Only two more weeks until Labor Day ? Time flies ! This past weekend was but one show, and it was a full program at the Kalamazoo Speedway. We had the Vintage cars there for our 2008 appearance, plus it was the race before the Klash, plus no regular divisions raced last week, as there was an Enduro. This meant big car counts. 36 Late Models, 25 Modifieds, 21 Pro Stocks, and 22 Pure Stocks, plus 10 Vintage Cars, making the total of 114 cars. As I looked in the top pits, I could not help but notice a slew of M-40 cars. No less than 20 that called M-40 home were there. I'll mention where they finished in the Feature results.
It was also Old Timer's Night at Kazoo, and close to 50 Participants were there. Some, including Harry Foote, SR, and Dick Dunshee, came down to check out the old photos I brought. It was cool seeing their expression when they saw a photo of their car, from over 40 years ago.
The Late Models ran a last chance event, and the M-40 cars on the trailer afterwards were Jerry Zachary, Rick Hahn {who was telling me he is moving to Indy in a couple weeks} Matt Krywosinski, and Eric McGlothen. Others missing out were Rick Senneker, who was in the Red #57 at Plymouth last week. Talking to the crew, he is heading to Plymouth this Saturday. Also, former Sprint driver Eric Curry, Gary Sherman, and Galesburg runners Cal Williams and Ralph Wine.
The feature was very good, as Gary Howe was said to put down a sealer on the track to help with adhension. I will say the track looked like it had a two groove blackness look. Andy Bozell took the lead, but the # 37 Terry Senneker ran him down, and made the pass, and the win. Andy was 2nd, over { fast time 12.78} Fred Campbell, Dave Sensiba, Randy Day, with Phil Bozell 8th.
The Modifieds have a show Wednesday with the Klash, plus they have a USA Show, this Saturday. Darren Lane, son of Doug Lane, made I believe his debut in the Mods. He was in the Curry #98. A couple Spartan cars, and a couple USA Stars, gave the Mods their biggest car count, regular show wise, of the year. They are looking at 45 Mods, this Saturday.
The Feature had one hard hit, that being Todd Foote in the #10. He was running a stout 3rd, when something broke. He locked up the wheels, but still hit the wall pretty good. He was shaken, but fine, but his car was a mess.
Johnny Belott led the early laps, before Brian Bergakker took the lead, and the win. Many of these cars are really sharp. Belott held onto second, pinching off Indy hauler Mike Hadley on a couple occasions. 4th was Ben Raber over Harry Foote and Mark Shook. Lane had a spin and finished 18th, with Jeff Ganus 21st, and Phil Bozell was in Chris Shannon's car and got 23rd. Belott's car had that high pitched dirt motor sound, always liked that.
The Pro Stocks, had a bunch of wrecks, with a couple red flags in the feature. VROA Star, Tim Martin, had a gorgeous #76, to start the night, but a wreck, had it off to the trailer with 2 tow trucks. The Staffen 78, with little or no brakes, plowed into the Travis Hall 22, with the 22 car on the hood of the 78. Jeff Ganus took the lead from John Ferrier, and held off a pesky Buddy Head, for the win. Ferrier was 3rd, over Courtney Weston, who was minus body work, Brandon Zachary, Mickey Cornwell, dirt dobber Jim Kollath, with Robbie Ferrier 9th, Gary Wyrick, 10th, Johnnie Johson 11th, Jason Clevenger 14th, and Pat Harding 17th. The 57 car also wrecked hard in turn 4, in the opening laps.
The Pure Stocks had 10 M-40 guys in the Feature, but Kazoo regular Butch Glass took the win. Brad Shellenbarger was next, over John TerMeer, Greg Haines, Jacob Caines, with Indiana hauler Keith Wilfong 9th, Jeff Wanamaker 10th, Jason Dobosiewicz 11th, Corey Woods, 12th, Harold Lock 13th, Jason Rhoades 15th, Matt Bainbridge 16th, Travis Rozner 17th, Tim Pletz next, then Matt Sullivan 19th, and Kenny Dodd 20th. See, there was a bunch. It's good seeing these guys running somewhere, and not sitting at home.
We had the Vintage cars, with a couple making their debut with us in 2008. First was the Dowker #71, that Sammy Sessions drove in the late 1970's. Butch Fedewa was driving, and boy does that car look sharp. Excellent job, detailing the Roadster. Another car was one that Buddy Stewart raced back in the mid 60's. It had a roof that acted like a wing as well. It was not running yet, but a very sharp car. Cars also there were the Midgets of O.B. Grainger and Carl Peavy. they date back to the early 50's. Randy Peters had the lone wing car, with that being the #35, that Johnny Logan drove in the Late 70's. Dan Cline had his Dean Best 1972 Upright Super running great. He was the rabbit, for the second set of laps. Pat York had the Hite Rear Engine Super running very well, as he and Fedewa, were running some 14 sec. laps. In another Super was Dick Slagle with his #92. His car is in this month's Vintage Oval Racer Magazine. I 'm glad he still has the car, as the story was sent in last October. Kurt Scherer had the Dwarf, see Kim, I got it right, running very well, too. And rounding out the field was Dave Allen in of all things, a Stock Car. I believe it is a 1951, that was set up to run on the Old Daytona track, part Pavement, and part Dirt. All the cars ran real good, and look to the photo section of the website for some pretty good looking photos of the Vintage cars, as well as all the classses in action, plus a few driver shots, and a few more fan shots. All in all, a really good time at Kazoo. Cooperation is always great with Gary Howe, and we got plenty of track time, even with the huge pit Saturday.
Other news to pass, and this was a week plus ago, but Dale Wood, owner of Suspention Spring Specialist, passed away. Their business was based out of Bremen, Ind. They sponsered several cars, including Ronnie McLean, Mike Milliser, The Stremme's, and a few others. His Grandson, Dale Wood, competes with the HOSS Sprints, driving a blue #46.
Speaking of the HOSS Sprints, a stout 24 car field at Anderson Saturday, with Geoff Kaiser picking up the win. The inversion put him up front, and he led every lap. AVSS Star Jeff Baynas was 2nd, over Jimmy McCune, Kyle Flint, Hank Lower, with Sam Davis 10th, Chris Jagger 12th, Ron Koehler 15th, and Jim Dolph 16th. I know the Sprinters will be at Angola Speedway, Labor Day weekend, on Sunday night. We'll be there with the books and Memoribilia.
This week Plymouth has the Dwarf Cars - East West Shootout, with over 30 entries. This will a regoinal show with the Illinios group, a Michigan series, and the Ohio Valley series, all converging on the Plymouth Oval. Also the FWD's, go for $150 to win Feature. A good car count is expected. Bout it for now.