000 bonus. Back to Ensign, who was putting together a Top 10 Cinderella type performance, until dropping out in 15th. Will someone give this guy a full time 410 ride? By the way, the team pocketed a $200 bonus. … Colby Johnson made his 410 debut driving his brother’s Chase Johnson 24. He finished an impressive sixth, right behind Chase in the main. (I wonder if he was holding back? It’s probably not good business to show up your car owner!) … Nathan Rolfe took the Dennis Rolfe 28 for an unscheduled flight test, vaulting down the heart of the front straightaway midway through the feature. This one ended with an abrupt crash landing. Said Nathan immediately upon exiting in the car, “It seemed like I was in the air for five-seconds. I just crossed my arms across my chest and held on.” I think it was more of an adrenaline rush than a flight test! …

OCEAN SPEEDWAY (7/21/18) NOTES: For the second year in a row, the Howard Kaeding Classic was captured by a first-time King of the West-NARC winner. Colby Copeland picked up where Buddy Kofoid left off in 2017 with an impressive run in Larry Antaya’s Maxim. And trust me on this one, there is no better way to score your first victory than with a $5000 paycheck. I’m not sure who was sporting a bigger smile in victory lane – Colby or Larry! This team is really starting to gel. … Speaking of first timers, Sean Watts claimed his first career dash win in the “Powered by Bacon” dash. … Kofoid outpaced the 31-car field in qualifying to earn his first ARP Fast Time Award of the season. He tangled with Tanner Thorson while running fourth with two laps remaining. … More than $6000 was raised for the NARC Benevolent Fund at the Howard Kaeding Luncheon. THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! We also can’t say enough to thank Myles McAtee for his contributions to the success of this event. He donates the food, the tent, and his hardworking “Catering by Five” staff to put it all together. … I hope I have as much energy and charisma as Howard Kaeding when I’m 85 years old. This man is enjoying life to the fullest! … How did the Kaeding’s do at the Kaeding race? Bud Kaeding finished in the runner-up spot for the third time in three-races. He started 11th. Brent, making his only appearance of the season, scored 17th after stealing the last semi-transfer spot on the last lap from Jarrett Soares in the semi. Tim had an off night claiming 21st. …

… Here is something that I didn’t think I would say at this point in the season: Chase Johnson scored his first podium finish of the season. In fact, Chase posted the fastest lap of the dash and main and has been a bullet all year long, scoring 12 top 10’s in 13-events. But this series is tough. Chase just needs a small break or two to get back on top of the podium. He has some KWS-NARC championships in his future. … Thank you to all of the sponsors who backed this great event. The feature paid $800 to start, plus there was a ton of other perks. … The two-day Howard Kaeding Classic, with all of the surrounding activities and active campground, is one of the premier events in California. You’ve got to love the hang out with the club atmosphere. … Kyle Hirst won the Civil War 360 show on Friday night. … Despite the mountain of food most drivers ate at the luncheon, there were no weight issues at the scales. On our last trip to Ocean Speedway, two cars were under-weight. … Aussie Marcus Dumesny scored a season best sixth after starting 12th. … DJ Netto was on the move after a less than stellar qualifying time put him back in the 17th starting spot. He sliced, diced, and threaded this way to a very impressive fifth place finish! …

PLACERVILLE SPEEDWAY (7/28/18) NOTES: With Tanner Thorson at Pocono for a truck race, Justin Sanders bolted his seat into Clyde Lamar’s Tri-C Spike. He didn’t waste any time getting comfortable, setting quick time and leading all 30-laps of the Fujitsu Summer Nationals. It was his second King of the West-NARC win of 2018, and first for Mr. Lamar this season. For Sanders, it was his 12th victory of 2018, which has come in five different cars. No, that is not a misprint – FIVE! He has parked his own number 17, the 121 of Joe Von Schriltz, the 56 owned by Mike Phulps, and the 4SA belonging to Dale Miller, and now the 3C. That’s simply remarkable. Sanders is fun to watch on the quarter mile bullring. He runs it like he owns it. … Tri-C Crew chief Lee Lindgren is underrated. #justsaying. … Rookie of the year candidate Jenna Frazier was the first car out in qualifying and possibly cut her best lap of the season. She ended up 10th quick in the 27-car field. She is headed to Knoxville for the Nationals. …

… Kyle Hirst finished fourth for the third race in a row. … Sean Becker was aboard the Mark Moore Motorsports 1M. … Will Tim Kaeding’s 2004 track record of 9.984 seconds at Placerville ever be broken? Probably not! Sanders time was 10.638 seconds. … Matt Dumesny actually set quick time, but forfeited it when he drove past the scales when returning to his pit area. Said Dumesny later, “I just spaced out and didn’t stop. I don’t know why.” Dumesny ended up spearing a tractor tire high over turn three in the semi and was done for the night. It wasn’t the way he was planning to end his California campaign in Rod Tiner’s 83SA. Dumensy continued, “This trip could been a lot better, but I just made too many mistakes.” Their best finish was a third at Calistoga. On the other hand, Marcus Dumesny posted his second consecutive top 10 finish, finishing eighth. … Tanner and Blake Carrick were also in the field. Both qualified for the main. Blake earned the Swift Metal Finishing Hardcharger award. … DJ Netto got roughed up and upside down in both KWS-NARC Placerville races this season. … Michael Ing had a rough night also. … It was glow stick night at Placerville, courtesy of sponsor Hydrochem PSC. There was more than 500 of the red one’s waving during the parade lap!

And finally … even though the King of the West-NARC series is taking an extended recess, or leave of absence, or vacation, or hiatus, or siesta, or whatever you want to call it, there’s still a lot of great racing taking place in the Golden State. Grab a friend, a neighbor, or co-worker and head to a dirt track near you.

Coming to you live from Auburn, CA, see ya!